Vintage tracker Frankenbike tribute build

[Nabeaquam]

Putting 7/8 brake levers on one inch bars isn’t easy. I wanted to do it without welding extensions on the brake lever clamps. I got the clamp as close as I could by bending and squeezing and then pounded in a Phillips head screwdriver to align the clamp ends as best I could.
A lot more forcing is required.

 

[Nabeaquam]

The perfect experiment. I used so much brazing flux, in attempt to overcome wood ash contamination, that it melted and turned to glass. It doesn’t dissolve in water or acid. I can’t chip it off. So I made a subsonic vibrating parts washer. It’s a perfect experiment because it uses things I have, sander, old storage bin, duct tape and shogoo. I’m going to try and vibrate off the braze flux scale. Keep tuned for another experimental failure.
I added soap and boiling water. The dogs don’t like the noise. It’s probably not a continuous motor. After 20 minutes it as still cool. I’ll run it in 20 minute intervals, that way the dog will stop howling and my wife will calm down. It’s in the way of her linen closet. It’s a double whammy, it’s also agitating the rust remover. The floor is vibrating in the next room. All the nails in our drywall will probably pop out, ha, ha.
I may or may not be on to something. I bet it works on the rust, removing glass like flux might be a stretch. It’s powerful, that I gotta say. It might be near ultrasonic.

 

[Nabeaquam]

Well, two 20 minute exposures later and it hasn’t done squat. Flux is still like burned in permanently fused glass. I’ll have to try a rust busting purple grinding wheel.

 

[Nabeaquam]

I started the food grade 20/1 dilution phosphoric acid rust remover soak. It’s slowly bubbling. It can be used again, I’ll just have to put the semi used solution in gallon milk jugs for another rust bust project.
It can turn the metal green if the acid is too concentrated. Same color effect can occur with other acids. The green rust might be from chromium in the steel combined with the minerals in my well water. It doesn’t occurs as bad with phosphoric acid or vinegar. After it’s out of the solution it can start to rust pretty quickly so I use Ospho and that stops it. Ospho contains penetrants, phosphoric acid and dichromate. Dichromate and phosphoric acid are rust inhibitors and together 1+1=4. Chromium is a wicked cancer causer so wear gloves when using Ospho + it’s an acid and you can feel it burning your hands. Spill it on concrete and it instantly foams. Click on Ospho below for data.
https://www.ospho.com/data.htm

 

[Nabeaquam]

I’m revising my initial evaluation. The forge brazing wasn’t a failure, it’s a semi success. Looks like krp. I cleaned out some of the brazing flux so I could see that enough brass got wicked into the head tube extensions to work. I may sand blast and file it in the spring to clean it up a little more.

 

[Nabeaquam]

I spot blasted the parts I forge brazed. The blasting didn’t get into the tight places. The melted flux is very tough. I used acid solder flux and melted lead into the head tube and rear triangle. It didn stick where there was still brazing flux, but it did fill in most of it. I used steel reinforced epoxy for the places where lead wouldn’t stick. I used some leftover satin ink blue rattle can paint I had in an almost empty can. I might spend some more winter time to do some more sanding. I’m going to try and make it look like a surviving homemade tracker from the post WWII period. I don’t want it nice.

 

[Nabeaquam]

What I like about a phosphoric acid soak is that it works so well to remove old paint that has been exposed to damp conditions. It won’t remove paint that doesn’t have rust under it. You can see that the spring purchases and the steer tube were protected from the elements and the paint is still intact. I hope to be able to reassemble the springer by the end of November. After I build the wheels I can look at welding on brake cable stays and brake arm mounts.

 

[L-Note]

Amazing build

 

[jonthefish]

Yeah. Great stuff. I'm in awe. And mildly concerned for your safety. Keep it coming.

 

[Nabeaquam]

Once I scrubbed most of the flux off I was surprised to see how much brazing was under it. I’m slowly removing the flux with rotary files, hand files, sand paper and grinding sponges. It’s getting there. The paint highlights what needs more filling and sanding. I started filling with lead and where it wouldn’t stick to the remaining flux I used feel reinforced epoxy. It won’t be a real good job, but good enough. After lead and a little JD Weld epoxy filler.
After more epoxy.
As you can see it needs a little more filling and sanding. The roughness in the oval openings in the head tube lug are splattered brass. I can’t get it any better. I used Dremel grinders and files and I can’t fit them in all the way. I’m fussing with the head tube to pass the time, give me some entertainment while the phosphoric acid does its slow magic on the springer fork.