Author Topic: 1982 Shimano 4000 build. (Read 8202 times)

P J Tunni · « **Reply #25 on:** April 23, 2019, 10:07 AM »

Looking good, the decals look great on the blue!

In2bmx · « **Reply #26 on:** April 23, 2019, 11:41 AM »

Love that blue . Looking forward to seeing this finished .

Avro · « **Reply #27 on:** May 13, 2019, 08:12 PM »

Day off so let's get building! It has been too long.

I plan to get most of the parts fitted today with some major exceptions; the cranks that need anodising and the saddle which I do not have unless I pinch the Elina from the Hot Heart. The anodising is in hand. I made all my solutions this morning, the caustic soda, Nitric solution and the anodising bath itself, all scaled up to feed my ambition

Progress is guaranteed on at least one front.

The stem is a modest SR MS422, a part I have used before in its painted top incarnation. I like these painted stems, super clean and simple. The one for this build has a metallic blue top, perfect.

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The stem is mated with some blue anodised handlebars, I do not know the manufacturer. The handlebars are barely 23" wide, so things will be cramped up front. I

big lairy race bars so these will be something new to me, at least new to me since 1981 (thinking my mk1 burner bars were narrow? the black painted ones?)! The colours are working really well with the frame which continues to encourage me.

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The brakes are a pair of blue Shimano Tourneys with new-old-stock Shimano Pre-bents and Shimano cables. The colours are still holding up which I am really pleased about. The Tourneys are minty and it shows, the colour is super-metallic and vibrant.

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Looking good...

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Chilli Rinse · « **Reply #28 on:** May 13, 2019, 08:27 PM »

Stunning ! Loving everything about this build

Are those the bars from Vert Ego/Rock Chick. Very nice, thinking of those for myself

Avro · « **Reply #29 on:** May 13, 2019, 08:34 PM »

...the wheels are a pair of OGK's. They came with a 16T Suntour freewheel so it was left on. OGK wheels were actually specified for the Shimano 5000, a far more racy frame. The Shimano 4000 had to make do with Araya 7x rims! I guess 'mags' had more mystique and perceived value. The OGK's are mighty heavy!

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I have given up on period tyres. I have chased period tyres, had some success, but I struggle to see the sense of it. I do want to potter around on my bikes, no, 35 year old tyres won't cut it. So I plan to do the best I can with the repops that are out there. Both the Shimano 4000 and 5000 were specified with coloured 'Snake-Belly' tyres and that is what this bike is getting. They are repops, made in Japan and look the beans. Now I have to be honest, on bringing the front up to 35psi one bead blew off the rim and ripped a hole in the inner tube, not once but twice. I had Skyways on my Burner bitd and do not remember this being an issue with 'mag' wheels? Is it the tyres? They are a very light construction, foldable. Third time seems to be alright athough they are only at around 25 psi.

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I am rapidly running out of room in the cave! I have decided to make more of an effort with photography, mainly for YouTube, and this has made things super tight and conjested. Still, it is all fun. The build is on track...

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Avro · « **Reply #30 on:** May 13, 2019, 08:44 PM »

I got the bars from someone on here a while ago, I do not remember who.
I have just looked at the bars sold be the seller you mention and I think you are right, they are one and the same.

factory pilot · « **Reply #31 on:** May 13, 2019, 08:52 PM »

Really coming together

bobafett · « **Reply #32 on:** May 13, 2019, 08:58 PM »

Looking great mate

P J Tunni · « **Reply #33 on:** May 14, 2019, 10:15 AM »

Loving this, absolutely stunning!

Agree on the tyres, i ride all my bikes so i always go for repops.

Avro · « **Reply #34 on:** May 27, 2019, 07:57 PM »

The bank holiday weekend has given me time to make progress with the Shimano 4000. As I had two full days available I decided to tackle the cranks and chainwheel. This will mean trying out my new anodising tank. I have set up my anodising using fresh chemicals, new electrodes and new hardware.

The cranks are Shimano 600 Arabesque, from a road groupset really but perectly fine for BMX. They came to me with a 43T Shimano chainwheel and it will be retained. The original gold anodising is in a sorry state.

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The first job was to strip the anodising and deep clean the metal. The anodising is removed by dipping in a solution of caustic soda, this also cleans and draws impurities out from the surface. These impurities are further cleaned with a solution of nitric acid, these dips leave the metal super clean and raw. The caustic soda also etches the surface which will have to be remedied with polishing. Here are the cranks after dipping:

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Polishing next, I probably go over the top with this stage but never mind. I started with p240 on specific areas where burrs needed flatting or deep scraches needed to be removed or at least minimised. Then it was just a laborious case of flatting down through the grades, 800 > 1200 > 2000 > 2500 and finishing with Peek polish. This was all done by hand as I did not want to loose edges and stamps. The 'Shimano 600' logo was masked with tape until I got to p2500. I hate seeing those over-polished parts on ebay where all the detail is obliterated. Here is the drive-side crank after polishing, it will be gloves from now on:

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The parts are cleaned with soapy water, making sure no beading occurs, and rinsed in deionised water.

I have investing in a large assortment of aluminium nuts, bolts, washers, studs and heavy titanium wire. With this hardware I will be making custom jigs for everything I anodise. I have high hopes for the countersunk screws I have bought as they will give a very good electrical contact with minimal surface area.

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Avro · « **Reply #35 on:** May 27, 2019, 08:32 PM »

...so on to the anodising itself. The new tank's aeration works a treat although I had to add a series of lead rings to the tubes so they stayed put. Here are the cranks, in their jig, in the anodising tank with the aeration system in place:

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Switch it all on and wait!

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I am using amperages and times from previous work. It is handy having a number of previous successes to draw on in this regard. The parts do not look a lot different coming out of the tank, they just have a dull lustre to them. Anyway on to the dying phase. I mix up my dyes with tap water as I live in a very soft water area. At this stage you don't really know how good the results will be, it could completely fail meaning you have to start all over again

The cranks were dunked in the dye for around 20 minutes, this is what I fished out:

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Not looking too bad. A quick rinse in cold water and then dunked in near boiling water for another 20 minutes and hey presto blue cranks. I am really pleased although the chainwheel is a bit too dark, I had to do the chainwheel twice already so it will have to do. The Shimano 4000 is nearly done.

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Taipan · « **Reply #36 on:** May 27, 2019, 09:12 PM »

Great Skills!

your a clever bugger lol

looks great

bobafett · « **Reply #37 on:** May 29, 2019, 01:10 AM »

Awesome shit right there mate. Skills.

Avro · « **Reply #38 on:** June 04, 2019, 11:58 AM »

More here on the anodising if you are interested

MrD · « **Reply #39 on:** June 04, 2019, 02:01 PM »

Avro, you my man have made my day. That Sir is a brilliant video with enough detail to keep me watching. nothing better than putting spare time to a creative use. I'd love to know what polishing/sanding tools you use or is it totally by hand? Ive experimented with the dremmel sanding tubes/cylinders but maybe I need a linisher?

Again great work - I also know how long those video's take to put together

Cheers

MrD

Avro · « **Reply #40 on:** June 04, 2019, 10:59 PM »

Thanks for that. This video is much closer to what I am aiming for in terms of production. It's a challenge really as I am not too good on computers and the like. It is also a way of using the hobby to explore more avenues of interest.

I generally polish by hand, either free-hand or with the aid of blocks. I have a lot of radius blocks and tight corner blocks from model making and they are handy. I do have a small bench grinder with is dedicated to polishing but I rarely use it. I am always fearful of loosing edges and detail.

I have been watching a few videos lately made by clock makers and jewellers to see how they tackle polishing. In particular one of the clock makers takes polishing brass to dizzying heights. It was from this inspiration that I am looking into different grades of paste polishes.

Anyway, thank you for the kind words, much appreciated!

Avro · « **Reply #41 on:** June 25, 2019, 08:07 PM »

I have quite a few sets of pedals, two pairs of Lightnings. two pairs of SR MP130 and a pair of Surefoot II (SR MP120). Some of them are in very poor condition, at least the cages are. I will be having a go at restoring them in the future. One of the pairs of SR MP130's are rather nice, too good to warrant restoration. They are blue also and earmarked for the Shimano 4000.

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Yes they are scratched up on the ends but plenty good enough. Problem is that they are 1/2". My other pair of SR MP130's are also 1/2". Looking at the Surefoot II's (MP120's) they look to have identical bodies to the MP130's but different cages and spindles. The Surefoots are 9/16" and it just so happens that they are earmarked for future build that requires 1/2".

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An opportuinty to kill two birds with one stone.

With the pedals stripped down it was time to compare the spindles:

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Save for the different finish and machining of the threaded ends they will swap just fine. A regrease and reassembly and one step forward.

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Avro · « **Reply #42 on:** June 25, 2019, 09:08 PM »

Time to fit the cranks and a few remaining bits and bobs.

The cranks are fixed to the square-taper axle with Shimano's 'One Key' system, which is so simple and effective. The 'One Key' consists of a chrome threaded end cap, a thin shim, retaining bolt and a thick steel washer. The steel washer sits in the bottom of the recess in the crank where the other fittings go. It has the same OD as the chrome end cap so will not slide inside it. Next goes the bolt, then the shim which fits over the head of the bolt. This shim sits inside the chrome endcap. Next screws in the endcap. The end result is to make the retaining bolt a captive bolt, free to turn but retained inside the crank effectively. The cranks tighten up to the axle in the conventional way. However, when you go to undo the bolt again, as it is captive, it becomes it's own puller and the cranks are easily removed. One key to put them on and the same key to take them off. It must put a fair amount of strain on the bolt threads but it really does work. I think it is neat anyway

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So cranks on, chainwheel on and Izumi chain fitted, easy. Pedals followed.

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The grips are Fuan. I was looking at the picture of the Shimano 4000 at the start of this thread and the lad looks to have Fuan grips, or possibly Oakley, fitted so they are in keeping.

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The silver chain is also a nod to that picture although I can not spare a set of Shimano DX pedals for this build with two other builds demanding them. When new, complete Shimano 4000 and 5000's were specified with KKT Lightnings and I may swap those in once I find time to restore a set. I noticed that the link tothe magazine advert for both the Shimano 4000 and 5000 completes is broken, unfortunately I have not been able to track it down again.

BMX1973 · « **Reply #43 on:** June 28, 2019, 11:21 AM »

Lovely.

Mikku · « **Reply #44 on:** June 30, 2019, 12:18 PM »

Amazing attention to detail! Looking forward to seeing this finished!

Avro · « **Reply #45 on:** July 08, 2019, 06:58 PM »

The build is now finished, kind of. I have had to pinch the saddle and pad set from my Hot Heart; I have been looking for months for suitable substitutes but either nothing there or way out of my price range. I have ordered several pad sets from a well known supplier but I have not had any luck getting them made (like my 'Shimano Racing' pad set they involve origination, although, despite suppling nos decals to use, he is not keen). I will pursue this as I really need the pad sets for two future builds. It is no biggy as there is never any rush with restorations.

Elina saddle, Nitto post (repro and very heavy!), Tange clamp...

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...and all done. Believe me it is very pretty, but tiny! The handlebars feel like a wing nut!

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I am very pleased with how the colours came out. The cranks and chainwheel are a little dark but this is mirrored in the decals so I think it balances? I really need to improve my photography, I get close sometimes but I am not sure how I get there! Thanks for your comments and encouragement, it really does matter.

More here if of any interest

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On with the next one...

Mikku · « **Reply #46 on:** July 09, 2019, 10:43 AM »

Nice one!

So what's next in line??

bobafett · « **Reply #47 on:** July 09, 2019, 11:21 AM »

Lovely that

P J Tunni · « **Reply #48 on:** July 10, 2019, 09:47 AM »

Beautiful that!

Author Topic: 1982 Shimano 4000 build. (Read 8202 times)

In2bmx