Author Topic: Fat bugger - I hope you like essays..... (Read 12993 times)

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #25 on:** August 05, 2020, 05:45 PM »

Oh yeah, I bought something ! Grips !

Obviously with the colour coded front end red grips weren't going to work. Plus I wanted something relatively era correct.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #26 on:** August 05, 2020, 06:40 PM »

My camera really doesn't like the combination of blinding sunlight and gloss black.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #27 on:** August 05, 2020, 07:03 PM »

Much easier out of the sun.

Put one of my decals on the bars too.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #28 on:** August 05, 2020, 08:55 PM »

And failure number 2.

Whilst the decals look brilliant out of the printer and even better when laminated we have a problem.

Basically the decal vinyl is shit, and somewhat transparent. So when you put it down on black it looks terrible. I somewhat noticed this when fitting the decals I made to the fork, though it was nowhere near as bad. On the frame though they looked shocking.

It's very easily fixed.

3 quid. Sadly it's super fooking annoying lol. I might have to repaint one side of the frame. I will look at it closer tomorrow. It's just left a pattern under where the decal was, though I am not sure this will even matter once the redone decal goes over it. Will assess it tomorrow.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #29 on:** August 06, 2020, 12:34 AM »

I ordered the vinyl but it was bothering me. So at gone midnight I decided to experiment with the vinyl. I cut off a spare piece (from a full print) and peeled the backing. It's not even white it's just milky. So I cut it into four pieces and it took all four before the light stopped bleeding through it ffs. This is not an issue with white vinyl (stock, like I have ordered). However, the head badge decal was still on the frame. So I took the replacement I was going to back with white vinyl and placed it over a spare (non laminated) and what would you know? it's perfect. I am not going to try doubling up the larger decals (because I don't think I can) but I am pretty certain now that white backing will sort the issue.

So, the head badge decal is done, just need to wait now.

Bob_Acid · « **Reply #30 on:** August 06, 2020, 12:58 PM »

Nice 👍

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #31 on:** August 06, 2020, 03:22 PM »

Headset and BB in.

I definitely can't fully build it this time though. I need to file the rear axle to 10mm, and I don't have my belt sander file thinger. The actual file I have is tiny, and would take about three years. I can do the rest though.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #32 on:** August 06, 2020, 03:34 PM »

Hrmmmmm......

Looking at how that headset pops I am growing rather tempted to put the red wheel set on there.

Opinions, pls.

This.

Or this.

I also don't think this bike really needs 48s.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #33 on:** August 06, 2020, 04:41 PM »

Decided to try both and tbh? it was no competition. Red just walked it.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #34 on:** August 06, 2020, 05:30 PM »

Wasn't going to fit the cranks because I thought they would get in the way of where the decals go. Turns out they don't.

Hard to believe this is by far the cheapest bmx I have ever had.

I need some pedals but I won't go there. It absolutely 100% has to be red traps.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #35 on:** August 06, 2020, 10:32 PM »

Right. Went down earlier and fitted the V brake. However, I got a bit of a surprise.

I thought it was a DX. It isn't. It's an LX. Which means it uses this really cool sort of ratchet mechanism. However, because the ratchet mech moves the pads up as it pulls the only way to get them even close to the rim is with the wheel all of the way in. Which means if the chain doesn't fit it perfectly I am screwed. I know it won't. It kinda looks like this. Same colour too (which is reason 2 why I don't like it)

You can see why it doesn't work properly on a BMX. The pad insert area is way up above the posts.

I guess he took it from a mountain bike or something, IDK. Any way, I wanted just a regular one. This came up for ?32 and I decided to splash. So far I have not put anything even remotely expensive on this bike. The bars were ?12, the entire wheel set was ?45 and so on. So I decided to give it one killer part.

Mind you I say killer but ?32? is not bad at all. I mean, my TRP cost me over ?100 for my GT Speed. I also ordered the pedals.

And that ought to about do it. I might paint the bodies black, IDK yet.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #36 on:** August 06, 2020, 11:17 PM »

And of course the one thing I forgot to order a year ago.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #37 on:** August 07, 2020, 03:49 PM »

Decals are done.

As you can see, the grips and lever are on.

The decals are not perfect. Well, the finish and colours are, but the edges are a little bit ragged. This is for two reasons. Firstly I don't have my fish scissors here (which will literally go through bone) I am using a pair out of a 3 quid Amazon set (with hearts on or flowers or something, either way they are shit) and secondly I need to revise the method. I need to back and laminate them before cutting them at all, then cut them once. Once you start going over them three times it gets messy.

I may redo them at some point? but I probably won't

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #38 on:** August 07, 2020, 05:37 PM »

I feel sorry for the poor sod who used to have to run these sodding cables through the frame as a day job. Sucked balls !

And it's back to waiting for parts.

brettypeeps · « **Reply #39 on:** August 07, 2020, 09:54 PM »

That look Awesome

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #40 on:** August 07, 2020, 10:16 PM »

Thanks dude.

I am very pleased with it. TBH? I think the last two have been the best yet, and I have done them all myself. Like paint and etc.

I do love mid school dirt bikes. They were all kinds of mean. Sadly I can't do any more full builds as I am out of space. However, I think I will just collect frames. The 2hip I planning on doing next will be a total custom job. Custom paint, custom decals etc. Wanted to try that for ages now, this gives me the chance.

I also like the fact that I can produce nearly everything I need now. Trying to find stuff and then waiting for it is a royal pain in the bum. Every mid school bike I have asked Del about? he doesn't have the decals. I can understand why, as some of them are pretty obscure and why would he spend that long drawing up decals for something he won't sell many of? so yeah, I totally get it.

I have ordered some tubes also. Forgot about that. Oh and come to think of it I can build one more. It was going to be that Mongoose but tbh? screw that thing. That can either wait or just sit there. I would much rather have the 2hip done. Can use those 7x 48s on it and the ODY bars etc.

Renegade · « **Reply #41 on:** August 08, 2020, 01:49 AM »

Those red rims on black tires really suit the bike.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #42 on:** August 09, 2020, 04:28 PM »

Yeah was a no brainer tbh. I also didn't realise the stock bike came with 36 hole rims I thought they were 48s.

I put in the crank caps yesterday. Then my brother turned up to help me move some bikes and yeah, I won't go there. It's OK when it is something that matters to people but the way he threw the Metal Kizz and my Dirt Bike into his car made me really angry. I will wait until he comes around to show off his next new car, then put a scratch in it and like him pretend it doesn't matter because it's just a stupid fooking car

Thankfully on those I intervened and put towels between them. This? ended up with three big scratches on. So I had to go down and sort that out last night. Really, really annoyed. Sodding thing isn't even bloody finished yet.

Seeing the tyres like that is annoying me too. Hopefully the tubes show up soon. And then of course we have this weather. Ugh.

Stay cool out there !

Bob_Acid · « **Reply #43 on:** August 10, 2020, 10:56 AM »

I expect the cable man had a special tool for the job.

Looking the bollox so far!

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #44 on:** August 10, 2020, 02:18 PM »

Pedals came in today. Tubes were in Rugby this morning, so they ain't gonna be here

Ah well, at least when I stop melting I have something I can do.

Last night I made some new stencils for the seat post. I wish I hadn't, god.

I started about midnight having realised I wasn't going to sleep until at least 3 a.m. First couple of tries went tits up (it was a fresh set up of the plotter, so depths and speeds were all off, plus I had sizing issues etc). Finally nailed the art, then the plotter decided to play the game it loves so much in Windows 10. Peekaboo. I ended up having to hot plug it about 50 times (which took about two hours of deleting USB drivers and etc) before it finally picked up. It has been doing this since the day I got it, but never ever this bad.

Any way, they are cut. It's still too hot today to paint or anything else, so that won't be getting done this visit. I'm off home on Weds morning, when the weather is supposed to call down. Ah, the law of sod.

Still, I will admit my fuse has been awfully short for the past few days, so doing anything on the bike itself would be a bad idea. I would likely end up throwing it across the room. I may need to get a crusty old PC with Windows 7 on. I never had any issues with that.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #45 on:** August 10, 2020, 04:29 PM »

I can haz pedals.

It's something I guess.

Now in a perfect world the brake will come tomorrow along with the tubes, and I can do all that before I leave. There are a few things I need though, that totally skipped my mind until now. A chain, easy enough. I also need 14-10mm adapters for the fork (which is slotted 14 yet the rear drops are 10mm?) and of course I need to do the seat post. That is a one day thing, but it is still too hot today.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #46 on:** August 11, 2020, 03:26 PM »

Tubes came but nothing else. Oh well, at least I can stand it up properly.

These things are way cool !

Much better. Shame the brake didn't come today.

Picklez · « **Reply #47 on:** August 31, 2020, 02:08 PM »

Just catching up with some reading, as been offline for a while now, and I have to say I'm loving the thread, great as all yours are. I'll catch up with your 2Hip one soon too.

Whilst mid school's not my thing I'm loving the attention to detail, and have always loved red and black builds, they just seem to pop as a colour combo, and agree with the red wheels, definitely the right choice there imho. Black bodies on the pedals would probably look great too.

Keep it up.

Midschoolfool · « **Reply #48 on:** September 09, 2020, 10:49 PM »

Thanks. It should be done, and it almost is, but a few things happened.

Firstly I scuffed the seat post and painted it. Left it to harden for two days before putting on a stencil and putting on the text. As I pulled off the tape it pulled off the paint. So it was strip it all back or just buy another, I decided on the latter. However, being a 26mm post (odd AF) they are hard to find. So, all I could get was a 400mm post and it looks proper stupid. The brake came and I fitted it, but before I had time I had to leave and then mum did a perfect dive into a concrete slab (she's getting good at it in her old age) and so I spent all last week over there looking after her.

So left to do. Put in inner and dial brake, fit 14-10 adapters on the front, cut seat post down by about 150mm. At least the brake looks nice.

Oh and of course, fit the chain.

bobafett · « **Reply #49 on:** September 10, 2020, 12:40 AM »

Loving this thread mate... cracking read

Definitely liking the red wheels and brake and when you mentioned spraying the pedal bodies black I wasn't sure but seeing them on the bike I think black bodies would look kinda cool. Oh... and that seat matches the build so well !

Nearly there

Hope yer mum's ok