TRM beat me to it, but yeah, it's far easier to source a replacement axle! I use hex jamb-nuts to hold the axle secure in a bench vise while I do the filing--one side then the other. Helps keep everything nice and parallel. Go slow and deliberate...you can always take off more.
Looks like the disc adapter simply spins onto the hub, like a freewheel would. Which would make that a rear wheel, reversed and mounted up front? Now, I'm curious, too.
For that style of intricate pattern, I'd suggest that frisket paper is superior to common masking tape. Find it in art supply stores. It's likely to eliminate any pesky bleed-through and deliver crisp edges.
Wildcat's right, except pedaling backward was low gear, forward was high. You can see how the top chain line goes to the smaller of the two rear gears. It's essentially two freewheel assemblies mounted to a single hub shell.
I've been using these for years. I buy 'em from the Dollar store, though they are a little smaller than the traditional 13x9 inch. I like DGM's muffin pan idea, too!
Stumbled an this neat little DIY tool for rust removal in the nooks and crannies. I've encountered end-brush setups before, but they were never this small and versatile. Now, there's finally a use for all those keyless cable locks I find cut off at the co-op!
With measurements, those items wouldn't be hard to replicate, but I've been searching for years to find a way to capture more complicated images on curved surfaces. A Japanese company was working on a flexible scanner about 20 years ago, but the project apparently stalled. Bummer.
Yeah, I always support the fork at the crown, rather than on the blades, to ensure there's no risk of damage. Usually, it's just straddling a length of 2x4, but inverted works too.
Can someone please slap me and tell me that this isn't a vintage Troxel springer polo on a local bike for $25 bucks? Pics aren't the greatest, but the saddle appears to be white vinyl w/ silver piping and a small round reflector affixed at the rear. To my eye, it's the proper 'surfboard' shape...