Simple cleanup gone awry- Cutting Holes!

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Ratpick

Ratpick

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Sep 3, 2008
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Pasadena, CA
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So as any good project should go, this was sort of unintended.
After the last coaster brake challenge race my bike was packed with mud like mad. Mad mud yo. (I don't think I saw pics of that race posted, it was ridiculous) the bike got washedB right after race but bearings sounded gritty when it was dry. So of course I just took it apart to clean out and regrease everything. "Well, I've got it apart this far, why not go ahead and strip it for a coat of paint?" Sure! So I stripped the frame, which looks kinda cool in aluminum, then had the next thought, "why not drill some holes in it?" Why not? No reason not too! So once I thought that would be cool enough to do I decided it should done proper and I enlisted my friend Joe for his mill and his welding skill. Next thing you know, cleaning up the bearings caused this:

Boring 1 inch holes through the frame
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Then 1 in diameter pipe was cut to go in the holes
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After tacking them in place they were ground down close to the frame
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Then Joe tigs them in
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After that I take the welds down smooth with the frame
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So this is as far as I am on it now. A few more welds to smooth out, then ready for a wicked paint job that is yet undecided. A medium/ light matte green? Flat blue like Air Force - Navy style? Something.....
1-1.jpg
 
that's pretty sweet, and is definitely one of a kind.
 
that is a very cool mod idea! :D nice to have access to proper tools too. for some reason, i like the initial mock up with the pipe sticking out of the tubing! reminds me of the portholes on early 50`s buicks. 8)
 
WOW!! That is awsome! 8) I really like the holes. You should continue them on the down tube as well. Maybe even smaller ones in the smaller tubes. Man this is going to be one cool bike!
 
The little bracket on the chainstay makes me think it is a next, but i could be wrong. I am about to have one.
 
The frame is a Raleigh. RetroOne, retrocruiser one or something like that is the model. This one was just a few years old but I think they're still in production. Around $200 new, so it's kinda mid-grade I guess. I got this one on the black market (craigslist).

I did consider doing larger holes in the down tube, but I was a little worried about changing temper and tensile strength of aluminum and risk cracking/ breaking it coming down from a jump. Maybe worth trying if I get a hold of another frame.

I'll post some more pics as it comes together.
 
i posted a thread in the "how to" section a few weeks ago about a product called durafix easyweld -- this was excatly what i was planning to do on my commuterframe with that - since i dont have acess/skills to a TIG.

I dont share your concern with strength, i´m gonna poke holes all over that frame :D
I really like the look it gives.. good work

regards
flemming
 
Right on Flemrasm. Now that I've done this one I already want to do another, on a steel frame and put holes all through it. Well, I guess I'm not done with this one just yet. Still need to prep for paint.
Just so you can see where this started, here's some pics from last Coaster Brake Challenge race. First two are of my rockemsockem Raleigh, other two are other racers. Can you believe this kid rocked the Flying Pigeon!??! Well, Chickenleather rode one too. But this kid was balls out fast on this thing. I watched him wipe out on a brutal decent in race #3, but he jumped up and kept going. I don't remember his name though... Anyway, peep this:
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Check background of 'em lining up for the kids bike race! Don't have any other good shots of that part, but it was Rad! ( I'll fo sho be running in this summers Coaster Brake Challenge!)
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Did a lil finish work and laid down some primer. Spent about 45 min smoothing radius around all the holes, and it only took about 30 min of swapping parts between dremels until I had one that would run!
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Those "speed holes" look great! You're gonna be cleaning mud outta them for weeks, tho! :shock:
 
I really like the look youve acheived. I just worry a bit about the strength of the frame especially after the heating it took from tig welding. The abuse your going to put on this frame going down mountainsides might be to much for it. I was going to build this crazy aluminum frame and before I got started I decided to look up heat treating on aluminum frames and after reading about it, I changed my mind. Its a complex operation that I wouldnt be able to do at home. You might be able to take it to someone that specializes in heat treating aluminum. Im not trying to bust your nuts here but if it were me Id turn it into a cruizer bike and look for a frame meant for what kind of riding your doing. Really nice look though.
 
very cool ,can hardly wait to see it back together !
 
seeing this make me think of doing a frame where the bottom braket is removed and only speed holes like these are present but use a euro bottom bracket(small diameter) and insert it into one of the speed holes higher up the bottom tube. Anybody know if this has been done. I know the spindle would have to be shorter.
 
Holy-Moly, Ratpick. That is awsome. Time consuming but worth the final results. Great work.
 

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