Additional workshop lighting

 I've been meaning to add more light in the corners of the workshop for ages.

A few of the jobs over the last week have needed me to use an inspection lamp to be able to see some sides of what I was working on. That nudged me in to getting round to fitting the LED strip lamps that I've had waiting.

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Bike build - Part 3

I've got quiet a few things done on the bike build in the last couple of days.

Fitting the Bearings

Now that the paint is hard enough to handle, without risking damage, I've started reassembling the bike. The first job was to fit new pivot bearings. I'd taken detailed notes of which bearings fit where.

I've done this job on another bike and my big tip is to buy the correct bearing press tools. I have a set that covers all but one of the bearings that I have and by reversing one adapter, it does a pretty good job on that last bearing size too.

I've used the common method to make fitting easier. I put the bearing in the freezer overnight and used a heat gun to warm up the cups on the frame. All the bearings went in easily and completely square.

I heated up the frame with a hot air gun.

I checked, by looking from the reverse, that they had gone fully in to their sockets.

Headset

Finding the right size tool for any given headset is difficult and needs a bit of luck.  I do have a selection of large bearing press tools and have to use the one that is the closest fit. 

I took a photo of the headset, to remind me of the order the parts fit.

Same as the bearings, I put the headset in the freezer overnight and heated the headtube before fitting. It was troublesome but eventually the headset cups went in square.

I did the lower cup first. I checked that there was no gap anywhere between the headset and the head tube.

The upper cup was much easier.

It looks a lot neater with the headset cups in place.

Assemble the Suspension

I had taken careful notes when taking the suspension apart so it was a fairly easy job to bolt it back together. 

I greased all the bearings and the spindles.

I cleaned all the threads and applied thread lock.

Cables

I had a little bit of time left before I needed to go back to my desk, so I threaded a couple of the cables.

Getting the dropper post cable in is nearly impossible with the bottom bracket in place so I made sure I did that one first, before I forgot.

Getting the dropper post cable the correct side of the pivot through the seat tube, gives a tiny bit more depth for the dropper post to be inserted. 

A bent bit of wire helped to extract the end of the gear cable.

A last quick job, for today, was to add the hanger and associated metalwork.

It's starting to come together.

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Bike build - Next instalment

Bike build - Previous instalment

Bike build - Part 1

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I've had my Covid-19 vaccination

I'm actually excited about having had my Covid-19 jab. I can't be sure why but I suspect it is because it is the beginning of the way back to a more normal life.

I feel privileged that I live in a nation that has managed to mobilise so quickly and so efficiently. According to the news over 50% of the adult population have now had their injection.

I'd like to thank everyone in the United Kingdom and elsewhere that have helped to make this happen.

Symptoms

Perhaps it's a bit contrary but I am also happy that I can feel some signs that the vaccine is working. Yesterday there was no indication but overnight I felt a slight chill and have achy joints. I also have the sniffles. My temperature is still near enough normal. I have been 36.5C for nearly all of the lockdown and this morning I crept up to 36.6C, although that could just be me wanting to see a change :-)

All these are signs that my immune system is working hard to produce the cells that will fight off any future attack of Covid-19.

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Bike build - Part 2

Top Coat

Satin black for the main colour.

At this time of year it's important that I run the infra-red lamps for a few hours before and after I spray on the paint. Keeping the work warm is essential for the paint to cure properly.

Before I did anything else, I left the frame to dry for a couple of days.

Detail

The next step was a little decoration.

I masked up an area and added a section of detail in a gun metal grey colour.

 

Once the paint was dry enough, I carefully removed the masking from all of the threads and bearing cups.

There was a little bit of overspray that needed tidying up.

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Bike build - Next instalment

Bike build - Part 1

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