1949 Humber town bike restoration

[Nine One One]

Just make sure the paint is NOT lead based you are stripping off just be careful

[911hillclimber]

Good point, thank you.
Not even a blow torch does anything to lift it off, bit softer, that's all!

[KS]

It was commonplace to stove enamel bike frames, and if that's the case, good luck!

[911hillclimber]

For a finish so old it has broken down and rusted in random places, you would think it would be easy to clean off.
My first Honda was the same, heavy grit blast in the end.

[neilbardsley]

Can't believe I missed this so far. Good luck. I used some chrome paint on my cars wheels to hide some bits where the chrome had worn. Ok from a distance but only a temporary solution.

Pedals are easy. Always the opposite direction of travel. Now bottom brackets. English v Italian?? I have to Google everything I take them off

Sent from my M2004J19C using Tapatalk

[911hillclimber]

I think I will be going grit blast, too hard a finish to get off, and thus no chance of getting every nook n crannie cleaned to metal.
Did a test piece with my 'chrome' paint (rattle can) and it is just silver paint.

Ordered another make, brush or spray as the last attempt. If this fails then it will be silver smoothrite.

[Nine One One]

https://resin-expert.com/en/guide/best-chrome-paint

[911hillclimber]

Thanks for the heads-up.
So many boast thiers is best etc, but saw a video today of such paints tested on separate sheets of glass, so surface as smooth as can be. Both were poor, neither looking chrome, just bright silver.
We will see what the next and last pot of paint does. If that fails then it will be my favorite, Hammerite Smooth silver. At least all the parts will match.

Frame, forks, saddle spring base, chain guard and handle bars going to Redditch Grit Blasting on Wednesday for a 2 day turn around £60 + vat cost blast to metal removing old chrome, rust and this bomb-proof paint. Etch primer by the weekend of sooner.
Replaced the 42 year old leaky air compressor pipe on my compressor of a similar age and the blasting of small parts is really quite good. Suffering from dampness in the sand now, so trying to dray it all out, all 20 Kg of the stuff, but good results.
My Transair compressor was bought 42 years ago, has painted cars and compressed air for all these years and still works perfectly, quality.

Feels like some progress at last.

[Mick Cliff]

Just a thought - what about vinyl wrap? There's mirror chrome available...
Example: https://www.vinylfrog.com/en-gb/collect ... ror-chrome

[911hillclimber]

That's out due to cost, my impatience and no talent!

[911hillclimber]

surprisingly cold in the garage this morning..

Decided to look into my Sturmey Archer 4 speed hub and get it working befre lacing up the rear wheel.
I was told by the seller that the hub had just 2 of its 4 speeds, so expected something obvious to have happened, but other than a very dirty inners and one broke pawl hair spring, nothing.

Lots of cleaning and a 75% deep strip down and have ordered 2 new pawl springs (there are 4)
Found 2 good rebuild manuals so can check if something is missing, somebody else may have been inside before since 1949!

[911hillclimber]

Quick up-date, and a question please.
Have lots of parts now, wheels/tyres/nipples etc
Frame/forks/chain cover/seat base spings all at the grit blasters. No idea what atomic bomb proof black paint/enamel was used in the UK in 1949, but must hace been War surplus, NOTHING touches it including a good blow lamp.

Given up on plating the brakes/handle bars, they will be painted, awaiting a 'good' chrome paint to arrive (is that a dream?). Failing that to be a success, it will be Hammerite smooth silver, bright and robust.
I've bought some 'salts' to de-chrome parts down to bare metal, some of the chrome on the chain wheel/pedal arms are really think but flaking too, so all must come off.

Finally, got to brave yesterday and stripped the Sturmey Archer 4 speed apart...
Dry and dirty inside, but not rusty. Zero serving i think for many years (if ever)

Question!
The 3 gears inside (planet gears) do NOT have any timing marks on them.
Any ideas how to overcome this when rebuilding the hub?

Can't lace the rear wheel until this is working.

[Nine One One]

Apparently not a lot of difference between a 3 or 4 speed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ea6krXSs-lc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHHaajDcL_g

http://www.sturmey-archerheritage.com/f ... w-1012.pdf

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/sturmey-archer/fw.html

https://www.sturmey-archer.com/en/products/detail/x-rf4

[911hillclimber]

Have had advicefrom an expert on the setting of the planet gears.
All FW 4 speeds should have a mar to align, but maybe not mine!
Test is to assemble and spin the hub holding the axle solid ( in a vice).
If it spinsa, all is ok, if it jams, try again!
Will have a look through those links, thank you.

All the procedures I've read refer to the 3 marks...

[911hillclimber]

Ref the 3rd video clip.
I have all these, the 4 speeder is different inside to the 3 in many ways, but page 4 of the 3rd clip shows the 3 ID marks on the 3 planet gears I am bothered about.

Looking at the parts I can't see why you need to index these concentric gears. They are concentric to their bearing shafts and the 3 are on the same PCD in the hub. The sun gears apear to be consentric to the whole rotating system too.

I think I will now wait for the 2 new pawl hair springs to arrive as 2 of the 4 are weak, and one broken.
The locking of the pawls to the inside steps is critical.

I have made a new hair spring, but as new ones are £2 each, best to change them.
They are VERY light in action, hard to see the pawls moving by these springs when the hub is full of oil.

Oil weight is critical, lawn mower 30 weight mineral oil is the best, need to find some!

As with all these little winter 2 wheel projects I do there is always a few things to learn.
Keeps my brain cell moving.