# See if you can guess what I'm making...



## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

OK gang. What do you think this is? You guys guess, and I'll post the rest in a couple of days. Hint...you're in the commuting and touring section. 

Winner gets a whole lot of nothing. 

Guess away...


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## texass4 (Oct 13, 2005)

Looks similar to making a guitar, but the holes and the placement of the clamps make me think otherwise. Is it some sort of exotic torture device I've never heard of?


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## Hollywood (Jan 16, 2003)

summa these?



jplatzner said:


> Guess away...


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## KendleFox (Sep 5, 2005)

I have no clue, but I sure hope you didnt spend too much money on it  

A bike case with many beer holders?


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## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

Hollywood said:


> summa these?


Ding ding ding! We have a winner!

I knew it wouldn't take you guys long. I'll post another shot when they are done. They are going to go on a Cross Check too, BTW. I built a couple of stitch and glue kayaks, but a friend of mine built a strip boat, so he had the extra scraps of wood. We're going to glass the inside, so they should be crazy strong.


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## KeeponTrekkin (Aug 29, 2002)

*Very Nice Project...*

And a CLEAN WORKSHOP AWARD


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## Guest (Jun 1, 2006)

Yeah, give us some build reports as you go along. Especially the hardware mounting and etc.

Many of us have shops and could do something like this, be interesting to follow your project.

Take lots of pictures.


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## handsomerob (Oct 5, 2005)

Are all the holes for C clamps, some sort of tie downs, or what???


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## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

handsomerob said:


> Are all the holes for C clamps, some sort of tie downs, or what???


Yes, the holes are for clamps that we used to bend the wood. We put the strips of wood in a 2" PVC pipe and used a tea kettle to pump steam into the pipe for 20 minutes. Then we bent the strips over the form and let it dry in place while clamped down. They sprung back a bit when we took them off, but they will be held in place on the bike by the stays, so I think it's OK. Also, I think the layer of fiberglass on the inside will help hold it in shape. I believe the professional ones use a second lamination of wood on the inside to help hold the curve, but we really didn't have the right scraps for that. 

The pictures shown are after the strips have been steamed and dried into the curve. They are being held together after putting epoxy between the strips, so we didn't need all the ones in the holes for that step.

Right now they are back on the forms with the fiberglass curing on the inside. 

I am going to use the hardware from a set of SKS fenders; that way I'll have the all important front safety release. 

I'm thinking about cutting some cool mudflaps from an old leather briefcase.

I'm pretty excited about the project; my cross check wasn't getting much use because of the lack of fenders.


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## commutenow (Sep 26, 2004)

*wow*

Those will be the coolest fenders!


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## firstrax (Nov 13, 2001)

jplatzner said:


> I'm thinking about cutting some cool mudflaps from an old leather briefcase.
> .


Use Tumi leather luggage tags.


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## Durandal (Aug 31, 2005)

I was gonna say a gun rack for collectable Rifles. 

Why not some Berthoud Mud flaps?


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## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

Almost done. I just sanded the top and saturated them with epoxy, so you can see what they will look like when they are done. After this has a chance to harden then the only thing left to do is cut them to size and varnish before mounting hardware. I like the look of the saturated wood. Thanks for all the comments.


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## KendleFox (Sep 5, 2005)

I admire you for your craftsmanship.

So many younger folk can't saw a 2 X 4

I love to work with wood (insert joke).

Please do pass this somewhat lost art down to others. 

Thank you for your post :thumbsup:


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## Hollywood (Jan 16, 2003)

*nice*



jplatzner said:


> I like the look of the saturated wood. Thanks for all the comments.


looks great! Ditto the comments about passing down the craftsmanship. I phoned mine in with a credit card number 

oh, and thanks for nuthin' 

j


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## supercorsa (Apr 23, 2002)

very cool.

and gorgeous kayaks, btw.


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## likeguymontag (May 31, 2003)

Oh my god. I thought your fenders were beautiful until I saw your kayaks for comparison.


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## CFBlue (Jun 28, 1999)

Those look AMAZING!

So now do I have to hand-forge a set for my commuter to keep up? LOL
Great job, and I can't wait to see the finished results all mounted and stuff.

EM


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## jh_on_the_cape (Apr 14, 2004)

way to roll your own.

i got half way through a stitch and glue gloucester gull dory... then the weather got nice and i stopped working on it. it bummed me out so much to see it half done that i cut it up and burned it in the woodstove, except the prow.

kept me warm for an evening of fly tying.


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## Road cyclist (Jan 15, 2005)

What type of wood are you using? Maple, Spruce
Certainly doesn't look like Oak, Pine, Teak, Ash, Cherry, or Cedar.
Don't sap woods bend easier? I have a hard enough time keeping
my wood straight.


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## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

The wood was leftover scraps from my friend's boat, so I didn't help pick it. It's western red cedar and peruvian walnut. Without the steam it wouldn't make the curve; we tried and broke a piece. In fact the walnut didn't get close without breaking.


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## Chase15.5 (Feb 17, 2005)

is that your private tool shop? very nice!


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## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

*Almost done*

I still need a mudflaps and a trip to Home Depot for a different rear spacer, but here you go. I've been off the bike for 3 weeks recovering from a hernia repair, but I rolled around for a mile today, and I think I can start up again easy. Just in time for the rainy season.


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## YuriB (Mar 24, 2005)

sorry about the hernia.
the fenders look great. nice job.


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## fbagatelleblack (Mar 31, 2005)

YuriB said:


> sorry about the hernia.
> the fenders look great. nice job.


What he said. When are you going into mass-production?

- FBB


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## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

fbagatelleblack said:


> What he said. When are you going into mass-production?
> 
> - FBB


Well I kept the forms, and I have extra wood. Too bad I went back to the salt-mine, so I have no extra time. Thanks for the kind words.


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## fbagatelleblack (Mar 31, 2005)

jplatzner said:


> Well I kept the forms, and I have extra wood. Too bad I went back to the salt-mine, so I have no extra time. Thanks for the kind words.


Let us know if you get laid off! It's going to be hard not to hope for that, if that's what it would take to get you into the fender business full-time.

- FBB


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## mtbnutty (Feb 13, 2003)

Nice Job!

That front fender mount bolt.......how is it attached inside the steerer tube??


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## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

mtbnutty said:


> Nice Job!
> 
> That front fender mount bolt.......how is it attached inside the steerer tube??


it's funky. the guy I purchased the frame from had a machine shop. He made a little aluminum piece that fits in the fork and includes the stand-off piece. It's drilled to hold in the fork where a brake bolt would normally go and threaded to hold the fender from underneath. Nice little piece of work.


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## alexi (May 24, 2006)

those look wonderfull!
check out velo-orange.com for $10 mud flaps


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## gotmilk? (Nov 28, 2004)

*Very Classy..*

Those fenders are very distinctive and much more interesting than plastic. It reminds of the way wood panels make a woody station wagon look so good. Great job! As a kayaker myself I l am very impressed with those boats as well.


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