I had the key cover left over from the old digital upright project, and thought it would make a cool shelf.
I screwed through the back to hold it all together, routed grooves and mounted keyhole hardware to the back, and hung it on the wall. I think it's cool that the 1902-era piano hinge is visible, as is the tuning record that was on the inside of the key cover.
The clock, incidentally, was another repurpose/recovery project. I found this old Hammond electric clock at a second hand store for next to nothing, but the movement was shot. I thought about rebuilding the movement, but it turned out to be too much hassle, so I just replaced the movement with a modern quartz one and called it good.
And the cards are from friends, my kids, and students. the banana one is a birthday card that says "one day only matters if you're a banana."
Thanks for reading!
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
Monday, May 2, 2016
What to Do With an Old Mountain Bike?--Single Speed Cruiser on the Cheap
I cut my mountain biking teeth, so to speak, on this great Giant mountain bike that I got new in 1994. I rode it hard, and replaced most components as I wore stuff out or upgraded. It has survived amazing crashes, trips to the desert, life in Idaho, Colorado, and New Mexico, and even a car wreck in Wyoming.
It served briefly as a commuter--I replaced the suspension fork with a rigid one, put on less knobby tires, and changed the front crankset (from a 44/32/22 ("mountain") triple to a 50/34 ("compact road") double) to give me some downhill speed and control. While it got me where I needed to go, it was just not as efficient as a road bike, especially since my commute is mostly on highway and has a pretty big hill (up on the way to work, down on the way home!). When I found a good deal for a road bike on Craigslist, my Giant Franken-muter was relieved of commuter duty.
For a variety of reasons--mostly sentimental--I didn't want to get rid of the Giant bike, and saw an opportunity to try out a single speed. Single speed bikes are quite the rage right now, and proponents tout greater efficiency of a simpler drivetrain as a primary impetus. Not sure I buy the "efficiency" argument, but I'm all for simplicity. I liked the clean look and low maintenance of a single gear drivetrain for a "ride around town" bike that I didn't have to worry about too much. Here are a few pics and descriptions of the finished product.
All told, I spent about $150 on this project, but saved probably $200 by employing used or old parts. In its current incarnation, it works great for cruising around town, though a rack would be mighty handy for those "grocery" runs. Looking back through the pictures, though, I am amused by the fact that there are only 3 original parts left on the bike--the headset, the seatpost, and the seatpost clamp. I have replaced everything else!
Thanks for reading!
It served briefly as a commuter--I replaced the suspension fork with a rigid one, put on less knobby tires, and changed the front crankset (from a 44/32/22 ("mountain") triple to a 50/34 ("compact road") double) to give me some downhill speed and control. While it got me where I needed to go, it was just not as efficient as a road bike, especially since my commute is mostly on highway and has a pretty big hill (up on the way to work, down on the way home!). When I found a good deal for a road bike on Craigslist, my Giant Franken-muter was relieved of commuter duty.
For a variety of reasons--mostly sentimental--I didn't want to get rid of the Giant bike, and saw an opportunity to try out a single speed. Single speed bikes are quite the rage right now, and proponents tout greater efficiency of a simpler drivetrain as a primary impetus. Not sure I buy the "efficiency" argument, but I'm all for simplicity. I liked the clean look and low maintenance of a single gear drivetrain for a "ride around town" bike that I didn't have to worry about too much. Here are a few pics and descriptions of the finished product.
Here's my cruiser outside the garage, ready for a B-doubleE-doubleR-UN (beer run...). |
All told, I spent about $150 on this project, but saved probably $200 by employing used or old parts. In its current incarnation, it works great for cruising around town, though a rack would be mighty handy for those "grocery" runs. Looking back through the pictures, though, I am amused by the fact that there are only 3 original parts left on the bike--the headset, the seatpost, and the seatpost clamp. I have replaced everything else!
Thanks for reading!
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