Or "How to waste 6 weeks of your life"

I just finished up the Flying Merkel fork, which many racers ran back in the 20s. 2 days on that bad boy. I still have to build handle bars, pipes, shifter and a few other little details. The next time you see it, it will be done, hopefully in a week or two. Then I can get back on my panel and the 59.

 

Holy crap WB!!!! I guess we are both wasting time then... You on the Merkel and me on the woodie. That thing is awesome!

 

Yeah, but the woodie will be worth something. I'd have to get at least 5 grand for this thing just for my time and materials. I guess my kids can fight over it.

 

Well, maybe I was wrong. I had a dealer/collector of high end vintage toys come by today to trade me some pedal cars. He liked the bike and asked a price. I hem-hawed around and mumble something about more than 5 grand if I got time and materials but didn't expect anyone would pay that. He said that wasn't out of line at all for a one-off piece like this. He actually offered me 2 grand for the first one I made or to build him one like it.

 

Keep it up WB! People spend large sums of money to be different from their neighbors, and when it's a one of a kind, well made art piece, the sky's the limit. Will there be a finish of some sort or bare steel, rust, faded paint? Anxious to see how this unfolds. That Orcas Island tin pounder, Tony Howe was commissioned to create something for the Olympic stadium at Rio.. Ten years ago he called me to see if he could work for me in the cabinet shop while he got his art thing going. Your bike is WAY cool !

 

I'm still scheming on the finish. I'd like it to look like it sat in a shed for 80 years. I want patina without it looking fake. I like using gunblue to get rid of shiney metal. But on the pipes, I just heated them with a torch until they turned blue and shot some clear primer on. I'm waiting on the graphics place to work me up some tank emblems. They said they can distress them.