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Post by franco on Dec 19, 2020 18:46:41 GMT
Look forward to seeing the results Brian, I’ve also wanted to have a go at this. I’ve seen some bikes with it on the seat and handlebar stems as well, presumably to protect the chrome from harsh weather.
Not sure if I would cover the logos or not. I do use the tops a fair bit so I’d probably cover what was needed for my hand positions regardless of how much of the logo gets covered.
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robt
Viscount
Posts: 559
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Post by robt on Dec 20, 2020 20:59:10 GMT
Thanks John and Jim for your advice. I am looking forward to seeing how this turns out. I do like the twine binder. I think the thin rattan might look even better but it will be finicky to work with because it is a flat strip. If I can't get it to work, I'll use twine, a beautiful fallback. Brian Brian, I don’t have any experience of working with rattan, but if I was looking to form a self-locking binding around a tube or cylinder using a flat, wide medium (like a shoelace), I’d probably try a Turks Head binding. I’ve created Scout neckerchief ‘woggles’ (U.S. ‘slide’?) and a ‘straight ahead’ position marker on a yacht wheel with some success using this binding. You might need a few practices, and a good tight grip does take a bit of working, but the finished look and feel can be neat and smooth.
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Post by brianbutler on Dec 20, 2020 22:07:10 GMT
Thanks John and Jim for your advice. I am looking forward to seeing how this turns out. I do like the twine binder. I think the thin rattan might look even better but it will be finicky to work with because it is a flat strip. If I can't get it to work, I'll use twine, a beautiful fallback. Brian Brian, I don’t have any experience of working with rattan, but if I was looking to form a self-locking binding around a tube or cylinder using a flat, wide medium (like a shoelace), I’d probably try a Turks Head binding. I’ve created Scout neckerchief ‘woggles’ (U.S. ‘slide’?) and a ‘straight ahead’ position marker on a yacht wheel with some success using this binding. You might need a few practices, and a good tight grip does take a bit of working, but the finished look and feel can be neat and smooth. Wonderful, thank you Rob. I love knots. I have already wound the rattan binder for my bars but have not yet applied the shellac. I am going to experiment with this Turks Head and replace what I have or use it on another one.
Brian
Brian
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Post by brianbutler on Dec 21, 2020 15:18:24 GMT
I was not able to get the Turk's Head to work with split rattan because the braiding requires too much flexing perpendicular to the fibers. I think a Turk's Head would be an excellent handlebar binding if made from cord. Here are a couple of pictures of the wrapped rattan binder. I am going to let it sit for a while to make sure I like it and apply shellac when it warms up enough to work in the garage.
Brian
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Post by oldroadietehachapi on Dec 21, 2020 16:38:52 GMT
I like it!
Jim
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Post by Admin on Dec 21, 2020 17:20:21 GMT
Great work Brian...love the colour scheme and the look of it
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Post by franco on Dec 21, 2020 20:13:56 GMT
Great work Brian, very tidy. Be interesting to see how much the shellac changes the colour, from what I’ve read it darkens the cloth and twine.
Ive considered a full wrap on the 1960’s Raleigh Superbe bars, they are one piece bars and stem originally for rod brakes but I’m going for sidepull calipers and removed all the mechanism. The chrome is a bit shabby and I saw someone else do similar, quite cool in a rustic kind of way.
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Post by brianbutler on Dec 21, 2020 20:25:56 GMT
I am using clear shellac instead of amber. I believe this will darken the cloth without changing the tone, at least that's what I hope will happen. The rattan should be unaffected by the shellac but it will darken over time due to sunlight and oxygen. I have noticed this on chairs. They start out very light and turn a honey color after about a year indoors. Some old chairs I have re-caned were very dark. Ideally I will end up with very dark brown tape and honey colored binding. The bike is gold with dark brown lettering and accents. I am hopeful the shellacked tape will last a long time and be easy enough on the hands.
Brian
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Post by brianbutler on Dec 26, 2020 14:33:58 GMT
Some warmer weather allowed me to shellac the handlebars I've been working on. I'm quite happy with the results. I used clear pre-mixed shellac over Newbaum's brown cotton tape, applied with a bristle brush. The first few coats were absorbed by the tape. Six coats left a glossy finish with some texture remaining for grip. I have one small area that needs a bit more, must have missed it during one of the coats. This treatment looks like it will wear like iron.
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Post by wheelson on Dec 26, 2020 14:59:03 GMT
Brian, Thanks for posting, absolutely stunning. I've contemplated doing this for years and this is pushed me over the edge, near the top of my to do list for my Austro Daimler Vent Noir ll. Best, John "wheelson"
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Jem
Viscount
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Posts: 3,390
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Post by Jem on Dec 26, 2020 15:08:05 GMT
Wow Brian...that is a great look. Marvellous work. Very classy.
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Post by franco on Dec 26, 2020 15:19:21 GMT
Great job there Brian, looks very classy.
Be interesting to hear how it feels on a longer ride, although if you wear gloves I don’t suppose you will notice much difference.
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Post by wheelson on Dec 26, 2020 16:24:22 GMT
Great job there Brian, looks very classy. Be interesting to hear how it feels on a longer ride, although if you wear gloves I don’t suppose you will notice much difference. From all I’ve read on some of the other forums it’s pretty much positive overall with the only concern is how water reacts with the shellac. I wonder how a clear varnish would work? Anyway, shellac will be my next venture as untreated cloth tape isn’t good for long. And I love the look of Brian’s handiwork. Best, John “wheelson”
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Post by brianbutler on Dec 26, 2020 17:17:34 GMT
Thanks to everyone for the comments. Here are few more observations about shellacking.
Be sure you have your brake levers exactly how you want them before you do this. I don't think you can adjust them later.
As you apply layers of shellac, you will notice that when it dries (very quickly by the way), the tape will look raw again. Gradually only certain areas will look raw, and eventually everything will end up looking uniformly glossy and darker. I stopped at that point to retain as much texture as possible but I might go back and add another coat for protection. I read that you can add shellac to areas that become worn in the "years to come."
I used a rattan binding because I thought it would look cool and I had the material on hand and some knowledge of how it behaves. I think a hemp or jute cord binding would be really nice as well. The shellac seals the cotton tape well enough that I'm sure you could omit the binding entirely if you can make a nice neat end.
I had to shave the bar end plugs to get them past the shellacked end of the tape. I am trying to come up with better ways to handle the bar ends.
One set of bars used about 4oz (120ml) of shellac.
As far as water reacting with the shellac, I'm sure that can happen and probably produces a cloudy appearance. It is the same reason wet glasses and hot teacups leave rings on old (shellacked) furniture. From chair refinishing I found out that rings and cloudiness in shellac can be removed by gently heating the surface to drive out the water. I've done it and it works.
I have another handlebar to try with black tape and shellac, probably with a cord binding or no binding.
Brian
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Post by franco on Dec 26, 2020 22:52:01 GMT
I’ve read of people using corks (from a wine bottle) as bar end plugs with shellac bar tape. Presuming this is an aesthetic that completes the rustic/traditional look rather than anything more functional.
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Post by brianbutler on Dec 27, 2020 1:07:48 GMT
I’ve read of people using corks (from a wine bottle) as bar end plugs with shellac bar tape. Presuming this is an aesthetic that completes the rustic/traditional look rather than anything more functional. The cork is a good idea. I have another idea that I want to try and I will keep you in suspense. Brian
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Post by dracco on Dec 31, 2020 18:02:21 GMT
Champagne corks for that joie de vivre!
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Post by brianbutler on Jan 7, 2021 13:49:18 GMT
I appreciate the aesthetic advice I got here last time so I'll ask again.
I am now working on the handlebars for my red Viscount Sebring. I plan to do a cloth tape and shellac job again. This time I am using a red twine binding that matches the bike, especially after shellacking. I was thinking of extending the twine along the tape edges as shown in the photo. It needs a bit of spacing adjustment and fuzz removal but you get the idea. I can't decide if it looks cool or goofy. The alternative would be to eliminate the spirals and leave just the solid red binding near the stem. I'll listen to opinions and think about it before shellacking.
Brian
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Jem
Viscount
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Posts: 3,390
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Post by Jem on Jan 7, 2021 15:03:34 GMT
I personally think it's looking great Brian, very creative and distinctive ...my only hesitancy would be wanting to see how it tones with the rest of the bike and components. Sometimes if a colour (such as the red in there) is very close but not quite close enough to the frame's red , then it can be 'wrong' for my eye. (do you get my meaning?) Maybe even going for a yellow to tone with the hoods and contrast and compliment the red frame ? But the concept of the intertwine is 100% brilliance Jem
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ks1u
Viscount
Posts: 76
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Post by ks1u on Jan 7, 2021 15:18:53 GMT
I think the red binding is very appealing, but can't decide based on a photo about the spiraling. Does shellac make the bars slippery when sweating?
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Post by wheelson on Jan 7, 2021 17:03:37 GMT
I think the red binding is very appealing, but can't decide based on a photo about the spiraling. Does shellac make the bars slippery when sweating? Being a fan of red trim, I like the look. My only question is how much the look will change with shellac? That and not so much slippery as cloudy when wet? I have to try this soon. Best, John “wheelson”
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Post by brianbutler on Jan 7, 2021 17:58:39 GMT
I wrapped some of the red twine on a pipe and shellacked it for comparison with the frame. The match is very close. In the photo, neither the twine nor the bike are the true shade of red, but you can see that they look the same. I am not worried about them being slippery. There is quite a bit of texture left after the tape and binding are sealed with 6 coats of shellac. Plus I might start using gloves anyway. I get used to them over the winter and then miss them when it warms up. Regarding the shellac clouding up, it is possible but can be undone by a little heat. It occurs due to absorbed moisture. I suppose you could try polyurethane. I don't know how it would be different but possibly more brittle, and also might be a bear to remove. Shellac comes off pretty easily with alcohol.
Brian
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Post by franco on Jan 7, 2021 18:37:21 GMT
I’d be worried about it moving out of place in use then looking uneven, or will the shellac secure it?
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Jem
Viscount
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Posts: 3,390
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Post by Jem on Jan 7, 2021 18:44:11 GMT
I wrapped some of the red twine on a pipe and shellacked it for comparison with the frame. The match is very close. In the photo, neither the twine nor the bike are the true shade of red, but you can see that they look the same. I am not worried about them being slippery. There is quite a bit of texture left after the tape and binding are sealed with 6 coats of shellac. Plus I might start using gloves anyway. I get used to them over the winter and then miss them when it warms up. Regarding the shellac clouding up, it is possible but can be undone by a little heat. It occurs due to absorbed moisture. I suppose you could try polyurethane. I don't know how it would be different but possibly more brittle, and also might be a bear to remove. Shellac comes off pretty easily with alcohol.
Brian
That looks close enough to my eye to work very well.
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Post by brianbutler on Jan 7, 2021 22:19:18 GMT
I’d be worried about it moving out of place in use then looking uneven, or will the shellac secure it? The cord is up against the edge of the tape and is approximately the same thickness. It is fairly secure even without the shellac but it would move around. I believe the shellac will completely lock it in place. The single coat I put on the pipe binding is very solid. There will probably be 6 coats so everything is encased in shellac so I think it will stay in place. If not, all is not lost. I can probably pull it off and put on another coat of shellac to reseal it.
Brian
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Post by wheelson on Jan 8, 2021 20:52:09 GMT
Brian, Do you have a source for the cord in colors? This seems like a fun project. Best, John "wheelson"
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Post by brianbutler on Jan 9, 2021 16:59:09 GMT
Brian, Do you have a source for the cord in colors? This seems like a fun project. Best, John "wheelson" Yes, here is the Amazon page for the product I bought:
It has a good selection of colors and the price seemed right. My only complaint is that the twine is not as smooth as I would like. It has a lot of fibers sticking out that have to be trimmed or slicked down somehow. It is fairly small diameter (2mm), which I like. I am continuing to look for alternatives, possibly a synthetic cord since it might be more uniform.
Brian
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Post by brianbutler on May 19, 2022 13:26:12 GMT
Here is an update on the cloth tape/shellac handlebar treatment: One of the bikes I treated was a 1977 Motobecane Grand Touring (photos of handlebars somewhere in this thread). I stored the bike in my basement over the winter. The shellac absorbed moisture and turned dull. Today I used a heat gun to warm the tape/shellac, which drove out the moisture and restored the treatment to pristine condition. I have also used this process to remove cup rings from antique shellacked furniture with good results.
I have been using a couple other bikes with this handlebar treatment and it seems to wear very well. In one case, it has been 8 months (through the winter) and 2200 miles and still looks very good.
Recommended.
Brian
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Post by wheelson on May 19, 2022 13:57:08 GMT
Here is an update on the cloth tape/shellac handlebar treatment: One of the bikes I treated was a 1977 Motobecane Grand Touring (photos of handlebars somewhere in this thread). I stored the bike in my basement over the winter. The shellac absorbed moisture and turned dull. Today I used a heat gun to warm the tape/shellac, which drove out the moisture and restored the treatment to pristine condition. I have also used this process to remove cup rings from antique shellacked furniture with good results.
I have been using a couple other bikes with this handlebar treatment and it seems to wear very well. In one case, it has been 8 months (through the winter) and 2200 miles and still looks very good.
Recommended.
Brian
Thanks, Brian. I still haven’t tried this method but plan to on my Austro Daimler Vent Noir ll and at least one of my Viscounts. Your method of moisture recovery from storage sounds like a winner. Best, John “wheelson”
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Post by brianbutler on May 19, 2022 14:37:59 GMT
I will also mention another advantage. Foam or cork tape is softer but absorbs stains easily and eventually deforms under hand pressure. The shellacked tape wipes clean and does not deform at all. It took me a while to get used to the harder surface and I used cycling gloves, which in itself was an improvement over bare hands on cork tape since the padding was always exactly where I wanted it regardless of hand position. Now I just go bare-handed and don't have any problems. I suppose this might differ for each person.
Brian
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