Have a look at the original Plycycle here .

27 April 2015

Varnish-first coat.

It seemed like a long way off for ages and now it is here it is a very exciting time in the project. Like many other stages this is a point of no return.
First coat of varnish. This first coat is thinned down 20% with thinners as a wetting/preparation coat. It may lift the wood grain in places, so it will need a good chack then light sanding before the final four coats go on.
I have chosen the same varnish as last time. It is a yacht deck varnish by Hemple. I chose it for its UV stability combined with strength and flexibility.
Having used it on the Plycycle Mk1 I am very happy with it. I like the high lacquer slightly orange finish it gives. It is not every bodies cup of tea, but I love it.

 
 First varnish coat going on.


You can see from the pictures how much the varnish brings out the shape and contours of the ply. This really changes the way the frame looks, for the better. It clearly looks wooden once the varnish is on.




Varnish first coat.

I just have to be patient now and varnish the frame carefully with out rushing, on days when the weather will be warm enough for it to cure properly.

Last bits done.

The tinkering and noodeling is over. I have finally got the frame to a place where I am happy. Today I spent some time giving the frame a final sand down. The frame has a nice shape to it now and if I carry on sanding any more there wont be any frame left. I have to draw a line under this somewhere and I am happy for it to be now.

I had been round in circles looking for a solution for the seat post fixing. I really didn't want to resort to inserting a metal tube into the frame. Possibly something i will regret if the seat post wears the hole wide with time. But if it does I can always sleeve it at a later date. Anyway, after a lot of hunting I found this seat bracket that has a lamp fitting machined from the same block as the clamp. If the clamp clamps the seat post directly which it does then all that remains is for the rotation of the seat in the hole to eliminated. The clamp will do exactly that once I have screwed it into the frame. Well that's the plan anyway.


 Seat post fixing solution.

 Rear stays.

Its ready for varnish.....


Final sanding video.

Next stop, varnishing.