Where and why

Been an intense couple weeks. Back to work, working from home at nights, partying hard as hell on the weekends, biking everywhere and just loving summer.

 

This is Czepta’s first shirt. Gobsmacked= me. So stoked I got this. I cannot imagine what he’s going to produce in the near future

Here’s the original I got from Alchemist.

Here is where I spent my time off. Waihi beach, beachfront. So much driving around this year, but the Legnum gobbled it up, even if it is a bit worse-for-wear at the moment. photo courtesy of The Alchemist.

Biked around heaps. That’s the finished Raleigh I prepared for Alc. Rides okay, brakes aren’t great though.

Epic sunset is epic.

 

Pity I didn’t take more photos really.

I’ve got a new laptop and am rustling up some nice renders for people at the moment. Alchemist’s place has blown out, is getting really full-on, is challenging my brain immensely.

Here’s a quicky I did for a client.

 

Word, will try and update more with my ramblings

Roseanne, the blood blade queen of dust

Named by her tamer to be, The Alchemist.

 

 

Plan is basic. Strip back to bare essentials, add fresh tyre and tubes, regrease everything and paint it something delightful like this…

Sexy as balls colour. Dayummm

 

Rear wheel internals before

After, pre-grease clearly.

Sadly, wheels are very fucking rusty. May just smash a bunch of matte black on them.

Frame as of today. Keen to paint tomorrow with luck, which I need right now, as it’s meant to be ready in a couple days.

 

Project complete

After a touch of trial and error with a variety of parts causing problems, the dump-spec BMX is roll-able

Post cane around in some mud and graveyards

General update/Alchemist

Just moved house and am living what I have been aiming for since 2007.  Away from home, fully qualified, working full-time in a sweet job with cool people, making good money. Life is really fucking good. I just need to organise things a little more so I can get some “creative” stuff under-way and I’ll be set.

Bike is now operative, going for maiden coffee voyage tomorrow morning to the nearby cafes. Need to sort out who’s making the good stuff that can sate my some-say-insatiable appetite for caffeine. Have enlisted a good friend to jump on the cruiser, so will be pretty low key.

Anyhow, my good friend “The Alchemist” has started getting rather serious with his work. As such, he has moved media to wood, though will likely remain with clothing also. His website is being worked on, and there are murmurings of collaboration works..

He has a personal gallery on display this coming October in Melbourne, which I will be attending. Hopefully I can cover it here, his work excites me, and I’m happy to be able to show people it. he has promised me tidbits this weekend, though I’m aware this may not pan out due to the Tasman-related divide

Will try post some cool pics up tomorrow.

New skull protector

I have an enormous fucking head. Like, the biggest. That bitch needs protecting, as it can accrue some amazing speed when left to it’s own devices.

Therefore

Best part is that it fits comfortably.

Bike gets closer. Got other rear wheel going as it’s rear braked. So once I get off my ass and clean that up, I’ll be rolling.

By the beard of Zeus

New pedals and cable showed up. Pedals don’t fit cranks and cable is like 3457924992346908 feet long. Will send pedals back and have just cleaned and painted existing ones. They screwed up the order anyway and sent me silver, not black. So sweet, good excuse!

Was a choice day in The Waikato

In cool news, am starting the lookout for a daily driver, something cheapish that isn’t rough. My Mazda 626 wagon drives well, and I’d keep it if it weren’t so rough in ze body. Such is life. As I’m only spending a third of my car money on an actual car, I’ll be shouting myself some cool shit, so will post it up. Ciao for now!

P.S. Will be getting an update from The Alchemist this week I hope. new shit a comin!

Too quick for comfort

Ghetto bitch rides again…..

Almost!

Spent the weekend slowly working away on her. Stripped as far as I could with basic tools (everything bar crank and chain removed). Cleaned the hell out of it, water-blasted and de-greased it, then re-greased wheel bearings and head-set. Flicked tyres, wheels, tubes on. Decided to keep bars bare metal, will just keep greased, or may clearcoat it. Got some sweet new pedals and brakes a comin from torpedo7, so once they’re on and I sort out a small issue with the head-set, it’ll be done, essentially.

Looks so damn cool. Cannot wait to get some lazy Saturday winter morning cruises for coffee underway. Got my cruiser, so can likely get at least one other into it.

Cool decal shots, Vive Italia!

BMX V2.0

The Hoffman Flash is still a work in progress. I need to remind the coaters to do the frame, it’s been there for weeks, but I’m getting a sweet deal, a cashie some might say. Therefore, with my cruiser too modern and boring for my tastes, I was fortunate to stumble upon this sweet piece of late 80s riding loveliness. Standard fare really, at the tip getting rid of some prostitute bodies and expired cocaine when I spotted it. Loaded it up, and away I went, free as a lunch?

Awful picture!

Similarly awful sans flash

Plan is to slam some of the Flash bits on, new tyres, clean the frame (no paint) and roll deep like a mad bitch. Shit will be amazing no doubt.

Project BMX burnin’ up

Like The Jonas Brothers yo!

Still stripping the frame of paint. The primer I used last time is fucking hardcore thick. I think it was filler/primer, so dominates all that stand before it, paint stripper inclusive. As you can see, I’m pretty close.

Frame has a couple spots left, and the cranks need a dose. The rest just needs tiny bits sanded off and a solid degreasing.

Was keen to get it coated this week, but had my first decent night out last Friday and spent too much money on beers. Silly. Will wait for next week

Shitty parts pile growing in the corner. Pedals will be replaced with composite numbers. The rest seems sound, if a little dirty.

Totally undecided on colour scheme. Feelin’ burnt orange and black. Gonna be hard to beat.

Got so much happening in my life at the moment. I’m excited about it. Work is going off, got my latest project at tec (stay tuned for pics of that) and I’m looking at motorbikes seriously for a project. Money is coming in finally, and I’m not blowing it on utterly stupid stuff, generally.

Got a day off work next Tuesday for the cricket. Insanity will ensue. A camera will be there with me, so stick about. We got arrested last year…

Male Stripper

For the love of god, don’t get this on your hands and leave it there longer than 10 seconds. Seriously painful. Gloves were worn shortly after.

Key up the paint, and lather it on. I should have used a lower grit paper, but oh well. Will likely hit it twice. Pal at the bike shop took the chain and crank off for free. G.C.

New tyres on rims. Semi-fail due to lack of tube, but you get the idea.

b ‘foh

After. Lush, will certainly be getting rid of ALL paint

Going well. Should be tidied up tomorrow, then I’ll take it down to the local powdercoater, and check out colourways.

Feelin’ two tone, to be honest, let me know your thoughts.

About to embark on another small project that I’ve been drawing up lately. Art-related, I’m excited.