How to clean the saddle springs on a bicycle.

Upon trying to clean these springs/coils, whatever you call them, I got to a point where I thought "I will never be able to get to the inside"! So I did some research online thinking there had to be a video on how to clean these things! Well, I had no such luck. Lucky for me, I have a handy husband and father-in-law. With those two they were able to come up with a way to clean the inside! I decided to post this so if someone else like me were in this situation could follow this blog on how to clean them on the inside.

I don't know the names for half the stuff they used, but the pictures explain themselves really. They secured the springs inside with the nuts and pulled them apart securing them in a way it stayed uncoiled. Making it much easier to get in the inside.

 Though we still couldn't get in the inside with the tool, we had to use good ol' sandpaper. What you do is tear off a small, skinny piece and loop it around the inside of the coil. Then you sand the inside of the coil as if you were polishing the bottom of your shoe with a towel in a back and forth motion. Since the rust ruined the chrome, we decided to use the spraypaint chrome. I know it probably devalues it, but I don't plan on selling it and it's cheaper and will protect it from rusting again.

So I hope this helps those of you who may be wondering how the heck to derust the inside of those pesky coils!

Large Vintage Projects! 1959 Schwinn Bike and Glider Swing

Our old lake house that my great grandfather built is up for sale. It's aweful since we have had so many memories at the cabin. It was broken into a couple weeks ago and they took all the copper out from under the house and my grandmother's planters that were out front. Why would someone steal planters?? Anyway, Wes and I asked my grandmother if it was ok to go and get some things that we would like. She said yes and to get pretty much whatever. I didn't get a whole lot of things because a lot of it I don't feel like is mine to have. I took the glider swing (above), the old dinner bell, my great grandmother's sewing box, some old books, an oversized decorative key to hang on the wall, old tools, a fishing pole, gravy boat, coffee cups that Wes liked, those heavy irons people used to use, and my great grandmother's 1959 Fair Lady Schwinn Bike!

When I got home I decided I wanted to strip down the swing and stain it back to it's original self. The swing has been at the lake house for as long as anyone can remember and has always been white. Well, once I started stripping it down I realized it's got about a million layers of paint on it. Green being the original color. So needless to say it's going to take me a long time. I think it will look great once I'm done though. I'm not sure what I want to stain it yet. I've got a while to think about it!

Here is my great grandmother's schwinn bike. I have done some research on it and cannot find any like it with the rack on the back with the reflectors on it. I know women's bikes arent really worth anything. (I learned that from American Pickers!) Though I do want to fix it up and keep it for myself. It just looks too awesome not to and most importantly it belonged to my great grandmother. I would love to keep it in the family and pass it down! Anyone have any other information on the bike I don't know already?? I would love to hear it!

The back rack with the reflectors.

It's really not in that bad of shape considering it's been under the lake house for who knows how long! It needs some new tires and a chain and a little elbow work and it should look fabulous! I am also looking for a headlight to go with it.

What projects are you working on?