Josephine! - Restoring a Joe Waugh ladies tourer

Given that it's so thick, why not use a combination.

Drill the centre out to make it thinner, then use caustic soda.

?

Mercury?

http://www.popsci.com/scitech/article/2004-09/amazing-rusting-aluminum

This looks promising

My new plan is cut it like a karate chop across the diameter until it looks a load of chop sticks poking out of a bike (you can see where I kind of started in the last pic).. then bend the chopsticks in a bit with locking pliers.. and finally try and get a sharpened screwdriver in there between the post and the frame to chisel them out.
Any other ideas before I start?

Bad idea. I've done similar before and what will happen is that the 'chopsticks' will just snap off and you'll be in the situation you're in now, but with the post flush with the seat tube, making your life all the more miserable.

Bad idea. I've done similar before and what will happen is that the 'chopsticks' will just snap off and you'll be in the situation you're in now, but with the post flush with the seat tube, making your life all the more miserable.

Fair enough, sounds like a bad plan.

I think the plan now is to drill it so the walls are thinner, then try the hacksaw and pliers trick, which I hope will work (It's Sheldon's advice, after all)... if not, then maybe try mercury paste (it sounds fun), then clean out whatever's left in there at the LBS with the correct diameter sea tube reamer.

So, I'm off to find someone with a pillar drill...

And (just in case), which SE London bike shops have seat tube reamers? Roberts?

(where's Witcomb when you need him, etc)

When it comes to reaming, I'm sure Ryan@ oak cycles (forum user name ryan mccaig) would be able to help. He's just off Southwark Bridge Road.

nice one, thanks

No offence, but your knowledge of chemistry suggests that you probably don't have a hazchem licence to acquire mercury and it's going to be fucking expensive in smashed thermometers! Not to mention, how are you going to place it where it is required? Are you aware of how toxic it is?

Drilling the seat post to a narrower wall? You have a drill bit that can get to the bottom of it? You have a pillar drill with a long enough quill? Does it run straight enough at full extension not to fuck the frame? If you do, then why not just drill the bastard out and re-hone the tube? Again, it's my humble suspicion that you do not have access to a mill/drill of that accuracy and even if you do, the fact that you are posting on here suggests that you do not have the engineering skills to use it.

You have a lovely frame there (if I'm being a cunt, it's only because I'm jealous!) and you have a really tough job on there. If you aren't certain you can do it right, there is no shame in paying someone who can. Otherwise, caustic soda will do it, just be a little bit patient!

All this nancy state cotton wool bollocks.

Let the lad have a go with Mercury... (as long as he posts pics)

Wear a hi-viz vest, it should be fine.

I agree with Purple Mist.

I don't think you could drill it. You probably won't be able to find a bit large or long enough, and even if you did, you wouldn't be able to drill it accurately yourself. Your local engineer would have to build a jig to hold the frame before drilling.

Mercury is pretty difficult to obtain (although my friend did bring a jar of mercury to school once... it was safe because his dad had put sellotape around the lid). Perhaps if you're friendly with a chemist you could get hold of some - he/she could probably advise you on how much mercury you'd need, too. You'd also need to find a fume cupboard large enough to fit the whole frame into.

Like I've said before, caustic soda and patience, followed by a flush with ammonia to remove remaining aluminium oxide, is the best way to do this. You won't need to ream it out afterwards, either.

try coke the fizzy drink, a frame builder told me this is what he uses,make sure it cant leak out

Mercury sounds like a pain in the arse.

Mercury seems like quite might be quite hard to get hold of.
has anyone tried gallium? would it even work?
Gallium Induced Structural Failure of a Coke Can - YouTube

it apparently softens the aluminium. although, if it it looks like you might need quite a lot for a seat post that thick.
Galium Spoons:
http://www.disappearingspoons.com/

I have used coke on two occasions and it worked both times ,gotta leave it to soak for a few days though
First bike couldn't get the bottom bracket out so had to pour coke through the bottle cage holes,that was fun and a little sticky

This thread is likr scissors paper stone for metals.

Gallium beats Coke can
contents of Coke can beat alu seatpost
Alu seatpost = weaker than all

Thanks for all the suggestions, particularly Purple Mist, who sent me an excellent PM about how to accuire surgical needles for getting the dismantling chemicals down into the gaps.

I'm still convinced that Sheldon's trick of sawing it will work if I can just get a blade in there, which means I either need to get a super-thin saw, or I need to make the hollow of the seat post wider. Or both.

Drilling it presents the following problems:
-Finding a long enough / thick enough drill bit
-Making sure the drill is perfectly straight to avoid damaging the frame.

However:

-I don't actually *need *to drill it all the way down. I need to put in a new post, and therefore need to remove enough of the old post to allow for the minumin insertion of the new one. So about 12cm. I figure if I aim to get 15cm out, then even the twisted off bits won't get in the way (that's how I'm planning on getting them out: not rocket science, but if the chopstick method won't work because the bits twist off, then maybe I can use this to my advantage).
-If I file it, then the scaryness of drilling is decreased, no? It will take longer, but at least with it being so slow there is far more control over stopping before I hit the frame. It shouldn't be too hard to find a file that can reach into the hole. Something like this, for example:

Then I can get one of these in:

...and continue with the Sheldon way.

In the meantime, a confession: I didn't really put vinegar in there, just Caustic soda. (Balsamic vinegar is for salads).. I did put some plusgas in there for phase II, once the CS had been tipped out. The neighbour who helped me swears by it.

I won't be working on this for another couple of days, but look out for an update.

The seat post is finally dead!
I measured how far down it went with a bent hook thing: luckily, not that far.
Then filed it down a bit to make it thinner where i wanted to cut.
Then I used the saw, which took ages.
...Then I repeated all this on the other side.

Then I regretted cutting into it earlier in the week when all the bits snapped off... So I squashed the hell out of what was left with the Mole Grips, until I heard a satisfying clicking noise. Release!

Then I attached the grips like in the photo, covered everything in WD40, and used an adjustable spanner to turn the grips around.

THEN IT CAME OUT!!

Now I can start the build, which hopefully will be a bit more fun.

I haven't ever given birth to a child, but this effort puts me in mind of it. Well done! :)

I've really enjoyed reading this. I bet it must have been dead satisfying in the end.

Glad you've sorted it

Almost there now, had to take her to the LBS to get the brakes set up properly, and they showed me that the rear wheel needed to be re-dished, which at least explains why I was having so much trouble with the brakes.

Also the Dia Compe levers had to be altered with a pair of pliers to get the clamps onto the bars, and didn't come with those wide non-aero type ferrules, which was confusing to someone who's only done aero levers before.

Picking her up after work today, hopefully finished and ready to give to my girlfriend!

Photos soon...

Did anyone else reading this thread feel like they'd just finished taking a massive poo?

Congratulations with the good work, and cheers for documenting it.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

and, of course, the obligatory seat post shot:

Well that's just pretty darn special. Fantastic job!

What's changed?