The title says it all.
If there are any more windy, rainy days in between now and Halloween, chances are you could pick up a bung umbrella from a rubbish bin. If you're ok with taking stuff from rubbish bins. Or just recycle your own when it breaks, as it inevitably will in Wellington.
I got this via coolmelbourne.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Willowy whimsy
A couple of months ago my mum gave me some cuttings of basket willow - a species that has been bred to produce the long, straight shoots needed for basket weaving. She assured me that if I put them in the ground they would happily sprout leaves and roots. I was somewhat skeptical but am happy to report the cuttings have taken to their new homes with vigour.
You can make all kinds of things from thin and flexible living willow rods, like domes and tunnels. I'd seen pictures of living willow fences and thought one of these would make a great wind break for my main vege patch. It's a little wonky but does the trick.
I criss-crossed the stakes and tied them together with willow shoots:
They're happily sprouting leaves, which should fill the structure out a bit more and make it more effective as a wind break. As new shoots grow off the main stakes you can weave them back in to the structure.
I also planted some short stumps with the aim of harvesting the shoots to make baskets. You're supposed to coppice them (i.e. cut off all the new growth) in late autumn to prevent them branching out.
I had some leftover willow ties so I put them in a jar of water, whereupon they enthusiastically started growing. I'm not quite sure what to do with them....
You can make all kinds of things from thin and flexible living willow rods, like domes and tunnels. I'd seen pictures of living willow fences and thought one of these would make a great wind break for my main vege patch. It's a little wonky but does the trick.
I criss-crossed the stakes and tied them together with willow shoots:
They're happily sprouting leaves, which should fill the structure out a bit more and make it more effective as a wind break. As new shoots grow off the main stakes you can weave them back in to the structure.
I also planted some short stumps with the aim of harvesting the shoots to make baskets. You're supposed to coppice them (i.e. cut off all the new growth) in late autumn to prevent them branching out.
I had some leftover willow ties so I put them in a jar of water, whereupon they enthusiastically started growing. I'm not quite sure what to do with them....
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Raincoats that keep you dry!
It's certainly been wet this week in Wellington! I hate taking the bus, but biking in the rain can be dangerous with old steel rims. As well as getting that seen to, I'm considering one of these gorgeous rain ponchos from Amsterdam. Then there'd be no problem taking the bike every day!
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
A proper old lady
My plans to have a beautiful stable of restored vintage bicycles has begun!
Here's my first acquisition, a classic three speed Raleigh Lady's Sports.
She came from TradeMe, all packed up in a box.
The Sturmney Archer hub says that she's from 1963, but this doesn't seem to match up with the list that Sheldon Brown provides (see here for the definitive word on classic Raleigh bikes).
Also, the distinctive 'arrow' paint job seems to be a classic feature of the Sports models that come up for sale in NZ. This makes me wonder whether this kind are somehow unique to NZ, and does make me doubt the 'Made in England' declaration... There were import restrictions on bicycles from the 1960s to 1980s, during which time Raleighs were made in NZ from NZ steel. Apparently a similar thing happened with Fender amplifiers. Due to import restrictions on whole amps, they were assembled in NZ with a combination of local and imported parts - yet still marked 'Made in USA'! I have a lot of questions about the manufacture of bicycles in NZ and I intend to get to the bottom of it. Watch this space!
Original tyres, which will need to be replaced. Possibly with cream ones?
And just in case you weren't sure what to do with your tyres...
Mattress saddles were a feature of some of the cheaper models. Look, you can see the horsehair underneath!
She needs a bit of work, but these bicycles were solid machines designed to be repaired at home. I'll post the restoration process up here; hopefully it will be helpful to people considering buying a vintage bicycle! I'm going to derust the chrome, touch up the paint, repack the front hub, take a good look at those cables and connect up the three speed hub to the right wirey bit.
My plan is to ride the old lady while I'm doing up my main transportation bike, a 1970s Morrison Concorde. I look forward to getting her ready to ride so I can go for a spin! First up, polishing the metal.
Here's my first acquisition, a classic three speed Raleigh Lady's Sports.
She came from TradeMe, all packed up in a box.
The Sturmney Archer hub says that she's from 1963, but this doesn't seem to match up with the list that Sheldon Brown provides (see here for the definitive word on classic Raleigh bikes).
Also, the distinctive 'arrow' paint job seems to be a classic feature of the Sports models that come up for sale in NZ. This makes me wonder whether this kind are somehow unique to NZ, and does make me doubt the 'Made in England' declaration... There were import restrictions on bicycles from the 1960s to 1980s, during which time Raleighs were made in NZ from NZ steel. Apparently a similar thing happened with Fender amplifiers. Due to import restrictions on whole amps, they were assembled in NZ with a combination of local and imported parts - yet still marked 'Made in USA'! I have a lot of questions about the manufacture of bicycles in NZ and I intend to get to the bottom of it. Watch this space!
Original tyres, which will need to be replaced. Possibly with cream ones?
And just in case you weren't sure what to do with your tyres...
Mattress saddles were a feature of some of the cheaper models. Look, you can see the horsehair underneath!
She needs a bit of work, but these bicycles were solid machines designed to be repaired at home. I'll post the restoration process up here; hopefully it will be helpful to people considering buying a vintage bicycle! I'm going to derust the chrome, touch up the paint, repack the front hub, take a good look at those cables and connect up the three speed hub to the right wirey bit.
My plan is to ride the old lady while I'm doing up my main transportation bike, a 1970s Morrison Concorde. I look forward to getting her ready to ride so I can go for a spin! First up, polishing the metal.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
The Christchurch Bicycle Band
"Christchurch even boasted a band that played on bikes. Set up by brothers Fred and Joshua Painter in 1895, the Christchurch Bicycle Band played brass instruments while cycling in formation. They entertained the public, on the stage as well as the streets, for about 25 years – initially on penny-farthings."
From Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/bicycles/1
From Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/bicycles/1
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