Thursday 27 October 2011

45 time

Plans are being put into motion for the 45 project.

Knocked up an engine stand today, gonna be putting up a shed to build the engine in at the top of the garden that is free from iron filings and the like!








Rain, Rain go away!







Had enough of this bloody rain holding me back with the bike, so I had a word with myself and got out there working on it!

Not so many photos due to the rain but ticked off the list was:-

Fit the new spindle that toddy shortened for me (no more stunt pegs)
Pulled the bike out and cleared all the crap from around it
Turned the bike round to make the wiring easier
Welded on the kickstand (so pleased that's on!)
Installed the Boyer system in the head, and set the timing
Fitted the clutch cable (although it needs adjusting)
Widened the hole in the fakey oil bag
Made up the ht leads and tightened up the spark plugs


Tonight's bollock is that the exhaust clamps didn't appear to fit into the engine!

Need to have another look, but think I'm gonna have to cut them AGAIN!

Fiendishly close to finishing now!

I did have to give into the rain after 3 hours, it was hammering down!

Wednesday 26 October 2011

What goes round comes back around

Been flat out with work, which means no bike time. Got home today after an especially long and shit day, poured myself a hefty glass of bourbon and checked the post.

Ogri from dirty bobbers sent me a load of brass nuts and bolts. I'd sent him a bike light a while back, and he sent some t shirts before that...



I bloody love the camaraderie between the guys I've met with the bikes! Long may the ebb and flow of parts and rusty shit continue!

A top bloke, and this is his blog:-

http://metalflakemormon.blogspot.com/





- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Monday 24 October 2011

Oil Tank and Kill Switch

Recalled an old petrol tank that I originally donated to mr bobcat and gave it a clean up with the scotch pad



I intend to use it for both the oil bag and electrics holder by compartmenting it to house the electrics.

I picked up this killer button and surround a while back. It's gotta be a kill switch for this bike. I intend to put a kill switch behind it in the compartment. I turned up this holder for it tonight so I can sink it into the tank



And this is the holder I turned up....



I'll weld the holder flush into the tank once I have worked out how to mount the switch and welded it together to a waterproof seal.

Monday 17 October 2011

Stock Bike Running



Spent a bit of time yesterday getting my stock (ish) xs650 back running. a bit of wiring, and a charge of the battry and it was up and running! Only thing is that it looks like its going next weekend, a mate wants a project, and its just sitting there at the moment, so its time for it to go..


Pretty  gutted as its one of those bikes I had plans for, but there is only so much a guy can do with limited time and space. It will be put to good use with a first time builder close to me, so I guess i'll still be seeing it on a regular basis!

Saturday 15 October 2011

Front end done

Shaun lent me some tools to get the forks back together. I didn't realise that you had to use a threaded section to pull the stantions back up to be held with the yokes.

Unfortunately the tool that Shaun lent me had the wrong thread on it, so it wouldnt screw into the ends of the stantions.



I improvised and turned up some nylon to screw into the stantion.



Worked a treat....





Really pleased with how they are looking!

Also made a quick headlight mount...



Had a nice headlight in the stack, had to scotchbrite it to dull down the chrome, and it's looking ace!



The only issue I have is the front wheel spacing. It's very tight between those skinny forks, and with it being a twin leading / trailing shoe (delete as appropriate) this is about the only place it will sit. This obviously doesnt give me the right angle for the torque arm...

Sunday 9 October 2011

Mini Apes - Take 2!

Worked out the forks, with a light shined down the outer tube, there are 2 slits to insert a tool into, which can be twisted to allow the fork to be broken down. I haven't got any tube the right diameter to make up a tool, so will have a look in the week.

A productive, yet wallet lightening morning in Newark today. Got loads of little bits and bibs that I needed for both bikes.

One of my bargains, 3 sets of bars for 8 quid! Got home and had to have a crack at re-making my skinny apes...

Kept it simple by only cutting the middle out, and slugged with 80mm of 16mm steel I turned up.

Checked them in the yokes, and were looking grand!



Flattened them out on the bench prior to welding ( surprising thought how out they were compared to the eye) and en welded them up. Fitted a cheap set of pit bike levers I got at a previous auto jumble, and the biltwell grips I got from sumo. I cut the ends down a bit as they were too wide...

I'm well happy with them!



The pics aren't great, but with a bit more of a clean up, they will be spot on.

Saturday 8 October 2011

Wet weather forces shed time....

Bit of a bummer today, I was supposed to be working on the relic to get it wired and fired up, but it's pissed down all day. This alfresco building ain't all it's cracked up to be!

It did allow me some time on the rotter though.

First up I welded all round the tank, really happy with the weld I got all around.

That just let the petrol tap, I used a bend from a chopped set of handlebars, and the old tap, and made this little neck



I used the old hole for the tap, just widened slightly..



Pretty happy with how it looks...



Next up was the bottom part of the forks, they needed the scotch pad treatment to clean them up..




The spindle on the one leg was about 10mm!!!!!!!!!!!



So I had to drill that out, using the drill bit in the lathe and the tailstock to keep it all straight and level...



I actually drilled it out to 18mm, then turned up a little shim for the inside to take the 15mm spindle...



I mocked up the front end, and it's looking good to me!!!!




Gotta work out how the innards of the forks go together, so I'd better get reading up!

Monday 3 October 2011

Rotter Top Yoke

Cracked on with the yokes tonight while i could grab an hour. I used the speedo mounting holes for the yokes, but had to grind off the little mounts for them first...



I thought about welding the yokes i cut off back on, but they were battered to hell and back!



I had some XS lowers and random tops in the shed - luckily the bottoms were steel, so i could weld directly to the yoke..



I drilled out the holes to take the risers, the lined them up with some bars while i tacked them in place..




then i attempted to weld them up. The yoke was steel (I assume) and welded ok, but it did leave a lot of crap around which must have been blown out of the weld area...



with the tops on...



also started to clean up the bottom yoke - that red paint is bloody hard work to shift!

Rotter tank....

Thought I'd have a bit of fun with this old bantam tank I got cheap...


Cut the middle out to get the skinny look i'm after...



Taped it together, then tacked it at rough 2 inch intervals making sure the metal seams lined up as well as possible.




The metal wasn't too bad, so seamed the top up, only 3 blow through's where there was deep rust spots...

I had bent up a tunnel over the handrail the other day on the steps outside my house much to ross's amusement.



Cut trimmed and tacked it in place, and then started welding up the seam...




Had a mockup on the nice bike to se how it fitted...




Fits like a treat!