Fangs "new" toy!!

Post by **Stig** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 10:38 pm

faststeve wrote: lot of people have no perception of how much work goes into the finished bike ,

I certainly do

he kills my bandwidth

Post by **nuggitt** » Fri Sep 09, 2011 9:32 am

I've said it before and I'll keep saying it.

This thread is amazing, and as for you fang you're an artist. I wish I had half of your skills infact I wouldn't mind a quarter of your em!!

It's looking gorgeous. Keep it up matey

fang · Post by **fang** » Sat Sep 10, 2011 1:37 pm

Stig wrote:
faststeve wrote: lot of people have no perception of how much work goes into the finished bike ,
I certainly do

he kills my bandwidth

fang · Post by **fang** » Sat Sep 10, 2011 1:46 pm

nuggitt wrote:I've said it before and I'll keep saying it.

This thread is amazing, and as for you fang you're an artist. I wish I had half of your skills infact I wouldn't mind a quarter of your em!!

It's looking gorgeous. Keep it up matey

Nuggitt you embarrass me with your compliments

, however, I wouldn't say I'm particularly skilled, I'm just too stubborn to pay someone else for something I can "potentially" do myself, or is that just being tight

And as for being an artist, the only claim I can make in that direction is as a piss artist

fang · Post by **fang** » Sun Sep 11, 2011 2:16 pm

Well, popped into town after work to get some more paint, but the shop that I bought it from no longer stocks aerosol paint!! FFS

And even worse, no where locally stocks the colour I require (graphite) so I came home and ordered some from T'interweb.

While waiting for that to arrive I thought I'd sort out the positioning of the reserve switch, which if you may recal I was going to situate on the top yoke,
So made a bracket and made a start.

looking at it though I decided I didn't like it here as it wasn't neat looked ugly and ruined the symetry of the top yoke........ooh get you!!

So reverted to my first option, which, thanks to the larger switch is easily reached and operated from the riding position.

As the first bracket wasn't suitable I made anotherone and sorted out the connections to make them neater.

Much better I think, just needs a coat of paint, though this will be black not graphite.

Post by **nuggitt** » Sun Sep 11, 2011 2:56 pm

I must say young man.

That new switch position looks better now.

Keep it up mate I'm well impressed.

fang · Post by **fang** » Sun Sep 11, 2011 3:36 pm

I decided that while I wait for the paint to turn up I would make a couple of spacers for between the headlight brackets where the indicators fit.

But as they are only 5mm high I cant use the same process that I used earlier,
ie. cut to rough length then square off in the drill as there is not enough material for the chuck to get a grip on.

So a new method was applied

Cut off a 50mm length of tube, square it off in the drill with a file, then expose just over 5mm below the chuck, start drill and hacksaw off, using the chuck as a stay.

Et Voila!! acceptably square 5mm spacer!!

That'll provide support for the indicators and prevent any chance of distotion when they are tightened up.

So seeing as I have two sizes of tube, 6mm ID and 8mm ID, and they fit inside each other I thouht it worthwile making two 8mm ID spacers to shroud the ones made for the bottom headlight mounts.
For no other reason than aesthetics

Just think the thicker spacers look a bit better than thin ones.

and also had some clips arrive for the fuel pipe, beats the tie wrap that holds the pipe to the carbs at the moment.

And also have the obligatory expansion bottle in hand, more tinkering ahead.

fang · Post by **fang** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 6:05 pm

right then, another small update, got back from work today and decided to strip the black paint off the headlight brackets in preperation for the Graphite paint.

Then using my new "lathe" method decided to make some spacers to replace the nuts between the two halves of the headlight brackets.

looks like a meccano set

Personally I think its worth it as it gives the brackets a factory look rather than a cobbled together look.

With spacers.

With nuts as spacers

seeing as this is the first time I've had all the bits assembled in the same colour I slung it back on the bike for a shuftie, now I'm not so sure about painting it Graphite.
Black is deffo out as it just adds "weight" to the headlight

In black

In ally

But all ally looks quite good, but I may have to resort to an extra lower mount to even out the stresses, as at the moment theres quite a bit of force being applied to the bottom bolt of the top mount.

Might make a couple of doglegged lower mounting arms tomorrow just to test the theory, we'll see

fang · Post by **fang** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 7:20 pm

Decided that I prefer the clean look that two clamps gives rather than the more cluttered look that three clamps would give.
So with that in mind I went another route for support by utilising the upper most mount and making a "boomerang" bracket.

Must admit it looks better than the dogbone version

And a long way from the first fitting.

Just needs a clean up and coat of paint and I think thats it sorted, until I get out on the road and find the headlight aims all wrong

Post by **Stig** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 7:52 pm

could always send it to me for a polishing

looks well sorted

fang · Post by **fang** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 8:03 pm

I would do, but fear you would hold it to ransom for excessive bandwidth consumption.

fang · Post by **fang** » Wed Sep 14, 2011 6:24 pm

Day off work today, and as Lisa had to work (she normaly has Wednesdays off too) that meant an entire day in the garage!!

So I started off by making some more spacers for the "boomerang" bracket as I needed 2 more sets.
Once this was done the "boomerang" brackets got a clean up with wire wool ready for painting, hopefuly the Postie will bring the paint today.

Items awaiting paint

So to while away the time I made use of the original lower mount (waste not, want not

) to make a bracket for my brake hose splitter, as the one that came with the bike is th wrong shape.

Original splitter

"new" splitter

Then gave this and the reserve switch bracket a coat of paint

Next I got the cardboard out to make a template for my expansion bottle bracket.
Thought I'd utilise the lower fairing mounting point.

Just need to sort out some proper fittings,I have a lid and the tie wrap is temporary, but I think I'll leave this as ally and not paint it.

Speaking of paint, the Postie delivered the can of graphite, so off we go.

Bits painted and inside drying.

So thats todays effort, not much to show for a days work but it all takes time.
Just need to do some T'interweb ordering for hose and clamps and a new automatic centre punch as mine split!!

fang · Post by **fang** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 7:21 pm

So then, this little lot arrived in the post over the weekend. Thought I'd go for blue hose to give a bit of colour to the build.

So I set about sorting out the expansion bottle by drilling 2 holes in the lid for the spigots.

Then cut my hose so it rests on the bottom of the bottle to allow for fluid transfer in both directions.

Filled the bottle to the point indicated by my finger and assembled.

Cut a section out of an inner tube to protect the bottle and installed it on the bike.

Next I finished off a few other jobs.
Changed the bolts that hold the ignition switch on for longer ones.

Fitted the reserve switch

Replaced the tie wrapped fuel line with th clips purchased earlier

Assembled the headlight bracket, installed it along with the brake line splitter and mudguard

Re-fitted the headlight....again

Then seeing as it was a nice day, wheeled her outside for a few new pictures.

Post by **Stig** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 8:12 pm

kin ell. that can needs some serious shortening

bike looks great BTW

fang · Post by **fang** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 9:05 pm

All in good time my friend