New Build Cool Stuff

Spunout said:

sweet! question: what are you doing, about the rear coaster brake? not having access to a real shop w/real equipment or time to use them, i had to use 3 rubber spacers between the wheel and sprocket, to clear the chain away ffrom the 3" wide rear tire.. because of that, the coaster brake arm wouldnt fly. had to grind off the arm, and just keep the middle. and because of THAT, the nut wouldnt lock. wheel always coming loose and bearings going bad. i finally got pi$$ed enough to just ditch the rear and go for regular 26" w/2.25 tires.

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Spunout, this bike is a real pain in the butt to set-up!!! follow-up on the posts, and you'll see what I did to resolve the problems...This wil be the "Big Meanie" you so appropriately named!

Best regards,
Jim

I got the replacement intake finished...It will get a fine TIG weld around the tube. I never have liked the factory piece with the crook in it. This should flow much better.

There is "clean" area at the bottom of the carb socket just below the slits. I machined a groove in the end of the intake for an o'ring. There shouldn't be any problems with vacuum leaks.

More to come,

Jim

Spunout said:

thank you. not bad for free, you know? no 'buy now' or shopping cart options, though.

CE: that intake is killer. puts mine (below pic) to shame.

with it being both shorter and not having a sharp bend, as a guess, how much do you think your flow has improved?

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Thanks,

I do design/machine work for a living...lots of tools are required in the machine shop trade, that's the only way I can do this stuff so easily. This was supposed to be my bike. Even though it is sold; I have some time, (I'm not doing anything now anyway), so I decided to do up this bike as though it was going to be mine. His final bill will be around $800.00.

I really don't know how much it will improve flow...but it should be substantial. The thing is I have not run this engine so I really won't be able to say one way or another if it actually improved anything.

Jim

Retmachinist said:

Jim, I still have to wing it with the manual lathe and mill. It's the only way I have ever known so its not to bad. I do like going over to to my buddies shop and watching the C.N.C. stuff.
I always say if you never have to scrap anything, your not making many parts.
John

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There are several shops on my street...we all get along...borrow each others stuff etc. Sometimes I'll go in and see one of the guys spend hours on the CNC doing something I could knock out in 30 minutes on a Bridgeport. Sometimes "modern" machine shop guys forget the old ways are what won WWII.

The CNC is great for the short production of fancy shapes, but it's not the "everything" that a lot of people think it is.

If I had a product that was going into high volume production, I probably wouldn't even use CNC technology...Give me a wall full of Cincinnati's or Kearney treckers any day.

I've got an old No.2 Brown & Sharpe screw machine that will run circles around a CNC lathe...It's all in knowing how to set it up. I made the cams for the clutch kits on the Brown & Sharpe. The CNC guys wanted $3.00 ea. I was running them at a 35 second cycle time or about fifty cents each. The O-1 tool steel scared them off.

CNC has resulted in a lot of the younger guys knowing nothing about basic machine shop practice.

Jim

jasonh said:

Nice lookin intake CE. Does it open up to match the intake port on the cylinder?

I sure do wish I had the means to do some metal work in my garage.

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Thanks Jason,

Yes the intake is matched to the port...It makes a gradual transition from rectangular to round.

I'll let everybody in on a little known secret. Your local tech school.

If you want to be able to do machine work, look at your local tech schools. Many of them have machine shop programs...Many of the machine shop schools are just barely hanging on as most kids these days just aren't interested.

Here's how it works...You pay a small tuition fee and in return you get to go in and make MB parts...you don't have to buy metal, you don't have to buy machines, you don't have to pay for electricity.

If you have little or no experience, expect to spend the first month becoming acclimated to the machines. The instructor will decide your skill level, don't argue with him if he thinks you need to start by learning how to use a file...believe it or not, most people don't. You don't want to loose a finger or ruin tools & equipment. The basic learning period will pass quickly.

These classes are geared towards hands-on, as soon as possible, and your first shop projects will include tools that you make and get to take home with you. Once you become fairly proficient the instructor will let you make anything you want.

Unfortunately not all of these schools offer evening or weekend programs. Most of them have evening CNC courses for guys who are already working as machinists and want to move into CNC...these classes lean towards the proper use of computers for programming. The machines are typically miniatures of mills & lathes that are good for nothing other than to prove out a program. For you retired guys, you're really missing an opportunity to have a lot of fun.

Last year I figured I would hire a kid and train him...I went to our local tech school, it's less than 1 mile from the shop. I walk in and everyone there is 40 and over. I had a brief talk with the instructor, he said he hadn't had a group of kids come through in years! Most were retired tool makers that were there to socialize and work on hobby stuff.

So go check it out in your town...you might be surprised to find out you can get into machining and making your own stuff a lot easier than you thought! And, YES, it is fun!

Jim

Merry Christmas!

I finished the new build yesterday, and went for a ride. It fired right up without any hassles.

The bike rides great! Zero vibration is being transfered through the frame. The final sprocket design was given 38 teeth on the CNC. It's just right for this bike. The sprocket has a 5/8", dished, off-set that alows the chain to clear the brake arm and tire perfectly. The clamshell design allows the sprocket to be adjusted in and out along the hub. This combination made installation a breeze.

The new owner has a fabrication shop. He has made a custom tank that will go between the frame tubes. He didn't have time to finish it so I put the factory tank on temporarily.

I also made a real cool looking exhaust pipe: but he's got to weld it up, and again he didn't have time.

I had planned on making a custom clutch actuator that incorporates a precision chain tensioner. I started on it but there was not time to get it finished.

The new intake positioned the carb in the way of the clutch cable so I made a custom arm that worked out great!

I also bought one of Norman's light kits...Norman does a real nice job making these, and they work great!

As soon as these other items are installed, I'll take some final pics.

Jim

Here are the rest of the pics!

jasonh said:

Hey that turned out pretty sweet.

What kind of tires are those? THey look like the Kenda flame tire, but looks like it says something different on them...

Merry Christmas Jim

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I have no idea, they have flames molded into them...they came on the bike when I bought it. The rear tire is extra wide.

Merry Christmas,

Jim

BrettMavriK said:

Merry Christmas!

Jim that looks flippin' sweet!
Can't wait to see the custom tank.
So how does Norman's light kit wire up and what lighting does it use?

I am going crazy waiting to ride my chopper.
It's so close to being done. Hey, can I stop by tomorrow after 10 to work on the disc brake rotor adapters?


'BrettMavriK

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Brett,

Norman's kit connects to the white wire coming out of the magneto.

Tomorrow after 10 will be fine... I've got to clean-up the shop!!!

Jim