Thanks, Bill. That's too cool. I'm going to run it through Photo Shop to see how big I can make it. It would look great on my garage wall. 
Tom
Tom
Winter Project, Nirve Switchblade
- Thread starter 2door
- Start date
Worked on the tank today. I built some cardboard forms to support the steel tank inside the box and to reduce the size to what I need. I suppose I could have used a smaller box but I didn't have one and didn't want to go running around looking for one.
Anyway, I chose the large gap filler for this job and the can says it takes 8 hours to fully cure. Possibly longer depending on the thickness of the application. I'll give it 24 hours before I try to remove the tank and foam from the box.
I used wax and Pam, the stuff you spray on pans to keep food from sticking, to act as a release agent. Time will tell if it worked as I hope.
It took about twenty minutes for the foam to really start expanding but it was only about 60 degrees in my garage today. I have the thing setting in front of the dryer vent now to induce some heat. There was some leakage around the cardboard baffles but that's no biggie. The foam will be easy to trim away once completely cured.
More tomorrow after I see how this scheme is going to work.
Tom
Anyway, I chose the large gap filler for this job and the can says it takes 8 hours to fully cure. Possibly longer depending on the thickness of the application. I'll give it 24 hours before I try to remove the tank and foam from the box.
I used wax and Pam, the stuff you spray on pans to keep food from sticking, to act as a release agent. Time will tell if it worked as I hope.
It took about twenty minutes for the foam to really start expanding but it was only about 60 degrees in my garage today. I have the thing setting in front of the dryer vent now to induce some heat. There was some leakage around the cardboard baffles but that's no biggie. The foam will be easy to trim away once completely cured.
More tomorrow after I see how this scheme is going to work.
Tom
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Tom, saw this today in my email and immediately tought of your build. They are having a 30% off clearance sale the code is "30percent" at check out that would make this dummy tank only $28 and would save you a lot of time laminating. http://www.choppersus.com/store/product/202/Tank-Dummy-Old-Sch-Fiberglass/
Mdlee, that's a good looking tank, the right size and all but it can't hold fuel. I suppose you could cut the bottom out of it and just mount it over a steel tank but that might be as much work as what I have planned.
Thanks for the link though. Someone else might want to give it a try.
Tom
Thanks for the link though. Someone else might want to give it a try.
Tom
well you could cut a hole for the tank spout and fill in between like you did with foam and "suspend" the peanut tank in the middle.
Bill, thank you very much. I was able to take it out to 14" wide. Big enough to print and frame. That's going up on my garage wall. Thanks again.
Tom
I'd rate my foam-in-a-box idea as about 75% successful. The instructions said to allow 8 hours for full curing. I gave it 24 but when I started taking the box off I found pockets that had not cured. Gaps and voids and wet sticky foam. I removed all the cardboard and opened the foam up to heated air from my wife's dryer vent then set it out in the sun for a while. I can still see areas where the foam didn't expand to fill the voids.
Tomorrow, if it still looks like there are openings I'll buy another can of foam and try to fill them.
I'll keep you posted.
Tom
Tomorrow, if it still looks like there are openings I'll buy another can of foam and try to fill them.
I'll keep you posted.
Tom
Tom, if you are using Cyanoacrylic foam (ie:window seal foam) if you mist a very light spray of water just before application it helps the cure of the foam.
Here's what I have so far. The foam is very easy to carve and sand into shape. My first attempt didn't please me. The tank looked more egg shaped instead of the tear drop shape I wanted. I added some foam to the front and sides then started carving again. This is where I am as of today. I'm ready to start applying fiberglass mat and cloth but with the cold weather I'll probably hold off on that step.
Tom
Tom
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Tom, looks like the idea has some merit. I can see where getting is shaped just so might be a challenge, but I'd say it's real good for the first attempt. Oh, and I wouldn't let the cold slow things down, jsut roll it into the kitchen or living room and tell Her it'll only take a couple hours and "I won't make a mess". Dan
LOL, Dan, she complains about the fumes from the garage. I can't even imagine bringing the tank into the house and coating it with resin. Especially into 'HER' kitchen
I'll give it some time. No real hurry. Remember the title of this thread, "Winter Project". I have some time before the riding season gets here. All of the mechanical stuff is done. Everything from here on out will be cosmetic; paint, upholstery, etc.
Speaking of upholstery, my birthday is coming up and my wife has offered to pay half if I want to have the seat done by a pro. Estimates are ranging from $150 to $300. I was thinking of trying it myself but I want it right. The seat and gas tank will be focus points of this bike. I can take care of the tank but that fancy box-stitch, chrome buttons and beading might be just a little more than I feel confident with. I'll keep you informed.
Tom
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I used a hardener with the epoxy resin that's good for down to 40 degrees. I'm keeping the garage at about 65 and this stuff set up perfectly. I had to work fast because the hardener is the fast set up kind and I didn't take time to take any pictures during the application stage but this is what the tank looks like now with two layers of glass and resin. Tomorrow I'll start sanding and filling any imprefections then it'll be time for primer.
More to follow.
Tom
More to follow.
Tom
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I just checked the pics and all the progress. I had not thought of taking and covering an existing tank to give it the shape you wanted, but thats ingenuity!
What is it the TIG welder that you are using as the finish looks quite nice?
MT
What is it the TIG welder that you are using as the finish looks quite nice?
MT
Thanks guys. I hope to shoot the first coat of primer today. Maybe, maybe not. I have lots of sanding to do before that.
Measure Twice, my TIG is a Miller high frequency machine. It's an oldie but a good unit that has served me well.
Tom
Measure Twice, my TIG is a Miller high frequency machine. It's an oldie but a good unit that has served me well.
Tom
First coats of primer today. I have some pin holes to fill but that's to be expected when working with resin and cloth. I'm pretty satisfied with the project so far. The shape is right and it should look okay with the final paint and clear coat.
I'm going to take a break for the rest of the day. I've breathed too must dust and need to clear the air in my lungs and garage.
My neighbor who bought my blue Jaguar wants to go riding tomorrow. It's supposed to be close to 50 and sunny. I think I'll let the primer 'age' for a day and go back to work on the tank the day after. More to come.
Tom
I'm going to take a break for the rest of the day. I've breathed too must dust and need to clear the air in my lungs and garage.
My neighbor who bought my blue Jaguar wants to go riding tomorrow. It's supposed to be close to 50 and sunny. I think I'll let the primer 'age' for a day and go back to work on the tank the day after. More to come.
Tom
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Looks great Tom. SB and I got to take a nice ride today . Mid 50's. The mild winter has allowed us to ride almost every saturday. Keep up the good work. I'm looking forward to see how the paint job is done. I have very little experience doing what this tank will require.
Dan
Dan
RATS!!!!
Don't you hate it when the cap of the rattle can doesn't match what's inside.
I like to use Dupli-Color automotive touchup for my color coats. I bought a can with a snow white cap and the color was called 'Bright White'. Now wouldn't you expect a paint with that name to be, well, bright white? NOT!
The tank was in light grey primer, wet sanded down to 600 and ready for paint. We had a little warm spell, mid fifties, lasted about six hours and good sunshine. I sprayed a test on a cardboard box, actually a pizza box and it looked white. Started applying to the tank and realized the paint was just a little lighter than the primer. At first I wasn't too concerned knowing that some paints dry a slightly different color than when being applied. Not so. Three good heavy and smooth coats and three days of drying in my heated garage and I now have a light grey paint job. I hate it when that happens.
Dupli-Color must use the same white cap on all their white paint and just change the little sticker that tells the color name. 'Bright White' ain't white guys, it's light grey.
Now I get to color sand, go by some real white paint and repaint the tank. It's 27 degrees outside as I type this so no painting today probably. RATS!
Tom
Don't you hate it when the cap of the rattle can doesn't match what's inside.
I like to use Dupli-Color automotive touchup for my color coats. I bought a can with a snow white cap and the color was called 'Bright White'. Now wouldn't you expect a paint with that name to be, well, bright white? NOT!
The tank was in light grey primer, wet sanded down to 600 and ready for paint. We had a little warm spell, mid fifties, lasted about six hours and good sunshine. I sprayed a test on a cardboard box, actually a pizza box and it looked white. Started applying to the tank and realized the paint was just a little lighter than the primer. At first I wasn't too concerned knowing that some paints dry a slightly different color than when being applied. Not so. Three good heavy and smooth coats and three days of drying in my heated garage and I now have a light grey paint job. I hate it when that happens.
Dupli-Color must use the same white cap on all their white paint and just change the little sticker that tells the color name. 'Bright White' ain't white guys, it's light grey.
Now I get to color sand, go by some real white paint and repaint the tank. It's 27 degrees outside as I type this so no painting today probably. RATS!
Tom
Hey 2door, long time for me also, finished my bike and I really like yhour current bike. Guess I need one of them too. Hey I rode a Norton in the 50's but you were still a kid then . lol I will be watching your build.......you do excellent work. gphil