Bike builders that have machine tools/shops

[fasteddy]

Family had a saw and planing mill during WW2 so they could fill orders they had for their wholesale lumber business.

Dad said the the millwright could barely sign his own name but when they needed to figure out pulley ratios he would pick up a piece of board off the mill floor and work out what they needed in short order.

Steve.

 

[indian22]

Real deal Tom I'd like to witness what you describe with the casting.

I used to do business with the Theory Lab, the complex that Carl Sagen built, at Cornell University in Ithaca N.Y. It was on Falls creek and I visited the areas along the once empowering creek; that were the former homes of 19th. century manufacturers such as the Ithaca Firearms plant and tried to visualize what was and was no longer. I always have liked the that which led to...

Rick C.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Well Saturday never got done. Except....
For the third year our neighbors Brian and Becky Hannan invited us to their Summer BBQ Party. First year was spit roasted pork. Last year was a very succulent spit roast lamb, and this year they made for our enjoyment spit roasted boneless Prime Rib with all the trimmings. appetizers, beverages, and cocktails. Today I wasn't sure.
Took my Wife for a late Breky in Lomira, Wi. After which we headed East to Lake Michigan landing on the shore at the tiny burg of Oostburg. By the time we got home a little after 2PM, 90F in the shade. But after one Founders All Day IPA my ambition and creative juices perked up and down the shop in a dash. Opened the door and to the Lathe in a flash. On Friday my boring bars that I have were chattering and screeching opening the 42T sprocket. On the drive today(multitasking) I remembered that an end mills makes a very good boring bar. All the geometries are right with two flutes horizontal and the other two vertical it shears abeautiful chip. The Sportsman Flyer reduction drive bearings have a 1.625" OD. The bore of the sprocket is 1.6255". Now the 1/4" mounting holes are to be drilled and the 12 .625" OD lightenung holes machined.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Anyone with a 10" Logan the is a creampuff Turret Tailstock https://www.ebay.com/i/183826053059?ul_noapp=true
I talked to the guy and got him to $200+ shipping and then checked my Model no. 6510H is a 14" and these things don't adapt well.
Tom

 

[FOG]

My Logan is an 11" swing and that's the same turret I have on mine. 10' and 11's have some commonality, but you're right, a 14" has a bigger bed. Not gonna work.

I noticed the "H" on your model tho and I believe that designates a flame hardened bed which is just about to die for. No "H" on mine and it's got some minor wear issues in the bed that yours will probably never grow.

Here's what I consider to be my "standard" turret tooling set up and yeah, it's very useful. It was a lucky day when I stumbled across this one.

A small chuck on an extension I made for a 1/4" center drill, a pair of 1'2" chucks for whatever, a dead center, and 2 spring loaded tap heads I made myself is what has been most useful on a regular basis.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

You lucky Dog FOG,
You are right about the H, this thing has minimal wear on the ways.
I spent 5 years when Tool and Die work locally was almost nonexistent producing prototypes and short production work on a LeBlonde with a turret tailstock. During my T&D apprenticeship I was sent in a slow time to Furnas Electric's screw machine shop using B&S turret lathes and that was a good grounding.
If ever a decent 14" Turret comes on your radar please give me a yell.
Tom

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Diacro Tapping Heads.

 

[indian22]

That's the berries FOG!

Rick C.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Monday I was ready to start the hole patterns of the 42T input sprocket of the Reduction Drive. The sprocket is only 5 1/4" across, but the d@$n Bridgeport vice only opens 5". Golly!.
Home from 8 hours work and after a couple barley pops, removed the hard vice jaws. Lots of room now for the sprocket and two bronze plates to grip the sprocket.
Bondhus L Torx wrench's came via Amazon. My Torx bits were wrong size for the mounting screws for the reduction drive assembly.
My Good Wife say's I procrastinate, and I do to the fullness of time when I know what is the right thing to do.
Tom

 

[indian22]

Good on you Tom.

42 tooth to ?? tooth. You probably already posted the reduction ratio but if so I missed it.

Rick C.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Hey Rick,
The 35a42 receives the engine out put via Bulley Clutch. The reduction drive spins freely on the pedal crack shaft.
Output side is a 41-13T going to a drive sprocket. I had minor alignment problems that eat 7075 aluminum. There were dimensional disparities that have been corrected in the spacing between rear drop outs.
Tom

 

[indian22]

Tom I use the "reduction" drive cogs on the pedal shaft as well but at 1 to1 ratio, thus no reduction, on both my Simplex and Harley as pure offsets for primary chain alignment to final chain line. No reduction is desired/required with the 5 speed box and 12 hp (Simplex) & almost 14hp for the Harley.

The Simplex runs a sub 30 tooth to clear the rear brake rotor on the motor drive side & talk about rear wheel "dimensional disparities" lol. That took some real time to machine, true & fit up, but I now have straight chain lines and no chain, frame or sprocket issues. True rear wheel setup is critical in achieving straight pedal and motor drive chain lines as well and maintain the perfect chain slack through the complete 360 degree rotation. I like spring loaded tensioners setup to maintain perfect tension without constant manual adjustment which many riders mostly ignore along with frequent chain clean and lube maintenance. Do the work and enjoy the ride rather than the push home.

Though chain quality, size & strength matter perfect alignment & tension solves most chain/sprocket issues which seem to plague many builders who tend to blame the poor quality of the chain rather than the builders poor attention to setup details.

Tom I like the effort your going to in order to place things right for you, on an already splendid bike.

Rick C.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Yesterday I had to turn six 1/4-28 flat heads from their original Dia. to .360" to clear the pedal crack shaft.
Then, as I had time I started reading the setup for drilling the 35a42 sprocket. Bronze temporary jaws in thin parallels on each side spaced away from jaws 1/4".
Sprocket settled and tapped down on the parallels. Trusty Starret Last Word took little time zeroing X and Y axis.
Home after work today, after a couple barley pops. Grabbed the three and twelve hole pattern data and with another barley pop got to work. First the three mounting holes drilled and reamed .251". First I had to adapt my 1/4-20 jack screws to support the sprocket opposite the parallels. Then did the 12 hole pattern with a 3/8" stub drill.
Friday I will expand those lightening holes.
The original 7075 sprocket had 5/8" holes. These steel sprockets can go a bit bigger, at least .75".
Tom

 

[EZL]

Well Saturday never got done. Except....
For the third year our neighbors Brian and Becky Hannan invited us to their Summer BBQ Party. First year was spit roasted pork. Last year was a very succulent spit roast lamb, and this year they made for our enjoyment spit roasted boneless Prime Rib with all the trimmings. appetizers, beverages, and cocktails. Today I wasn't sure.
Took my Wife for a late Breky in Lomira, Wi. After which we headed East to Lake Michigan landing on the shore at the tiny burg of Oostburg. By the time we got home a little after 2PM, 90F in the shade. But after one Founders All Day IPA my ambition and creative juices perked up and down the shop in a dash. Opened the door and to the Lathe in a flash. On Friday my boring bars that I have were chattering and screeching opening the 42T sprocket. On the drive today(multitasking) I remembered that an end mills makes a very good boring bar. All the geometries are right with two flutes horizontal and the other two vertical it shears abeautiful chip. The Sportsman Flyer reduction drive bearings have a 1.625" OD. The bore of the sprocket is 1.6255". Now the 1/4" mounting holes are to be drilled and the 12 .625" OD lightenung holes machined.

Tom, I miss what my Dad had for the shop you can imagine, he was a German from the old country and was highly
skilled so you know the pressure he put on me to learn the old skills. The kids today have none and a lack of respect for
the older generation. I lived my childhood in a machine shop and know what common sense can get get you!

 

[FOG]

Just to keep the conversation going ...

Somewhere along the way I got my hands on a 10" 4-jaw chuck that weighs an honest to God 55lbs. WAY to big! Hard to mount? Oh yeah. But it came in handy.

Bought my Grandson a small Chinese quad that came equipped with 6" wheels and wasn't happy with the tire selection available for that size rim. But where ya gonna find 8" rims with the right bolt pattern? That's not gonna happen. So I more or less made my own.

Four 8" rims with a 4x4 bolt pattern were cheap and after a session with the cutting torch they went up on "Mr. 10 inch" to get a round hole cut. Made new centers out of 1/8" plate. Welded up. Been on 8" rims with some cool looking tires ever since.

As you can see the rims weren't the only modifications. Over the years I must have invested at least a half pound of welding wire in that thing! This was all in an attempt to stay up with his growing capabilities as he got older. But I was doomed to fail. He's 17 now and flyin' thru the air on a YZ250.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Tom, I miss what my Dad had for the shop you can imagine, he was a German from the old country and was highly
skilled so you know the pressure he put on me to learn the old skills. The kids today have none and a lack of respect for
the older generation. I lived my childhood in a machine shop and know what common sense can get get you!

EZL, both my Grandfathers were farmers. Maternal side was Elmer Olson, I inherited has mechanical skills. He always said he was a Jack of All Trades. Paternal Grandfather Carl Peterson, dairy farmed to the end and I was put in his service every summer from the age of Ten until he died. When his Good Wife gave up her egg money business Carl took over the chicken coop. It had a cement floor and made it a work shop. Needless to say, he have me a free had at what ever was on the farmstead. It went both ways, When Carl was down with pneumonia. I milked and cared for 8 Guernsey's and Jerseys'. Grandma washed the milkers. Because she was particular. Cousin Arvid gave me my first motorcycle ride at age 4. It is a clear now as it was then.
Tom

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

FOG,
There was a Blacksmith in my Grandfathers Village, Ontario, WI As best I can piece things because all of the principles are long dead. Matt Schmidt was a WW 1 POW who never went back to the homeland. Visiting his forge with my Grandpa Carl were always educational. Master that he was, he knew the limits of his shop. When my father turned a hay rake the wrong way. There was a right and a wrong way. The drive wheel folded. Matt sent us to another Blacksmith in Valley, WI. He looked at the wheel and said "give me a couple a days". We did, and it was not dead perfect. But perfect enough. Hay raked, baled, and in the barn.
Tom

 

[curtisfox]

Just to keep the conversation going ...

Somewhere along the way I got my hands on a 10" 4-jaw chuck that weighs an honest to God 55lbs. WAY to big! Hard to mount? Oh yeah. But it came in handy.

Bought my Grandson a small Chinese quad that came equipped with 6" wheels and wasn't happy with the tire selection available for that size rim. But where ya gonna find 8" rims with the right bolt pattern? That's not gonna happen. So I more or less made my own.

Four 8" rims with a 4x4 bolt pattern were cheap and after a session with the cutting torch they went up on "Mr. 10 inch" to get a round hole cut. Made new centers out of 1/8" plate. Welded up. Been on 8" rims with some cool looking tires ever since.

View attachment 101525

As you can see the rims weren't the only modifications. Over the years I must have invested at least a half pound of welding wire in that thing! This was all in an attempt to stay up with his growing capabilities as he got older. But I was doomed to fail. He's 17 now and flyin' thru the air on a YZ250.

LOL, did the same for my 4 boys, always moving there things for the better. Remember a tricycle they had, would always tip over and they would come crying. Cut the back off and made wide axle with ball bearing wheels. No more tip over and twice as fast, youngest is 52 now, so most is long gone..............Curt

 

[FOG]

My Dad used to talk about how back in the day the Blacksmith was the high tech guy in town. People would bring him something to repair and say, "Can you fix this?"

His answer.

Did a man make it?

 

[MEASURE TWICE]

I might call my digital calipers a machine tool. In any case I broke it out today to check why the 3 pin input connector on a replacement coil pack for my trucks ignition would not connect up. I saw some differences on the comparisons on the old (with crack in the side) coil to the new coils input connector. I had taken pictures of my measurements in progress and was just almost ready to contact Amazon Seller. Finally rocking the connector a bit it connected smoothly once past some misalignment due to differences in after market stuff. Hey I saved the time messing with what $12 can have you B%$#&ing and Fetching! It's good enough. If the part had resistance connecting all till the spring catch I would have returned it though.