Bike builders that have machine tools/shops

[Tom from Rubicon]

Got both seat clamps turned to OAL. Next will be machining the18 degree outer face from counter sink to the outer edge and radius the corners. There is not a lot of room either side of the saddle frame to the seat leather. Will see what I can get done today. Mounting hardware for my Indian toolbox is a gotta get done too.
I wanted to have my Flyer at the car show in Hartford, WI in May but doubt that will happen this year now.
Down town is a ghost town. The hospital in town set up a covid ward in the visitor parking lot for the unlucky ones.
Stay well,
Tom

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Lot of spring cleaning on our 2 acres today, but still got into the shop to do some work there too.
The 18 degree contour and corner radius are done.
Milled off some from the longitudinal end. How much?
I don't know, but it surely changed the clamping surface by 20% and will not affect the design requirements.
Photos of the two lathe operations.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

I am currently in home isolation, if the factory I work for fires be for doing so will not stop me much or hurt my feelings being 69 years old and a certified Tool / Die/ Mold Maker.
You need something machined? Give me a yodel.
Tom

 

[Greg58]

I don’t have anywhere near what several have posted here but did pick up a Milwaukee porta-band free from a friend of mine, I tried to pay for it but he wouldn’t have it, so I told him to loan it to me and if he ever needs it I’ll bring it back.

 

[indian22]

Tom I literally retired in 1990, but have always been productive & part of that is creating income when opportunities appeared. I've been ready for them and never considered myself as anything but retired. So when you have skills and are alert to possibilities Franklins seem to find a home in ones pocket.

Always do the next right thing is a model I strive for in life.

Stay out of that hospital parking lot...social distancing isn't really that bad.

Rick C.

 

[indian22]

One

I don’t have anywhere near what several have posted here but did pick up a Milwaukee porta-band free from a friend of mine, I tried to pay for it but he wouldn’t have it, so I told him to loan it to me and if he ever needs it I’ll bring it back.

One of the handiest tools I've ever owned & the red and grey ones are my favorite hand power tools.

 

[Greg58]

I put it right to work Saturday, I made a tail pipe for a 212 predator on my tiller. The exhaust was blowing straight back on me. I cut a v in the pipe then bent it to make about a 75* angle, then welded it with my mig. I took the spark arrestor out and slid the pipe into the muffler and welded it angled slightly down to keep water out. It works well.

 

[Greg58]

With this Covid19 thing going on I’ve spent a lot of time cleaning and organizing my shop, you can find things you thought were gone.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Nice shop Greg,
I got get my bench top cleared off, some things haven't moved in ten years. It's the Deer Mouse **** that's got me spooked. Been thinking to just bring in a barrel and just start tossing.
Tom

 

[curtisfox]

That will be my job this summer, both shop and garage. Just don’t make sense to hang onto stuff that won’t get used anymore, and if so needed farm it out. That would be so seldom, be worth it...........Curt

 

[Greg58]

It’s funny how things work out, at this point in my life I need a 2000 sf shop and a 900 sf house. When both children were at home 2000 sf wasn’t enough. My problem is I have overlapping tools in my shop, both woodworking and mechanics tools, add my two classics and it’s full.

 

[indian22]

I'm in the same situation Greg only you've organized and I'm still stumbling over things. The rest of it is in storage and talk about hard to locate what's needed in large my large storage units.

Rick C.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Yeah Curt, that's about it. Things you value but are now realizing are just taking up space.
But after the Navaho got roughed up by a mouse born virus I've been to chicken to stir up dust. I wasn't always that way, didn't think too much about cleaning a chicken coup in the Spring.
Floor litter about a foot deep from forty chickens. I do miss that kind of fertilizer, you could make a Norway Pine bolt two feet a year.
Anyway, out in the shop today turning a nut to mate into a 82degree countersink. Went to part it off on the Grob bandsaw blade no good. Will have to weld up a fresh one tomorrow.
But started to size up the Indian tool box mount. Got plenty of 6161 aluminum for the clam shell clamps. I hate to think about it but I may have to pull the tank to get the most robust clamps. Will look things over again tomorrow. I have always had a bad habit of over thinking.
I would love to have a suite of Solid Works to plan 3D but I would have to justify the cost.
Tom

 

[MEASURE TWICE]

Did I read it right that the inventor of SolidWorks had as MIT grad made funds from MIT Blackjack Club, parlayed it to start SolidWorks. Then over the years the cost for the Program went from under 100 to 7000?

 

[indian22]

Did I read it right that the inventor of SolidWorks had as MIT grad made funds from MIT Blackjack Club, parlayed it to start SolidWorks. Then over the years the cost for the Program went from under 100 to 7000?

Don't know if the story is true, but I'm certain he knows to split cards appropriately.

Rick C.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

External seat clamps done. Three inch 5/16-18 flat head cap screw ordered. As a onesie $1.92+ $7.50 shipping and handling, but thirty dollars of screws I would never use. Bargain.
Made a nut to draw the whole assembly together from some 0-1 bar stock threaded 5/16-18, tapered 82 degrees combined to match the clamp countersinks. Was ready to part it off on my bandsaw, but the blade in it was shot.

This is a task I try to avoid but know will result in another perfect blade. I buy 100ft spools of Starrett blade stock.
Cut to 150" lengths. Grob bandsaws have the best butt resistance welder I have ever used in my fifty years in my trade bar non. Weld dressed up with a Dremel as my Bandsaw does not have the optional grinder built in.
No matter, blade weld cleaned up after anneal.
Parting done, back on the 5/16-18 threaded mandrel to profile the out side face, sort of a blended radius from various angles as I only have one suitable radius cutter for the Logan Lathe.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Those round things in the upper right corner were the original Brooks outside washers only 1mm thick.
Tom

 

[PeteMcP]

Man, how I miss having my shop to work in. Since selling our house in Feb last year, everything workshop related - including my first three motorized bikes - is still packed up in a storage unit here in Alnwick. Visited the unit twice during the last year in an effort to try and find some of the tools I needed for my current builds but all the tool stuff I packed into fold-up, open top crates for easy access was re-packed into sealed cardboard boxes by the moving company boys and none of the boxes are marked as to their contents. Trying to find anything is kind of a lucky dip - 'cept I've been nothing if not unlucky trying to unearth what I'm looking for. Gave up in the end and decided it was easier and quicker to just buy new tools when needed via the internet. About the only upside to the current storage situation is that I can still gain access to my lathe if I need anything turned.
Time sure does fly. It's a year today - April 24th - since Jen and I moved in to our rented flat here in Alnwick and I just signed-up for another year's tenancy on the place. It's sunk-in now that our long planned dream of moving to our place in Spain is never going to happen on account of Jen's incrementally deteriorating health issues making her immobile. With that in mind, I really must sort things out storage wise. Ideally I need a Local Authority rental garage in which to stash my shop stuff and create the space needed in which to kick off my DeFlyer kit car build - most all the parts for which are safely in storage here.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Just hang in there Pete, and keep your mind busy. I'm sure caring for your wife uses most of your endurance.
Mona did not have a good night, damage to her spine caused by the Myeloma I fear. We will to contact her Oncologist and her Orthopedic surgeon for advice.
Both are based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, one of the hot spots of Covid-19.
Tom

 

[indian22]

Hard to mark Pete & your comments Tom with a "like" except for the fact that I admire you both for being good care givers. I've seen the opposite side of the coin and it's quite corroded and worthless. I like updates about your daily lives good times and bad. In my thoughts and prayers.

Rick C.