Bike builders that have machine tools/shops

Thanks Tom I feel them an honest dealership and good to know HD is still a presence in your area.

I'll always be a huge fan of the Harley marque, but not a hater of any brand as many are.

Again thanks for the reply and also the invitation. Very thoughtful. I may do Oshkosh with my Beechcraft buddy who owns a home there, just to accomidate his friends during fly ins.

Rick C.
 
Just let me know Rick.
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I really need my lights to come in. Yesterday we were blessed with rain, which h was really needed but I felt I was working in the dark and actually overshot a piece I was working on, pretty piece of scrap now. Next week before they arrive, so I'll do my best to get by till then.

Checked my material stock and found out I need some 6061 aluminum and 12L14 steel rod to complete the bottom brackets plus some 3/4" 6061 round rod. Material prices have gone up on these common materials which really machine well on small lathes. I've got some high speed steel which needs grinding. I use carbide inserts a lot but for 6061aluminum HSS tools are better suited on small lathes which can't reach the speeds and feeds that carbide really excels at cutting best. I can easily up the power of my motor drive, but using it would eventually beat my small machines to death. HSS is actually best to use when turning a lot of materials with small machines. Actually both my mill and lathe are 3/4 hp and that's about perfect, for the design of these small machines. I ran a Logan 22" with a worn out 1/2 hp motor for years before adding a 1 hp motor. It did fine with both and was heavy enough to have used even more power, but it wasn't used as a production lathe, like the big machines, but we used it a lot for times when the big uns were busy.

Tom you've got a good looking Bridgeport. Did you have to rebuild it?
 
When Nature comes to you, a story. Tree Frogs are known to hide in our patio umbrella and as I open the canopy I am always on the lookout for one on the main shaft. Today, same routine, cranking up and I am looking to not pinch froggy toes. All clear.
So Mona and I are having a beer, and I am reading a 1924 volume on motorcycle design and engineering when something strikes the book and sticks to my pant leg. Gray Tree Frog! Must have been clinging to an umbrella stay. Mona got her phone and took a photo. Kind of the highlite of my day.

Tom
 

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I've not seen that variety Tom, cute lil' devils. Living in the tropics or Gulf coast U.S. they are plentiful and friendly, always ready to ride round or playfully interact with humans. Cat's not so much.

Lights have really made a difference in the shop. 8" round led's for camera use put out a nice adjustible light source with no flicker and are dirt cheap. The sewing machine led light on a magnetic base, with goose neck is a really useful light source which can be placed wherever needed quickly.

"I can see clearly now" ...
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It is amazing what a well lighted working area does for pleasure of work.

While I was still working at Steel Craft Corp., I attended a meeting with the plant managers over lunch.

Management asked us skilled staff, what plant improvements would improve quality and productivity.

I told Kelly and Tom, VP and P respectively that attaining the PPM demands of Cat and Oshkosh/Bucyrus, required two things. Improving plant illumination so manual welders could see and read the weld spec prints would help. And expand and modernize the robotic weld stations. The welding suggestion was a no brainer.

Welder to welder, shift to shift. Lack of process control was always a problem. Quality by robotic welding is repeatable, and new modern robotic weld stations were coming in. I hate robots. I have nightmares.

The plant illumination with LED banks started six month later. When Steel Craft started switching to LED light banks I got 10, six lamp fluorescent fixtures. Wow! Let there be light.

Wish we lived closer Rick, as I have light fixtures.

Tom
 

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Tom it's really improved my work space. I need to install two florescent overhead boxes with two lamps per fixture, but for actual work at each machine I'm good to go right now, no excuses. The fixtures are actually not expensive so adding them isn't a problem. It got hot here, but I have plenty of cool in the mornings and after dark. I easily could put in more time than my back can stand at this moment 6 to 8 hrs per day is about all I want to work at any rate. This is a hobby not a job.

Rick C.
 
curtisfox said:
Get Leds instead Rick much better light and instant on, 2 tube 4' are cheep now. Everybody around here is changing to them because of the no waite in the cold weather, and the light is just brighter..........Curt
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Yeah, the only problem is all the florescent fixtures aren't compatible with LED's. But my dad (who is an electrician) showed me a way to bypass the ballast of florescent fixtures to make them work with LED's, so not entirely impossible. Here is a diagram found:


See the source image
 
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