Excelsior V Twin build

[DareDevil]

Hi Lurker....We are old in body and might be slow ..but our minds think like 30 year old....well mine does....we all can draw on each others ideas....It takes all ages to collaborate different ideas...thats what makes this forum so good...everyone likes a different bike style...As for the public they perceive what they see and make their own decision about what it is ..most will ask but still dont know!!!!....Its great to see you draw an audience when your bike is on display.....DD

 

[DareDevil]

Hi curtisfox....Lurker is right ..you can use the cheaper hole saws...just try to find a middle of the range quality ..it wont loose it cutting quality as quick...lube it with a very fine oil when cutting......Try to buy one made in U.S.A that is made by a local twist drill company ..at least it will be made out a quality steel.....DD

 

[curtisfox]

AWESOME THANKS everyone will be checking it out..............Curt

 

[DareDevil]

Hi ... Have got some high density foam to start the seat of... had to order a piece as the local place didn't have it in stock not enough call for it!!!!!...have glued the foam to the seat pan and trimmed it to the shape I hope is near the Mesinger racer seat...the leather has been glued to the foam just on the top....I will be able to work the leather into shape a few inch's at a time to get the shape....this will take a week or so just inching around the edge of the seat and gluing into place..then I can hand stitch it to the seat frame pan.....DD

 

[DareDevil]

Hi ....Have cut the last few parts I needed for the tanks..made the mounting plates..theres two on the top and three underneath....I cant do much more with this at the moment as I and waiting on some alloy and steel round stock to make the tank filler necks and caps...also waiting on a early style push slide gas tap..I will have to machine up a bung to braze in the gas tank to suit this..I can still make up the baffle plates for the inside structure of the tanks..these will need some 1" holes cut in them with a hole saw and the edges folded so when they are welded in they make the tanks rigid...still got to work out how I'm going to hide the electrics in the left tank and have access to the parts through the bottom of the tank...DD

 

[truckd]

I like that seat!!

 

[DareDevil]

HI ....Have made two of the baffle plates for the gas tank .. I might have to make an other one for the center of the tank.....wont have to make them like this for the left tank....... it will have the hidden electrics installed it with a door in the bottom of the left tank to service these parts......DD

 

[JohnThomas Sorrels]

Hi ... Have got some high density foam to start the seat of... had to order a piece as the local place didn't have it in stock not enough call for it!!!!!...have glued the foam to the seat pan and trimmed it to the shape I hope is near the Mesinger racer seat...the leather has been glued to the foam just on the top....I will be able to work the leather into shape a few inch's at a time to get the shape....this will take a week or so just inching around the edge of the seat and gluing into place..then I can hand stitch it to the seat frame pan.....DD

Awesome, this is very close to the way I was planning to make my seat so it looks like it will work, what kind of leather did you use? Is it hard and you have to soak it to work with it or is is more like fabric? How thick is it?

 

[DareDevil]

Hi J.T.S.....The leather is a piece of hobby tooling leather.....its probally an 1/8" thick...its pretty stiff..I cut it to an oversize shape and soaked it in water and just let it hang over seat pan for a few days so when it dried it would have some shape when I started to glue it to the foam...its probally a little thick ..but I will just have to work it and glue a little each day...the foam is an inch thick and very hard...I trimed the edge shape with a bread knife and shaped the seat with a flapper disk...just skim over it very lightly with the disk as it will remove a lot very quicky...once I roughed the shape I used 100 grit sand paper the smooth it off.....to get a smooth rounded edge I will wet just above the glue line to stretch over the foam...you need a lot of strong spring clamps to hold the leather in place while drying...its winter here,so I will just do a little each day to make shure the glue has a good hold before moving onto the next part....DD

 

[harry76]

Im loving this build, absolutely outstanding. You are a craftsman and glad to see a fellow Aussie. Keep up the great work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DareDevil]

Hi Harry...Great you are enjoying the build....good to see you back on the board...hows the BSA comming along?....you must be busy with your new family member....DD

 

[harry76]

Hi Harry...Great you are enjoying the build....good to see you back on the board...hows the BSA comming along?....you must be busy with your new family member....DD

Yes ive been busy with my first baby girl, enjoying being a father a lot.

I havent done any work on any bike projects i have, the BSA included. I have done plenty of research and planning. But first ive decided to do a few jobs on my house that i have been neglecting, then i plan to set up a workshop in my garage. Ive been collecting tools and would love to buy myself a small lathe. Once i have my workshop done id love to get back to building.

Im definitely learning a lot off your thread and appreciate you sharing how you do things. Much appreciated.

 

[DareDevil]

Hi Harry....I get the hurry up about maintenance around the house.....I have a workshop but like to do most of the work outside...A lathe is good but its the tooling that will empty your wallet......theres always something you need for it.....The research and planning is always good.....
I have been working on the right fuel tank and filler fittings.....got the couple pieces of 35mm round stock ..alloy and steel in the mail and have turned up the neck filler and caps....this was about 4 hours work....wouldn't make any money making and selling them...still waiting on a BSA push slide petcock for the fuel tank...will need to make a bung for it as well......went on to trim and weld the right tank top edges...I also made a engine mock up where the bolts fit to set frame up in jig to tack weld....DD

 

[DareDevil]

Hi ... Heres a few more pics of the right tank.......DD

 

[harry76]

Nice work Daredevil. Really love the gas cap and filler. This bike is coming together very quickly, i really look forward to logging on and seeing more progress. Great work

I notice that the lathe you have looks new. Is it a cheaper end lathe? Chinese import? If so how do you find it? And would you recomend a brand? Id like to get one either new or secondhand for around $500 - $1000. Sorry to hijack the thread.

 

[curtisfox]

Way to go Harry get one while you are young,you will never regret it. if you can find a used one it might come with a bunch of extra tooling. I didn't get one untill I was in my late 50's,but the one I got come with both chucks and a bunch of extra witch is worth a lot of money by itself...............Curt

 

[DareDevil]

Hi Harry....The lathe I have got is a Chinese bench lathe around 600 to 700$...I had a larger lathe with a 15" swing ..when I shifted a couple of years ago it was to large for the workshop..The amount of work I would do with it ..most I could achieve with a lot smaller one....sometimes its a bit small but I have a mate with a 10" swing and I can use it......Curt is right you wont reget it....it might not be used for 6 months but then that small job will come around that requires a lathe ..... and only a lathe can do it....If you buy a second hand lathe go and have a look....make sure the bed is not cracked and there is no backlash in the head bearings....tooling and chucks etc will empty your pockets.......DD

 

[DareDevil]

Hi ....Have made a jig out of wood where the engine sits...for the set up frame..steering head hight is good and the top tube lengths are about where they should be...I need to take the jig out of this store shed into good sunlight and tack the frame into place..the tank is sitting good ...I've just about finished the saddle...can only do a little each day to stretch the leather around the seat pan...DD

 

[DareDevil]

Hi....This is the left tank shell and this is how I will set up the electrical system and try to conceal it as best as possible....It requires a battery--regulator--CDI for the ignition--starter relay--on-off switch for battery-- engine cut out on the handle bars....the green drill box represents where the battery would be...chrome tape measure is where the started relay is....the other two are the CDI unit and the regulator...would probally use a large relay with the on off switch.......the coils are at the rear of the tank..I will make this as a open pocket so they get cool air and they dont over heat....the front half of the tank where the other electrical components are...they will fitted to the bottom by mounts.. and this will hinge down so the parts can be serviced if neccesary...probally have to give a bit more thought to this as I proceed with the fabrication of it......DD

 

[DareDevil]

Hi .... Really bad,cold weather today...couldn't do anything outside....have cut the handlebar tube and bent to shape ..... started to machine the twist grips....I am going to have them operating same as the original with levers and cranks..connected to cables under the fuel tanks for throttle and clutch....DD