Might as well get a thread started...

[Long&Black]

Bought some stuff to make the exhaust yesterday.

5ft of 3/4 in EMT conduit: $4.30
2 in 90 degree EMT elbow: $9.43
3/4 in 90 degree EMT elbow: 3.62
VHT Ceramic exhaust paint: $8.29

 

[NunyaBidness]

Lookin good. I like pre-build pics because it gets my imagination going.

Also, most of the folks that do pre-build and build as they go pics, these types of people usually have the shop, tools and know-how as far as mechanincing (<<new word lol) and fabrication goes.

I've learned that I can see how they do it and with my limited knowledge and lack of tools or shop, I can do something almost as good for myself.
I often dream about having the money, shop, tools and connections to be able to do just some of the things I've thought about doing.

Every once in a while, I do manage to get a little bit of money and get the chance to pick, just one, of all the things I would love to do and do it.

At the rate its been going though, I will have died before I'd get a chance to do even one tenth of all the things I'd like to do.
,

 

[Walter F.]

Sounds like you got a pretty long "Bucket List" there NB, I also like my bud in a bowl not a can. Walter F.

 

[Long&Black]

NB, I'm using basic tools.

The most advanced tool I have is the MIG welder my wife bought when it was on sale at Lowe's. Everything else is basic stuff like belt/disc sander, hack saw, Dremel, and time.

Got started on the exhaust.

The 2 in 90 degree EMT will be used as a sheath over the stock exhaust canister.

Used some masking tape to wrap a straight line around one end of the tubing. Placed the tape as far towards the bend as I could. You'll see why soon.

Used a hack saw to cut along the tape...

...then flipped the section I just cut off so it can be attached to the opposite end of the tubing.

Went around the joint with the MIG welder, tacking the two pieces together at random places.

 

[Long&Black]

Broke out the MAPP torch and brazed the joint with JW Harris Safty-Silv brazing alloy and JW Harris white paste flux.

Use a Dremel to knock down the high spots and smooth the joint before putting the piece on the belt sander fitted with a medium nylon mesh belt. The joint is almost complete; just need to go back and fill in the low spots then smooth it out once more.

This piece will be placed over, then welded/brazed to the stock canister.

The 3/4 in EMT will be used with the same basic construction techniques to create the header pipe. Portions of the header pipe will be slightly more intricate but nothing that would be a big deal.

 

[jasonh]

why did you braze the joint instead of just finishing it off with the mig?

 

[Long&Black]

It is much quicker to clean up/sand/work brazing alloy than it is to clean up the mess of splatter that a wire-feed, flux core MIG will make.

I can braze the joint together and have much less cleanup than I would if I had used the MIG all the way around the pipe.

The pits you see in the joint are where the MIG was used and the brazing alloy didn't want to flow there. I'll have to go back with the torch and fill those pits but that'll be after I bead blast the piece to clean the interior of the pits.

End result will look killer and it is MUCH quicker for me to work like this than to MIG the entire joint.

 

[NunyaBidness]

NB, I'm using basic tools.

The most advanced tool I have is the MIG welder my wife bought when it was on sale at Lowe's. Everything else is basic stuff like belt/disc sander, hack saw, Dremel, and time.

The only thing on your list that I do have, is the time. Over the last 15 years or so, I had to lose almost everything, to realize what I did have. The almost is there because I didn't lose my life. I lost everything else though and Disability payments aren't enough to replace the stuff I lost.
lol It's a good thing that 'stuff' isn't important to me now like it used to be. I just like to day-dream sometimes about the possibilities.

 

[Long&Black]

Man, sorry to hear that.

My dad went through rough times like that. He was told by the doctor he'd never be able to work again and wasn't even 50 years old. Apparently Social Security refuses to pay 100% disability to folks that are under 50. Sooo...they didn't pay him a dime until he turned 50 and he had to get a lawyer involved in the matter.

 

[Long&Black]

Thanks, Kim!

Spent more time this afternoon cleaning the joint and smoothing it out. Will probably be 100% happy with it tomorrow. Also slash cut the curved end of the pipe and taped it to the bike to see how I'd like it. The masking tape didn't hold it exactly in place but it's close enough to get an overall feel for how it'll look.

So here's how it'll work.

The stock canister will be welded/brazed in place like so:

The main assembly will sit just forward of the rear wheel.

Top view

Rear view

The tape didn't hold the pipe in place just right and it rotated/fell a bit, but that's pretty much the plan.

The piece looks big right now but it'll appear smaller when it gets the black ceramic treatment.

 

[jasonh]

hey that was a pretty good idea to do the muffler like that. Get that big pipe look but still a decently muffled sound. Good job.

 

[Long&Black]

I'm wondering how it's going to sound with the stock can inside that pipe which is basically a resonator tip.

A bear farting in a cave comes to mind.

It will probably sound better than all of the Hondas running around with 4 in exhaust tips.

 

[Long&Black]

Here's a shot of the canister welded in.

I'm not much of a welder.

 

[Long&Black]

Yeah, about that welding thing.

I figured I'd practice on the exhaust so that when it came time to work on the tank I could hopefully have the kinks worked out. I've never done more than spot welds with the MIG while building various projects.

Yeah, we've got JB Weld, JB Kwik, Quicksteel, and various other types of A-B metal fillers. I've used JB Weld and JB Kwik to lock differentials in RC applications but never trusted it with something I actually ride in or on.

The JB Kwik has a 300 degree limit, JB Weld has a 600 degree limit, and the Quicksteel has a 500 degree limit.

I read your post while in town and decided to pick up some Quicksteel since it sets fast like JB Kwik but has a temp limit close to that of JB Weld.

Got home and bead blasted the weld from earlier to clean it up. I then mixed up a small batch and applied it to the seam. If it works well here It'll sure save some time making things look nice.

The Quicksteel is hard now, I'll wait until tomorrow to fully work it.

 

[Long&Black]

Thanks for this JB idea, Kim!

Yeah, I always take build/progress pics of the stuff I build.

Went out this morning and sanded it down. Looks good so far. When I attach the header coming into the main assembly I'll do the same thing to give it a nice finished look.

How it's lookin' as of now...

 

[Long&Black]

I shot it with the black ceramic yesterday just to see how the joints would look.

I need to go back and clean up the transition a bit more. As of now it's not quite as clean as I want it to look. I'm thinking some JB Weld is the stuff to use now. It levels and seeps into low areas much better than the Quicksteel I used which is more like a putty.

Still a great idea. Thanks, Kim!

 

[Youngbird]

Long&Black,
Man....I just went thru your thread all over again. Thats a smokin frame man, I really like the lines of it. Did you weld that up all by yourself or is it a premade item. Whatever it is it is GREAT LOOKING. I thought I was the only slow mover around here, too, but I can see you takin your time on this build. Its gonna be a looker when you are done Im sure, Jim.

 

[Long&Black]

Been gone for a while.

Wife got back from Afghanistan on December 24th and we took a month off to go visit family and spend time alone with the kids.

Been getting the house ready for sale when I'm not working.

She left for Ft. Campbell yesterday and found a rental place for her to stay in until I can get the house sold here.

Busy times. I've pretty much put this build off until I get moved to the new house and get everything in order.

Youngbird, that's a one-off frame my buddy's brother made for him.

 

[FileStyle]

keep us posted on the pipe. that's gonna look good when done! good Idea, original!

 

[ricknnan]

i beleave the bike comes from xyz bikes they sold them up to last year i tried to get one but they were sold out but eny way i beleave they sell tires also xyzbikes.com