Motorcycle General Discussion

[Gordon WParticipant @gordonw]

Best one is /was motorised tandem bicycle, these could be ridden on L plates and carry an unlicenced passenger.

[JimmieSParticipant @jimmies]

Model Harley

http://www.craftsmanshipmuseum.com/kieffer4.htm

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

There is a tandem Velo Solex in Christchurch NZ.

Ian S C

[WindyParticipant @windy30762]

Hope I'm not getting on anyones nerves about speed record machines but have found many model engineers were or still actively involved in the full size car and motorcycle sporting scene.

But here goes a link to UK speed record week **LINK**

Pendine reminds me of that bit in Bert Monroe film when he's racing the young ones.

Edited By Windy on 22/04/2016 22:14:55

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Windy, I think you would like the annual Bert Monroe rally on the beach at Invercargill NZ, it looks very like the one in your link, with bikes of all vintages. There probable is something on the net about it. No record breakers there, but a lot of fun.

Ian S C

[WindyParticipant @windy30762]

Hi Ian, my pal from the sprinting days lives in NZ and a right motorcycle petrol head he has sent me details of some of the racing over there.

Will see if he has anything about the annual Bert Monroe rally.

[Involute CurveParticipant @involutecurve]

Thought some might like to see some pics of the tank I recently made, its for the Centre hub bike project I've been working on for what feels like an age……..

It takes me about 3 day's to make a tank like this one, but this also includes lots of tea and other distractions……..

Shaun

Edited By Involute Curve on 23/04/2016 17:35:35

Edited By Involute Curve on 23/04/2016 17:44:08

[Speedy Builder5Participant @speedybuilder5]

BobHNice bit of 'tin bashing' Shaun. When I was an apprentice, work like this (Irrespective of material) was made in the Copper smiths dept.

[SpurryParticipant @spurry]

Shaun

Beautiful work if I may say. Welding is superb.

Pete

[WindyParticipant @windy30762]

Had a phone call from my recently deceased sprinting friends wife talking about his motorcycle exploits with his velo I will be sent some of his photo's showing it in competition and in bits and will post them.

Had an eventful day after about a week of discomfort with my feet it was like walking on broken glass with bleeding as well then to crown it all was trying to turn the TV on and fell knocking it, banging my head on the wall and hitting both sides of my body on solid sharp projections.

Now have an extra backside cheek on the right and look pregnant on the left have learnt a lesson don't leave a lot of engineering books on the floor.

A bit painful when I cough just when I've got the 1990 R5 in bits for MOTC preparation and my billets of ally on the milling machine for my steam engine crankcase plus a minor repair on the VMC to do.

Seems more to do as a pensioner now also a welding job for my friend.

[Bill PudneyParticipant @billpudney37759]

Beautiful sheet metal work, and welding there Shaun!!

What type of material do you use and how thick is it??

I'm envious!

cheers

Bill

[Chris Evans 6Participant @chrisevans6]

Shaun, lovely work. In all my time in engineering I never got near a wheeling machine but would love to try one.

Nearest I got was watching through the door of a local tin smiths shop.

[Involute CurveParticipant @involutecurve]

Material is NS4 or equivalent, the base on this tank is 2mm the sides and top are 1.5mm, the welding is done with AC Tig with a cheap Chinese set that I bought, whilst my very! expensive one was away getting repaired, I have since sold it for more than twice what I paid for the the cheapo, which holds a tighter ark and has more functions…

The Wheeling machine I made out of box section (it clamps to the miller) the wheels are made from P20, the adjuster is an old lathe cross slide screw, Wheeling is one of the few things that I've found to be easier than it looks, wheeling the top of the tank took about 20 mins, I think the skill is in cutting out the correct shape to start with, and in the use of the mallet and shot bag to get the shape before wheeling commences, if you have a go take it easy these things will give the best black nail you've ever had. lol

I'm in Durham your welcome to come and have a go, and the kettles alway's on……

Shaun

Edited By Involute Curve on 26/04/2016 17:33:42

[Bob RodgersonParticipant @bobrodgerson97362]

Hi Shaun,

how long before you get out? They must be pretty good workshops in Durham.

[Chris Evans 6Participant @chrisevans6]

Shaun, thanks for the kind offer. You are a bit of a trek from the Midlands though. I have wheeling on my list of things to try one day, I would love to make a tool box for my pre war bike. Chris.

[Involute CurveParticipant @involutecurve]

Posted by Bob Rodgerson on 26/04/2016 17:41:15:

Hi Shaun,

how long before you get out? They must be pretty good workshops in Durham.

This is the view through the bars of my cell, I get out Friday for a couple with me mates….

Edited By Involute Curve on 27/04/2016 09:36:55 cause I'm an idiot……

Edited By Involute Curve on 27/04/2016 09:37:53

[JimmieSParticipant @jimmies]

For folk interested in bike racing, the Cookstown 100 road races are on BBC Northern Ireland this Sunday at 22-30 and iPlayer afterwards.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00kj9xh

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Shaun, awesome work indeed. How do you form the small radius along the edge where the side is tacked to the top? It looks too tight to be put on with a wheel, but too smooth to have been hammered?

I need to make a Manx or Dunstall style tank for a project and am prevaricating between going the easy way with fibreglass or sitting down and learning to tin bash and wheel.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Now there's a test for the forum:

Shaun could teach Antipodean Hopper how to make an alloy tank.

Extreme Distance Learning … and we would all learn something.

MichaelG.

[bodgeParticipant @bodge]

Here`s one worth a look at on you tube type flying millyard in the search box, maybe someone could do a link? It really is worth a look at !!…………..b

5 litre V Twin !!! 

Edited By bodge on 06/05/2016 15:36:08

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by bodge on 06/05/2016 15:26:52:

… flying millyard … maybe someone could do a link?

.

Here you go **LINK**

[one of several]

[bodgeParticipant @bodge]

Hi Michael, i was hoping you would be kind enough to do the link, many thanks, hope others find it of interest, i`m pretty sure Hopper will like it

[Involute CurveParticipant @involutecurve]

That curve where the tacks are is actually formed with a hammer and a block of soft wood 4", 2" about a foot long, with various shapes filed into its perimeter, its held in the vice upright so I hammer against the end grain, its always easier to do the first side, the difficulty is matching it with the other, partly because its handed, I'm left handed so some curves I find easier to do than others, even thought I can now use either hands to hammer, you have to take great care not to bruise the metal, or you will spend ages getting them out, after the edge is formed I roll it in the wheeler, I then match the joining parts by scribing and cutting and dress up with a file, I get someone to help whilst I tack up, taking extreme care to but the joint, if you get miss match the heat favours the higher edge and can steal all the heat, once its tacked up, about 40mm between tacks, I use a wooden mallet to close the edge, I try to get it to touch all the way, the tacks and close gap help keep the heat even when I do the finish weld.

part one

Edited By Involute Curve on 06/05/2016 17:07:09

[Involute CurveParticipant @involutecurve]

part 2

The tank above was done more or less free hand, i.e. I didn't use a buck, all the panels where formed in card over the frame or by eye before being transferred to the aluminium sheet, this is more difficult to do, but for a one off tank its not worth the effort it would take to make a buck, however for a Manx type tank I think it would be better to use a buck, this can be done in rib format, like aircraft wings used to be made, or a solid wooden buck, either helps keep the shape and stops you pushing it out of square during tack up, I weld 3 or 4 inches one side then the other to help with distortion, I turn the bottom edge in over where it joins the base last about 10mm wide, the base sits on this edge about 3mm in from the tanks outer edge, the final weld runs along this edge and stops or minimises distortion of the side panels due to over or uneven heating.

[Involute CurveParticipant @involutecurve]

part 3

For me with modern fuels fibre glass is a none starter, I have a couple of mates who race in classics, some have invested a lot in carbon tanks and now regret it, they simply don't last and are more or less unrepairable.

Michael, its hard enough when someone's here but its quite amusing watching people use the wheeler for the first time, its like a bike that does the opposite of what you think!! turn left it goes right   ouch………

Edited By Involute Curve on 06/05/2016 17:12:03

Edited By Involute Curve on 06/05/2016 17:12:46

Edited By Involute Curve on 06/05/2016 17:14:34

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