[fuzzybutt]

i'd love to get the tank on my 750k modified with the knee indents on the rear of the tank BUT i cant work sheetmetal to save my life, anyone here willing to let me ship em a tank to mod it?

some people are like slinkies, basically useless but they still make me smile when i push them down the stairs

 

[oldschoolorange]

My friend at work builds and restores bikes, I can ask him if he does it or knows anyone who does, however it won't be until wed of next week

Hey someone pas me the wrench........ Ahh screw it where is the torch

 

[oldschoolorange]

My friend at work builds and restores bikes, I can ask him if he does it or knows anyone who does, however it won't be until wed of next week

Hey someone pas me the wrench........ Ahh screw it where is the torch

 

[teighlor]

all ya need is a rubber mallet and yer set....do it yerself it will look so much cooler....especially if you strip it down to the bare metal.....just remember to tap a little at a time, that way you can get it as symetrical as you want it....im telling you, unless yer goin for that museum only ride on weekends look bare hand worked no bondo metal looks tough.....and you can polish the hell outta the metal, maybe add some clearcoat if you like and yer set...

t....

 

[fuzzybutt]

i have a rusty cb360 tank i can practice on, i think i'll give it a try. i WOULD like to be able to do everything on the bike myself. i already do engine, i can bore cylinders with my cyclebore machine, i paint, upholstery, electrical. body is really the only thing i cant do right now. well that and tires lol

some people are like slinkies, basically useless but they still make me smile when i push them down the stairs

 

[teighlor]

yeah do it yerself...itll be way cooler...the only thing cooler than home beaten metal is hand polished aluminum...little or no chrome, beaten yerself metal, and polished aluminum...what else is there? sure the guys on their brand new "retro" Triumph Cafes may smirk or sneer, and why not, they have the whole costume down to the real authentic goggles or the checkered blah blah....but who cares? not you cause you did everything yerself on yer bike...

 

[fuzzybutt]

anyone have a clue as to whether i'll have to redo the POR15 coating inside the tank when i start hammering on it?

some people are like slinkies, basically useless but they still make me smile when i push them down the stairs

 

[teighlor]

It prolly wouldnt anything to go ahead and do it anyways.....

 

[Geeto67]

if you haven't done the mods already, now that Lilbull is back, ask him. He gots some metal skills.

 

[fuzzybutt]

cool, i tried to hammer the inserts in with a rubber mallet on a rusty tank just to see if i could do it, didnt go very good at all lol.

some people are like slinkies, basically useless but they still make me smile when i push them down the stairs

 

[Geeto67]

quote:
cool, i tried to hammer the inserts in with a rubber mallet on a rusty tank just to see if i could do it, didnt go very good at all lol.

some people are like slinkies, basically useless but they still make me smile when i push them down the stairs

why would you use a rubber mallet and not a real bodywork hammer? Rubber mallets are hard to control where you are hammering because of distortion.

 

[teighlor]

i guess i assumed the guy didnt have a metal working hammer....sorry...i did mine with a rubber mallet, very slowly... it came out pretty good....i will post some pics shortly....

 

[Geeto67]

quote:
i guess i assumed the guy didnt have a metal working hammer....sorry...i did mine with a rubber mallet, very slowly... it came out pretty good....i will post some pics shortly....

I imagine it would have gone really really slowly, with a rubber mallet. A rubber mallet has a lot of distortion and getting it to make accurate creases is very difficult. With metal working hammers the hit is localized and the metal is streached evenly during the blow.

With any bodywork brute force is not the answer to anything. Even with a good set of hammers, the key is knowing your shape and then gently tapping around the premeter of your shape and working inwards to stretch the metal toward the center where you want it to be concave. It will take time, but anything worth doing is going to be like that.

I bought a set of hammers form eastwood years ago and it wans't a lot of money, they want $25 for a 7 pcs set. The bean bag is also a good idea.
http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?itemID=1704&itemType=PRODUCT
http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?itemID=11318&itemType=PRODUCT

you could probably get away with doing the knee insets with a bossing mallet and a high crown cross peen finishing hammer (for concave surfaces).

 

[LiLBull]

want to know how to work metal go to http://metalshapers.org/tips/
its your best source for building bikes to car bodies.
I no longer build for others ,I build for my own custom work,I just rather meet my expectations then somebody elses.After you build for others for years you get to this point Im at.
Benjie sells tanks for around 350 and up he sells some good cafe parts http://www.benjiescaferacer.com/forsale.html


Im so far behind ,that I think Im in first.

 

[fuzzybutt]

a question before i start. do i need to tig the sheet metal or will mig welding suffice. i took a spare tank and cut the rear to the shape i wanted and tacked in some heavy sheet metal and it actually looks pretty good. i shocked myself as i've never done any sheet metal work of any kind. it doesnt have to look pretty and perfectly smooth as this is a daily ridden ( and ridden hard) bike. after the wife knocked an angle grinder off the workbench and trashed the bright blue paint, i hit it with some rustoleum satin black and i've decided i like the matte look.

some people are like slinkies, basically useless but they still make me smile when i push them down the stairs

 

[LiLBull]

mig is easy to use for most welders and is fine most people use 16ga steel for tanks .If your a tig guy you should think in terms of aluminum tanks as they are the coolest.check out the uk company called the tank shop .Go to barnes and noble or any large retail book store ask for the transportation section, you will find some great books on metal working and panel beating and custom bike sheet metal work,even how to chop japanese bikes how to books plus custom painting books .they are mostly picture books with informative how tos and tech answers you should have at lease one copy of such a book as reference by your shop bench .they answer plenty of fabrication answers in the text or via a how to pic.
Im surprized most people never venture to a book store before they start any project you get first hand pro advice ,from pros with years and years of hands on expert advise they have made all the mistakes they have tried all the materials and have worked out methods that have proven success.then they sell you all these years of expertise you can tap into their heads for twenty dollars.
Speaking of paint cans,you can do hi qaulity finnishes with spray cans "rattle Cans" for or uk counter parts.It just takes alot more coats with a spray can and you should stick with the same brand or text mixed brands.I was reading one of my guitar mags either guitar one or guitar player and in the back there was a book for sale called custom guitar painting using nothing but spray cans.See thats the kind of book I would get if I was even thinking of doing a project with spray cans.Reading before you start a project gives you expert advise right from the horses mouth .

Im so far behind ,that I think Im in first.

 

[rdrce698]

Hey LiLBull
Thanks for taking the time to write that response. It's very good advice, hopefully people will listen to it. I actually got the idea for chopping a spare tank and attaching it to the seat pan from your site. I will post pic's when I'm done. Who know's if that goes good maybe I will try modding my tank.
Thank's,
Pete

 

[LiLBull]

Im glad my site helped inspire you .I need to get my access code from me web provider so I can up date it .
There are people here like Geeto and Branson that should write a book and Im serious they should.The info just these two have isnt out there on the shelves.
So thats why I post this site on my website it rocks !!

Im so far behind ,that I think Im in first.

 

[fuzzybutt]

thanks lilbull i appreciate the advice. i have a good mig welder (lincoln mig 140) and no tig, never even used one in fact. i'll head over to books a million tomorrow after i build my train layout table with another book i got there lol.

some people are like slinkies, basically useless but they still make me smile when i push them down the stairs

 

[LiLBull]

Here is that "RATTLE CAN" paint book can apply to a tank or seat or your guitar...boooob scoootchhhh! Such a catch tune....
I bought a 2006 sonic blue,rosewwod neck, American Strat it has some faded paint, nice just the way it is..put a callaham tremblock in it and its KILLER ...KIIILLEEERRRR ! Guitar

http://www.paintyourownguitar.com/

Im so far behind ,that I think Im in first.

Edited by - LiLBull on Jan 21 2007 09:15:09 AM