I managed to sell this motorcycle a week ago. So now I have a bit room in the garage for future projects, and I can concentrate on existing projects. Here are some of the last pictures taken before it was sold:
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Going, going...gone
XS650 Chop
I managed to sell this motorcycle a week ago. So now I have a bit room in the garage for future projects, and I can concentrate on existing projects. Here are some of the last pictures taken before it was sold:
I managed to sell this motorcycle a week ago. So now I have a bit room in the garage for future projects, and I can concentrate on existing projects. Here are some of the last pictures taken before it was sold:
All seated up
XS650 Chop
I finally got around to covering the seat pan on my XS650 Chop. While I liked the bare metal look, I really wanted a Bates style seat to complement the overall look of the bike.
Here are the steps that I followed:
1. Foam Cushion
I used closed-cell foam from a kid's flutter board, shaping it into the general thickness and contour of the seat pan, and used spray adhesive to attach it to the pan. Next I used a serrated knife and grinder with a flapwheel to further contour and shape the foam to the desired shape.
2. Pattern.
I first applied plastic wrap and then masking tape over the seat with foam cushion to get my pattern for the covering. I cut the pattern into one top piece and one side piece. I transferred this tape pattern to some construction paper for easier transferring to the fabric. The construction paper patterns are 1/4" larger than the tape pattern to allow for stitching when sewing.
3. Covering.
Using my patterns, I traced around them on pieces of vinyl and cut them out. I did this tracing for the top piece on 1/4" foam and cotton as well. I used spray adhesive to sandwich the foam/vinyl/cotton patterns together. The quilted top pattern of the seat was marked and sewn, and then the top and side pieces were matched up and sewn together.
4. Putting it together.
I drilled 1/8" holes into the underside of the seatpan spaced 1" apart. I applied spray adhesive to the top of the seat foam and positioned the covering over it, then applied the rivets starting from the centre back of the seatpan and alternating each rivet.
Here is the finished seat:
I finally got around to covering the seat pan on my XS650 Chop. While I liked the bare metal look, I really wanted a Bates style seat to complement the overall look of the bike.
Here are the steps that I followed:
1. Foam Cushion
I used closed-cell foam from a kid's flutter board, shaping it into the general thickness and contour of the seat pan, and used spray adhesive to attach it to the pan. Next I used a serrated knife and grinder with a flapwheel to further contour and shape the foam to the desired shape.
2. Pattern.
I first applied plastic wrap and then masking tape over the seat with foam cushion to get my pattern for the covering. I cut the pattern into one top piece and one side piece. I transferred this tape pattern to some construction paper for easier transferring to the fabric. The construction paper patterns are 1/4" larger than the tape pattern to allow for stitching when sewing.
3. Covering.
Using my patterns, I traced around them on pieces of vinyl and cut them out. I did this tracing for the top piece on 1/4" foam and cotton as well. I used spray adhesive to sandwich the foam/vinyl/cotton patterns together. The quilted top pattern of the seat was marked and sewn, and then the top and side pieces were matched up and sewn together.
4. Putting it together.
I drilled 1/8" holes into the underside of the seatpan spaced 1" apart. I applied spray adhesive to the top of the seat foam and positioned the covering over it, then applied the rivets starting from the centre back of the seatpan and alternating each rivet.
Here is the finished seat:
Join Together
XS650
So far I have managed to tack together both halves of the gas tank and the rear portion of the seat cowl. I had access to a TIG welder to tack them, but I will be using my gas torch to finish off the welds.
I started to shape the front fender also. Still a ways to go yet to get the correct radius and profile. It will be a bit shorter in length than the original XS650 fender and have a rounder profile.
CB750
I decided to make a flyscreen for this motorcycle because I had some extra aluminum laying around. The black line drawn on the metal indicates the shape that the screen will take. Like the sidecovers I am also making, this part will be polished to a mirror-like finish.
So far I have managed to tack together both halves of the gas tank and the rear portion of the seat cowl. I had access to a TIG welder to tack them, but I will be using my gas torch to finish off the welds.
I started to shape the front fender also. Still a ways to go yet to get the correct radius and profile. It will be a bit shorter in length than the original XS650 fender and have a rounder profile.
CB750
I decided to make a flyscreen for this motorcycle because I had some extra aluminum laying around. The black line drawn on the metal indicates the shape that the screen will take. Like the sidecovers I am also making, this part will be polished to a mirror-like finish.
CB750 Side Covers
CB750
I have a 1978 CB750K that I use as my daily rider. Because the bike is 30 years old, the plastic side covers are showing their age (broken mounting tabs, cracks in the covers etc). So I decided to make a set out of aluminum.
The plan is to metal polish the covers so that they have a mirror-like finish. Then I have to figure out how to mount them...ideally using the stock mounting points on the bike.
I have a 1978 CB750K that I use as my daily rider. Because the bike is 30 years old, the plastic side covers are showing their age (broken mounting tabs, cracks in the covers etc). So I decided to make a set out of aluminum.
The plan is to metal polish the covers so that they have a mirror-like finish. Then I have to figure out how to mount them...ideally using the stock mounting points on the bike.
Brief Intro to Metalshaping
XS650 Cafe Racer
The process that I use to design and build a gas tank from the SolidWorks design to metal is this:
1. Create a Buck
A buck is a 1:1 scale model of the part that is to be shaped in metal. A buck can be made out of many types of materials, the most common being wood or foam. Foam bucks are carved, so they offer true surface information for the part being metalshaped. A wood buck on the other hand is typically constructed so that it forms the internal skeleton of the structure (ribs and cross members). The bucks for both my gas tank and seat cowl are the wood type.
2. Flexible Pattern
A flexible pattern is like a skin that is taken from the bucks. Its purpose is to provide surface information that is very useful in the metalshaping process. A flexible pattern is created by first applying a layer of low adhesive masking tape to the buck, and then applying a layer or two of fibreglass packing tape.
3. Panel Beating
Using the flexible pattern and buck created in the first two steps, a portion of sheetmetal is cut and stretched and shrunk with a small assortment of tools (hammers, sandbag, stump) and an English Wheel to achieve the desired shape. The key is to continually check against the flexible pattern and buck to ensure proper fit.
My progress to date on the gas tank has been pretty good. Both halves of the tank are approximately 85% of the needed shape, with a bit more needed before I can weld them together. After that I will create the knee cutouts, and then create the tank tunnel and bottom.
The process that I use to design and build a gas tank from the SolidWorks design to metal is this:
1. Create a Buck
A buck is a 1:1 scale model of the part that is to be shaped in metal. A buck can be made out of many types of materials, the most common being wood or foam. Foam bucks are carved, so they offer true surface information for the part being metalshaped. A wood buck on the other hand is typically constructed so that it forms the internal skeleton of the structure (ribs and cross members). The bucks for both my gas tank and seat cowl are the wood type.
2. Flexible Pattern
A flexible pattern is like a skin that is taken from the bucks. Its purpose is to provide surface information that is very useful in the metalshaping process. A flexible pattern is created by first applying a layer of low adhesive masking tape to the buck, and then applying a layer or two of fibreglass packing tape.
3. Panel Beating
Using the flexible pattern and buck created in the first two steps, a portion of sheetmetal is cut and stretched and shrunk with a small assortment of tools (hammers, sandbag, stump) and an English Wheel to achieve the desired shape. The key is to continually check against the flexible pattern and buck to ensure proper fit.
My progress to date on the gas tank has been pretty good. Both halves of the tank are approximately 85% of the needed shape, with a bit more needed before I can weld them together. After that I will create the knee cutouts, and then create the tank tunnel and bottom.
The Beginning
Since I like to design and build things in my garage, I figured a blog would be an ideal way for me to chronicle my projects.
I work predominately in steel and aluminum, and the type fabrication that I do is called metalshaping. Metalshaping is the technique of shrinking and stretching sheetmetal (steel, aluminum, copper etc) to achieve compound curves. An example of a compound curve is a bowl.
Because I have an interest / passion for motorcycles, especially vintage / classic Japanese bikes, you will find that a few of my projects will be centered around them. I have one motorcycle that I will be building up into a Cafe Racer inspired bike.
This won't be my first motorcycle build though, my first build was this 1978 Yamaha XS650 Chopper.
For that build I fabricated all the major motorcycle components. So that includes, the gas tank, fender, electrical box, exhaust system (header and muffler). The frame on the original motorcycle was chopped (swing arm and shocks removed) and in its place a hardtail section was added.
XS650 Cafe Racer
For this motorcycle build I will again be starting with a Yamaha XS650. It isn't a complete motorcycle, it is as an amalgamation of a couple of bikes really. Wheels and frontend from a 1974 XS650, and the frame and engine from a 1980 XS650.
The plan for this bike is to fabricate, the gas tank, seat cowl, front fender and other assorted bits and pieces. Here are some pics of the gas tank and seat cowl that I designed in SolidWorks.
I work predominately in steel and aluminum, and the type fabrication that I do is called metalshaping. Metalshaping is the technique of shrinking and stretching sheetmetal (steel, aluminum, copper etc) to achieve compound curves. An example of a compound curve is a bowl.
Because I have an interest / passion for motorcycles, especially vintage / classic Japanese bikes, you will find that a few of my projects will be centered around them. I have one motorcycle that I will be building up into a Cafe Racer inspired bike.
This won't be my first motorcycle build though, my first build was this 1978 Yamaha XS650 Chopper.
For that build I fabricated all the major motorcycle components. So that includes, the gas tank, fender, electrical box, exhaust system (header and muffler). The frame on the original motorcycle was chopped (swing arm and shocks removed) and in its place a hardtail section was added.
XS650 Cafe Racer
For this motorcycle build I will again be starting with a Yamaha XS650. It isn't a complete motorcycle, it is as an amalgamation of a couple of bikes really. Wheels and frontend from a 1974 XS650, and the frame and engine from a 1980 XS650.
The plan for this bike is to fabricate, the gas tank, seat cowl, front fender and other assorted bits and pieces. Here are some pics of the gas tank and seat cowl that I designed in SolidWorks.
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