Monthly Archives: August 2011

Aug 29 – painting

Posted on by
Reply

I started painting on Saturday and soon discovered that there was a better way to do this. After the fact, of course.

That’s okay. It’s all about learning…. Just hope learning doesn’t end up costing too much money. Ha!

On Saturday, I started to paint the wheels with satin black PJ-1

What I found was that the wheels soaked up the paint. I’m thinking that I should have primered them first. But I got this far, so kept going.

When the first (and only) can ran out very quickly, I had to make a run to
Motorcycle Accessory Shop in Mesa – the only local place I’ve been able to find PJ-1. Good folks there. They mostly do off-road bike stuff, but have a fair amount of gear and parts and oil / fluids. I got more paint and ran a couple of errands. By the time I was done, it was hot and I didn’t feel like working more in the garage.

So, today….

While I had my hoopty paint booth set up, figured might as well take care of some other objects. I got two kickstands and the top and bottom tripples painted.

I also painted the swingarm.

and finished up the wheels.

Painting is not my forte.

I’m back to considering laying down the cash to get the frame powdercoated. With all the installing movement, I’m worried that paint will get all scratched up quickly. At least with the wheels, I can touch them up pretty easily. But the frame would be a lot more difficult.

Decisions, decisions.

Aug 26 – seat mounts

Posted on by
Reply

I picked up some hollow round bar stock in order to make the seat mount supports.

My friend Vince, who owns and operates CTD Fabrication in Tempe (shameless plug), helped me out today with my welding needs.

I did the drilling – yes, the holes are crooked.

Vince welded nuts into my hollow round bar stock and I ran longish bolts through the seat, mounts and metal plate.
The bolts are held on by nuts under the metal plate.

My seat is mountable and now I get to paint!
Yay!

Guess what I’m doing Saturday?

Aug 18

Posted on by
3

Today was a garage day full of swearing and pain and some success.

Started the morning by taking apart my top tripple in my hoopty set up.
Would have been easier if the vice was attached to anything.

Then I pulled the swingarm to check the bushings.
Stock ones are plastic, so people usually replace them with either steel or bronze.
Mine still has the plastic bushings.

Of course I got a little over-excited about taking something apart (yay disassembly or destruction!), and I forgot to check the swingarm play before I took it off. Der.

So, guess I’ll put it back on (hell, it’s only three nuts) and check. Then I’ll take it back off and paint it.

Now this is a naked bike:

I wanted to take the wheels in to get sand blasted, but first I had to get the rotor and sprocket off the rear wheel and the tires off. I needed leverage cuz the damn thing kept rolling around! So, I set it on a box and wedged it between the wall and some shelving.

There are little tabs that hold the nuts in place. Since I have no chisel… I had to make do.

Each time I hit the screwdriver, I thought, “please don’t shatter the handle!” It worked great! I got the rotor off with only a little swearing.

The sprocket proved to be a little more stubborn. I got the nuts off with only minor injury to my pinky finger from it crashing into the sprocket after a particularly stubborn nut decided to loosen abruptly. I probably should put some ice on it. It’s still kinda swollen.

It took me a while, a lot of sweat and swearing, but I got the nuts off. (that just does not sound right)

However, there is a pesky and rather large circlip holding the damn thing on. I also have no circlip pliers and my round-about efforts were in vain.

Luckily, the fine folks at Apache Motorcycle Scottsdale (7340 East McDowell Road) got the circlip and sprocket off for me when they took my tires off.

Once that was completed, I dropped them off at the Arizona Powdercoaters to get sandblasted. Whoohoo!

It would cost $45 per wheel to get powdercoated, so I’m just gonna paint em with the hardcore PJ-1. (and do touch-ups when necessary. heh)

Onward and forward.