Bracketry, bracketery, whatever...

Fabbed up a bracket for the headlight the other day. First go so don't scoff!

 Its not perfect but I was quite pleased with it for a first stab. I was probably a little too keen with the flapper disk though, next time I shall put more elbow grease into finishing it better

 

Ive got a little old Harley spot light that I have jammed a dual filament bulb in. Its a little on the small side but I really like it.

Hard tail

The Tinslecat came round yesterday and we spent the day getting the TC Bros hardtail fixed to the frame. First job was to roughly mark and cut the rear subframe off.

CHING! I then spent quite a while trimming the bits off we didnt want and cleaning the frame up. All under TC's watchful eye....

The critical cuts where at the bottom of the main downtube (behind the engine) and cutting the two cradle rails 0.75" from the rear of the exhaust mounts. Turns out that some masking tape is exactly 0.75" thick - how convenient!!

Then it was lunch brake. After which came the fun bit of sticking the new hartail in place and measuring things up. This actually turned out to be not as complicated as we thought. The downtube has to align with a cross member on the hardtail. The lower rails just slot together, so the only tricky thing is deciding where exactly you want the top tubes to join the main frame.

We made sure it was square by measuring from the headstock to each rear axle plate and to our amazement it was cock on! (to within a mm at least!!). So we started welding....

I was going to do all the welding but Tinslecat RREEEALY wanted a go, so I let him start then he hogged the welder for the rest of the afternoon and only let me do one tiny bit :-P

If your wondering who is who - I'm the handsome one....

Once it was all welded up we loosely hung bits on it, then I spent the rest of the afternoon sitting on it and making brumbrum noises.

What a class day! In all seriousness, couldn't have done it without the Tinslecat's dangerous advice, helpful guidance and welding skills, thanks again bud. But then again - what kind of friend comes round to your house and makes you cut up a perfectly good frame?!

Almost there

Finished taking the last few things off the frame. Turns out the roller bearings in the headstock actually contain lose ball bearings! I was informed thus as I tried to remove the yokes from the frame, only to be met with the sharp 'tak! tak!' of something small and metal hitting the workbench.

Anyways, after I had finished crawling around on my hands and knees, I took the frame outside and cleaned it. Then I installed a 'loner' engine that should help keep the frame straight while I chop bits off.

Friday is chop day.

Strip-tease

Spent most of Saturday stripping the frame down ready for the big Chop on friday...got it all off apart from the headstock and centre stand. Once those are off I will take the frame outside and clean off any freeloading crud that is still hanging around.

It came apart so easily (anything is easy compared to working on the bandit!), my shelves are now full of parts!!

Finishing touches

Definitely the most fun!

Long time no spanner...

So my tools have being lying rusty and neglected, and every time somebody asks 'hows the bike going?' I come over all embarrassed and admit that it isn't. My finger nails are clean and my bikes have a think layer of dust on them!

The reason for this is the construction of my new workshop/clubhouse/mancave that is just about complete:

 

Tools are pinned to the wall, girl/bike pics are up, radio is tuned in (Radio 2, obv!), the only thing left to finish is the window (no glass as yet!). So, having no excuses left I did a quick mock-up for the XS......

Clubhouse construction

So it has all been quiet on the bike front and there is a good reason for this; me and my dad have been building a bike workshop inside his barn. The main reasons are two fold:

1) it gets so bloody cold in there in winter so this will be provide an insulated area that I can heat

2) its incredibly dusty in the barn which isnt ideal when you've got engine parts lying around etc

[3) it will be cool as fuck]

Progress is slow, we have probably spent about four days on it now in total. and we have got the main structure completed. Next up is to plasterboard the roof then we can get the wiring done. Before clearing it out and painting etc.

Before:

 Walls nearly done:

Roof joists all in place:

Still a way to go yet, and it is a little frustrating not being able to continue with my projects while we are building this. But it will be so worth it when its done.