saving a 1980 KZ750 twin

doc_rot said:
thanks. Its just part of the 2 step forward 1 step back shuffle that my projects seem to do.

We all have that happen. At least you know how to paint. I just have to drop the stuff off and swear at the bill when done. 8) :eek:
 
Paint came out pretty good. Photos don't do the metalics in this justic, it really pops in the sun. Unfortunately they sprung for the cheap filters on this spray booth and the fibers seem to find their way into the paint no matter how much I clean before hand, luckily when wetted by the clear they turn transparent so a little cut and buff and you will never know. I won't be able to get to striping this for a couple weeks.
 

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Thanks but im sticking with the drum. I think it looks awesome in the aluminum swingarm and has more than enough stopping power.
 
I have been working on this ignition cover for several months off and on whenever I have a short downtime. They're finally finished. I based them off the badges on the early Kawasaki exports. I designed it in CAD and had it 3-d printed so I could take a rubber mold off of it and then cast it in wax. First time ever casting aluminum, which I poured myself, so no photos. I did get some photos of the bronze being poured. They came out ok, but the final casting was very rough and porous. Lots of filing and sanding later they look pretty good.....good enough for an ignition cover. I also made some bronze belt buckles from a mold I took off an KZ650 ignition cover.



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i like shiney
 

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Hi Doc,
Nice investment casting - the oldest casting method known to mankind and still a great way to make parts. Something you learned in your day job (you're a dentist, right)? I have a couple of places in my town that do it, but I've never approached them about doing some one-offs or small runs.
Neat 3D modelling - I should really get into it, but I'm from the old school of patternmaking (learned it 35+ years ago when I was working my way through school), where you make the master by hand on the bench, figure out the shrink allowance and adjust the pattern to suit. Wow, how much easier would it be to push the button on the keyboard to make the pattern a little bigger and then CNC the master?
Looks like a pretty big riser for the part (a lot of metal left in it after chilling) - but too much is better than too little, right - and the foundry just remelts the offcuts anyway? Also wondered why your foundry didn't suggest using a gating system and pour a number of parts at one time?
I gather it's A356 aluminum alloy - seems to be the bread and butter casting alloy in these parts and the finished product doesn't seem to exhibit any of the issues of a casting with a lot of reclaim in it?
BTW, the above are not criticisms, just questions - there are many, many ways to accomplish the task and... I was just curious.
Your attention to detail is awesome , incredible, inspirational - maybe just the thing to shake a lot of us out of our winter lethargy, up here in the frozen north.
Most excellent build.
Pat
 
God damn, this may be one of my favourite builds on this site. Love the fabrication work you've put in and the cast covers turned out very nice.

Looking forward to seeing a pic with the bodywork back on the bike, but damn, it looked good in satin black! :-X
 
Thanks guys. Just having fun.


pacomotorstuff said:
Hi Doc,
Nice investment casting - the oldest casting method known to mankind and still a great way to make parts. Something you learned in your day job (you're a dentist, right)?
Hahaha. I'm no dentist, or even a real doctor. just a nickname that stuck from highschool.

pacomotorstuff said:
Wow, how much easier would it be to push the button on the keyboard to make the pattern a little bigger and then CNC the master?

Yeah it takes about 5 seconds to scale something in Rhino. Heres the 3-d printed master that I took a mold off of, and the original badge I based it off of.




pacomotorstuff said:
Looks like a pretty big riser for the part (a lot of metal left in it after chilling) - but too much is better than too little, right - and the foundry just remelts the offcuts anyway? Also wondered why your foundry didn't suggest using a gating system and pour a number of parts at one time?
I gather it's A356 aluminum alloy - seems to be the bread and butter casting alloy in these parts and the finished product doesn't seem to exhibit any of the issues of a casting with a lot of reclaim in it?

The foundry I have access to is operated by the sculpture department at my college. As a grad student I get a pass to do pretty much anything I want; interlope into other programs and departments. Its awesome. That being said, this foundry pours metal maybe 6 times a year for the sculpture students so there is a VERY loose/crude process established here. Typically sculpture doesn't need to "work" so a lot of things that would make castings unacceptable for industry use are widely tolerated here. I blew their minds when I showed them how to do a "face coat" with chopped fiberglass in the investment. That should inform you to the caliber of work they are turning out. I asked for their advice on gating and started talking details and got blank stares in return; its something I know little about, them as well. I did one cover per investment to keep the investments physically smaller. I have only done the plaster/silica investment once before, the other times I had access to ceramic slurry investment which is much better IMHO. The castings moved around a bit and there is porosity throughout. Its not too noticeable unless you inspect close up. I would not expect them to hold oil but its for the ignition cover so its good enough.

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