My name's Scott and I have a problem

[scott_jangers]

If the table in your vacuum box doesn't have enough holes and if it doesn't seal really well, you won't get enough vacuum to get a good image, especially with sharp edges.

You're so right deviant, along with what Dohc mentioned about the temperature of the plastic. This is what I found.....

1 - It takes too long to get the frame out of the oven and over the wooden former. The minute it is out of the oven it starts to cool.

2 - I used two bolts attached to the frame that fit into holes on the sides of the vacuum box, so as to align the frame perfectly with the recess of the top of the vacuum box. This slowed the process down again.

3 - The seal between the frame around the square top of the vacuum box was not tight enough, made worse as the plastic hardens when you push it down onto the vacuum.

4 - The shape of the wooden former was too complicated. I had made a smaller compartment, in height, next to the battery for the flasher relay, and thought this would also help keep the battery in place. I forgot that once the plastic was pulled over the former, it would seal off this cavity. I guess the solution would be to drill holes in the former too, holes that aligned with the holes in the top of the box...!

5 - I drilled what I thought were enough holes to get suction, but not too many to lose suction. I imagine there is a formula for this.

In conclusion, if I absolutely must vacuum form something I will go to my mates workshop where he has a professional industrial vacuum forming machine and only do small objects with no sharp corners.

 

[scott_jangers]

Winter's finally jogged on and Spring looks to be in full swing. I've been slowly ticking off jobs from the list, in preparation for getting the bike ready to be ridden over the summer. Here's a brief overview...

Welded new rear mudguard brackets.
Painted the baremetal areas of the frame.
Cleaned all resuable parts (Jeez that job sucked)
New oil and seals for front forks.
Removed stripped bolt from front fork leg.
New bearings and adjustment of steering head.
Fitted new headlight brackets.
Fitted front mudguard.
Fitted new bars.
Stripped and rebuilt all switches and levers.
Adjusted clutch cable.
Rebuilt front wheel.
Adjusted front drum brakes.
Mounted new front and rear indicators.
Painted and fitted rear mudguard.
Fitted new front sprocket.
Fitted new cush drive bushes in rear hub.
Stripped, cleaned and fitted carb.

This is what it looks like right now...

The tank and front fender I scored on the cheap from a dude down the road from me and will keep them on the bike for now, but I'm still contemplating a couple of other options including a seventies CD250 tank. As I mentioned earlier, this is a sort of 'dry build'. I'm hoping that a few months of riding will give me an idea of what changes should be made, whilst I save up for paint and powdercoating.

Right now I'm suppressing my frustration at being hindered by a lack of available funds. I've got another couple of bicycles from the stash up for sale, but interest is slow. I'm at a point where there is only one logical order to put everything back, and when you haven't got one of the parts it delays the rest of the build. I'm trying to stay zen, but it can get a bit annoying when you can't put the brake pedal on because you have to put the exhaust on first, but I haven't even got the cash in the bank to buy a pair of exhaust collets. I'm making packed lunches to take with me to work, and have sacrificed any mid-morning pastries to afford a set of new studs for my rear sprocket. Giving up food for the build!

 

[el barto]

Winter's finally jogged on and Spring looks to be in full swing. I've been slowly ticking off jobs from the list, in preparation for getting the bike ready to be ridden over the summer. Here's a brief overview...

Welded new rear mudguard brackets.
Painted the baremetal areas of the frame.
Cleaned all resuable parts (Jeez that job sucked)
New oil and seals for front forks.
Removed stripped bolt from front fork leg.
New bearings and adjustment of steering head.
Fitted new headlight brackets.
Fitted front mudguard.
Fitted new bars.
Stripped and rebuilt all switches and levers.
Adjusted clutch cable.
Rebuilt front wheel.
Adjusted front drum brakes.
Mounted new front and rear indicators.
Painted and fitted rear mudguard.
Fitted new front sprocket.
Fitted new cush drive bushes in rear hub.
Stripped, cleaned and fitted carb.

This is what it looks like right now...

The tank and front fender I scored on the cheap from a dude down the road from me and will keep them on the bike for now, but I'm still contemplating a couple of other options including a seventies CD250 tank. As I mentioned earlier, this is a sort of 'dry build'. I'm hoping that a few months of riding will give me an idea of what changes should be made, whilst I save up for paint and powdercoating.

Right now I'm suppressing my frustration at being hindered by a lack of available funds. I've got another couple of bicycles from the stash up for sale, but interest is slow. I'm at a point where there is only one logical order to put everything back, and when you haven't got one of the parts it delays the rest of the build. I'm trying to stay zen, but it can get a bit annoying when you can't put the brake pedal on because you have to put the exhaust on first, but I haven't even got the cash in the bank to buy a pair of exhaust collets. I'm making packed lunches to take with me to work, and have sacrificed any mid-morning pastries to afford a set of new studs for my rear sprocket. Giving up food for the build!

Bike's looking good Scott! You gave up on the orange tank?

I'm in the very same position re. funds - I feel your pain. It SUCKS. Is there anything else you can do in the mean time?

 

[scott_jangers]

Bike's looking good Scott! You gave up on the orange tank?

I'm in the very same position re. funds - I feel your pain. It SUCKS. Is there anything else you can do in the mean time?

Haha! The orange tank is hanging up on the sidelines awaiting its turn, but it could end up being either yellow or black. I know a guy who does paint for chopper tanks and he said he'd fill and paint it one colour for £150 - which I guess is just over $200. I got this tank and fender for £20 and will use it temporarily to get the bike on the road quickly. It's probably in better condition ironically, so I may just end up prepping and painting this one in the end.

Nope. I need to buy little things for every job now. I have managed to order the four studs I need to fit the new rear sprocket, which means when they arrive this weekend I can then refit the rear brakes to the hub, fit the wheel, the new chain I have waiting and then refit and adjust the brake cable.

If I was a bit more flush I would've just got the whole lot in one go and had a big box arrive full of shiny new goodies I could dip into. But this build is hand to mouth unfortunately.

 

[scott_jangers]

I promised not to neglect this thread and so apologise for the gap between posts, but I have not given up on the bike. Not sure if anyone gives a Kate Moss, but here's where the bike's at.

Made a crap seat base from fibreglass...

Made a crap cover to go on it...

Bought and fitted a speedo...

Soldered some diodes to stop my indicators behaving stupid...

Shortened the throttle cable....

Got the bike through it's MOT and on the road....

Spent the next three weeks riding like a nutter on full throttle in order to sort out the main jet issues...

I've been riding the bike hard for a couple of months now and definitely missed doing this at the start of the build. I'm getting all the stupid crap out of the way, like the leaky exhaust valve stem seal, etc, but also making my mind up as to what to keep and what to change. I don't like the front mudguard or the mirrors, but they are pretty invaluable when riding round the city in the rain. I've got a new tank and seat. The rear mudguard will be ditched for a better one, and the ceramic enamel will only keep the rust at bay from the exhaust for only so long.

I've probably got another couple of months riding left, and then I'll strip the bike and begin the final build.... well that's the idea, but I've now got two crappy CB250's I'm planning on making into one so who knows what's going on.

 

[Hurco550]

looking nice scott! good on ya.

 

[scott_jangers]

Thanks hurco!

It's a work in progress, but I'm just having fun riding it now. When I next post I can guarantee it'll be looking a little different....