Bobber Build by a total Newb

[dilbone]

Hey dilbone, did you try using a battery yet?

yep, tried battery with the relays from both of the bikes...a '78 special and the '82. Neither one would blink the bulbs...not even with all 4 hooked in parallel. From what I've read though, the 552 has been known to work with these mini 10W bulbs. I'll probably head to advance auto and pick up the relay along with a fuse block.

On the plus side.
1. I got my welder set up for MIG
2. My brother(the Mechanical Engineer and certified welder of the family) came up and helped me get the welder as dialed in as we could get it.

I'll have to post a couple of pics tonight. I assume most guys will eventually take the motor out of the frame to finish welding the frame after it's been secured with as much weld as can be had? It isn't pretty as this welder is very temperamental and seemed to be running fine one minute and popping and sputtering the next, but most of the welds will be ground down anyway and cleaned up so I'm not too worried about it. I just need to take it slow and get plenty of heat in these welds as that has been the biggest obstacle.

 

[dilbone]

I measured about 2 dozen times during the tacking process and had to end up grinding off a tack and moving it a couple different times, but I think it's about as close to perfect I could get it.

Here's one of the sections I did, not pretty, but I'll grind it down and drill a couple of holes into the slugs and fill those with welds too

 

[Johnt3]

Looks to be a good plan on the measuring and welds dilbone.

 

[dilbone]

I had enough time today to try and get my welding done on the hardtail. I had done just about everything I could get to with the motor in and frame upright so I leaned it forward to see if that would help...

I was still having trouble so I decided to take the motor out...I had enough welding done that there's no way anything was going to be moving...that sure made it easier to rotate the frame any which way I needed it to make the welding easier.

There was such a huge gap between the backbone and the hardtail seat rails that I filled it in the other day and ground most of it off to see if I had any gaps still down in there. It didn't look too bad but thought I'd better lay down some more to be sure...not pretty, but it'll get the job done and believe it or not these look better than some of my other work...lol

Once I got all the welding done I slid the motor back in and bolted it up. I then got the grease out and started to place the ball bearings in the races so I could slide the forks back in. I ended up dropping one of them into a huge pile of saw dust on the floor...luckily the hardware store has .25" ball bearings, so I'll pick up at least one tomorrow. I couldn't resist getting it into a roller for a mockup shot...

I like it already...except for that nasty front fender...lol

Tomorrow I'll need to get some 3/4" washers for the rear axle and a ball bearing...after I take that front fender off. Either peg brackets or the seat pan will be next on my list. There's so much fabrication to do I'm trying not to let myself get completely overwhelmed and take it one thing at a time.

 

[Johnt3]

Eh, you'll get it done. Hey be careful of the sawdust man! If you tack some stuff together, you can get a feel for how it's gonna work and look together. No seriously, Clean that sawdust up man.

 

[dilbone]

Eh, you'll get it done. Hey be careful of the sawdust man! If you tack some stuff together, you can get a feel for how it's gonna work and look together. No seriously, Clean that sawdust up man.

Yeah, I swept the saw dust over to the other side of the barn before we started welding the other day...where I had that tray with the bearings...but I rolled the front wheel over to that tray where the saw dust was...

I had a brief moment of, "I should move all of this over to the bike" and then I dropped the ball......it hit once and then disappeared into the saw dust. I will box it up today.

 

[Airwolfie]

Get a magnet in the saw dust!!

Bike is looking good, I actually kind of like the front fender, gives it a more "vintage WWII" feel................

 

[dilbone]

Get a magnet in the saw dust!!

Bike is looking good, I actually kind of like the front fender, gives it a more "vintage WWII" feel................

Thanks Airwolfie, I suppose it isn't the front fender as much as the terrible blue flame paint on it...Now you got me thinking I might bob the front fender a bit and keep it...

Well yesterday I didn't get a whole lot done, but I did get the chain adjusters on. I was having issues getting the spacers with washers to fit. My spacing at the axle plates is 8-7/16" so I should be good, but I couldn't get the washers to fit on the right side chain adjuster. I ended up just pinching it together to keep the adjuster bolt centered.
Left side the washers fit inside the chain adjuster...but the axle was so long I had to put a couple washers on the end so I didn't run out of thread on the other end.

Right side I couldn't fit a single washer...

I haven't put the chain on yet, but using a straight edge it seems like the sprockets are lined up pretty well...I hope so because there's not a whole lot of room to move it around at this point.

I was able to get a little work done on the pegs. I decided to go with the ol' bmx pegs. Cheap and looks decent. These have grooves in them so I can probably put some O-rings on them if I want. Today hopefully I'll get the additional tab welded on so they don't spin.

 

[dilbone]

Got my tabs cut, welded on, and holes drilled...not too bad. Probably could use some more grinding on the tabs to make them look a little better

Then it was on to the seat pan. First I traced my outline I made up. I went about 14.5" long and 10.5" wide on the flat blank. I went around it with my cut off wheel first a couple of times then went with the jig saw to remove everything that didn't look like a seat pan...

After trying several "leverage" methods of bending this 1/8" sheet I realized it need some more persuasive methods

Then I took a piece of the offcut from the seat to make a little gusset to be able to mount the seat hinge

I've been working on the gate hinge I'm using for the seat and I think I'm just about there in terms of making it work. I also still have to make the bungs for the springs. I ordered 4" springs the other day so hopefully I can wrap up the seat once those come in. Then I think I'll tackle the rear brake linkage.

 

[Airwolfie]

can't see pics!!

 

[dilbone]

I decided not to use the gate hinge I was working on and I went with a 1/4" piece of steel pipe...which is actually 3/8" I.D. I added a piece of 3/16" plate underneath it to give it a little bit of clearance...I had a bit of trouble welding a round pipe to a flat plate...

I'll use a 1/4" stainless bolt with the bronze bushings as my hinge pin

Now I just need to fab up the bracket and make the bungs for the springs

I just had to throw everything on there for another mock up...that front fender just may grow on me. Anything to keep some road grime out of my teeth could be a plus...

 

[Johnt3]

That's looking good dilbone. Those peg mounts look familiar! Beat that seat pan man! That seat looks good on there. Hey, the rear axle spacing is off. The stock axle plates are thicker so to make up for this you have to place 2 3/4'' washers on the outside of each of the axle plates.I know the adjusting bolts won't line up that way, but that's the way the washers were meant to go.Some members are welding on spacers to make up for the width to do away with the washers.I believe member Travis is still offering the spacer plates or you could whittle some out instead.

 

[dilbone]

That's looking good dilbone. Those peg mounts look familiar! Beat that seat pan man! That seat looks good on there. Hey, the rear axle spacing is off. The stock axle plates are thicker so to make up for this you have to place 2 3/4'' washers on the outside of each of the axle plates.I know the adjusting bolts won't line up that way, but that's the way the washers were meant to go.Some members are welding on spacers to make up for the width to do away with the washers.I believe member Travis is still offering the spacer plates or you could whittle some out instead.

Thanks John...those pegs do look remarkably familiar..., wish I'd thought of it myself...

As to the axle spacing...I suppose the one thing I need to move is the 1 washer inside the axle plate of the left chain adjuster. I think I can pinch the left one down like I did the right one and have all my washers on the outsides of the adjusters. As long as the space in between the axle plates is free of washers I should be ok according to what you're saying...although it does kinda look odd with the washers on the outside of the adjusters like I have it there on the left side since the washers are larger diameter than the adjusters...
I think the pinch of both adjusters is the only way I can get them centered on the plates and get the spacing correct...unless I weld on spacers like you mentioned...hmmmm

 

[dilbone]

I had a little bit of time tonight, so I thought I'd try to fab up the seat bracket. I cut a 2" wide strip of 3/16" about 6" long then cut a couple of 1" x 3/4" tabs and welded them up.

I drilled a couple holes for the stainless bolt, pounded the bronze bushings into the pipe, rounded off the corners and I'll be darned if it doesn't look like a seat hinge...

Time to make a couple of bungs and get this seat mounted up

 

[dilbone]

Oh, yeah...John, I forgot to mention. I did get a new 552 flasher from advance auto and it worked perfectly with the signals I bought.

 

[Johnt3]

Good to hear about the flasher dilbone. After I commented on your rear adjusters and spacer washers I looked at mine and am thinking that I'll be trying something different.
The use of washers is really awkward looking to me.Also my adjusters are pretty rusted and pitted up.Maybe something like this with welded on spacers if it'll work.

 

[dilbone]

Good to hear about the flasher dilbone. After I commented on your rear adjusters and spacer washers I looked at mine and am thinking that I'll be trying something different.
The use of washers is really awkward looking to me.Also my adjusters are pretty rusted and pitted up.Maybe something like this with welded on spacers if it'll work.

that is a slick idea there...my adjusters aren't in the greatest shape either, thanks for posting that.

 

[dilbone]

finally got some work done tonight...but not much.

I lined up the hinge on the seat pan, got some holes drilled and squared up the holes in the pan to use carriage bolts...still need to cut them a little shorter...

Now it's on to making some bungs...not sure if I'll just go the carriage bolt route again for the seat pan spring bolts or weld something in. Probably should have drilled, tapped, and welded the bolts in from the top now that I think about it...oh well, if I end up covering it with leather you won't see the bolt heads anyway. I like the way it looks though

 

[Johnt3]

Seat looks good man.

 

[dilbone]

I took some 1" bar stock and cut some pieces for my seat bungs. I drilled a 17/64 hole so I could tap it at 5/16" then ground the radius into the bottoms. I'm not sure how much time I have in them...but they where nearly free otherwise...

I think I like the stance of the seat while unloaded...and it's pretty comfortable sitting on it. Now I just need to figure out what exactly I should do about spacing locations, drill a couple of holes in the seat pan, and weld on the bungs.