Custom Aluminum Steering Damper for 70-73 XS1 XS1B XS2 TX650

Yeah, the casting alloy probably has a lot to do with it. The way it machined, throwing tiny, tight curls, makes me think high silicon. Nowhere near the finish cuts normally achieved with solid billet. Instead of cutting like hard butter, felt like I was cutting sandstone. Close examination also shows extremely tiny voids. Final grit was #320, and the black emory seemed to remove all surface scratches. I'll try going to #600 on the next one. Open to suggestions...

If black emory took the scratches out from 320 you're good with the process. I'd still give 600 a shot to see if that brightens it up any but I wouldn't hold my breath. The tiny voids are what's causing you grief. You are cleaning out your polish wheel fairly regularly correct? And not using it for more than one compound? Honestly I think they're pretty great looking and I wouldn't worry too much about the final polish. But, if you're dead set on getting these to shine their best, use baking flour as your final compound.

Last option, make some from billet, you aren't too far from it.
 
...I am still unclear on how your radius fixture works...

Yeah, that's another one of those 'easier done than said' things.
Sometimes not enuff hands to do things and video at the same time.
Maybe you could come down here and spin the knobs while I hold the camera.

Unique to the Atlas lathes is the flat bed, and that crossfeed nut. It's also where the taper fixture attaches. Much of the radius fixture is out of sight, beneath the chuck. You can see some of it where it emerges to pivot on the crossfeed nut in this pic. As the crossfeed moves in/out, the whole shebang follows that 4-1/2" radius.

View attachment 63752


... Caswells guide says 400 grit then black on sisal that works for me...

Ok, thanx, I can do that...
 
Really like this, I had been thinking of making one for my gsxr front end when I've it together and the motocognito stem bored out.

great skill and execution.

Those Motocognito knobs look great.
Too bad they're too small and non-functional.

2Many, Great work, I admire your skills!

roy

Thanx, Roy. I admire your workshop.

2 Many,
You have super patience and a great deal of skill. If you compare your work to the original work on a early factory frame ( like the wields) your damper knobs are 1000% better without any polishing. And the logos will be an awesome addition. I'm surprised they didn't include that in the original knobs. How many hours do you have in your project? And you'd have to count at least some of the time you were just thinking about it while doing something else. Great project and great tutorial on how you did it. Love the pictures.
Jack

Hey, Jack. That knob will be going out to you tomorrow. Hope you have better luck with the polishing.
Hours in the project? Including staring out the window? :eek:
I lost count. It's the jigs, fixtures, and machine setups that chew up a lot of that time.

:rolleyes:

Very cool engineering project. :)
I like the billet knob.
Imho, it would look even better if it were smaller.

Now, there's a challenge. The stock indexing spring requires almost 3" of knob diameter to fit in there. I suppose if it could be bent inward, kind of a 'Z' shape, that knob could be made smaller...
 
...When the steering damper is adjusted will the tuning forks be pointing the right side up?

Hey, Leo! Glad you enjoyed this.

Yes, we share the same obsession. I plan to have the tuning forks aligned with the nubs, so they'll be pointing up at least 33% of the time. I shudder to think how my OCD will respond when the knob's sweet spot has the forks crooked...
 
If black emory took the scratches out from 320 you're good with the process. I'd still give 600 a shot to see if that brightens it up any but I wouldn't hold my breath. The tiny voids are what's causing you grief. You are cleaning out your polish wheel fairly regularly correct? And not using it for more than one compound? Honestly I think they're pretty great looking and I wouldn't worry too much about the final polish. But, if you're dead set on getting these to shine their best, use baking flour as your final compound.

Last option, make some from billet, you aren't too far from it.

It DID take awhile on the #320, so I guess I'll work up to #600 anyway. It's less work for me using the orbital sander while the knob's spinning on the lathe.

Yes, I clean the wheels regularly, using an old hacksaw blade. Wheels are dedicated for each compound.

Baking flour???

Considered the billet option. Took a chance on these cast versions, expecting them to be more like their CAD renderings. A project of this size is normally out of the range for my small lathe. So, to do it from billet, somebody needs to buy me a bigger lathe. And, a thick concrete floor to support it. And, a large building to house it. And, electrical contractor work to run decent power to it. Might as well add plumbing for the outhouse, cable feed for a 72" LED TV, air conditioning, heating, paved driveway, and a spur from the nearest railroad...:yikes:
 
You know the "staring out the window " part is important. And I have always been fascinated with the flash of brilliance that comes from nowhere while your doing some mindless activity. Your a good man, and a skilled craftsman. I'll send some pictures of mine after I get done. Thank you.
Jack
 
Hahaha, I know the feeling. I don't have any of my personal machinery any more. I am about to pull the trigger on a Birmingham YCL-2280 at work though. I've never seen a radius fixture like that, only tapers. I totally understand the capacity limitations though, at one point I was working almost exclusively on a Smithy Granite.

The flour is an trick I learned from an A&P for polishing props and spinners. Use it to burnish off any of your final compound and it'll help bring out the shine. I've never used Autosol before but it looks like its wet enough for the flour to work well. I've seen plenty of polish residues stick and cause the aluminum to appear dark or cloudy. It's slightly abrasive but I doubt it really does much other than clean honestly.
 
...at one point I was working almost exclusively on a Smithy Granite...

EGADS! That's been on my bucket list for, like, forever.
But, I wanted one with the longer millhead and bed like the Midas 1240.
Doesn't exist.

... The flour is an trick I learned from an A&P for polishing props and spinners. Use it to burnish off any of your final compound and it'll help bring out the shine. I've never used Autosol before but it looks like its wet enough for the flour to work well. I've seen plenty of polish residues stick and cause the aluminum to appear dark or cloudy. It's slightly abrasive but I doubt it really does much other than clean honestly.

After each compound, I was soap&water washing the residue off the knob. Maybe that's wrong.
Neat trick, though. Now, to get some baking flour...
 
Sweeeeeet!

Great work. Insetting the tuning forks is a great idea, only problem I can see is indexing. When the steering damper is adjusted will the tuning forks be pointing the right side up? Just a bit of funning you there. Great work.
Leo

Two thoughts..... 1. cut a deeper recess for: 2. Velcro, or to epoxy a neodymium magnet in the knob and a corresponding thin mild steel/tin disc under the logo, if nonferrous.

My OCD polishing scenario consists of HAND sanding from 150 grit, 220/320, 400, 600, 1000, 1500 then polishing compound, namely Blue Magic. Yes, time consuming.....but it works for me....:thumbsup:

Great job 2M!!
 
...Two thoughts..... 1. cut a deeper recess for: 2. Velcro, or to epoxy a neodymium magnet in the knob and a corresponding thin mild steel/tin disc under the logo, if nonferrous.
fine bearing and a weighted logo like an axle odometer.

Good ideas, and I can see where this is headed.
How 'bout redirecting my oiling system up there, and have it spin, showing oil flow?
Or, have one of the tuning forks marked 'N', make it a compass?
Or, a fuel level gauge?
Or, anemometer fins so it'll spin in the wind?

... My OCD polishing scenario consists of HAND sanding from 150 grit, 220/320, 400, 600, 1000, 1500 then polishing compound, namely Blue Magic. Yes, time consuming.....but it works for me....:thumbsup:

Great job 2M!!

Thanx, NONclow!

Your polishing scenario is both terrifying, and disturbing.
Heard good things about that Blue Magic.

I guess I could give it a try, tho'.

After I inventory the pain meds in my medicine cabinet...
 
Now, there's a challenge. The stock indexing spring requires almost 3" of knob diameter to fit in there. I suppose if it could be bent inward, kind of a 'Z' shape, that knob could be made smaller...

Yeah I'm not familiar with how the mechanism works.
It's just in the photos that knob looks kinda large and unattractive, imho.
Although the billet version is much better than plastic for sure!
With the inset logo it would really pop.
 
Yeah I'm not familiar with how the mechanism works.
It's just in the photos that knob looks kinda large and unattractive, imho.
.

Let me jump in here (with all due respect) the knobs pictured look very good and as far as size you have nothing to compare it to in the pictures. Because of that it's difficult to make an accurate judgement.

If you had a 72 XS 650 with a 43 year old damper knob in your garage you would never notice the size. But that said any improvement is a big step in the right direction. And these are a giant improvement compared to the old stock damper knob, or even a brand new unit.I can't wait for mine to get here, it will go right on my desk in the garage with the other brand new parts I have been buying for my bike. Again great project and I'll be proud to be one of the few that will own one. And one other thought I'll be it won't be long before someone copies the idea in order to build one for their bike, on Ebay they would I'd think sell for $75.00 to $100.00.
 
Let me jump in here (with all due respect) the knobs pictured look very good and as far as size you have nothing to compare it to in the pictures. Because of that it's difficult to make an accurate judgement.
Sorry, my comment was unclear, I meant the original plastic knobs I've seen look large and unattractive.
2M's billet knobs look terrific and are an attractive improvement. :thumbsup:
 
Tried NONclow's polishing method on a second knob, the other one with the spherical top.
Went from #320, #400, #600, #800, #1000, to #1500.
This pic, I'm just about done with the #1500.

DamperKnobPolishing01.jpg

Then, finished off with Blue Magic.

DamperKnobPolishing02.jpg
 
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The microvoids and (suspecting) high silicon probably keep me from getting a good surface.

I wonder if anybody's done a polishing cream comparison.

Thought I'd try my ol' goto, 40 year old Solvol Autosol.
I have so precious little of this original stuff left.
It removed a lot of the milky/cloudiness.

DamperKnobPolishing03.jpg

Then, I gave the new Autosol (from MikesXS) a try.
About the same result.

DamperKnobPolishing04.jpg

Okay, let's finish with the Blue Magic.
Some of the milky/cloudiness returned.

DamperKnobPolishing05.jpg


I know this isn't the best test of polishing creams, but it looks like I can stop worrying about my old Solvol Autosol becoming obsolete. I AM a bit concerned about the cloudiness of the Blue Magic. Next, after my nap, I'll give some Mother's Polish a try...
 
Very pretty work and result!

:hijack:

I have done a bunch of the rear brake plates and if the switch boss is cut off the casting has small voids, most of the XS castings have at least some pinholes here and there, often corrosion has had it's evil effect. I find the blue magic is fast and effective but;
it is a bit coarse, about like white buffing bar. If I go to blue or green buff, blue magic is a step backwards.
It also needs to dry, then a final buff with a dry cloth. It seems to have some wax in the formula. Car paint POLISH after Blue Magic works well. Especially something like this knob which stares up at you. Engine cases, wheels not so much, blue magic is fine (final polish) on bikes that get ridden.
This TX750 brake plate was from Florida. I did a quick clean up. 180 wheel, 320 wheel, black on sisal wheel, white on cotton wheel. total time about an hour. Kinda pointless to go much further, I think I would run out of brake plate before I got a flawless surface.

View attachment 63795

s-l1600.jpg


I really like these wheels, I bought a second one now but have done first clean up on a LOT of parts with the first one I bought and it is still going. This ebayer is good also. I also have a gray 320 wheel it works well but I have just started using it and it seems a bit hard which isn't as useful on more complex parts. The wheels like to spin rather slow, about 800 to 1000 RPM ish. I also have a variety of nylox brush wheels to get into hard to reach spots. The red 180 wheel IS aggressive, you can easily round off sharp edges.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/351476358323?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
 
2M, you could go for a brushed finish, might not look too bad but it would need to be clear-coated.
gggGary, good tip on that wheel! I need one of those.
 
- - - I shudder to think how my OCD will respond when the knob's sweet spot has the forks crooked...

Hi 2Many,
I was checking this amazing thread and wondering, how could my alter ego Mr. Bodger possibly help the Wizard in the task?
Then, as I was staring out the window, it hit me!
I can suggest a solution to the possible logo misalignment problem.
Adjust the damper's friction plate thickness as required to set the sweet spot to be when the logo is lined up properly.
 
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