Newbie w/Question

[cebump]

I am new to the board as well as the hobby, 1 year or so. I wanted to let all of you know how much I have soaked into my hard head just by reading the various post. Thanks for that.
My question is about an upcoming project. I am building a triple clamp for a motorcycle fork. Anyone ever done such an animal? and if so any advice? Thanks in advance. Turkabunga for thursday!
Brian

[SGW]

Never made one, but I'd suggest you be sure to use the appropriate material, as it would be really inconvenient if it cracked/broke "at speed."
Also aim for a fine finish on the holes.

[Ragarsed Raglan]

Welcome Cebump,

I've made a few of these in the past. As they were for a race bike I made them from Aluminium, in HE30, and also one in a military armour plate alloy which I can only describe as one of the whackyiest pieces of stuff I've ever machined. I think it had a very high Zinc content ~ I now use this ally for all my acme feednuts on my machines - it just never wears out!

I have also done one in Titanium, great strength and lightness - but you need a good machine to deal with this stuff and it needs TC tooling.

Slab up your piece of stock, mark it out and then try to do all the fork and headstock spindle holes in one hit on the machine table (jack it up to give you the tool clearance under the job, so you can break through). If you are going to dial in some rake and trail via the triple clamp you may need to set up on an tilt angle plate. Then again you may want to make the rake adjustable, think about a spacer system to do this.

Like any other job - think through what you want the finished article to be/do; measure it, design it, sketch it, mark out, and plan the process.

Hope this helps.

RR

[chip's]

Welcome, It is a great board but does get deep sometimes. Have fun.

[cebump]

RR

Thanks for the tips. I would love to do one in ti but for my experience and machine level I will stick to al. What kind of race bikes? This is going on sort of a racer replica of a kawi h2r based on a h1 500 2 stroke. Any tips on a source for the aluminum alloy. Do you think T6 would suffice?
Thanks again
Brian

[Thrud]

Brian

Welcome to the zoo.

I would go with 7075-T6 forget welding it. This is a high Silicon content Aircraft grade much stronger than the normally used 6061-T6. Be advised it can be a PITA to machine 7xxx Aluminum Alloys. So don't expect a cakewalk.

RR
If that was armour plate it may be depleted Uranium composite and not Zinc. See if you can burn the shavings with a torch (out in the open with mask on)

[cebump]

Thrud

Thanks for the advice and welcome. I am at home in a zoo so it should be fun.

Brian

[Ragarsed Raglan]

Cebump,

Just checked out our spec HE30 (I'm UK based), it comes over as your spec 6082 to condition T4 or T6. It's properties are strength, corrosion resistance, machineability, and best of all it anodises nicely (especially Black, Blue or Red ~ but avoid Green - pity seeing as you've got a Kawa!!) Try one of the Metal Supermarket operations for a billet, unless you have an aircraft parts manufacturing plant in the vicinity; if you have, try for some off-cuts.

Your bike brought back memories of the H2 I had in the late seventies, Denco barrels and chambers, ASO forged pistons. I 'brown spotted' many a pair of keks on that thing, especially once on the TT course in the Isle of Man when it decided to start 'shaking her head' at 120+ !!

My race bike is now a nice sedate ex works BSA 500cc single, built in '67 using a lot of the works MX parts. Reynolds 531 chrome moly tubed frame, magnesium fork sliders, 4 leading shoe double sided magnesium Fontana front brake, Airheart Kart disc rear brake, it even has Titanium spoke nipples!. Weighs 210Lb ready to race, turns out 50+ BHP. It runs in the Classic Club in the UK.

Thrud,

The armour plate was used by Alvis on the Scorpion tank in the seventies, I know the composition but it would ,even now, not be wise to broadcast it. Lets just say it has a bit of Zinc and a bit of Beryl mixed in with the alum! It is 'squidgy' to machine (burrs up real easy), but is incredibly tough and strong. I don't have much of this stuff left now.

RR

[This message has been edited by Ragarsed Raglan (edited 11-29-2002).]

[WarHammer]

RR
Can you email a pic of your bike? Sounds like it is very cool.

[jfsmith]

Welcome to teh group

I am relatively new to the groupn also. I have learned a lot.


Jerry

[Thrud]

RR
No, don't mention it.

I would still bet my sisters meatloaf is better armour.

[Ragarsed Raglan]

Warhammer,

There's an old photo of my bike on the Britbike website. I've got some more upto date photo's that were taken on a nice sunny summers day! (yes we do get the sun occasionaly in the UK!), but until I get to grips with a photo album website, you'll have to make do with this photo!.....It now blows my cover as well!!

Go to:- www.britbike.com
On the 4thy drop box along the top click on 'bike photos' ~ then click on 'competition' ~ look in the second group photos down (entitled 'racing') ~ mine is on the 5th line 2nd in from left ~ Titled 'B50 Ex works'

The photo was taken when the bike was running a Seeley twin sided front brake, and a Rickman rear drum brake. Just check out the megaphone exhaust!

RR

[ShavingMaker]

RR,thanks for the britbike website link. Brought back memories,although for me the site should have been named 'gritbike' for all the mouth grit I picked up running my 1955 Ariel 500cc single in the southwest US desert runs in the mid 60's. Spent a lot of time flying thru the air, stopping quick in the sand, followed by the bike! The only thing more fun was watching my friends trying to kick over that bike and then starting it on one kick after they quit!