Your Biggest Single Delay

[swall]

I just wondered what fellow members have experienced as the single biggest delay in getting your project done. For me, it has been TIG weld repairs on alumimum cases and covers. It's either high prices, a long drive (or UPS it) to the welder, poor quality or all of the above. If I had it do do over, I would have bought a TIG welder and got the training to do it myself.

[Paps]

Available cash......blunders.............poor quality.......time......priorities.......... Paps

[Earl]

I think in order to do a quality job on a project it takes three things:

1. Time

2. Money

3. A Place, or space

I seem to always be missing one of the above. I struggle to accomplish what I have, but oh would it be nice to have all three of those components at the same time !!!

[rousseau]

It's anything that you can't do yourself. It could be welding, machine work, fabricating. If you have to depend on some one else expect delays. Without a doubt the worst is painters. I have never been able to get a paint job done in a timely manner. Three months to paint a frame, one tank and one fender straight black. I should have just bought a couple cans of Krylon.

[KNUCK]

I agree with all of the above. Especially as stated "anything you can't do yourself". But after just finishing my 3 year project on the 46'Chief, it was a basket case and I had not done this type of bike before. It was like a puzzle at times.
Almost everything had to be installed or adjusted 2 or 3 times to get it correct, except the motor which was done by a pro and started on first kick after the bum aftermarket coil was changed for an OEM one. I gave the generator to a guy and it took 6 months. I made the mistake to say no rush, thinking he would do a really good job. He did, but it got down to the wire when I needed it.

[swall]

Yep, sending it out is definitely not quick, like depicted on "Orange County Cobblers" . Send stuff for powdercoat, chrome plating and get all back before the show, or at most the next episode, is over. Another one of my biggest long lead items was chrome plating--I had some parts it took a year to get back. All the time, I was worrying that the place might burn down, go out of business or whatever before I got my parts back.

[exeric]

I had a bunch of 1917 Henderson parts at a plater for nickle. Time wasn't an issue but his shop caught fire and burned half way down. I remember having a cup of coffee while reading the newpaper and saw the article about the fire. I did a classic spit take and ran to the nearest phone. The story had a happy ending for all but it sure makes you worry about trusting work to outsiders.

[partshunt]

Well, I can hear ya on sending work out. I aint sure if I.m a dummy but I'm here and not all there??? Back in 99 there was only two adds in the AMC that I could find to line bore an Indian Four. I chose the closest to me, a fella in Oregon rather that the one in California cuz he was honest and told me he couldnt touch it for a year, too busy. The fella in Oregon told thanks for the buisness, send it down. I sent the cases from British Columbia here for a coupla hundred bucks. Stayed in contact, got lotsa promises. When he was ready to start, I prepaid him, a mistake. I say that cuz 2-1/2 years later I finally get the cases back line bored wrong. Now that was 1-1/2 years ago. At that time he promised to send the boring bar for me to do the corrections and I'm still waiting.I wont send the block and crank back again for another long delay. In waiting for him, I'v done up a 17F and 54FL. I should have never prepaid him for the work. I cant go to another "Indian Expert" and pay out 3G's again. Bassically, I hate Indians. Buy em cheap, sell hi, no more resto Indians for me. Like they say, want some grief? by a Chief, want some more? Buy a four.!!!!!...