!914 Twin HD Cannon ball request

[c.o.]

Glad to help Joe! I'm learning something in the process......

[c.o.]

[c.o.]

Here's some more progress........

[Slojo]

More time consumming fabrication

Today was to be another day of frame repair except the right size tubing was not in stock to make the necessary repairs so a call was placed to Air Parts (717-432-4589), my chrome-molly tubing supplier (They have a great selection of material in stock to be shipped easily in up to 8 foot lengths by U.P.S.). An order was placed for 7/8 O.D .188 wall and 1/2 O.D. 1/8 wall tubes. These tubes are not made to telescope together by about .001“press fit. The 7/8 tube will be heated up and the 1/2 tube will be slide inside the expanded hot tube to create a thicker wall tubing similar to what Harley did through out these old frames.
That taken care of work continued on the rear fender conversion. The fender required stretching out an additional 1 1/2 inches on the front and cut out to clear the lower frame rails. While working on the fender I completed the upper frame rail fitting and clearance also. To stretch the front of the rear fender a donor fender was required. In my parts stash was an extra long reproduction Jerry Demill fender blank (I don’t believe Jerry has made these fenders in 10 years or more) a willing donor for a couple extra inches overall length, perfect.
I never claimed to be a good welder, although I welded the two pieces together and metal finished the welds off. A good welder would have left me with less metal finishing.
Joe

[Barry Brown]

this is quickly becoming one of the most interesting threads on our site along with old photos. Thanks to whoever convinced Joe to share his craftsmanship with us. Keep it up Joe!

[Slojo]

Good Morning

Berry
You can thank or blame Herb Wagner (depending on your perspective) for making the suggestion to initiate this “documentary” and Lonnie Isam Motorcycle Cannonball event promoter for making mention of recording my build process. I am pleased you are enjoying the articles. Efforts to keep it interesting are on-going, this is the first time I have ever scribed and article of any type. The speed at which progress is taking place is not what I would like so hopefully boredom won’t set in for the rest of you. This is not T.V. where crews are working together for 60 hours a week to complete a bike build in two episodes, just me working as long as possible every day. Also thank Corey for the photo assistance, by the way Corey the knuckle (not head) is still sensitive but healing.
Joe

[c.o.]

This is not T.V. where crews are working together for 60 hours a week to complete a bike build in two episodes just me working as long as possible every day.

So your telling us not to expect any wild ranting and the throwing of tools and or motorcycle parts against the wall?.............

[Chuck#1848]

So your telling us not to expect any wild ranting and the throwing of tools and or motorcycle parts against the wall?.............

Well my guess would be depending on the extent of the injury to the knuckle maybe just a tool or two

[Slojo]

Temper Tantrums

Temper Tantrums are referred to as "Falling Off" around my place as an old joke “ Be careful no falling off”.
Typically the tools hit the floor in my shop out of operator error not anger. You may say I am all knuckles at times when things hit the floor.
Joe

[exeric]

The weather has finally turned nice here in Florida and many people have their windows open for the first time in 7 months. Last week, my wife came out to my shop to remind me that our house probably wasn't the only house with it's windows open. . . . . I didn't think I was that loud. . . . . . Profane maybe, but not loud.

By the way Joe, this is a fantastic feature. Thanks for sharing it with us. It would be great if this went viral and more of us documented our projects.

[rwm]

this is better then tv. it's not dumbing me down

[Slojo]

Minor Assembly Test

Thank you for all the encouragement, I will remain diligent with this program in hopes to keep things interesting. Those of you have built old machines such as this project bike (Hum does it require a theme name if so Gray Ghost right?) know what it is like trying to be efficient with your time on these old machines.
Does anyone out there make stickers? I will need some “NO Gray Ghost Buster” stickers made up for the Gray Ghost Rider team logo.
Today, 3 1/2 hours were burned up locating and picking up glass bead media for the blast cabinet and another 1/2 hour maintaining the airline leak to the blast cabinet. With the de-industrialization of Michigan all my normal sources for plating, hardware, tools and materials are either out of business or not stocking supplies as before.
Typically bike parts this old are broken worn or damaged in some fashion so either reproduction parts or repairing these defective parts becomes necessary, and in this case modifying a rear fender to an earlier type than it started out as. This is all labor intensive and time consuming.
Today a broken floor board mounting brace required repair, a piece of material was taken from stock it was cut, milled, welded, re-milled and metal-finished to shape the bracket back to its original glory. The floor boards were cleaned up and found near perfect condition what a bonus. In 1914 aluminum floor boards were either standard or optional and a deal is in the works for a set right know, if they don’t show these steel floorboards will be perfect.
The round frame rods for mounting the foot control brackets were bent but otherwise nice shape so off to the hydraulic press to straighten them to like new condition, the threads were all in good shape and required only minimal attention in this case some anti-seize compound and a grade eight nut to run across the old threads as a thread forming die.
Finally, it was time to make a preliminary assembly to see what fits, what is missing and what will need to be made or replaced. It would appear that the brake pedal pivot/floorboard stud will need to be repaired or remanufactured and some old time nuts to be located or remanufactured. This type of remanufacturing will all be done in my shop. All items fit together well and look like they have been together from the beginning of time. Photos to follow.
Joe

[Slojo]

Weather

Hey Eric
This is the time of year we close our windows, lately the day time weather is in the low 40s F. The shop is cold the heaters will call for maintenance and the propane bills will be rolling in soon.
Joe

[c.o.]

[rwm]

i aint afraid of no ghost just a little gray