!914 Twin HD Cannon ball request

[Slojo]

Rob
Thanks for the information I will try it next batch of parts sent out for plating.
Joe

[Bill N.]

Joe...
This bike is gonna be WAY too nice for the Cannonball. How are you gonna keep it clean ?
Kidding aside, I can't wait to see and hear your ride... Following your posts taught me a lot. (since I'm no machinist... that means EVERYTHING was a learning post!)

Bill

[c.o.]

nail polish works real good on the threads before plating.after plating just wipe it off with thinner
http://www.alliedplating.com/store.asp?pid=18390

That's a great idea Rob!!! I just had a vision though of Joe sauntering up to the counter of the local drugstore with an armload of fingernail polish and the reaction on the gals face who had to take his money........

[c.o.]

errr..... it looks like I got pics up before the post!!! Whoa that's a first!!!

[Slojo]

Anticipation

Bill
Happy to still have you along for the ride (build). Things are going to get hot soon on this project. Don't change that dial.

A trip too Lansing to see and meet with the people at Trick Titanium for valves. They will make Ti. valves for this motor using the previously mentioned Ducati valve closer shim and split rings in place of the HD valve spring retainer. These retainers are small similar to the Harley valve spring retainers from the times except they are using split rings to lock the valve stem instead of the drilled hole and flat pin.

Next was to finish making 5 of each motor main shafts and run them over to heat treat only to find they do not heat treat this XR material to the depth of case hardening required for my application.

A call placed to High Tech heat treat in Saginaw and a conversation with their resident metallurgist had me convinced that these are the right guys for the job. They will induction hardened my shafts and carbonize the steering head races. The induction hardening will give the best results with the Quadco XR steel. Since the XR already has the core of 30 Rc. My requirements are for the case to be elevated to 60 Rc and the core will remain the same with the induction H.T.. If we processed the shafts with the carbonizing core hardness would raise to about 50 Rc , to hard for the toughness this shaft requires for durability.

After the heat treat parts were packaged and sent too U.P.S. my focus returned to the carburetor. The choke is my concern right now. It is a spring loaded leather seal that restricts air entry in the "normal" carb entry port at low engine speeds and causes air to enter from the bottom of the carb in order to pull fuel from the only circuit this style of carb has. The leather choke is a durable system but doesn't have performance characteristics.

I fired up the Okuma set new tools and wrote a program to produce a new choke for the intake port. Shown in the pictures to follow are two chokes, an aluminum and a plastic version, the plastic version is half the weight of aluminum. I will repair the leather choke, make new springs at differing tension rates and have a few durability and performance options to test and select form.

Just as I decided to call it quits for the night a change of mind took over (second wind or maybe third). The second flywheel was placed in the Okuma Machining center where I finished machined the crank pin hole.
Joe

[Slojo]

Reaching out, In other words delegation of authority

I forgot to mention thanks to Dennis over at XL Machine for providing the contouring numbers. This saved time on devolping a program for the carb air choke. Dennis has the computer, software talent and knowledge that would make my life easy. Would you like a new job Dennis? If so make sure that you convince Jim on continuing your pay, bring Frank with you.
Joe

[Slojo]

Preparations

I had some springs wound up today for the clutch, unfortunately they are a little short. Monday a new set will be twisted. With new clutch springs and finalization of brakes the rear wheel will be ready for installation.

The nickel plating is still causing troubles with assembly. Once all the parts fit together assembly is trouble free since I have assembled these parts previously.

Both wheels near finished, I turned to the front fork and assembled it without any fanfare. It went together well. The upper spring are to long in my opinion so perhaps an inch or more will be cut out of them to raise the ride height, increase compression travel and soften the compression. Caution in assembly is key when building a bike you want to ride. I use a liberal amount of sticky red grease on most parts especially fork springs and plungers.

The seat of all things is still causing problem and should be sorted this week. This seat is a high breed, hardware from the early teens attached to a half pan from later years. When I say a high breed I mean it as it appears to be a tall seat height, comfort is key here.
Joe

[c.o.]

[Ryan Mackey]

Where are your safety glasses? That is not accepted at Carl's Cycle Supply where safety is always number one!

[Slojo]

Busted, I was in Leo's shop my glasses were at home. No excuse.
Joe

[Slojo]

Joe...
This bike is gonna be WAY too nice for the Cannonball. How are you gonna keep it clean ?
Kidding aside, I can't wait to see and hear your ride... Following your posts taught me a lot. (since I'm no machinist... that means EVERYTHING was a learning post!)

Bill

Bill
http://oldironrider.blogspot.com/201...all-stuff.html
Is the sears your cannonballer ride? Nice machine. Thanks for ridding along here with my cannonballer build. Now its time to get back to work.
Joe

[Bill N.]

Joe,
Yup, the Sears will be the Cannonball ride... Sean Brayton is setting up a second Spacke motor that I will use for the run... The original motor (as seen in the photo) will serve as a backup only. This week I'm going to shoot over to his shop with my 1915 HD 3speed to set up as a spare bike for the run... Running an original frame and front end on the Sears might rear an ugly unforseen problem somewhere down the line. The spare bike will allow me to continue along with everyone to Ca. Why cut short the ride of a lifetime ?

Looking forward to more posts....

Bill

[Slojo]

Loose ends

While finishing the rear brake today a decision was made to alter a good Pat Murphy brake plate. This item is used for its clever internal modifications updating the brake on these early bikes. The conversion permits use of springer fork brake shoes (knuck and early pan) on the teens bikes rear brake. Pat does a crafty job concealing the modifications to make the updates undetectable.

I wanted a little more out of this brake mod. so I extracted his trick concealment of the brake pivot stud and installed a stock HD stud with the ability to adjust the shoes as Harley did on the springer front brake plates.

This return to OEM style operations will allow adjustability in centering of the brake shoes. Since all shoes are not created equal this is a crucial tuning tool for improving the performance of your brakes. What I have lost in originally (very little) I have gained ten fold in safety and performance.

Finally the tapers on the flywheels are complete. The non helix taper flute end mill did an excellent job leaving a good finish.

Work has commenced on front fork trussing to aid in flex reduction due to the brake loads. It would appear the rear frame rails I have made will become instrumental in front "fork tuning" (no Yamaha here though). I have not moved to far in this direction yet because front fender restraints may prohibit the concept.

Front and rear fenders along with the tool box /oil tank may get striped tomorrow. This will allow the final clear coat to be applied Monday.
Joe

[c.o.]

Joe!!! I'm thinking with you being so particular in the fab process that the Grey Ghost is going to go together pretty smooth!!

[marsh1915hd]

So Joe what name you going to put on the tanks? SLOJO-DAVISON ?