!914 Twin HD Cannon ball request

[Slojo]

Tommo
Great info thank you for disseminating so clearly. Oh, yes I do have the one screw float bowl for this bike.
Joe

[Chris Haynes]

Tommo
Oh, yes I do have the one screw float bowel for this bike.
Joe

Nope, I'm not gonna touch that line. Nope, not now, not never.

[Tommo]

Chris,
All I'm going to do is quietly chuckle to myself. it just goes to show what difference one letter can make.

[Slojo]

Oops sorry for the error. Humans we all make them.
Joe

[Slojo]

Desmo Gray Fellow

Picked up more painted parts today, next Friday should produce the fenders and tool box. Chris weldedd a seat part as usual another great job. The woodruff key cutters and a 3/8X24 LH tap for the pinion shaft were available to be picked up so I did. Another Okuma happy to be alive, SDU repaired on the second attempt. Finally my road trips culminated in a stop at Rams for good conversation and opportunity to consume some time while waiting for tools to show at Production Tool.

While at Rams I studied some Ducati parts on the bench, valve closing collars and half rings. These parts are what Ducati uses to close the valves via. rocker arms without the assistance of valve springs. They are compact require a small groove in the valve stem and may work well for my intake valve train. I struggle with the thought of drilling a hole in my valve stem for the traditional spring retainer so a look into using Desmo parts is upcoming.

Upon my return home enough time was available to put the two new woodruff key cutters into the Okuma and run off a finished green part in preparation of heat treat. All went well and one part was made. I ran out of material so tomorrow I will need to get more Quadco XR steel to make the pinion shaft and an extra sprocket shaft.

The machining center was partially set up to cut the tapers in the flywheels. I hope to have the 6 degree tapered end mills tomorrow.

A friend informed me today, false word is out that I have been boasting I am going to win this Cannonball event. First thing, I have maintained throughout this project that the Cannonball as I know it is a test of endurance not a race. I have never made any such claim otherwise. I have stated that I would like to be able to build this bike to keep up with the superior 1915 three speed models. Perhaps I am reaching a bit far but we all should have something to aspire to. I hope this will clear up any confusion for those who are misinformed on this matter.
Joe

[c.o.]

Interesting.... I'm sure it's ran through most riders heads what it would be like to be the first one to pull up to the final stop. It's sort of too bad that it couldn't be done the old fashioned way and you could do it "Fast Charlie" style. But given in this day in age the safety police have made such endeavors impossible an endurance run it will have to be. I know there will be plenty of support and that everybody is going to have an amazing time but don't tell me that the first one to pull in won't have an ear to ear grin... Sorry to hear you have to make a public announcement on this matter Joe. As one following from the beginning you come off knowledgeable but I don't detect a braggart.

[Lonnie]

I am immensely enjoying seeing your daily progress and reading this forum. I check on your progress every day and amazed at the work you are putting into this - in reality building a new improved version of your H-D.

There are a couple of blogs I also watch where progress is being made, Matt Olsen's of course but also Shinya Kimura's progress with an Indian.

[Barry Brown]

Watching Joe's abilities and craftsmanship and dedication unfold here has made me curious about how he got to this level. Who was/were his mentor/s? He has mentioned his father briefly. Apprenticeship? US Educational system? Self taught? For those of you who have read "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell it would appear that Joe has put in his 10,000 hours. Great read by the way , highly recommended.

[LouieMCman]

Am I hearing Desmodromic Harley? Wow a modern Harley? What will all the purist think with out a 110", 400 degree, vibrating heater between there legs? Maybe you could make it so the front cylinder cuts off when it gets too hot?

[chas]

Pay the little man no mind

Slojo "A friend informed me today, false word is out that I have been boasting I am going to win this Cannonball event. First thing, I have maintained throughout this project that the Cannonball as I know it is a test of endurance not a race. I have never made any such claim otherwise. I have stated that I would like to be able to build this bike to keep up with the superior 1915 three speed models. Perhaps I am reaching a bit far but we all should have something to aspire to. I hope this will clear up any confusion for those who are misinformed on this matter. Joe"

There is an 'ability' line above which people become jealous. Anyone who has read early Kurt Vonnegut Jr.'s story about "Harrison Bergeron" and the "U.S. Handicapper General" knows exactly to what I refer. The 'target' of jealousy has to occasionally 'beat back the rumors'. And pay them no mind as he moves onward - and upward. Joe is no braggart in fact he will share what he knows (why he is doing this thread) and he is competitive as all heck. My SWAG is someone with lesser abilities started the rumor based on Joe's competitive nature either with or without intent to damage Joe.

The point of the exercise (as I see it) was to make a 1914 competitive to the legendary 1915 model. Joe, by careful examination of the parts has uncovered more than a few reasons why the Ghost, in stock form, was not as competitive. He has done was a great tuner does, find the hidden errors and improve on them.

[Slojo]

Thank you

After a long difficult day on the job I thought of retiring early tonight. I came home at about 6:30 turned the computer on made some dinner and read what you have posted. Dinner finished, I am now fired up by the great people who are out there reading my travels through this build.

Time to get on the road again, I hear those flywheels calling.

Joe

[Matthew N. Olse]

GO JOE GO!!!!!! We are going to have so much fun in september. Keep up your blazing pace it is very inspiring!

[Slojo]

I need a clone.

Thank you Matt. (I sent your package out today.)

The striper came by this morning and reluctantly used the striping wheel to lay blood on the rims. I (crudly)modified the brush holder to become a wheel holder and we then striped the wheels almost without fail. Afterwards back on the road to remove a spindle out of an Okuma lathe and rebuild the bearing set. Once the assembly was on the bench I ran out the door to the cutter grinder shop and Production Tool to pick up more cutting tools.

Next Rams shop to mount the tires and balance for high speed. Greg has a fantastic tire mounting machine and does an A1 job thanks Greg. These Pirelli's are both 21" although, two different widths and profiles. The larger tire on the wider rear rim for a better ride.

After replacing tires over the years on old bikes with modern reproduction tires and having to deal with excessive run-out and balance issues it was a pleasure to install these modern tires and (thick) tubes to find that they actually run true and require little lead wrap balance weight on the spokes. I think I made a good decision in tire selection. Chalk one up for Pirelli tires and tubes.

The flywheel was fixtured in the Okuma Machining Center yesterday. Tonight I squared (by rotating the wheel in the setup) the counter weight parallel to the X axis. This will place the finish crank pin hole perpendicular to the center of the weight for balance timing prior to actually balancing the assembly. A dial indicator and a simple parallel placed against two corners of the flywheel counterbalance weight held in place by a magnet was all it took to gauge and adjust the alignment.

Outside buisness is picking up while I am trying to spend all my time on the bike, it is a difficult schedule to keep up. Can't participate in this event without cash flow.

Joe

[c.o.]

[Slojo]

Wauseon

Wauseon been there done that had a good time and returned already. The 48 p p p pan ran fine. Unfortunately I came up short an original tank emblem on the left side, damn. Must have become road kill on the side of the road somewhere by now.

The races were good Carl won the board track class on his all newly built JD. One racer on a speedway bike held his throttle pined around the entire track, he was fast. I was told many or perhaps most of the Cannonballers are in similar condition as am I . The mad scramble to finish up bikes is in progress.

Before riding off this morning I set the Okuma Machining center on proper leveling pads and of course leveled the machine. When powering up the machine the Z axis drive amplifier blew out, live by the broken Okuma die by the broken Okuma. Tomorrow I will try to repair the drive then finish level the base of the machine and square the Z axis column prior to finishing the flywheel project.

The striper should be in tomorrow to finish the pin striping on the frame and fork.
Joe