1912 HD Belt Twin (AKA EVIL TWIN)

[Slojo]

Coaster progress

After a few months of design work the first of many parts manufactured , a rear coaster brake hub shell is finished with the first operation . Scraped , the part made to print. Problem is I made the print wrong , a .100" error on the milled slot length , .480" verses .380".

One hub shell finished to this point required two to three months of reverse engineering and redesign , material and bearing research , machine preparation and finally 32 minutes actual hands free machine time. There are two minor operations remaining to complete the hub shell.

Some fine tuning to the process and a few of these internally modified coaster bake hub shells will be run off while the machine is set up for this part.

joe

[c.o.]

[rwm]

you may never see another for sale joe.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-1912-Mi...item4ad0f1de6f

[Slojo]

Still coasting

3-8-14
Tomorrow , the pendulum accelerates ... another "cycle", escaping mother natures cold grip. Signs of spring , productivity around the corner. Frozen death , powdered water begins its metamorphic course , mercury takes a deep breath expanding above waters flat line for the first time in what appears like eternity. The bobsled track out front of the logs will become Niagara falls and in time a drive way may materialize , devastated from this man made global warming trend. Yes the sky is falling also.

Bike building progress has temporarily slowed and now is back on track. Frame repairs are complete other than fuel tank mounting holes on the top frame rail, the current oversized holes require plug welding , drilling and taping.

Coaster hub shells prove to be more of a challenge than anticipated. Pre heat treat super alloy steel prohibit short cuts in process. Tooling normally capable of common practice no longer deliver quality outcome in finish or tolerance. Re-tooling and programming of the rear hub became necessary. The front hub was easy , follow practice of the rear hub. The two hubs share many of the same design characteristics and dimensions.

Both front and rear hub shells have made it through first lathe process, a second lathe process is held up on the arrival of bearings, Tuesday. These hubs will be bullet proof. Bows , arrows and quivers need not apply (take note Indian riders).

The new rear hub design focus primarily on safety improvements and should out last and out perform original hubs without any outward modifications of the original rear hub design. The intention is to have a safe maintenance free coaster brake hub capable of skidding the rear wheel from moderate speed. The front hub is of my own design not replicating anything other than appearance of a stock hub. It will now have an internal brake with interchangeable parts from the rear hub.

joe

[c.o.]

[Slojo]

More winter....

Overwhelmed by large amounts of snow does have benefits. Being snowed in provides an opportunity to stay home, in the barn and focus on the 12. The past couple days have advanced work on front and rear coaster hubs and other sub assemblies like the seat and handlebars.

This bike will take shape as a "soft restoration" (Lonnie's description) . Unlike the Ghost this Evil one will see all the rejected, worn out and defective parts as well as my newly manufactured upgrades like the coasters, rims and tires. Anything available that is repairable and can go the distance will be used on this build. An attempt at originality versus remnufactured will be the focus (slim chance).

Original parts for a 1912 twin are at a premium if you can find them and shake them loose. A mid winter lead has me on the trail of some early items for this project. With the severity of winter a planed road trip in search of flattanker parts has been postponed until April. Hope its not just nuts and bolts.

joe

[c.o.]

I guess snow does have it's benefits.... signs of spring are showing here.. I'm not holding my breath...

[Slojo]

Back in the saddle

Cory has several photos to be posted of recent activities on the hub project. Also a right hand spiral twist grip that I would like to trade for left hand spiral twist grip if anyone has such an item laying around.

My seat has returned from Jethro Smith , he did a very nice nice job reupholstering the old half pan seat. Thank you Jethro.

Two sets of spokes in the photos are a recent find. They are ten gauge the entire length with half of them being NOS including correct style NOS nickel plated spoke nipples . If interested in doing the job, I intend to send the spokes to Buchanan's to be cut to length and rethreaded for use on the rear belt chive to clutch drum application.

The hub shells are near finished and illustrated in the following photos with a clam shell tool made to hold the hubs by the center body diameter for the next machining operation.

We saw forty eight degrees today and rapid snow melt down mainly in the drive way. This is good although weather predictions are more cold and snow on they way . We are breaking Michigan records and should reach all time new records for winter snow and cold in Michigan this season.

[c.o.]

[Slojo]

Spring time ?

Today temps. rose from four degrees this morning to the thirties by afternoon and we saw sunshine for a change.

I can feel a change in this build ,,,productivity I hope. With the final lathe set up complete, chuck jaws, programing and tooling in place the back side of both front and rear hubs are now complete. 18 hubs in all, eight front and ten rear. Perhaps some of these hubs will find their way onto future Cannonball bikes.

New tooling now in process for the final operation in my shop , spoke hole drilling on the back side spoke flange. Timing the spoke holes with the spoke holes on the opposite flange is easier in the mill than in the lathe so off to the machining center department .

Next the hubs will be sent out of my shop for wire EDM . this will be for the new design rotating brake plate drive dogs.

Conversations with Ken at Buchanan's has me sending spokes out tomorrow for evaluation . If they have the right thread dies , Buchanan may cut and re-roll threads on the old carbon steel spokes to be used on the freewheel clutch drum to belt sheave .

joe

[c.o.]

Nice work!

[Tommo]

Joe,
I think I can help with several of your requests.
Do you mind giving me a P.M. with your telephone number and the best time to contact you and I'll give you a call.

[marsh1915hd]

I have this early set. May be you can use them there just laying around like me. IMG_7882.jpgIMG_7881.jpg

[Slojo]

Never say Die.

This is a bike building report not a weather report. Yet one cannot deny winters affects on bike building.

Michigan has broke and set many new weather related statistics dating back to the 1880's this season and just wont give up. This morning was ten degrees F . This afternoon , snow flurries again. My propane tank is down to fifteen percent and may not make it through the season . Five hundred gallon minimum at four dollars per gallon, you do the math. My drive way snow clearing and propane costs have exceeded seventy five hundred dollars, that could equate into a lot of cash for 1912 twin parts.

Front and rear hub shells are finished in my shop awaiting final brake plate design and a trip to the wire EDM shop. The left bearing carrier is in the machine now set up for operation two of three. The frame made a quick trip to the welder for gas tank mounting hole fill so I can re-drill and tap the newly filled holes. While at the welder we also filled three previously drilled holes on the full floating seat bar

Scored,,, 1912 plate , thanks Robby
Scored,,, One left one right spiral , thanks Terry
Waiting to here from Tommo ????
Where is Berry Brown? I put coolant in the machine and he has not commented yet. BERRY time to break the silence.

Did I mention the chrome plated handle bars purchased at Wauseon a couple years ago? They made the trip to the plating shop to have the chrome striped . Beneath the chrome was a fair coat of nickel remaining. The bars are a bit abused but will be good for the trip.

joe

[fillibuster]

quote "Five hundred gallon minimum at four dollars per gallon,"
Joe, is there something complicated in the delivery? 500 gal minimum suggests that, or does the smallest truck carry that? Just seems pretty awful.
We've seen 2.50/gal but that's when the contracted amount has expired. We are still allowed extensions, depending on availability, but even after this cold winter we'e been able to extend a contract, at 1.89. Even tho it's been in the news, especially in wisconsin, 4 bucks ??
They're expecting you to take it, aren't they?