1912 HD Belt Twin (AKA EVIL TWIN)

[BigLakeBob]

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?

$3.60 to $3.80 all winter here in OH, the last of Jan when it got real cold they rationed the propane and you could only get 30% of your tank that's when some companies charged $6 to $7 per gal. My company didn't raise price.

[rbc]

They made the trip to the plating shop to have the chrome striped .
joe[/QUOTE]

Hi Joe. I live in Michigan too. Since Adams Plating in Lansing burned down I've been looking for a good plating shop. Can you recommend someone? Thanks.

[Slojo]

They made the trip to the plating shop to have the chrome striped .
joe

Hi Joe. I live in Michigan too. Since Adams Plating in Lansing burned down I've been looking for a good plating shop. Can you recommend someone? Thanks.[/QUOTE]

Try Classic Plating in Redford.

joe

[Slojo]

Land Ho

Land Ho

Fifty five degrees today with sunshine defeating the snow line exposing the long lost ground and new Oak hatchlings (is that acceptable , hatchlings? seedlings?)

Business has been brisk so its also season to pay bills. In the evenings when not home late the Okuma turning center is busy spinning bearing carriers for the rear hubs. Left hand carriers are finished , right hand carriers are half complete and ready for the next operation. Once these hubs are completed the focus will shift to making individual parts that are required for this build and nothing else. Time has out run my comfortable productivity level.

Since last week I have been mostly idle clearing the latest virus being handed off around town, the usual sore throat sinuses and congestion.

Fired up the Ducati "Sport Tractor" and my little friend the Honda Ruckus last week , good to here them running again. The "Midnight Rider" , my black 48 Pan is still suffering from sidevalveitis and will not be repaired at least until after Cannonball .

Still looking for the following parts to trade or purchase.
1) a tool box oil tank combo ***URGENT*** (this is the first part installed when building an early Harley)
2) rear stand
3) twist grip with a left hand spiral
4) gear chest and cover
5) pedal crank parts
6) fuel tank, I forget which half.

joe

[c.o.]

Sorry for the delay folks. I think we should go with seedlings....

[Slojo]

The Hunt

While waiting for the weather to break other issues have been eating away at my time. Chasing Parts!
This bike is in need of many items and they have been trickling in at a slow pace ("Trickle Down" bike building , often using previously rejected parts).

Oil tank / tool box , I have a remanufactured box ordered and an original box in the works. Fox twist grips arrived this week. My current focus is original seat parts . With a package of seat parts on its way from Pennsylvania, the seat assembly should be complete. I use a Messenger half pan seat attached to a sprung frame Troxel suspension . As far as comfort and suspension Its doubtful a better seat combo exists for this early bike application !

In stock , an original rear belt sheave and belt drive clutch drum , no spokes. Although , the original belt drum will not be used for this 2014 event due to time restraints (the shuffle to free it up from a wheel). I will be using one of my personally remanufactured belt drums from many years ago. Spokes always an issue in my builds, out of preference / aesthetics , carbon steel is all I will use so , one small problem exists....
Buchanan wheel specializes in stainless steel spokes and wheels and does not have in inventory the carbon steel required for my spoke needs.

Checking with an old friend turned up a stash of old spokes (light patina) and nipples (N.O.S.) to fit my exact application except the overall length of the spoke. After a conversation with a Buchanan representative and samples mailed Buchanan agreed to cut and re-thread the carbon steel spokes to the required length and thread pitch (40 TPI) for the clutch belt sheave assembly. The belt sheave spokes are one uniform diameter which simplified this conversion. A couple weeks later and I have the spokes in hand.

Meanwhile , pistons from CP came in a while ago for the 37 Knuckle motor currently in process. A trip today to my Cannonball teammate Chris's shop to hone the cylinders and after a washing they are ready for assembly..

Stay tuned ....

joe

[c.o.]

[Slojo]

The long and winding build

Bike building season was tough , now with outside weather up to 76F today and the shop door open for several hours the interior temperature raised to a balmy 51 degrees. Several stubborn mounds of snow still hanging around as a reminder of what we tolerated this past winter. Today's programing and machine work on the right bearing carrier for the rear hub have me one step closer to a complete hub assembly.

joe

[Slojo]

10 9 8 .....

A trip to Apollo EDM today to confirm their ability to burn an internal multi start thread for the operating device that shifts the hub from brake to pedal operation. Bob evaluated my sample part and confirmed their capability. Now its time to design the finished component with all the data and submit a print so they can make the carbon electrode to burn the internal form .

New arrivals, today from Pennsylvania Jerry sent most of the Troxel hardware necessary to complete my seating arraignment. Missing is the curved U shaped crossover brace used to maintain the spread of the seat hardware and as a handle to assist in lifting the bike onto the rear stand. Does anyone have one of these items?

Tomorrow it's off to Marks (Sparks) shop to use his optical comparator for geometry verification , gauging slowed production tonight.

joe

[c.o.]

Well.... was the geometry verified?

[Slojo]

Forged steel

Weather report again , its worth a mention . 1882 Snow recored shattered in Michigan yesterday , 48 f in shop today.

Cory, Numbers add up !

New arrivals

1) Intake and exhaust valves arrived today they are beautiful. The Ghost uses titanium valves from Trick Titanium in Holt Michigan they take good care of me, in return I service their Okuma Turning centers

2) A road trip into Metro Detroit to pick up 60 pounds of Flexor forged steel bars. Enough steel to make four connecting rods where only one female rod is required. This material can be purchased from Pennsylvania Steel in Redford Michigan.

The Ghost used Quadco XR material for connecting rods and they work excellent. Quadco closed their doors a year ago so , Flexor is the best choice of material by specification I could find. A trip to Sun Steel for heat treat and tempering to bring the four bars up to 34 to 36 C Rockwell hardness.
Those who remember the Ghost rod set posts may recall my error overlooking inverting the Y axis (a button push) and subsequently scraping the female rod. This scrap piece (still on hand) will be reworked becoming a male rod for this Twin project.

The seat project is near completion , Nickel plating and paint on the seat frame and suspension hardware will have the seat finished.

Finally back on the Okuma Turning center to process R.H. bearing carriers. Tonight , one more operation completed with two remaining. Due to the close tolerance I must hold for bearing bores , extra operations have been added to remove all the steel (and internal stresses) prior to finishing the bores.

joe

[c.o.]

[Slojo]

The beat goes on

New arrivals.
1) The second original left hand spiral grip completing the handle bar assembly.
2) The seat crossover handle / brace appeared Friday.
3) Sun Steel treating called Friday, " your steel is ready for pickup" Sun also blasted it clean for handling.

The right hand bearing carrier for the rear hub is now complete and the Okuma is nearly set up for the next hub part, the internally splined coaster slide. It is difficult finding just the right device to generate friction in the hub to operate the slide so I may change my design slightly to allow for a different friction generator. The friction generator plays an important roll in braking and pedal starting processes. Without a positive acting friction generator the pedaling and braking will not function reliably.

Still dealing with cold weather, the shop was 40 degrees the last couple days while it warmed outside to the mid fifties today. The last of the snow disappeared finally time to celebrate.

joe

[rwm]

. The last of the snow disappeared finally time to celebrate.

joe

i drove from rhinebeck ny to norwalk ct. on wensday. a lot of places had a fresh inch of snow. wtf.

[c.o.]

Winter just wants to hang around this year.... drove through a beauty snow storm on the way home from work.... lovely...

Sorry for the less than timely photo posting!