Making Tools At Work

Vito told me that the nut on a CNC tool holder was stuck, and asked how we could get it off. The wrench that was used to tighten it kept slipping off, and we're out of Acetylene, so we came up with this:



The reason I welded the plate on the top of this shop-made wrench (the plate is shown on the bottom of the wrench in this crappy cell phone photo) is because the "jaws" of the wrench kept separating when we tried to use it. So, a little reinforcement was necessary. Nothing a piece of scrap, a vertical bandsaw, a TIG, an Argentinian/Italian/American, and knucklehead couldn't fix. Neat!!

Stupid FXR!!

I'm working on Adam and Suzy's Comet AGAIN!!! Dammit...

Also, had to go to the local Harley dealer on Saturday with a friend, and found this stupid FXR. No, I didn't buy it. But I REALLY, REALLY want to. Anyone want to lend me about $5,000?



Yes, the paint is stupid. But paint is cheap. At least it is when you buy it in rattle cans.

I've wanted an FXR for years, and couldn't believe how cheap this '91 model was, from a dealer no less. I haven't been able to stop thinking about it ever since. Hell, I dreamed about it last night. Stupid FXR!! I'll probably lose a hand at work tomorrow thinking about it.

And no, I won't tell you which dealer.

And...

Some more bars I built. One inch tube, twelve inches tall, and I have no idea how wide. :)

Dave's bike; bars I built. Kinda neat, huh?

Strike That!! Reverse It!!

Forgot to mention that "no more bike stuff" means no more welding or machining for the time being on those cases. I will, however, start assembling the rolling chassis.

What it comes down to is that it will be an easy way to make some progress without sacrificing time on my commitments. Quite a few one to two hour jobs here and there, and I'll have something that I can sit on and make engine noises.

I Promised You a Miracle

So, this is what less than $600 will get you these days:



(Click on photo to see the whole mess)The black frame came from Dave, and was SERIOUSLY dirt cheap. (Take that, all you folks that give me crap for sitting in front of my computer at 4:00 AM instead of sleeping!!) The blasted frame came from Rene via Scott, and was the best price of all: FREE. (FWIW, the Sporty that Rene built was all the inspiration that I needed to get the cases and stuff that I'm working on now.) The bare metal chopped King Sportster tank came from my friend Jimi (it was in "new" condition when I bought it from him in December). The black Wassell came from Irish Rich (thanks again, homie!!), and the red/silver Hap Jones came from Dave in Sacto. I guess I have some decisions to make over the next few months. (Oh yeah, those are aluminum small block Chevy heads that will go on the engine that's going to go back in my Chevelle. Whatevs.)

The miracle is that my housekeeper doesn't mind all that bike stuff in the barroom of the house.

In other news, I got my beater '64 Skylark running like a top again, and my homeboy Adam is bringing his girlfriend's '62 Comet back over so we can pull the engine out again. It's still making some odd noises (I'm baffled), and we're also going to install a hydraulic cam and lifters, as well as a new torque converter if I can find one. So no more bike stuff for a couple of weeks, probably.

Ummm...

It's been a little while since I've updated, so here it is. Nothing really new or great to say, other than I now have two Sportster frames, so I guess I'll be building another Sportster after this one is done, and my girlfriend's Triumph is done. This, of course, is in addition to the '31 Ford coupe that I still have to build, the '52 Ford Tudor that I still have to build, the '56 Ford F100 that I still have to build, the '64 Skylark that I still have to build, and the '70 Chevelle that I still have to build. I'm going to be busy until I'm dead.