Handmade Tanks - Singh Precisions

SINGH said:

Brother Anthony - As per my records, your fairing was shipped thirteen months ago - last year in Feb. Since you got the tank & seat, i was surprised to learn that you didnt get the fairing which was shipped later.
Anyways, i have just mailed fed ex and am awaiting a response with the delivery date/proof and recipient signature.
Will let you know once i get an update.

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Brother Singh - Any update? What did Fedex have to say about the delivery? Did they send any sort of proof of it being delivered to me?

For those of you who'd like to see Singh's handiwork with tanks, here is the tank that he made for me. He also sent me progress photos during it's construction. I'm very happy with it, as well as the seat. I just wish he'd send me the rest of what I paid for (the missing fairing).

Hello All,

Brother Farrokh - The tank will be ready to ship by the first week of April. I will post the final pics and wait for your approval prior to shipping. Will ship Fed Ex or DHL with tracking.
As for the pics of the tank’s progress, I have already posted 16 photos (+ 7 additional pics are below) which show the tank’s progress from scratch in detail. Each photo is also accompanied by my text explaining the process in great detail. If you need any additional pics or info in particular, feel free to let me know.

Brother Anthony – As I said earlier bro, the last message I received from your end was 13 months ago in February last year. After that we had no communication. I just re checked my mail box again to confirm this. If I knew about the fairing hold up earlier, I would have dealt with it promptly there & then. Anyways, I will wait till I hear from Fed Ex. If the fairing is still with Fed ex, I will either have it delivered to your address (which I will confirm by email) or else, provide the refund via PayPal and have the fairing sent back. For more communication on this topic, let’s move onto Gmail. Thank you so much for posting the pics of the Tank. Please do post the pics of the seat too if possible.

Tank's Progress – Our tank has now gone thru 2 more rounds of plannishing and shaping. I have punched in (with dolly & hammer) the top indent and welded, rounded & filed the front panels. The tank has now achieved the symmetry we are looking for. Both sides are equally identical now. During the final stages of plannishing, the tank is checked over the buck several times to make sure both the sides are identical and the curvature on all the panels is as desired. Because all the three panels of the tank have stretched and developed a curvature, the tank is now a lot more rigid than what it was earlier. Thousands of hand strokes with a slapper have also brushed the surface of the tank, which now looks very clean and a bit shiny too.

Pic A1 – Once the plannishing was all set, I mocked the tank over the commando Jig and cut the niche at the front & rear for the commando frame’s backbone. The overall look of the tank is a lot more pronounced now and the indents look a lot deeper & defined.






Pic A2 – The next step will be to add the filler cap. I use baffled filler necks which are internally TIG welded. The long baffle (neck) blocks the fuel from spilling over out of the cap.

Farrokh – I can either go with a custom billet filler cap or a Monza style cap. Let me know what’s your choice.





In the next step, I will check the tank several times (once again) over the jig & buck to make sure every inch of the tank is in the shape we want it to be in. The tools I will use now will be smaller, very light hammers & slappers which resemble that of a goldsmith’s tools.
Once the tank is perfectly inline with the buck, I will begin with the sanding process with a 100 grit thru 1500 grit sand paper and then start the work on the under tunnel & panels.
Next set of pics will be posted in 6-7 days from now.

Regards
Singh
http://www.singh-precisions.com

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While extremely extremely late at least this is something!

We really like to see the bottom of the tank... as you were making it! This was a key request. If not too late, please show us in good high res detail how you cut and welded the various complex components of the bottom, the various pieces of metal, how you closed the edges, corners and types of welding and re-welding.
I presume there will some sort of integrity (positive pressure) testing, how you do it and what are the technical details to assure the areas that are likely to fail in real world usage functionally (not ascetically) will perform in the longer term.

Thanks.
SvenSven -->FJ

Monza Filler cap is fine.

Brother Farrokh – Yes the tank is pressure tested several times thru the build. The tank is filled with 5+ psi of pressure then dipped in a water tank to check for any leaks.
I will indeed post detailed pics of the bottom panels and welds. I am about to finish the work on the bottom of the tank also. Will post the pics once the weather clears up and I can take outdoor pics.

Tank’s progress – Sorry for the pic quality. It has been raining since the last 4 days, so we will have to manage with indoor pics this time.
As you can see, the tank has now been sanded. I handed sanded the tank with a 120-150 grit sandpaper first, then moved to 400 thru 1500. Hand sanding takes a lot more effort than using an orbital sander but it sands the tank in a very even manner. Since it’s a slow & controlled motion, one cannot over-sand a certain area. Like I said before, the further we get closer to finishing the tank, the easier it becomes to damage it, thus, each step needs a lot more patience now.





Once the tank is sanded with a 1500 grit sandpaper, it becomes very smooth and any pitting, scratch or rough spot stands out. Our original welds, where the top panel met the side panels needs to be polished to a mirror shine to further check for any hairline cracks or pitting.
After the polishing I found 3 areas which needed some additional care. To fix a small pitting, say less than 1 mm, at least an inch of area needs to be sanded, cleaned and re welded. One cannot just tack weld the pitting as the filler metal won’t be able to penetrate properly into the pitting. If we increase the voltage of the weld, we risk the metal spreading out & deforming unevenly with the heat. That’s the last thing we would want as it would take hours to fix such an issue. Again, at this stage, one needs extra care for the tank.








Polishing is done over my 2HP 2800 rpm (adjustable) motor. In the pics I have marked the various buffing & polishing wheels I use, along with the polishing compounds/bars.

Jute wheel – very hard & coarse. Something like a 1500-1800 sand paper. Used with the rough Brown compound.

Tight Cotton – As seen in the pic, it has multiple stitching rounds holding it together very tightly. The wheel is hard but not as rough as the jute. Used with Brown or white compound.

Loose denim – As the name suggests, denim loosely stitched. It is used to get into tight spots – around the filler cap, indents, etc. Used with fine Green compound.

Loose Cotton – fine & soft, used with Green compound. By now the tank gets really shiny.

Fine Cotton – Just cotton fabric, no stitching. Very loose & soft. For enhancing the shine only. This wheel cannot cut into or sand the metal. It just polishes it.








While polishing the tank gets really hot and very prone to ‘sag’, I fill the tank with water when I polish it. Makes it heavy thou, but keeps it cooler. ONCE AGAIN, one has to be very careful while polishing; the slightest of extra force over the tank towards the buffing wheel can make the tank Sag. Always keep the tank moving and not let one area heat up too much and deform.

Now the tank’s shell is all set. I have already worked on the bottom panels & under tunnel. Will upload the pics once the weather clears up.
We are not that Far from the final finished tank now.

Regards
Singh
http://www.singh-precisions.com

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Its March 16th. I've emailed Singh several times to hear when I may actually get a tank.... and not heard back.
So... we wait.... which is very normal.
--->SvenSven/FJ

SvenSven said:

Its March 16th. I've emailed Singh several times to hear when I may actually get a tank.... and not heard back.
So... we wait.... which is very normal.
--->SvenSven/FJ

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It's April 16th

Rohan said:

You should take some pics, including what rollers you are using on each stage then !

The pro's roll out part tanks, and weld then together ?
Once hammered and filed, you can't even pick where they have been welded.

Someone local here wheeled out the nose alloy of a Spitfire (V12 Merlin type) and welded the bits together.
Musta saved him 10,000 hours of work, at least ?

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+

oh my G-D That motorcycle is drop dead stunning...beautiful....Un F-KNbelivable...how nice is that!! you building these bike for sale ?

Thanks
Haven't built any for sale, I've just built the one at present. The idea of building something like this for sale is intriguing, but the liability issues and also registration difficulties are a couple of big stumbling blocks.

Glen

Even worse now.. its April 17th today! How time flies... from March 16th to April 17th in a day!


Ay yay yay.....
Calling Mr Singh......

Mr Singh:
Its April 22nd today. Still nothing!

Hey All,

Sorry for this late update.

The tank has been thru the final phase and is ready to be shipped. The bottom Panels/tunnel have now been welded and the tank has gone thru Pressure testing and all rounds of polishing.

As shown in Pics A1 to A 3, I start with a flat cutout and bend the sides, making a U shape. The bends are marked by using panel patterns. Each tank has a different set of pattern. Bends can be hammered or a basic press can be used.








Pic A4 & A5 – Since the front of the tank is rounded, the undertunnel must also be rounded to match the tank’s shape. Using a dolly & hammer, the job is done very easily.






Pic A6 to A11 – Using patterns, I mark & bend the side panels. The rear of the tunnel needs a wider gap to accommodate the commando frame. By providing a cut in the panel, the rear can be given the desired wide shape.
The edges/lip of the side panels are in a 90 degree angle. Once the under panels are tack welded inside the tank, this L shaped lip can be hammered as desired to provide a very snug fit and better welding penetration.

If it takes you this long to make one tank it a wonder you make any money at all, I am intrested in getting a alloy tank made for my Wideline Featherbed but now thinking of building one myself, give me a excuse to buy a TIG welder, my mate has a English wheel, just have to buy some pannel tools as well.

Ashley

Pic B1 – The under panel is now tack welded and then hammered slightly to a perfect snug fit.




Pic B2 to B5 – Bottom panel is TIG welded to the tank. The fuel tap bosses are internally welded.










Pic B6 – The tank is pressure tested with over 5PSI of pressure. Such high pressure not only reveals any microscopic leaks, but also cracks open any weak welds. Strong welds are not always leak proof, so its fairly common to find a few leaks while pressure testing.




Pic B7 – A micro leak starts to leak air which is clearly visible under water. The leaking area is grinded, cleaned, re welded and pressure tested again. It’s a lot easier to fix leaks at the bottom than at the top of the tank.




Pic B8 – The tank is ready. It will now go thru a final stage of cleaning and soft cotton buffing.
The bottom panels can now be Sanded, spray painted or left as they are.




Hope you all like the tank
Regards
Singh

http://www.singh-precisions.com

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Singh:
Its been a log period of silence from you, again. When will I get this tank,; can you commit to an actual date?


NEXT- If/when i get it , I will write up a fair assessment of the product. One thing is a known... it will take at least 8 months... likely much longer to get one if at all. This interest in your product started on August 21 2014 and today is April 30, 2015 and no tank!! Nice pictures, very irregular communication and no tank. This after regular daily weekly monthly inquiries by myself and many others on this website.

I wonder if the English guys, charging 2-3 times your cost are a better value...? Do they promise a date and deliver?

-->FJ

SvenSven said:

I wonder if the English guys, charging 2-3 times your cost are a better value...? Do they promise a date and deliver?

-->FJ

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If you actually want to finish your bike and ride it, then 5 times the price would be worth it.

I'm still waiting to hear about my fairing........my lord.

If you are thinking about buying off someone in England be carefull, a friend of mine here in Sydney Australia,ordered 2 tanks and tail pieces for 2 Moto Guzzi projects from the Tank Shop in Scotland.The owner wanted full payment up front before he started.
So my friend did so and now at least 3 years or more after he is still waiting for the items,despite numerous phone calls, emails, even threatening legal action but to no avail.
Lots of talk but no action from the Tank Shop.Be warned.

But I hear that Terry Baker (RIP) aka TAB2 in the UK are good to deal with.
Brett

Last updated Thursday 12th June 2014 so says his page...and he notes 40 week wait.
Also says to snail mail him if you do not get through.
So one does wonder if he is just really slow or having financial problems or is just plain
dodgey.

Rosey said:

If you are thinking about buying off someone in England be carefull, a friend of mine here in Sydney Australia,ordered 2 tanks and tail pieces for 2 Moto Guzzi projects from the Tank Shop in Scotland.The owner wanted full payment up front before he started.
So my friend did so and now at least 3 years or more after he is still waiting for the items,despite numerous phone calls, emails, even threatening legal action but to no avail.
Lots of talk but no action from the Tank Shop.Be warned.

But I hear that Terry Baker (RIP) aka TAB2 in the UK are good to deal with.
Brett

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Do you have a physical address?

A guy I know actually phoned up a local police station and got lucky with a policeman who walked round and had a talk with the owner

Finally sorted it.

Or else find someone who can go see the guy. Sometimes UK companies are happy to scam people from the other side of the world. They are not so keen when half a rugby team turns up have a word with them