Roadster/Interstate/Thruxton R tank (2020)

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Yuck.
Looking like a big silver turd here. Almost feel like giving up at this point but the best thing is to keep at it. It's important to think about it but also to avoid overthinking things and just keep forcing the metal in the desired direction.
 
It almost matches. There is still a straight bit at the front that needs work. Will also fold an edge, hopefully with the powered bead roller. For the last mudguard I folded the edges completely with hand tools and it was painfully slow.
 
The powered bead roller worked perfectly to roll the fender edges. There was a bit of hot electrical smell coming from the $9 eBay Drill motor. Because of the curve, the bead roller fence couldn't be used. It was a case of slowly hand guiding and keeping the roller edge steered exactly onto a scribed line 5/16" in from the edge. That created the roll and a flange, then the hand tool was used to turn the flange further. A curved face steel hammer did the last 15 degrees or so.
The piece has had the first sanding, 120 grit.
Now to figure out how to mount it. I would like the mounts to look good and weigh nothing.
 
This is the mount I came up with for the Egli.
Truth told, I borrowed this idea from a big bore Supercharged Vincent Special that was in the British National Motorcycle Mueseum. Sad story, the owner/builder of that bike spent all of his savings and ten years building that bike.
It never really ran properly but it looked fantastic. Because it had wrecked his life, he was convinced it was possessed by the Devil. In the end he decided to leave it with the Museum. Then he had a serious stroke. Then the museum caught fire and the bike burned. So who knows?
Anyway, it had a nice looking front mudguard mount, among other things. It's easy to do with conventional forks but would be tricky with the USD forks on the Norton project.

BTW, if this thread should be in Rebuilds, or somewhere else, please feel free to move it Les.
Here's the mudguard mount I copied from the possessed bike- it is welded to the mudguard . Not a lot of weight but very secure

 
Fabricated tubular affair perhaps ...

Roadster/Interstate/Thruxton R tank (2020)
 
That might be the ticket.
I would need to make a press die to properly form the flats.
They don't look great when the tubing is just squeezed flat.
Ok looking at it again, it appears the tubes are welded to a flat flange that bolts to the fork mounts.

Glen
 
Yes, tubes welded to flat flanges. Nothing to a man of your calibre.

Actually, I expected it done already...;)
 
Been quietly watching your project Glen .... speechless , your work is magnificent ! guess you did learn a thing or two from your Dad , good on you !
 
Glen, I admire your work, but polished alloy is very vulnarable.
Drop the bike, one big dent and you can start all over again.
Paint is easier to repair.
I made something similar starting from an existing fender, then a mold and made a carbon fender.
It is very light (200 gr) and strong.
If needed, I can make more.

Roadster/Interstate/Thruxton R tank (2020)
Roadster/Interstate/Thruxton R tank (2020)
I painted it black, because I don't like the carbon look.
 
Very neat job on the mudguards there.

I made a set of alloy mudguards for one of the Ossa trials bikes . Those bikes get very rough off road use and so far there haven't been any injuries to the mudguards.
I also made a set for the Egli and those are unblemished as of yet.
If they ever do get dented I can easily tap and roll the dent out on the Ewheel the same way as I rolled out all the hammer dents from blocking.
So I find that the alloy mudguards are pretty easy to live with.
They are quite light as well but probably weigh a bit more than 200 grams.
Mostly though, I like the appearance of (soon to be) polished alloy.
I'll know there will be a small weight penalty here and there for such things.
It's not a huge penalty though. The alloy , although it's higher density than cf, can generally be used in a bit thinner form.


Glen
 
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That's not so easy to fix.
But even if I paint the tank it's nasty to fix.
Or would you make a tank in plastic next time?

Glen
 
worntorn said:
..Or would you make a tank in plastic next time?

Glen
Click to expand...
Plastic: no. Steel : yes.
A polished alu tank requires a level of perfection that is out of my reach.
I only made 3 tanks in my life, one alu, two steel.
I don't have an English wheel, so I stick to simple forms and rely on paint to hide imperfections and hammer marks.
You can do a lot with an acetylene torch.

Roadster/Interstate/Thruxton R tank (2020)


Roadster/Interstate/Thruxton R tank (2020)

2 gallon original and 3 gallon copy.
Still looking good after 25 years.
 
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ludwig said:
Plastic: no. Steel : yes.
A polished alu tank requires a level of perfection that is out of my reach.
I only made 3 tanks in my life, one alu, two steel.
I don't have an English wheel, so I stick to simple forms and rely on paint to hide imperfections and hammer marks.
You can do a lot with an acetylene torch.

Roadster/Interstate/Thruxton R tank (2020)

Roadster/Interstate/Thruxton R tank (2020)
2 gallon original and 3 gallon copy.
Still looking good after 25 years.
Click to expand...
Hi Ludwig,
Amazing work. Are these for N15, P11?

Ed
 
I guess if this tank ever gets dented it will become a painted alloy tank.
The weight savings steel to alloy on the tank is quite a bit-
14.5 lbs. for the 25l Interstate tank and 7.2 lbs for this 22l tank.
Glen
 
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