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Project The Yamaha R4 (Glacially Slow Project)

Discussion in 'Other Projects - Other Bikes (non 250's)' started by maelstrom, Dec 20, 2014.

  1. GreyImport

    GreyImport Administrator Staff Member The Chief Contributing Member

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    Get it out on those exotic Thai roads and it will look 'used' pretty quick :cool:

    elephants.jpg
     
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  2. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    Haha, good one Grey. There is a video like that of the elephants chasing the riders after they have abandoned the bike.
    Rule No 1: Don't mess with the elephants.
     
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    Last edited: Mar 27, 2017
  3. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    To be serious, for just a moment, I have the parts zinc plated or I blast and paint them etc. It is just the process of restoring/improving everything. Well at least those parts I have kept. So much of this bike has gone in the bin and that creates a lot of work to make all of the new parts. Onwards and upwards :)
     
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  4. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    Drip, Drip, Drip
    So I made a frame stand so I could work on the chassis (and look @ruckusman it is dirty). It is a swivel bracket on top of a post and gives me fore-aft and left-right. Was going to put on a turntable also but laziness got me. Notice the green laser line.
    FrameStand_03.jpg

    Also made a post with a threaded rod for positioning things. Seen here holding up the front of the fairing. I modified the R6 fairing mount so that it fits my frame and now I have to cut out the fairing to fit the headlights and make the mounts for same. You can see the green laser on the centreline. I am quite chuffed that this horrible part is working out. Lots of handy things that I learnt working at the boatyard.
    FrameStand_01.jpg
    I use another laser on the swingarm pivot to set horizontal. Speaking of swingarm. The Ohlins shock spring collar sits lower than the OEM part and of course it fouls the swingarm. I have to scallop the swingarm out, weld in a new plate to fill the hole and send off to powdercoaters again. Ooops!
     
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    Last edited: Jun 4, 2017
  5. ruckusman

    ruckusman White Mans Magic Master Premium Member Dirty Wheel Club

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    At this rate those girls are going to be some lovely old age pensioners with blue-rinse hairdos, wielding zimmer frames and sporting false teeth
     
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  6. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    That made me laugh. Yes, I get really excited when I get something done. I'm like the opposite of Dr. Murdo.
     
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  7. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    Holes
    Well I know it doesn't look like much but I call it progress. See if I can get a couple of plastic cylinders turned up now to use for the recesses.
    Holes.jpg
     
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  8. ruckusman

    ruckusman White Mans Magic Master Premium Member Dirty Wheel Club

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    Are you going to use the plastic pipe to mould fibreglass? Something from the plumbing section at the hardware may be suitable
     
  9. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    The recesses need to have a draft on them so that when used to make a mould plug, it will be possible to remove the finished part. Also the diameter has to be near perfect to seal around the light. Although I am using a large o-ring to give me some freedom to move and cut both light and wind noise. There is no fairing liner. I have the recesses being made now so I am hoping that it will all go well. Working on the template to hold the lights now. The mounting instructions from Hella are complete rubbish. Have to use Braille method. After that comes the air duct, and where to send it (perhaps under the triple clamp but I will have to mount the brake lines before considering that option), shaping the fairing sides, and making the side brackets. I still have not been able to source any box Al for the sub-frame, minimum order is 500kg.
     
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  10. my67xr

    my67xr Bike Enthusiast Staff Member Premium Member Contributing Member

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    Nice work, you could use PVC pipe to make the headlight section's, just wax it with some Carnuba wax
    Otherwise run a slot down the tube, then wax it, once it's dry pry it with a screwdriver to help release it, it'll come out easy i've done it lot's of time's
    With the Ally square tubing, have you tried Aliexpress ?
    https://fr.aliexpress.com/wholesale...170605230803&SearchText=aluminium+tube+square

    Try some of the Marine engineer's, they use 5086
     
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  11. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    Thanks for that link, @my67xr I did search before but didn't see some of those. I will get onto it. I checked all the PVC pipe sizes and couldn't get one close enough. In any case, my friend in Bangkok will run these custom pieces for me in no time. How much rake do you think I need? I have 1.5 mm over 60? It was just a guess.
     
  12. my67xr

    my67xr Bike Enthusiast Staff Member Premium Member Contributing Member

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    Not sure what you mean with the rake, as in angling them downward at the front slightly?

    i would just make up tube's 80mm long or so, then start trimming the front suit suit the shape inside the fairing then glass them on.
    I'd have the tube's running parrallel with the front and rear axles
    Once the glass is dry i'd trim the back'section of the tube's to sit about 15mm to 20mm behind the lense's
    Then you can start playing around with mounting point's
     
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  13. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    This is going to be a plug for a mould. So the internal bore of the tubes is tapered.
     
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  14. my67xr

    my67xr Bike Enthusiast Staff Member Premium Member Contributing Member

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    Ok now i get you.
    So the taper will help you to release the plug from the fairing

    Fibreglass is pretty flexible for about a week or 2 after it's been layed up, so you should be able to use something to pry it loose once it's cured enough so it's no longer sticky
    If you have trouble getting it out you can use a bit of heat from a hot air gun to soften the fibreglass
    But yeah use carnuba wax or a similar release agent (nothing silicon based)

    What resin are you using ?
    I like the UV cured resin, you brush it on in your workshop and it really soak's into the matting, and give's you less chance of getting air bubble's etc between the mould and matting, then when you are happy with it take it outside into the sun and it'll cure.
    It's a lot better than mucking around with the MEPK hardener's as you aren't time restricted, it cure's in under 5 min's with UV light
     
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  15. ruckusman

    ruckusman White Mans Magic Master Premium Member Dirty Wheel Club

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    I remember reading somewhere that toolmakers use 1.5 degrees when designing and making plugs - mind you this was for sandcasting moulds for aluminium, but I think that similar amounts would be suitable, your suggestion of 1.5mm per 60mm comes in at 1.43 degrees so I reckon right on the money there.
     
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  16. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    I have very little experience with composites. I plan to use epoxy for the mould. After that I will spend a lot of time thinking about how to make the fairing. It will be one big learning experience.
     
  17. ruckusman

    ruckusman White Mans Magic Master Premium Member Dirty Wheel Club

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    It is feasible to mix both epoxy and polyester over one another. I'd also recommend trying UV cure polyester on anything fiddly or delicate as you can do it in stages. Take your headlight tube for example, get some high density foam and roll a tube, put just enough glass and resin on it to keep the form, UV cure the resin then go onto the next stage of trimming it to fit into the orifice of the fairing and a little bit of glass and resin to hold it in place. You can't sand polyester laminating resin, though it should be used to laminate any fibreglass, then needs a filler coat. Using filler coat AKA sanding resin to laminate you will find that any cloth that gets hit with sandpaper, fibre will bust out of lamination and leave you with a compromised surface that will catch subsequent resin.

    FYI epoxy is much more difficult to sand, especially if left for a substantial length of time and there are special epoxy fillers that sand well.

    Microballoons work well with both polyester and epoxy to add as a thickener to fill spaces, gaps and voids, I've filled gaps with microballoons and then gone straight over with glass and plastic wrap over the top to be able to shape and form the result with fingers etc

    I'm a big fan of using plastic over the top to get surfaces much smoother with the initial lamination, it also helps to keep the weave suppressed reducing sanding. Fibleglass tends to float up more on epoxy, plastic can keep it down.
    Epoxy is exothermic, so if it's a long job, several small batches versus one big one to be left in the pot - it can and will smoke out, no need to ask how I know.
     
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  18. maelstrom

    maelstrom LiteTek Staff Member Premium Member 250cc Vendor Contributing Member

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    Thanks for the input guys. Yes, microballoons sounds like a good idea. One step at a time. The swingarm only needed a little bit of modding to fit the shock and no welding. But since I have lost some paint I might wait until I finish the hugger so I can weld brackets to it if required.
     
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  19. ruckusman

    ruckusman White Mans Magic Master Premium Member Dirty Wheel Club

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    If you can get hold of anyone that's ever worked in a surfboard or sailboard factory or done repairs they'll give you practical tips also
     
  20. my67xr

    my67xr Bike Enthusiast Staff Member Premium Member Contributing Member

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    With the swingarm getting repainted , have you thought about welding on some spool mount's for your paddock stand ?
     

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