Manky Monkey Motors

Master Monkey asked me to turn up his new steed's headlight mount so I thought i would post pictures of the making of said mount.


First pictures of the mount being turned from stainless steel bar.

Bar turned down to the required size.

Center drilled for the M8 thread.

Drilling 6.2mm for the thread.

Outside diameter reduced for the bottom part of the mount which will fit inside the bottom yoke.

Just need to thread the part and part it off which I will do Monday. Then start on the other parts.

Andy the part shown below, is the reduced bit 20 mm long or is that the whole length, the drawing is none to clear?

Show off!  :D I'd love to own a lathe -& the knowledge to be able to use it.
Just checked my drawing -you're right. I was so chuffed at having managed to draw it in Photoshop that I didn't spot I'd put the measurement in the wrong place. Yup, 20mm long please.

All you need is the lathe the rest comes with practice and knowing who to ask.
I could teach you easily if I had a lathe of my own there really is nothing to it.

I taught my mate how to use his Myford Precision (which is older than the two of us put together), now he even does milling on it.

No power supply in my lock up -it'd have to be a clockwork lathe, or foot treadle operated! As anyone who's ever tried to teach me anything will tell you, I've got the memory span of a goldfish. Yoda & Tazet have both given up trying to teach me computer basics!

So how the hell do you build Trikes an Hot rods. I think you are a natural at metal work, @puters are a bit different but if you can turn out Trikes, you CAN use a lathe an Taz's Shed has power so no excuses.

I don't use half the crap that was taught to me at college, I don't remember speeds and feeds when cutting metal, or cutting angles, if it sounds right just carry on it's experience that get's it done.

I'm just finishing my level 2 National Vocational Qualification in Performing Engineering operations done it in 3 months, going for level 3 in manual turning (lathe work an why isn't it called latheing?) and then another level 3 in manual Milling which will mean that I am qualified to HND level ish.

You can do anything if you put your mind to it, if you don't know how there's bound to be a book about it or a web site, I taught myself computer hardware (have a qualification in that too!)

To me it's just an extention of my interest in all things motorcycle/car related and I would like to teach what I know as the schools don't teach this sort of thing any more.

Many engineers I know are worried that if the basics of engineering like turning and milling are not taught and the world does have a major crisis who is going to rebuild it, not the smart arsed kid that took the CNC course, it will be back to Treadle lathes.

The secret of learning is to know where to get the info from not how much you can store in the ever decreasing memory!

Also I don't learn from being told, I learn from trying to do what I want to learn, if you get my meaning.

Things on my list to teach myself are :-

Tin bashing (panel beating)

Lead filling thats using lead instead of body filler( lead sled style)

Welding (TIG) already do arc and mig enough to get by

I don't want to learn CNC (I can however write the programs for simple CNC machining) it's boring!


Sorry Rant over!

Not got the photo's done yet but I completed the parts today I hope you don't mind Andy but took the liberty of modifying the design a bit by drilling and tapping a hole through the upright part so that the tee and the base can be screwed together.

Trying to use bloody computer to Draw will post picture later when I work out how!

Confused! I'll wait for the photo/drawing!

Ok The dotted lines from the Tee down will be a 5mm stud locked in place.

All piece parts below.


Nice bit of C.A.D there I think.

I will assemble it tomorrow and take another photo before putting it in the post.

Will still call in on the way back from picking up the Suzuki VL Intruder

nice looking work there Doc :)

Thanx.

That's an impressive design prog' you've got there Doc! ;D
O.K, I understand now. All parts will be TIG welded together, even the screwed together ones, cos you can bet they'll slowly unscrew otherwise, but will certainly make it easier to align it all. I always say things never look the same in the flesh/steel as I imagine them -nothing wrong with 'em, just that I must have a lousy spatial imagination whatsit. Looking good Doc.
Oh, don't worry about the postage -just bring it with you when you call in. Text me to arrange a day when you're ready & I'll show you the Manky trike & Pop.

Hoping next weekend probably Saturday afternoon or Sunday as it's a 300+ mile round trip, got to get the dimensions of the VL forks to make the brackets up and a mount on the trike to take the Front wheel.

My cad system is brill can knock out designs and ideas faster than any PC.

The thread was only to help the alignment not strong enough to take the weight of a headlamp.   

But you can see what it looks like before you get it welded.

I could have made the upright in one piece if I had set the lathe to cut a eccentric, that's how some crankshafts are made. might try to get it set up one day haven't done one of them for years.

Almost completed my NVQ so I will have more time for some practice of the lost arts of Manual Turning. (I lost them that is)

Got me a bench now so I have to get the Lathe to go on it now!

Looks good Doc. I offset the upright to, (hopefully), clear the steering stop on the headstock of the frame. If it still fouls I'll have to get SaddleBags or Reg to mill a flat across the back of it.
I've got this trike towing bracket taking up space in my lock-up. It was originally made by Brock, then given to Flap, who's left it in my lock-up for the last year or so. Designed to run between a car tow hitch & the trike forks. Would that work for you?
We can be at my garage mid to late afternoon either day next weekend.

Thanx but sadly no I have to use the front axle of the bike thro' two angles and that will keep the Bike up straight  easy enough two bit's of heavy duty Angle Iron bolted to my towbar.

If I remove the chain of the VL and wire the back light up to my system, change number plates.
legally its part of my Trike not an individual Bike, Ha! can't wait to see the chaps at Thames Valley Constabulary get their tiny brains round that one he he!

And I will have to remember to not open the Throttle to wide

 ;D a 5 wheeled trike!

We want to see pictures  ;D

Four Wheeled, the Front has to come off.

You can take your own pictures of it Saturday.

Saturday afternoon, between 3 & half 5 - 6?
I've got to work in the morning, then we're off to the Valley Gas Speed Shop open evening & chilli night. I'll email you directions to Lunatic's workshop, (just outside Basingstoke on the Newbury road), & you can have a look at the Pop, then leave the trike there & we can nip across town to my lockup if you want a look at my trike to try the headlight bracket out.

Sounds like a plan. will txt you when I leave with the bike attached, might be a bit slow not sure what it'll tow like, completed the brakets to attach the bike with just got to sort the front wheel problem, like where to bolt it to, I did think the rear top shock mount may be a possibility.

 ;D

Sounds like a major project just on it's own!