Excellent work, as always.

For those of us following along at home, how far are you away from actually riding this thing?

 

Lol, that's a bit of a loaded question...

If I was properly motivated I could probably knock it out in a long weekend...at least the mechanical & electrical...enough to ride it. Paint and powder would add a week or so, depending on the shop schedules. I ~could~ do the metal finishing and a half-decent single stage paint, but I'd prefer to have a pro do that. I also have a fairly detailed airbrush plan that will require me sending it out to a proper artist (Pamela Shanteau is the plan, but I haven't contacted her yet.)

All that said, I'd like to have it ready for a test ride (not "done", but rideable) within the next month or so. Then send out the tank over the winter so she can take her time on it.

 

I figured that

 

....

 

Last couple days I've making the plug for the left side of the neck. Started with poly clay (Sculpey competitor called Kato. It shrinks less when baked.) Got that shape refined last night and started the mold making today. The rubber is a two part urethane from Smooth-On. I've used a couple of their other casting products in the past and have been happy. This is my first time doing urethane rubber. I have the rubber plus a UV-rated black pigment. The mold is two-part. It has to cure for about 24 hours, so I'll pour the actual part tomorrow.

Hardened master ready for the mold pour. Legos work good as a mold barrier for small parts like this.


First half poured and register bumps (BBs that I already removed here.)


Second half poured. I should have degassed the rubber mix but I don't have a vacuum chamber anymore. It should be OK, tho.


Mold done, plus the master (Neck LH) next to the OE Neck RH plug.


Not thrilled with the surface finish of the master but I'll try to clean that up on the mold or final part.

 

Sheesh! And I thought I accomplished something today when I finally found the right combination of washers, o-rings, and spacers to properly secure the CD on my air cleaner cover! I'll just stop pretending I "make" anything now...

Although, I could probably take a stab at building your next Lego holding cell...

What's next... Molding your own tires?

Really nice work, Chris!!!

 

Damn. You may move slow, but you're on a different level.

 

You guys are too kind. Thanks! I enjoy DIY, research, learning, etc. Makes me kinda scatter brained tho. I always have way too many irons in the fire.

Smooth-On has a lot of good how-to videos. Plastics casting really isn't hard. I just wish I still had my vacuum chamber and pump. Makes for much nicer parts.

 

Final part. Still soft. It needs to cure until late tonight and then I'll temper it in the oven at 150 for 5 hours. That's not strictly necessary, but they do recommend doing it to toughen the rubber. If you're curious, this is done in a Shore 60A Urethane rubber. Pretty firm. Similar to a soft tire. (40A is a pencil eraser. 70A is a normal street tire.)

Still need to trim off the mold vents, obviously.

I know the long edges seem uneven but they match up to the neck nicely once it's in place.

 

There's commitment to a build, and then there's just frikken wow Man!

Cant wait to see the finished build, with this kind of attention to detail it can't be anything but awesome when done.