1999 ZX600E

Well, another bike to bring back from the dead. It has been sitting for 4.5 years and you can guess what it needs. Only 7000 miles on the clock; running when parked. The tank will also have to be de rusted:(

A "New" Lathe

New to me anyway! It is a late 40s/early 50s Delta/Milwaukee metal cutting bench lathe that I got from the heirs of the original owner. It had very little use and still works, if just a bit cantankerous. Now I can make my own parts!

The Next Project

I acquired a 1999 Suzuki Bandit 1200S under a curious set of circumstances, and I have very little money in it. The unit was a commuter bike and has 55000 miles on it and runs well; it just needs a few minor repairs and a bit of TLC to get it back in ship shape.
These bikes are known as torque monsters and make great Streetfighter platforms. My goal is to repair it and sell it as quickly as possible though. Another fun project!

Finished the MB5 today!

I got everything back together, turned on the key and the fuel tap, pulled the choke and gave the kick starter a stab. Nothing. Another kick, and oi! It started right up! Not much smoke either. It requires the choke to be on for a while, something I am not used to with my FI bike.

I let it warm up and it then settled into a bit of a high idle, but the 28 year old motor seems to be OK. 1st to 2nd shift fork is a bit dicey, but as long as you blip the throttle whilst rolling and looking for neutral, there isn't a problem.

It leaves soon.........

Wheel Refinishing

I am almost through bringing the 1982 Honda MB5 back to life. Refinishing the wheels was a challenge, especially painting the ComStar spokes. A lot of masking tape was used to keep the paint off the de rusted chrome rim! I had to repaint the "spokes" since the de rusting process lifted paint off that had rust underneath the factory paint. I used a "special blend" rattle can of paint and a secret method to get the powder coated look.
Your wheels can be resurrected------for a price!

1993 Honda NSR250SP

This little bike belongs to a friend, at least until 7/4/10 when it goes to a new owner in Virginia. A Japanese model only, it got imported here-somehow, and ended up in Georgia for 9 years.

A tidy little 2 Stroke, it had 24000 kilometers on the clock. A bit small for me though!

Clever Japanese Machinist

A few years ago whilst trolling the interweb, I came across the award winning student project from a Technical School in Japan. Note the intricate articulated joints. Amazing! I don't recall the name of the school, but the student that produced the MetaMan from his own drawings should be in the Machinists Hall of Fame in Japan!

Antique Tools Before and After

These old tools belonged to my great grandfather, a machinist for 55 years with Batson Cook Company. I found them in an old wooden tool box in a basement garage. The rust wasn't to bad due to the oiled coating they received prior to storage, but needed to be cleaned up in "The Dip".

I was surprised to see the grain structure of the material, the marks from heavy work, and the heat treated area of the large adjustable wrench which had a 1911 patent date cast in the handle.

Real tools made in the good ole U.S. of A. back in the day......

1982 MB5 Resurrection

This little bike was given to a friend of mine and he didn't have time to get it running. The plan is to get it going so he can tow it behind his ElectraGlide when he goes to campgrounds and "needs" something a bit smaller to get around on!

A thorough de-rusting and sealing of the tank was first on the agenda, then the long process of de-rusting other components, cleaning the carb, and other myriad repairs are in process. Hope to be operational by the end of July.

British in the Blue Ridge 25th anniversary ride

On June 12 2010, I rode up to Hiawassee Ga with a friend to have a look at the vintage British bikes on display. We were not disappointed! There were hundreds of bikes there, from clapped out relics that people dragged up there and asked too much money for, to museum quality restorations as well as a lot of unrestored "riders" that just looked like plain fun to putt around on.

I bumped into the President of the Greater Atlanta British Motorcycle Association and we chatted for a few moments remembering past bikes.

Enjoy the highlights of the day with the following pictures.

Vortex Rearset Repair

This billet aluminum adjustable mount rear set was damaged in an accident. As a result of the shift lever acting like a fulcrum in the crash, the mount was broken across the first row of adjustment holes. No pictures of before, however the weld is visible after the repair was completed and painted. I also straightened the lever with a acetylene torch and heat treated the lever afterward.

Bug Eye Sprite Radiator Modification

A local muffler shop referred a customer to me who had installed a Mazda Rotary engine in his Bug Eye Sprite. It was constantly overheating and the owner bought a custom radiator that needed to have the lower port rotated 90 degrees. Someone else had tried do to this and made a mess out of it.

I cut it apart, cleaned it up and welded it together. No leaks!

This tiny car originally had 48hp. Now it has 225hp with the Mazda Rotary motor installed!

1961 Bug Eye Sprite Radiator Modification Vid

Here the owner is making a 1/2 throttle pass; listen to the 1300cc rotary whir!

Aluminum Tank Repair

This hand made alloy tank developed a crack along the rear seam due to the original weld being ground away to much, not to mention the vibration of the large displacement of the S&S motor. I repaired this crack with a few smooth beads with a soft alloy filler rod and there were no further leaks.

Saw Blade Welding

I use a special filler wire for welding tool steel saw blades. The material has to be flexible, and durable. These dies are for cutting out commercial buffing pads for polishing floors.

Radiator Modification

This Troy Corser performance radiator did not clear an aftermarket header pipe for a Honda XR650R off road bike. The lower portion required a notch in the billet end cap. I fabricated a plug and formed it to fit.

Rust Removal

These wheels are from a mid 1970s Honda CT90 Trail bike. The machine had been sitting for a very long time and the owner was starting a budget restoration. I was able to help him on his way!

This item is from a Suzuki GSXR 1000 Supersport bike that was in a severe accident. The bike had been flipped and the cam cover took an impact that drove it into the cylinder head.
There was a lot of deformation to reshape; this was done with careful application of heat, then cooled, stress relieved, etc. Once the casting was welded, post heating was applied to prevent shrinking of the material.

This cast aluminum item is a crankcase for a SeaDoo Personal Watercraft that threw a rod. The welded repair was far and away less expensive than a new crankcase.

Welder Mike

Memorial Day 2010!

I started this blog during the Holiday weekend whilst enjoying time with my family. The main reason I created it is to promote my metalworking hobby/business, and for my other interests.

To wit: I am skilled with over 30 years of experience primarily TIG welding as well as MIG and Shielded Arc welding. Certification tests come and go; I have five previous certs. I specialize in cast aluminum repairs and perform piecework assembly for machine shops as required. Other materials welded are carbon steel, stainless steel, forged aluminum and the odd bit of titanium from time to time.

I also build work benches/tables, repair and fabricate hand railings, tanks, fixtures, racks, stands, anything that you might dream up! Additionally I have access to CNC machine tools and Powder Coating.

Motorcycle repair and restoration is also available.