Here's a couple of pictures of my buddy Bob's Ducati restoration. He came down for Open Shop last week and I welded a couple of spots on the frame and the fender. The bike should look pretty good when he gets it finished. He always spends a lot of time on the cleaning and polishing.
I've been doing a lot of motorcycle work lately. That's a good thing - I enjoy it. Check out the link for Still Life With Cranston Ritchie at the right there and see Surly's new project. He'll be needing some fabricating on that one plus he's got a little Ducati project for a buddy of his that will need a little welding.
It's interesting to note the welding required for these projects. I TIG welded the frame and fender for Bob's stuff the other night. I could have used MIG, stick (SMAW) or gas welding. The frame was originally stick welded together and the battery box had been repaired previously with stick welding as well. Most new frame construction is done with MIG or a Pulsed MIG. Hot rods and bikes were put together back in the 40's and the 50's with nothing more than a gas torch. The old pro's could gas weld just about any darn thing, including aluminum and stainless. Not a whole lot of it being done today other than maybe hammer welding when chopping a top. I still teach it, though. A lot of the boys enjoy doing it and if you have a set of tanks and a combination torch, there isn't much you can't fix by either brazing or gas welding. Not the fastest way but still a viable way.
Bob will be sending more photos as the project progresses. Hopefully that will keep the fire lit under my boiler as well.
3 comments:
Thanks for stopping by but I'm not interested in anything commercial on my site. It's mainly just for my own enjoyment. Keeps me off the bar stools, as it were.
You've made the biggs, Bro!
The spam bots have discovered you. You are now somebody.
Bob always has had some nice Duck's. I'm sure this one will be sharp too.
Get one of your bikes going. Spring is coming.
Unk: I thought there was more to becoming a somebody than just showing up. Little did I know.
I'm working on the bike thing but I've just got too many irons in the fire to see much progress on the road bike. I've definitely got the itch, though.
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