Do you like mods???

[Busy Little Whiner]

This is my magnesium caliper mod that kicked my butt... and I needed my butt kick
because I get too cocky in the Busy Little Shop...


I started with a 10 pound block of magnesium... one set Brembo billet calipers
and my engineering drawing...


With a metal bandsaw I cut out the basic shape and then chips started to
fly on the Milling machine...



For 20 days I was a slave to the machine like in Fritz Lang's
movie Metropolis...


Compound curves require intense concentration and excellent hand eye
coordination... one wrong turn of the handles and it's crying time...


Looks just like the drawing... no???


I'm happy since they came out perfect and tip the scales at only 6 ounces
each... that's 2.5 ounces lighter than the aluminum radial mount Ohlins sells...


All in all what started as 10 pounds of magnesium ended up as 6 ounce
caliper mounts in 20 days... the fall out of metal particles coated everything...

[servicerifle]

Ok, let's say you make $25 an hour, and as you said you were a slave to your mill for 20 days (8 hour days) that makes your new mounts worth $4000...to save 5 ounces.

Why not just take a laxative a few hours before you race?  You'll lose more weight and it would be WAY cheaper.

[bizarro]

You know, I'm totally impressed. Were it not for the usual self-aggrandizement I'd say well done. As it is, that's nice work and whatever I think of your online personality there's no denying the skills. You're an asshole with ability.

[sprintrock]

I am in awe.  I have trouble wrapping my mind around engineering.

[thatguy]

I was led to believe the RC45 was perfect as delivered.Or did you change your mind?

[Tyrroneous]

Cool!  

[Ant]

Ok, let's say you make $25 an hour, and as you said you were a slave to your mill for 20 days (8 hour days) that makes your new mounts worth $4000...to save 5 ounces.

Why not just take a laxative a few hours before you race?  You'll lose more weight and it would be WAY cheaper.

That may be true but when you have a skill (whatever the skill is) and a desire to do something, the inner geek tends to shine out and you have to do it yourself. Regardless of whether it's the most efficient/cost effective way of doing it.

I'm in constant awe of what my Granddad used to do, he was a tool maker for Leyland trucks way back when and whenever he needed anything at home he'd just machine it at work. My Dad and I were tidying out his garage a while back and we couldn't figure out what half the stuff was for because he made it for one off jobs. For that job it'd make life infinitely easier but it was pretty pointless for anything else.

I would rather spend days and days writing my own little utility to achieve something specific than pay a couple of pounds a buy some small utility that does it for me.

Humans aren't rational creatures  

Good job BLS, seems like a hellishly wasteful process though, 10 pounds of magnesium down to 6 ounces   How much of that could be recycled? If any?

[bomber]

nicely done -- while skipping a doughnut or three may give a similar weight reduction, it ain't near as much fun

[JoelCool]

Nice work, Larry  

I've done some manual mill work - nothing to that level, but enough to have an appreciation for the hand - eye coordination required.

[Lawn Dart]

Damn that's pretty.  It may be bling, but it's functional bling at the least!  

[jschmidt]

You know, I'm totally impressed. Were it not for the usual self-aggrandizement I'd say well done. As it is, that's nice work and whatever I think of your online personality there's no denying the skills. You're an asshole with ability.

Agreed. But before you're too dismissive of his tenuous hold on relevance, remember that he's been replaced by a basic computer in actual manufacturing.

The only reason left for doing that this way is as a hobby. My dad was the same way. He'd happily spend half a day milling a replacement for a two dollar part. Some day, if he lasts long enough, Biz can be like the blacksmith at Williamsburg in some industrial museum. Its actually good for someone to maintain these archaic skills.

[Playinthestreet]

Do I like mods???

No, I was more of a Rocker.

Did you finish my bulkhead yet, you cheese dick?

[Busy Little Whiner]

Do I like mods???

No, I was more of a Rocker.

Did you finish my bulkhead yet, you cheese dick?

Hiya Tom... your bulkhead is still not done... after Laguna weekend I'll have time to complete it for the welder...

[Busy Little Whiner]

I was led to believe the RC45 was perfect as delivered.Or did you change your mind?

As delivered it's still a very capable exotic... but this is my version of Honda's RC45 and it won't be perfect
until I complete the belt drive conversion... after all chains are a pain...

[dinolee]

Ok, let's say you make $25 an hour, and as you said you were a slave to your mill for 20 days (8 hour days) that makes your new mounts worth $4000...to save 5 ounces.

Why not just take a laxative a few hours before you race?  You'll lose more weight and it would be WAY cheaper.

If you have to ask why, then you just wouldn't understand.

Very cool Larry!

[steve.ski]

Very cool. At this rate, pretty soon the '45 will float away...

[chornbe]

How much does 10lbs worth of Magnesium cost?

PS... Most of the time BLS, I think you're like the nutty guy down the street; harmless, crazy and with the occasional spark of genius. All in all, I agree, great job. I won't call you an asshole; just rather... uhm... "decidedly passionate" about trimming weight on that bike.

Frankly, in your shoes, I'd rather seal it away in a vacuum-sealed, rubber-lined garage for the next 20 years and make a killing on it later. Drop $5k to get a more modern, faster, lighter and more capable bike to ride in the meantime. To each his own

But as was mentioned... the "inner geek" and "humans are not rational creatures" argument wins every time.   Great job with the machining and design work.

[PhilBiker]

Ok, let's say you make $25 an hour, and as you said you were a slave to your mill for 20 days (8 hour days) that makes your new mounts worth $4000...to save 5 ounces.

Why not just take a laxative a few hours before you race?  You'll lose more weight and it would be WAY cheaper.

[Global Rider]

For 20 days I was a slave to the machine...

Its great therapy running a lathe and a mill, isn't it?  

Its a whole lot more fun making it your way to your standards as well.

[Stray Cat]

Nice work Larry. Having done a bit of work on a mill doing basically straight stuff I really admire your skills.  
However I have three letters for ya....



CNC