82 Kat resto-mod aka Project Bucket Case

[ukilme]

Slowly plugging away at the bike. I have the bearings in the wheels and they are ready for whatever.

I have stripped most of the paint off of the body work and fixed a few dents in the tank.

Here is the main dent I had to removed. It was take before removing the paint.


As you can see it has a crease it the dent which makes it harder to remove. Especially, if it is your first time using a stud welder and slide hammer. There was another major dent that was cover with bondo on the other which came out once the tank was stripped.

Here is the ceased dent almost pulled out.

I did do a little more work with the stud welder and put a hole through the tank. It was fix with a mig welder by a fried for free.

Here it is with the light filler applied and sanded down to 100 grade sand paper. I still have more sanding to do.


Now here is the another dent on the other side of the tank with it pulled out already.

[Macguyver]

So for ten automotive 6204 bearings, I payed a little roughly 2.40 each but I have to wait. Now, I hope they are what the sellers said they were.

This is not likely to affect your build, just a little info for ya. Usually the bearings sold on ebay and other auction sites have a plastic cage inside to keep the ball bearings equidistance apart, much cheaper to manufacture. Most true automotive bearings use a metal cage inside, hence the additional cost per bearing.

Just something to keep an eye on, possible wear issues, but for that price, it's not gonna kill ya to just replace a bearing that may be a bit noisy.

I am really enjoying the build, it looks like she will be a monster when completed. Great Job!

[ukilme]

This is not likely to affect your build, just a little info for ya. Usually the bearings sold on ebay and other auction sites have a plastic cage inside to keep the ball bearings equidistance apart, much cheaper to manufacture. Most true automotive bearings use a metal cage inside, hence the additional cost per bearing.

Just something to keep an eye on, possible wear issues, but for that price, it's not gonna kill ya to just replace a bearing that may be a bit noisy.

I am really enjoying the build, it looks like she will be a monster when completed. Great Job!

Good info. I think of that and thought they were the same 'standards'.

I just removed one of the gasket from a share and it is metal. So, I should be fine. I also re greased them before putting them in.

[posplayr]

As you can see it has a crease it the dent which makes it harder to remove. Especially, if it is your first time using a stud welder and slide hammer. There was another major dent that was cover with bondo on the other which came out once the tank was stripped.

Here is the ceased dent almost pulled out.

I did do a little more work with the stud welder and put a hole through the tank. It was fix with a mig welder by a fried for free.

Nice work, can you describe the "stud welder" process. I know what a slide hammer is , but not sure if you are spot welding something to the outside or going through the tank. I would have thought that using a slide hammer on a single attachment point would cause a volcano type high spot or worse just a rip in the tank with the bulk of the deformity remaining.

[ukilme]

Pulling the dent it is not really hard but at the same time is almost an art. I am taking a local shop course and have an intructor who showing me and another student how to use this. He is the one that did the dent in which it looks like none was there. The dent I worked on had a crease and is harder to work then one without the crease.

Here is what the tool looks like.


What I was shown was: you take your stud and weld it to the 'high point' of the dent around the outside which is just inside the bend of the metal. You hold the welding switch for a quick 1/4 second or less and it should be welded on.

Here is a picture of it done on a car.


Place your slide hammer over the stud and tighten. Then slide it up with a little force. To much force can pull the stud off , tear a hole in the tank or you can cause a high point which you will have to fix.

Next you take another stud and pick a spot near the first stud but far enough away. I was about 1/2 an inch away and repent the process. Do this as your are working your way around the dent. I did not make my way all around but about 1/2 around the dent.

Then start welding in between the previous studs at the low point and repeat the process with the slide hammer. You just keep doing this until the dent is gone or swallow enough for a little filler.

Once you are happy with it. Then you can get a die grinder and grind it down a little as there will left overs from the studs.

If you do put a small hole in the tank, you can use the stud and welded it with the gun and grinder it down. Also, avoid place a stud over same spot as before if you are working the dent up. The metal is weaker at that point and you can rip a hole. I did it but my instructor mig welded the hole.

Now you can get high points if you start at the low spot of the dent or use to much force. I was lucky not to get any high point. However, my class mate did. The fix was weld a stud beside the high point place the slide hammer over it and pull up on the handle it self. Then take a body hammer (with the pick) and lightly tap the high point back down while keep tension on the slide hammer in the opposite direction.
I wish I had taken pictures of the process on my tank but I kept forgetting my camera.

I had a few small dent about the size of a dime or nickle and they came out with one stud in the center. Can't even tell they were there.

I am by no means and expert as this was my first time with this tool so if anyone else knows better chime in. I do not get insulted easily

[posplayr]

Pulling the dent it is not really hard but at the same time is almost an art. I am taking a local shop course and have an intructor who showing me and another student how to use this. He is the one that did the dent in which it looks like none was there. The dent I worked on had a crease and is harder to work then one without the crease.

Here is what the tool looks like.


What I was shown was: you take your stud and weld it to the 'high point' of the dent around the outside which is just inside the bend of the metal. You hold the welding switch for a quick 1/4 second or less and it should be welded on.

Here is a picture of it done on a car.


Place your slide hammer over the stud and tighten. Then slide it up with a little force. To much force can pull the stud off , tear a hole in the tank or you can cause a high point which you will have to fix.

Next you take another stud and pick a spot near the first stud but far enough away. I was about 1/2 an inch away and repent the process. Do this as your are working your way around the dent. I did not make my way all around but about 1/2 around the dent.

Then start welding in between the previous studs at the low point and repeat the process with the slide hammer. You just keep doing this until the dent is gone or swallow enough for a little filler.

Once you are happy with it. Then you can get a die grinder and grind it down a little as there will left overs from the studs.

If you do put a small hole in the tank, you can use the stud and welded it with the gun and grinder it down. Also, avoid place a stud over same spot as before if you are working the dent up. The metal is weaker at that point and you can rip a hole. I did it but my instructor mig welded the hole.

Now you can get high points if you start at the low spot of the dent or use to much force. I was lucky not to get any high point. However, my class mate did. The fix was weld a stud beside the high point place the slide hammer over it and pull up on the handle it self. Then take a body hammer (with the pick) and lightly tap the high point back down while keep tension on the slide hammer in the opposite direction.
I wish I had taken pictures of the process on my tank but I kept forgetting my camera.

I had a few small dent about the size of a dime or nickle and they came out with one stud in the center. Can't even tell they were there.

I am by no means and expert as this was my first time with this tool so if anyone else knows better chime in. I do get insulted easily

Thanks I have never seen one of these before. The only body puller i have see nis where you drill a singel hole and try to pull the whole thing out and defore the pannel at the point where you drilled the hole.

Wonder if it would work to pull out exhaust pipe dents?

[ukilme]

Wonder if it would work to pull out exhaust pipe dents?

Never thought of that. The kerker pipe I got has some dents. I'll let you know. My class is canceled next week but in two weeks I'll try it.

[posplayr]

Never thought of that. The kerker pipe I got has some dents. I'll let you know. My class is canceled next week but in two weeks I'll try it.

I have used this for the very bottoms (near the 4:1 collector) of the pipe, but anything higher up beyond the bottom bends will not work.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=37352

[ukilme]

I have used this for the very bottoms (near the 4:1 collector) of the pipe, but anything higher up beyond the bottom bends will not work.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=37352

I have seen these at our local Princess Auto (same type of store as Harbor Freight). I do not know if it would work as the dents are at the bend just before the collector.

[posplayr]

I have seen these at our local Princess Auto (same type of store as Harbor Freight). I do not know if it would work as the dents are at the bend just before the collector.

Understood but just for future reference most pipes have been bottomed out in the straight part just before the collector and this does work for that.

[ukilme]

Well, I have not posted in this rebuild for a little bit but I am still working away at the bike. I had to take a mandatory break in March in Tampa . And then get my Triumph going for the summer.

Anyways, here is the tank as it sits right now. I just cleared today. I still need to cut it as I have some orange peel going on.

I used auto air colors which is a water base automotive paint. The base coat is black. Then spray with Gem Sapphire which is a pearl paint that shifts color from black to blue but it also shift to purple.

It is a little tricky to shoot and time consuming when compare to euro's because of drying time but there is no re-coat window which is nice. And it is fairly safe to shoot in your basement. Still wear a mask but you won't die if you forget nor will your pets.

The clear is Nason 496 and shot with a home depot 'special' gun with a 1.4 tip.







I will post the rest of the body work when they are dry.

[ukilme]

Here is the nose:

[spyug]

Very nice paint. My favourite colour combo. You did a really nice job with it.

I cleared mine today and lets just say it didn't come out anywhere near that nice. I took it really slow and built up the coats ( maybe 6 over 2 hours). It came out kind of pebbly in spots and not really smooth. I will try and compound it tomorrow but I'm not at all happy with it.

I don't know why this has been so difficult. I've painted and cleared 4 previous bikes and never ran into this much difficulty. I'm kind of at a loss to understand what the problem really is. Perhaps its the gun. Maybe the wrong needle?

Sorry to hijack your post.

Good work sir and thanks for sharing.

Spyug

[ukilme]

I had hope it went well with you. Sorry it did not. What size of gun are you using and what clear?

Thanks for the compliments.

[ukilme]

Just updating the thread. I have not been sitting on my butt. I cut and polished my body by hand and here are some shots.

This was wet sanded down starting with 2000 then 2500 because the clear was pretty good.


This is the first hand buffing with Meguiars Ultimate compound (UC). It similiar to Meguairs M105 pro stuff but easier to get. I did try my 3M and I did tried Presta Ultra cutting creme but they did not seem to work as good as the Meguiars stuff.


This the forth buffing with UC


Now, I used Meguiars scratch X (#1). They do not make it any more but you can still fine if you keep your eye open. They now have ScratchX2 which is actually more agressive but as not aggressive as UC.

This is twice with ScratchX

After scratchX, I actually hit it with Meguairs No.09 which is in their pro-line. It a swirl remover and polish. I then hit it a Meguiars Polish (yes, this is overkill with the polish but what the hey)


I did this with every piece to get it really smooth. After all this, this found out Meguiars makes 4 inch pads to do this...... The tank alone took almost 9 hours.