Chopper's trike.

[Chopper303]

Finally got started on my trike project. Please bear with me on this. Due to serious medical problems, I can only do so much at a time. If I do too much I get a bad Angina attack which is bloody painful and can be quite scarey, so I have to take it easy and pace myself. The other thing is that my memory has been destroyed by Parkinsons disease. Much of what I learned over the years has been forgotten so I am having to re-learn lots of stuff. There is no cure for Parkinsons Disease and it is progressive, so I will never be any better than I am now. However, I am determined that the medical stuff is not going to get in the way of building this trike.

If you are taking the time to read this thread, please bear in mind that I am not a qualified engineer/welder etc. When I don't know how to do something I want to do, I read books, ask clever people how to do things and have a go, hoping for the best. I was taught in the army (Household Cavalry) to adapt, improvise and over come obstacles. So I am not trying to teach anyone anything and I am not saying that what I am doing is the right way to do things. I am building this trike based on years of experience building numerous chops and a few trikes. Have been doing lots of research to prod the memory about a lot of stuff. I worked with the late great Ian Kilner at Revolution Motorcycles in Northampton for a few years and he taught me a hell of a lot. My most recent mine of information is my Little Sister Maz, who is a trike building wizzard. Not sure if she is a member here, if she isn't she soon will be.

Right then, first thing to do was tidy my workshop and create some space. I moved all my leather work gear to one end of the workshop, including all my leather work tool and leather stock. That are is now very neat and tidy with everything within easy reach. (Should have done it sooner). Did a check on things I know I am going to need and ordered some steel tubing for the chassis/frame. Also got myself an engine hoist to make lifting and moving heavy stuff like the engine, a lot easier.

[Chopper303]

The above picture shows part of my workshop. The bike on the right is one of my Bandit 1200's. Once the chairs and engine hoist are out the way the workshop does actually look quite tidy. The blue bike frame laying on the ramp is the frame for my other Bandit 1200 which will soon be up for sale. The silver coloured table on the left is the collapsable bench I am using to mount my jig, which I started building today. All the materials I am using to build the jig is stuff that I already have in stock.

I learned a long time ago that when building a frame from scratch, the most important bit is to make sure the jig is strong enough to clamp everything to it and make sure right at the start that the jig is true. So the main rails of the jig are being made from 100 x 50mm box section, 3mm wall thickness. The table/bench is very heavy. There is a winch at the far end and a hook to secure it when fully raised. Belt and braces, I made two struts that are bolted to the legs at the far end and they come to a stop against a cross member that is welded in place. The bench now cannot move unless I want it to. I used the sander to give the top surface a bit of a scrub and made sure that I have a good earthing point for the MIG welder.

IMG_1804.JPG

There are four holes in the floor level rails of the bench. I am going to use some m17 bolts with locking nuts so that I can adjust the bench once the jig is complete and level it out in both directions. Will only take seconds to check it each time I do any work. Once the jig is complete and trued up, everything I do will be based on having an accurate and solid jig. If the jig you make is flimsy, you can almost guarantee that when you start bending tube and welding it in place, the heat will distort everything.

Two long rails of the 100 x 50mm box section and two shorter rails of the same box section. This is for the base of the jig. I used the grinder to clean the bits that are going to be welded. I used an off cut of the same box section to make sure the gap between the long rails is the same all the way down the length of the rail. Remember "Measure twice, cut once", I keep repeating that to myself. So measured up and scribed marks where the cross rails are going to be. Checked the measurements again and clamp everything together. Knowing how much the heat can distort things, I always tack things in place first. Once the tacks are able to hold everything I check that nothing has moved before final welding.

[Chopper303]

So now I have the long rails and the cross members in place and held with tacks. The next bit is the upright that will hold the headstock in place and at the right angle. I sed another piece of the same box section for the upright. I should point out here that I want to be able to dismantle the jig after I have finished building the trike and store it away in case I want to build something else. So the upright will not be welded in place. I trapped the upright between the two long jig rails and supported the bottom of the upright with another off cut of the same box section. I loosely clamped the upright and long ig rails together and then double checked all my measurements, then full tightened the clamps before checking again. Once the upright was secured, I cut a piece of 25mm x 50mm box section and angled both ends to 45 degrees. Using another off cut of the 100x500mm box to hold the angled piece in place, I checked everything was true and tacked it all together. I cut two pieces of angle to sit along the upright and running towards the bottom end of the angled box section. Clamped it all together, check the measurements and tacked it together. I removed the off cuts and can now remove the upright altogether. The two angle pieces mean that I can slide the upright anywhere I want along the long jig rails and clamp it in place.

[Chopper303]

I will be using a hole saw to drill holes in the top of the cross member rails, that way I can drill straight into the top of the bench and bolt the jig down securely. Well that's enough for today. I need to go and buy a new shroud and some tips for the mig welder before I do any more. Hope you like the posts so far, please feel free to comment good or bad and ask questions

Chopper

[Deep Diver]

I'm want a workshop like that

[Davey the punk]

Me too I have to pull one trike out to work on the other one

[gorbee01279]

That's not a workshop! it's a factory.

[1130cc]

I still have a hankering for a Bandit 1200

[Chopper303]

I still have a hankering for a Bandit 1200

I will shortly have one for sale when I have finished putting it back together. All new paintwork. Lots of new bits including brakes, tyres, exhaust, windowed engine cases, seat, etc etc. About 22000 miles on the clock, will have a full MOT. Be like a new bike when I am finished with it.

Chopper

[Chopper303]

I'm want a workshop like that

Not always had a big workshop. Years ago, I had just split from my first wife. I was sharing a house with two other guys, (Both assholes). No garage, not even a shed. My bike was in bits including the engine and I was on my arse financially. I managed to borrow a 6 man army tent and set it up in the back garden just in time for 12 inches of snow. I had to run three extension leads into the tent and cover the plugs with bins bags. Needed power to run a single bulb light. Every time I fired up a drill or grinder the bulb dimmed and then the fuse blew. Fecking nightmare trying to get the bike back together, but I did it in 2 weeks. I fell out with the other two guys when one of them tried to nick the few tools that I had. Big fight in the kitchen and hallway, quite a bit of damage to the house.

I built this workshop myself. 60 x 20 feet. We sold our old house and bought 31/2 acres with a dilapidated sheep shed that is about 150 years old. We converted the sheep shed to a small cottage, not quite finished the cottage as I did the workshop first. All oak beams and two feet thick stone walls. Quite cosy with the amount of insulation we had to put in for the building regs.

Must admit to feeling a tad pleased with myself having the workshop.

Chopper