Skills required to do mods, builds, and other wild stuff

[FR700]

Originally Posted by Beezer

... that requires wench skills

Wench you say ... 'splains why I don't see more updates on that outstanding project of yours ... too busy chasing women


.

[flemsmith]

...and the attitude that you keep taking something apart til you get it to fit properly without forcing it. I've always said that I have to be willing to do something at least three times without getting mad. Most of my learning problems were because I was trying to fit something without disassembling enough peripheral stuff to make it easy to get to (and see, and have room to modify) whatever it is I'm working on. Another rule is that nothing aftermarket ever fits exactly right without a little modification/persuasion. And if you have to use a lot of force on something, stop and figure out what is wrong before you break it.

roy

[Beezer]

yes.... still working on my "wench" skills... they could use some improvement

as for the Ambulator.... it's coming along. I will finish the wiring today. then it's final assembly time. and finish the windshield is half done... thats the last crucial bit

[FR700]

Coming up with the original inspiration to build the Ambulator is in itself noteworthy. Your execution of it is outstanding


Personally I was mesmerized by your detail work on the mufflers.

[gatorgrizz27]

IMO, motorcycle mechanic schools are a waste, even if your plan is to become a motorcycle mechanic as a full time career. You will learn much more from hands on experience and the Internet provides so much information that there is little need for schooling besides something like a mentor/apprenticeship.

While a lathe and tig are indispensable for some of the more technical projects, it makes little sense to spend $5,000 on 2 machines that require extensive skill to use properly when you are starting out. I would start by looking for a basic mig welding class at a local trade school or community college. If you enjoy it, get a 110v mig welder like a Hobart or Lincoln, both which cost around $500. Get a couple of angle grinders for cutting wheels, grinding wheels, and flap discs, and an oxy-acetelyne torch set. You will be able to do just about anything besides making custom bushings to fit wheels or forks, and weld stainless exhausts or aluminum with those tools.

Keep in mind that while mechanic and fabrication skills are both used building custom motorcycles, they really are 2 completely different skill sets. The best welder in the world may not be able to diagnose something as simple as a plugged pilot jet, and vise versa.

[SloMo228]

Originally Posted by gatorgrizz27

IMO, motorcycle mechanic schools are a waste, even if your plan is to become a motorcycle mechanic as a full time career. You will learn much more from hands on experience and the Internet provides so much information that there is little need for schooling besides something like a mentor/apprenticeship.

While a lathe and tig are indispensable for some of the more technical projects, it makes little sense to spend $5,000 on 2 machines that require extensive skill to use properly when you are starting out. I would start by looking for a basic mig welding class at a local trade school or community college. If you enjoy it, get a 110v mig welder like a Hobart or Lincoln, both which cost around $500. Get a couple of angle grinders for cutting wheels, grinding wheels, and flap discs, and an oxy-acetelyne torch set. You will be able to do just about anything besides making custom bushings to fit wheels or forks, and weld stainless exhausts or aluminum with those tools.

Keep in mind that while mechanic and fabrication skills are both used building custom motorcycles, they really are 2 completely different skill sets. The best welder in the world may not be able to diagnose something as simple as a plugged pilot jet, and vise versa.

+1. Having the all the toys is nice, but you have to know how to use them too. You can go a long way with a drill press, grinder, vice, and MIG, and you can get all that for less than one nice TIG and definitely less than a good lathe or mill.

Buying used tools is a good idea, too. My bench vise and drill press were both used and cost $100 for the both of them. A lot of the older tools are higher quality than most of what you can buy new anyway.

[Roadracer_Al]

I'm all about learning from books

Here is a thread I started on gearhead books:

http://advrider.com/forums/showthrea...ighlight=books

and another one

http://advrider.com/forums/showthrea...ighlight=books

Get your head working right, and even if you have to cut tubes with a hacksaw and file them to fit, you'll build good-working stuff. The tools don't make the craftsman.

[sailah]

I've watched a ton of videos too.

Keith fenner and tubalcain are two guys I've learned a bunch from on youtube

[hmmwv15]

I took an intro to welding course as an elective at a local tech school. I loved that class more than what I was actually going for. So much that if I were to go back for anything, it would probably be more welding. I had been around welding and backyard fabrication, but had never picked up a welder until I took that class. It got my feet wet into stick, mig, and tig welding. I really want to get into tig but I have no machine to use.

Best bang for the buck for a good mig welder would probably be the Hobart handler 140. $500 plus tax and you are set up with flux core wire, ready to weld out of the box, no gas necessary. It comes with a 1/2 spool of flux core to get you started, as well as everything you need to run regular wire and gas. If you decide you want to get more into welding all you have to do is buy a small tank of gas to go along with it. Should you decide it isn't your thing, I'll bet it would be very easy to sell a lightly used Hobart than it would a lightly used Chicago electric jobber from harbor freight. If you can swing it, a millermatic 140 is a tad nicer because the voltage is more adjustable. The hobart 140 only has four voltage settings, and sometimes you need in between them but you can still fudge it with technique and wire speed settings.

Personally I wouldn't go to trade school for auto/motorcycle mechanics. Easy for me to say having already gone. Still though, I can't speak for every course or every school, but my instructor was horrible and it seemed as though the curriculum revolved more around "put a box in it" which means "install a new part" rather than actually diagnosing what is wrong. Not to say I didn't learn anything, but it just wasn't worth it for me. May be different for you I don't know.

All I have is my hobart 140, cheap dremel, drill and assorted bits, a 3" bench vice, a hacksaw with a worn out blade, and a cheap 4.5" angle grinder from harbor freight with various wheels. Vice grips come in handy too. I'm definitely not a pro, but it's amazing how much you can do with a small amount of power tools and a little bit of creativity.

I'm drooling over a tig welder, tube bender, lathe, and band saw. SOMEDAY!!

Oh, and material! You start welding and you'll be looking in ditches for metal scrap you can make some use out of!

x2 on reading everyone elses builds, eats up a ton of my free time. It's a love/hate thing.

[Beezer]

hobart 140 is a good little machine. the wire feed speed also fine tunes the voltage to get you what you want. trouble is, you may get it faster than you like but if you are ready to move faster or slower to compensate it works pretty good. get an auto darkening hood

yard sale a few 4" grinders... I have 3. I set one up with a cut off wheel, one with a wire wheel, and one as a grinder