The need for a lathe..WARNING RANT CONTENT!

[tombeau]

Well I sneaked out to fit the back wheel to my bike late last night, the new spindles [£80 thank you] are machined wrong, slightly too big to fit the bearings, and I'm not sure that the new bearing for the new hub is going to fit either.

Fortunately I know someone with access to a lathe. Time to ask for another favour. Why the heck is it neccessary to own a lathe just to run a motorbike? After mucking about with the hodge podge of components on the bike, I had thought that buying all the correct bits (full set of spindles, spacers, new QD drum/sprocket and bearing)would sort those problems. I really have to wonder about the other measurements on these parts. Being  charitable; maybe they were the correct size before they were plated and it is good that the bits can be bought new.

My bike, somehow in the last couple of months, has just become something else on my "More stuff to do" list.

I'll just get back in my corner and growl at anyone who comes too close.

Iain

[69Bonni]

Hi Iain
I know how you feel mate, having but the Bonnie and the A65T from Basket cases it can drive you mental!

For me having had bikes for years and coming from a Bike background i "Assumed" (dont ever do that) That it was obvious that part A would fit part B, I mean there all A10's there all standard BSA parts, but the miriad of variations is unbelieveable!

On the Positive side you do learn an awful lot about bikes! and i thought i knew british bikes....
I have learnt the hard way for example all the differences between the Rocket Gold Star and the Road Rocket! Yes the single sided Goldie rear hub will fit on the swinging arm "BUT" .... Those fork shrouds will fit "BUT" i could go on but i dont need to tell you!

Sometimes i think Bugger i'll just build it as a Road Rocket!

I do have a Lathe (if i can find it) it is a small model makers lathe but it has been quite useful, i do ponder if it would be worth buying a bigger one for the times that i have used it. Its one of those things isnt it, you only use it now and again but dam handy when you have one.

BTW my labour of love at the moment is my workshop (oh eerr and the Garden, Her in doors is fed up with it looking like a building side, so am i to be honest). I have built a big workshop at the bottom of the garden that i have been dry lining, all the walls done now, just the roof, then the electrics etc, trouble is it instantly got filled with all the rubbish out of the garden Decking timber so on so forth, so as thats gradually going as i finish the garden. Light at the end of the tunnel now!
Then i'll be able to work on my bikes again.

Good luck with the spindle! i have all that to come... At present as i cant get to the bikes to work on im just gathering parts for the rebuild!

Regards

Steve

[tombeau]

Cheers Steve.
The QD swinging arm off a B31 is already in there, and I'm buying standard bits.

A friend was suggesting I buy a lathe..he loves his lathe and seems to spend his time thinking of things to do with it(making tools for his lathe with his lathe etc). But I only need things turned about once every 3 years. I'm not looking for a new hobby.
By law we have to have our chimneys swept once a year here....I'm not buying a set of sweeps brushes either!

Iain

[69Bonni]

That made me laugh!

If you have a mate with a Lathe thats all you need and you can (like Bikes and Computers) spend ages fiddling with them! I picked mine up off a mate, not used it much so cant justify buying a bigger one. Just useful sometimes!

I dunno mate you could branch out.... get a sidecar tie the brushes on the top, nice little business 8¬).

I discovered that i need a new swinging arm, for the QD hub and chainguard. im looking out for a B31/A7/A10 one, either that or i modify the one i have and put a brake torque mounting and lugs for the chainguard on it.

I should be able to pick one up somewhere

Take care

Steve

[LJ.]

Isn't...

(making tools for his lathe with his lathe etc)

a bit like... The chicken before the egg or the egg before the chicken? 

I 'could' have had a very nice early Myford lathe if I had got up off my backside and visited/begged an old next door neigbour now living (if he's still alive?) near Chesterfield. The guy had no family to leave it to and would remember, like I do, the many times I went round and watched him using the thing making various tools etc.

I constantly kick myself for not having done anything about it. 

[RichardL]

Tombeau

I take it that the spindles were plated when you got them. Maybe they just need the plating on the shafts electrochemically removed.

Richard L.

[69Bonni]

Yes you should have grabbed it LJ!

I is amazing how many little jobs you find for one once you have one! Skimming commutators, and altering bolts and fixings. I did try and talk myself into buying a bigger one, but i really dont think i could justify one, like Iain says. I guess a lot of people (and im no exception) are tool fiends. Im just a sucker to coin a phrase for tools.

I was always taught there is a correct tool for every job! I guess thats not the justification for buying them 8¬( and then of course there is the ability to be able to use it! I have always wanted to be able to use a Lathe and Mill really well and weld properly .... I was taught to weld while in the Navy! i Spent the whole of Christmas one year on the Ark Royal in Plymouth as fire picket to a really old dockyard Welder, he taught me to weld while he sat on the Welder smoking his pipe!! But its a bit different welding 1/2 plate!

I have come to the conclusion i dont have enough life left to do all i want to do, so i do what i can an enjoy!!

Regards

Steve
PS LJ youve changed your picture!

[tombeau]

Richard, Yes the spindles were plated when I got them.
I'll chase a friend with a lathe about it though, the thickness may be deeper than the plating.

Steve, I've noticed that lathes tend to be cheaper the bigger they are. I've known of a few to be free so long as you take them away...but boy were they big!
Cheers,
Iain

[69Bonni]

umm you have got me wondering about my spindle now. I remember when i got it, it was plated and i put it in the box with all the other parts for the rebuild, maybe tonight i might just offer it up to the wheel and bearings to check it all fits together.

I do have another spindle that came with the bike, but cant remember how worn that was now.

Ah well thats given me a job for tonight.

I guess the larger lathes are difficult to find a home for whereas the compact ones are ideal for guys like us

Steve

[trevinoz]

Tombeau, maybe you need a set of micrometers as well as a lathe.
Trev.

[tombeau]

Hei Trev,
I've got a set. I think they came from an Easter egg though.
Cheers,
Iain

[69Bonni]

Hi Ian, Trev

You'll be telling me you use a plastic rule next!

I can feel the snow ball effect coming....

Micrometers.... Vernier ... Dial gauges ... Vee blocks where will it all end!! 8¬)

Probably with a Lathe

Regards

Steve

[tombeau]

A friend machined my spindles and hub for me yesterday (holidays and stuff have interfered recently), put everything together...now the brakeplate doesnt fit! It grinds against the recess it is meant to sit in.
I'm going to get nasty with a dremel see if I can shave enough off it to fit.

My respect for Special and hybrid builders is growing.
I can't even get standard bits to fit!
Cheers,
Iain

[Brian]

Of course you need a lathe, just like you need more than one motorbike and needed to drink that second bottle of wine etc. I have had a lathe for about 30 years and are on my second one now and couldnt live without one. However, I recently realised that I need a milling machine, and now I need all the tooling to go with it, its never ending. No wonder I am broke all the time........................................

[trevinoz]

Tombeau, do you have the correct spacer between the brake plate and the bearing?
Trev.