350 Dollars For That? (A New Mad Scientist Project)

Stretch67 · 08-14-2007, 01:09 PM

$309 actually, plus shipping. So I'm a bad guesser of shipping charges and a lousy mathematician...

Nope, won't do it. Not when I can build one.

Ladies and Germs, the Stretchatec Skid Plate...

Since I don't have access to metal-stamping machines and presses, I had to weld it all together from flat sheet. Each facet is a piece of 1/8-inch sheet aluminum, individually fitted and welded front and back. The skidplate itself was welded with .030 3034 aluminum wire in a MIG machine with 100% argon shielding gas.

The thickness of the welds gave me enough material at the edges and corners to grind and sand until each corner was nicely rounded. Then I sanded it with 80-grit paper on a dual-action air sander.

The frame is 3/4-inch steel square tubing. Welding was done with the MIG welder using .023 solid steel wire and 75/25 Argon/CO2. The rear mount sandwiches the centerstand mounts between the skidplate frame mounts and the bike frame. Come winter I'll take it apart and have it powder-coated.

Detail showing the modified Touratec crash bars. I lengthened the crossbar mounting tabs so that I could use two bolts per side, instead of just one. This keeps the crossbar from rotating up and down. Then I welded a skidplate mounting tab onto the Touratec crossbar.

It has paid for itself already. I hadn't done any trails at all on this bike, knowing from my Alaska ride (on a rental) how much damage loose rocks can cause. The skidplate on the Alaska rental saved the exhaust and cases numerous times, so I knew I would need a skidplate on the Tigger before I did any serious off-roading.

I met WIDGIN and TigerRider for some trail riding this past weekend, and I lost count of the number of times I heard big rocks ricocheting off my new skid plate. There are a couple good gouges visible in the above photos.

fullmonte · 08-14-2007, 02:56 PM

Nice fab work. Looks great. I agree, they are charging way too much for a farking skid plate.

testrider · 08-14-2007, 03:03 PM

Nice job! I didn't know that you can use steel wire to weld aluminum? I have a MIG with Argon/Co2 too but I neve welded aluminum...

Stretch67 · 08-14-2007, 03:15 PM

Point taken. I edited the post to indicate the different MIG setups for each metal.

Thanks.

DireWolf · 08-14-2007, 03:34 PM

Very nice indeed.

I am still a little star-struck by those Jesse bags, but that skidplate is fantastic!

CA_Strom · 08-14-2007, 03:55 PM

Very nice work!! Looks better than the pricey Motech plate on my wee strom!

Sock Puppet · 08-14-2007, 08:51 PM

I like it! What's your Paypal address?

Stretch67 · 08-14-2007, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Countducula

I like it! What's your Paypal address?

$400 USD to Stretch67@spankyourmonkey.com

Models for commercial sale will look curiously like Touratec's.

The above comment was a joke. Don't send me money, because I'll just send you a $310 Touratec and pocket the change.

eatalotapeaches · 08-16-2007, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stretch67

$400 USD to Stretch67@spankyourmonkey.com

Models for commercial sale will look curiously like Touratec's.

The above comment was a joke. Don't send me money, because I'll just send you a $310 Touratec and pocket the change.

Tease!

08-14-2007, 01:09 PM	#1
Stretch67 ^OP Mad Scientist Joined: Mar 2006 Location: Bent, but not broken Oddometer: 3,173	350 Dollars For That? (A New Mad Scientist Project) $309 actually, plus shipping. So I'm a bad guesser of shipping charges and a lousy mathematician... Nope, won't do it. Not when I can build one. Ladies and Germs, the Stretchatec Skid Plate... Since I don't have access to metal-stamping machines and presses, I had to weld it all together from flat sheet. Each facet is a piece of 1/8-inch sheet aluminum, individually fitted and welded front and back. The skidplate itself was welded with .030 3034 aluminum wire in a MIG machine with 100% argon shielding gas. The thickness of the welds gave me enough material at the edges and corners to grind and sand until each corner was nicely rounded. Then I sanded it with 80-grit paper on a dual-action air sander. The frame is 3/4-inch steel square tubing. Welding was done with the MIG welder using .023 solid steel wire and 75/25 Argon/CO2. The rear mount sandwiches the centerstand mounts between the skidplate frame mounts and the bike frame. Come winter I'll take it apart and have it powder-coated. Detail showing the modified Touratec crash bars. I lengthened the crossbar mounting tabs so that I could use two bolts per side, instead of just one. This keeps the crossbar from rotating up and down. Then I welded a skidplate mounting tab onto the Touratec crossbar. It has paid for itself already. I hadn't done any trails at all on this bike, knowing from my Alaska ride (on a rental) how much damage loose rocks can cause. The skidplate on the Alaska rental saved the exhaust and cases numerous times, so I knew I would need a skidplate on the Tigger before I did any serious off-roading. I met WIDGIN and TigerRider for some trail riding this past weekend, and I lost count of the number of times I heard big rocks ricocheting off my new skid plate. There are a couple good gouges visible in the above photos. __________________ IBA # 33113 Alaska 2007 Blue Ridge Parkway & Outer Banks 2009 XR400 Thread Index Stretch67 screwed with this post 08-14-2007 at 03:24 PM

08-14-2007, 02:56 PM	#2
fullmonte Reformed Kneedragger Joined: Nov 2005 Location: Chattanooga, Tennessee Oddometer: 4,383	Nice fab work. Looks great. I agree, they are charging way too much for a farking skid plate. __________________ "If you are looking for the typical ride to a restaurant, eat tacos, hold the middle finger over the food, stop and take a picture of a gravel road type ride, you probably won't be interested." - dlrides "A guy I know was the lead researcher for the University of Utah federally funded study of cellphone and texting use while driving. He found that your twice as dangerous as a drunk while using your cell phone and I think it was up to six times worse if the driver was texting."-dakardad

08-14-2007, 03:15 PM	#4
Stretch67 ^OP Mad Scientist Joined: Mar 2006 Location: Bent, but not broken Oddometer: 3,173	Point taken. I edited the post to indicate the different MIG setups for each metal. Thanks. __________________ IBA # 33113 Alaska 2007 Blue Ridge Parkway & Outer Banks 2009 XR400 Thread Index Stretch67 screwed with this post 08-14-2007 at 03:23 PM

08-14-2007, 03:34 PM	#5
DireWolf Knees in the Breeze Joined: Jun 2006 Location: In the Mustard Booyah. Whooop!! Oddometer: 4,758	Very nice indeed. I am still a little star-struck by those Jesse bags, but that skidplate is fantastic! __________________ And all you are left with is a vast featureless blancmange de merde. - Bongolia 2003 XR650R (plated) For Sale

08-14-2007, 03:55 PM	#6
CA_Strom Cunning Linguist Joined: Jan 2005 Location: The Temples of Syrinx (So. CA) Oddometer: 1,805	Very nice work!! Looks better than the pricey Motech plate on my wee strom! __________________ "It was exciting, and funny later, but nerve-racking at the time -- adventures suck when you're having them" - Neil Peart, Roadshow.

08-14-2007, 03:03 PM	#3
testrider Gnarly Adventurer Joined: May 2006 Location: Los Angeles, California Oddometer: 106	Nice job! I didn't know that you can use steel wire to weld aluminum? I have a MIG with Argon/Co2 too but I neve welded aluminum...

08-14-2007, 08:51 PM	#7
Sock Puppet Dirty again Joined: Mar 2006 Location: Northern New Mexico Oddometer: 480	I like it! What's your Paypal address? __________________ It is better to burn out than to rust out.--Richard Cumberland The farkling quest continues...

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