Rookie wanna-be weldor starting to make some cool things! - Page 5

JimVonBaden · 10-08-2010, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mouthfulloflake

Does the entire weight of each pannier rest on the threaded shank of those knobs in shear?

or is there some other support I havent seen there?

I am betting he attaches a couple of hooks that catch the bottom rail!

Jim

Timmer · 10-08-2010, 09:02 AM

My HT Panniers use an L-shaped phenolic (plastic) block that hooks on the bottom rail. The knobs are just there to hold the panniers to the rack. The key design element is to spread the load along the length of the bottom rail.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimVonBaden

I am betting he attaches a couple of hooks that catch the bottom rail!

Jim

mouthfulloflake · 10-08-2010, 10:19 AM

right, that is how all of them that I have seen mount ( other than Jesse's Luggage)

I want to see the home brewed lower pucks!
I looked at prefabbed hoops, .710, and a5/8 and all that route for doing the same thing, so this is pretty interesting to me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timmer

My HT Panniers use an L-shaped phenolic (plastic) block that hooks on the bottom rail. The knobs are just there to hold the panniers to the rack. The key design element is to spread the load along the length of the bottom rail.

wirewrkr · 10-08-2010, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimVonBaden

Looks great!

By the way, your tags are out of date!

Jim

You mean Christmas has come and gone and I missed it again?

Look again Jim

kirkster70 · 10-08-2010, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimVonBaden

Looks great!

By the way, your tags are out of date!

Jim

Thanks!

In a month and a half, you will be right!

kirkster70 · 10-08-2010, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimVonBaden

I am betting he attaches a couple of hooks that catch the bottom rail!

Jim

I'm going to bend a "Z" bar that will bolt to the bag and rest on the top of the bottom of the hoop (if that makes any sense! Ha Ha!)

I will make it the entire width of the interior of the hoop for max. weight distribution. The cheapie pucks shoudn't have any shear load on them at all.

kirkster70 · 10-08-2010, 10:30 AM

Ready for more pics?

kirkster70 · 10-08-2010, 10:47 AM

Ok, back to the lids. I laid them out, cut them out, and bent the long sides on the brake. I allowed 1/8" slack on each side. So, 9" wide? I laid out for 9 1/4". 18" long? Yep - 18 1/4". Then I laid out for the flanges and cut everything before bending.

Now, for bending the short sides since the brake couldn't do it, I cut two pieces of scrap flatbar to sandwich the bend in the vise. I clamped the pieces first, then put it in the vise so that the top of the jaw was even with the bend mark.

Yep. It worked! I did use a body hammer to take some of the radius out for a sharper bend.

I got these cheap-o vise soft jaws somewhere years ago, and they are great for this very thing. They keep from marring soft things. Wood scraps would do the same trick, though.

All corners welded up.

Corners dressed up with a 40 grit flap disc. Flap discs are pretty pricey at $8 a piece, but they last quite a while for me, grind fast, and finish at the same time without changing to a finer grit. I like 'em!

All dressed up and nowhere to go.

Have you been wondering - "How in the heck does this guy get so much done in a day?" Well, I work 4 days, then have 4 off. I'm at the end of a break (boo-hoo) and go back tomorrow.

So, I will be riding my bike, and don't want to tear into the signals until next break. Plus, I'm going to knock off early today, clean up my mess, and have some good quality time when the kiddos get home.

So, more progress pics will be a few days from now.

...until then.

Timmer · 10-08-2010, 04:35 PM

Fabrication envy!!

JimVonBaden · 10-08-2010, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kirkster70

Thanks!

In a month and a half, you will be right!

Nothing like planning ahead!

Seriously,

Jim

kirkster70 · 10-09-2010, 11:28 AM

Okay, I don't have to go in until later, so I actually made some progress this morning. I slipped down to the hardware store once again, this time for some 3/16" diameter x 1/8" aluminum pop rivets. Remember the extra 1/8" for layout on the lids? This is why.

I scored the latch hardware on ebay, and had to do multiple searches through seemingly endless pages to find the ones with ears for padlocks. I'll probably never lock them, but I wanted the option. I think 4 latches shipped was $17 and change.

First, I installed foam insulation tape x 7/8" along the top flange. Then I drilled everything out, then mounted latches on the front and back of each bag. Helpful tip: install the catches on the lids first. Then compress the foam a bit to mark and drill the lower half. Otherwise, your latch will be loose. I did have to go back and drill one out and lower it, so learn from my mistake.

I've been racking my brain for the lower support. I have some 3/16" flatbar, but it's narrower than I wanted to use. I was looking through my building for some scrap thick plastic that would be suitable after thinking about what Timmer had to say, but I couldn't come up with anything.

I had a nice 3/8" thick scrap chunk of aluminum angle that I was eyeballing. Overkill? You betcha. At least it will match the rack. Once I trim it down, maybe it won't be so bad.

Here's what I came up with. It sits on the full width of the bottom rail, plus has plenty to attach to the bag. I cut some ears of the same material and welded them on with the spoolgun and .035 wire. I ground the tops and ends, but left the bottom welds alone. There won't be any load at all on the ears - they will just keep the bottom of the bag from sliding outward.

The upper part still looks like a bit much to me, so I may trim that down a bit. I have plenty of time to think about it.

So...what's left? Turn signal relocation, drilling of bags for mounting hardware, and this...........

From what I've read, it's supposed to be pretty good stuff. I will line the insides of the bags, and if I have enough left over, I will do the insides of the lids, and the mating surface where the lower supports rest on the inner rack.

ALMOST DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Maggot12 · 10-09-2010, 11:39 AM

Great job.....although you did disappoint me a little by not putting the heads of the rivets on the outside, especially the lids.

kirkster70 · 10-09-2010, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maggot12

Great job.....although you did disappoint me a little by not putting the heads of the rivets on the outside, especially the lids.

Ha Ha! Yeah, I honestly don't think I had the room on the inside, but then again, I didn't try, either.

Hmmm..... you've got me thinking now.

I might be able to hammer the insides flat if I flipped the rivets around.

And you know what? Things like that bug the crap out of me, too, so I'll probably give it a try.

Plus, I don't like disappointing people!

Quacked · 10-09-2010, 03:24 PM

If you use aviation style squashable rivets they will give you plenty of clearance and look totally in tune with your turned aluminum bags...

kirkster70 · 10-09-2010, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quacked

If you use aviation style squashable rivets they will give you plenty of clearance and look totally in tune with your turned aluminum bags...

I'll have to keep that in mind for if I make a top case.

I did go ahead and flip the rivets around before I left for work. I tried one and then hammered the inside flat on the anvil part of the vise and I just did have enough room.

Of course, then the outside of the rivet was mangled from the anvil, so I did a quick pass with the grinder, and all is well.

Maggot shamed me!

Seriously, thank you for that. If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right.

I left the rivets in the bag alone so they won't be chewing up whatever is in the bag. They are concealed when latched shut.

10-08-2010, 04:35 PM	#69
Timmer Beastly Adventurer Joined: Oct 2006 Location: Burien, WA Oddometer: 2,033	Fabrication envy!! __________________ Tim in Burien, WA '05 R1200GS (Sleeping in Germany) '03 F650GS '03 Wing '01 ST1100

10-09-2010, 11:28 AM	#71
kirkster70 ^OP moto junkie Joined: Aug 2008 Location: Virginia Oddometer: 1,701	Okay, I don't have to go in until later, so I actually made some progress this morning. I slipped down to the hardware store once again, this time for some 3/16" diameter x 1/8" aluminum pop rivets. Remember the extra 1/8" for layout on the lids? This is why. I scored the latch hardware on ebay, and had to do multiple searches through seemingly endless pages to find the ones with ears for padlocks. I'll probably never lock them, but I wanted the option. I think 4 latches shipped was $17 and change. First, I installed foam insulation tape x 7/8" along the top flange. Then I drilled everything out, then mounted latches on the front and back of each bag. Helpful tip: install the catches on the lids first. Then compress the foam a bit to mark and drill the lower half. Otherwise, your latch will be loose. I did have to go back and drill one out and lower it, so learn from my mistake. I've been racking my brain for the lower support. I have some 3/16" flatbar, but it's narrower than I wanted to use. I was looking through my building for some scrap thick plastic that would be suitable after thinking about what Timmer had to say, but I couldn't come up with anything. I had a nice 3/8" thick scrap chunk of aluminum angle that I was eyeballing. Overkill? You betcha. At least it will match the rack. Once I trim it down, maybe it won't be so bad. Here's what I came up with. It sits on the full width of the bottom rail, plus has plenty to attach to the bag. I cut some ears of the same material and welded them on with the spoolgun and .035 wire. I ground the tops and ends, but left the bottom welds alone. There won't be any load at all on the ears - they will just keep the bottom of the bag from sliding outward. The upper part still looks like a bit much to me, so I may trim that down a bit. I have plenty of time to think about it. So...what's left? Turn signal relocation, drilling of bags for mounting hardware, and this........... From what I've read, it's supposed to be pretty good stuff. I will line the insides of the bags, and if I have enough left over, I will do the insides of the lids, and the mating surface where the lower supports rest on the inner rack. ALMOST DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! kirkster70 screwed with this post 10-09-2010 at 11:38 AM

10-09-2010, 11:39 AM	#72
Maggot12 U'mmmm yeaah!! Joined: Feb 2010 Location: Barrie Ont Oddometer: 1,642	Great job.....although you did disappoint me a little by not putting the heads of the rivets on the outside, especially the lids. __________________ Maggot Don't sweat the petty things; Pet the sweaty things !!!

10-09-2010, 03:24 PM	#74
Quacked Loose Head Bolt Joined: Oct 2008 Location: Just south of Sac. (Does that make me an Asshole?) Oddometer: 176	If you use aviation style squashable rivets they will give you plenty of clearance and look totally in tune with your turned aluminum bags... __________________ In my humble yet deadly accurate opinion...

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10-08-2010, 10:30 AM	#67
kirkster70 ^OP moto junkie Joined: Aug 2008 Location: Virginia Oddometer: 1,701	Ready for more pics?

10-08-2010, 10:47 AM	#68
kirkster70 ^OP moto junkie Joined: Aug 2008 Location: Virginia Oddometer: 1,701	Ok, back to the lids. I laid them out, cut them out, and bent the long sides on the brake. I allowed 1/8" slack on each side. So, 9" wide? I laid out for 9 1/4". 18" long? Yep - 18 1/4". Then I laid out for the flanges and cut everything before bending. Now, for bending the short sides since the brake couldn't do it, I cut two pieces of scrap flatbar to sandwich the bend in the vise. I clamped the pieces first, then put it in the vise so that the top of the jaw was even with the bend mark. Yep. It worked! I did use a body hammer to take some of the radius out for a sharper bend. I got these cheap-o vise soft jaws somewhere years ago, and they are great for this very thing. They keep from marring soft things. Wood scraps would do the same trick, though. All corners welded up. Corners dressed up with a 40 grit flap disc. Flap discs are pretty pricey at $8 a piece, but they last quite a while for me, grind fast, and finish at the same time without changing to a finer grit. I like 'em! All dressed up and nowhere to go. Have you been wondering - "How in the heck does this guy get so much done in a day?" Well, I work 4 days, then have 4 off. I'm at the end of a break (boo-hoo) and go back tomorrow. So, I will be riding my bike, and don't want to tear into the signals until next break. Plus, I'm going to knock off early today, clean up my mess, and have some good quality time when the kiddos get home. So, more progress pics will be a few days from now. ...until then.