Topic: I'm in the Pittsburgh area & looking for a M/C machine shop..

[grcamna2]

I'm just E. of Pittsburgh,PA. now and looking for a engine machine work guy/place that'll rebuild 2 crankshafts for me.They're the standard pressed together type used on Hondas.I'm just trying to find someone over this way possibly local or even 100 mile radius from me.I paid shipping up to Pittsfield,MA. w/ the box of parts to a buddy 'who knows a good machinist'  only to learn "I'm too busy" after he had the parts all Winter.I'll be driving up to visit my buddy this weekend anyway(500 miles one-way) and p-up the parts while I'm up there.
We don't have that many M/C shops out this way and I just moved here 1.5 yrs. ago.
I prefer a privateer who has quality control and is reasonable similar to MRieck here on the forum  . I'd love to find a local welder(I don't weld and work out of my storage for now)who does it 'on the side' part-time also..
                              Any recommends will be sure appreciated 

[jgmmgood]

Hi There GRC,
I grew up in the "Burgh and I would say you might want to check with Valley Cycle in North Versailles.  They also have a ton of old stuff in the basement and always seemed knowledgeable....Another decent shop specialized in Brit stuff is Rask up in Evans City. 
Jim

[05c50]

I know of two in the area - Greensburg/Latrobe. Send me a pm if you haven't found someone.

......Paul

[grcamna2]

05c50,
I'd like to find one in either Greensburg or Latrobe.I went to one in Greensburg on Pittsbugh st. a few months back and asked if they'd hone out a little 40mm  2-stroke cylinder .008in. to fit a piston for me and they wanted $85..
I then went down Main st. in Greensburg just around the corner from them to see another small automotive machine shop and that guy asked for $100 to do the job...  I have other machine work I need done and Also looking for a person who'll do some welding for me.
I have two single cylinder Honda crankshafts that need rebuilt and I have all the parts to do them.We had a tiny little all-around machine shop which was run by older dudes down the road here for over 43 yrs.(I was told)just close their doors last year which I just found... 
I also have other machine work I need done from time to time and hate to have to pay shipping but will do that if I can't find a helpful guy to do these locally.
I don't mind driving 30 miles if I can find someone reasonable here in W. PA.

[grcamna2]

Hi There GRC,
I grew up in the "Burgh and I would say you might want to check with Valley Cycle in North Versailles.  They also have a ton of old stuff in the basement and always seemed knowledgeable....Another decent shop specialized in Brit stuff is Rask up in Evans City. 
Jim

ok Jim, I'll call Valley Cycle tomorrow and ask.

[grcamna2]

I got your PM Paul,I'll give him a call,thanks.

[grcamna2]

I got your PM Paul,I'll give him a call,thanks.

05c50,
Paul,I was able to speak w/ Bruno in Latrobe,PA. this eve. and I'm set to bring my parts out to him on Fri. for him to have a look. 

[05c50]

Good, let me know how it turns out. Hope he can do everything you need.

.........Paul

[grcamna2]

05 Paul,
I just went to his machine shop this eve. and met Bruno;he's on the line between Greensburg & Latrobe.He's very busy but said he'd do my small job. 
A local M/C/powersport machine shop is not an easy one to find,ask me how I know 

[05c50]

Great! I hope he does a good job for you.

.....Paul

[grcamna2]

Well so far this local machinist(he lives at home w/ his parents so maybe isn't too motivated) hasn't been answering my 3 calls for over a week and  now I'm asking: "does anyone else know of a local person to my area that will do motorcycle/powersports machine work" ??

 Happy Easter everybody 

[grcamna2]

bump
The man didn't return my(4) calls and it's been 2 weeks.. The last time I was there his dog was in the shop and bit me and he didn't respond to that problem. 

This is the Spring time and I have machine work I need done. 
I waited all Winter for another machinist to do the work after I had sent the stuff through a contact in W. MA. that I thought was legit and what I got out of that was a broken cylinder after he dropped one of the 2 cast iron cylinders I sent to him off his work area: no go.I had to purchase another cylinder and he wouldn't reimburse me for my loss 
I've been patient and trusted these folks,'by the book'... now I want to begin the journey of learning to trust a machinist again 

Anyone else know of a local to me who has Integrity ?
I don't have a shop so I'm dependent on an outside source to do the work.

[grcamna2]

Hi There GRC,
I grew up in the "Burgh and I would say you might want to check with Valley Cycle in North Versailles.  They also have a ton of old stuff in the basement and always seemed knowledgeable....Another decent shop specialized in Brit stuff is Rask up in Evans City. 
Jim

ok Jim, I'll call Valley Cycle tomorrow and ask.

Jim,
I never did call them yet,I thought I had a fresh start w/ a person not far from me here... I don't know where to turn right now as far as trying another one.. but I do need machine work done.

[grcamna2]

Hi There GRC,
I grew up in the "Burgh and I would say you might want to check with Valley Cycle in North Versailles.  They also have a ton of old stuff in the basement and always seemed knowledgeable....Another decent shop specialized in Brit stuff is Rask up in Evans City. 
Jim

ok Jim, I'll call Valley Cycle tomorrow and ask.

Jim,
I never did call them yet,I thought I had a fresh start w/ a person not far from me here... I don't know where to turn right now as far as trying another one.. but I do need machine work done.

Jim,
I called Valley cycle in E.Mckeesport today and the man who does the machine work(Bruce) wasn't in today,they said he should be in tomorrow..

They've been in business and 'dealing directly with the general public' for over 30+ yrs. which i hope will give them more sincere integrity than some of these independents who only deal w/ 'buddies'; here's 'keeping my fingers crossed' 
I just hope I can afford them.

[grcamna2]

Well,I'm reviving this thread considering all the 'water under the bridge' so far from sending my parts out to another out-of-town powersports small independent machinist who's practically unreachable.I Finally got my parts back w/ damage from his efforts.
I'm back to looking for a machinist around here locally who cares and is somewhat reasonable.I need a small timing sprocket pressed on(the last machinist who worked on it did it wrong so I ordered another timing sprocket) to my XR200R crankshaft along with checking it out completely.I had another machine shop rebuild it but want to make sure it is completely with factory specification;I have all the spec sheets from my Factory Honda Service manual so that will help. Can anyone recommend a local shop to me who can help somewhere in W. PA. ??
                                                                                                                                                                    PM's welcome anytime