Topic: making a front fender from scratch?

[Industrial Rat400f Killer]

I'd like to make my own front fender from scratch.
What gauge of metal should I get?
I build cabinets/furniture and do carpentry for a living so I have a shop with many tools and general shaping know-how. I was wondering if anybody has some pointers for bending/shaping without one of those hammer mill thingies I see the custom shops using all the time on the boob tube.

[KingCustomCycles.com]

English wheel or planishing hammer, or both.  I vote for fiberglass for your purpose.  Create a wood plug mold the shape you want the inside of the fender to be and lay it up.  Another alternative is modifying an existing fender off of a odd ball bike like a motorcross or even a bicycle.  Mopeds, scooters, etc.. all had unique tanks and fenders that can be modified to be very cool.  As for me, no front fender is best (unless I am protecting a radiator or some other functional purpose.  I don't ride in the rain.   

[754]

Thickness will depend somewhat on how big the fender is and how it is mounted..

Your wood skill will helf make a buck or form, but are not going to help much with the metall

 Never ride in the rain.. Does that mean you dont travel?

[Industrial Rat400f Killer]

So if I decide to go with fiber glass should I figure in some rubber washers around the connections and should I slip metal washers into the fiber glass while making it for better strength?
 
I take it that just hand rolling the shape with whatever I can come up with  out of metal would be to problematic?
I had visions of clamping the metal to a mold for the roundness to match tire diameter and then using a body hammer to roll the edges. I know there would be some unevenness but I figured it would be minimal and I could use bondo to feather it out. Is that impossible?

[754]

You wood have to shrink, which takes a bit to learn.

If you sawed out the inner lip radius out of a wood block, then milled the cavity of the fender shape, you might be able to stretch out the piece, after fastening your metal blank to the wood with screws.

Might be easier to follow this way.  You take a 6 in square wood block, then turn out a depression in it that looks like an ashtray, smaller than 5.5 across.. Now take a 6x6 piece of aluminum and screw it down allong the perimeter.. nowcarefully , pound out that shape , by stretching the aluminum down into the cavity.

[Industrial Rat400f Killer]

That makes since, I'll give it a try. Any particular gauge or should I just go look at sheets and go with what looks right.

[HavocTurbo]

With aluminum sheet...

I always take what thickness I want it to be when finished.... and go 2 sizes thicker to begin with.

Seems to work out for me with gas tanks and panels and such.

Never have made an alloy fender though.

[KingCustomCycles.com]

Alloy, guys, alloy.  All the fancy shaping you see done by hand is an art, and science, of starting with a metal in its softened state and then heat hardening it when the final shape is achieved.  It is much more about ductility, annealing, and alloy than the form used to bend or hold it. Thickness is a minor issue compared to the condition of the metal.  Some metals can be heat treated when finished and some cannot.  Metals also "work harden" as they are formed and have to be resoftened periodically.  Cracking is a big issue during forming, as well as shrinking the metal to ease into shape.  I have all the machines to do metal forming at school and I have attempted it just enough to know it is much more difficult than it apperas.  Welding edges and then grinding a radius would be an option.  many chopper guys buy 2 fenders and cut them down the center to weld in a new section to widen.  They also cut out sections to narrow.  Both of your ideas with grommets and inlaying washers will work with the fiberglass. 

And no, I don't travel with my bikes as asked above.  I will be this Summer however on my Bobbed Goldwing.  (complete with front fender) 

[Industrial Rat400f Killer]

I've got some research to do.

[goon 1492]

What King said. I dig your wing brother, I would love to have a wing to bob.
What you are getting into is exactly what King said, it will take you a few years to get it right. I started out small with aluminum 3003(soft already) and made ash trays to get the feel of the metal, then you have to get the feel of when its getting work hardened and have to re-anneal (soften) so you don't make cracks. I started out doing this with sterling silver making jewelry.... Man silver burns easily....
Watch out for that english wheel it will make sheet skin out of fingers before you can blink

[bert96]

 I bought my fenders(made in fiberglass) from this guy.They are well made,i'm very satisfied.

 Here's the link,

http://www.kgcycles.com/products.htm

[Industrial Rat400f Killer]

Thanks for the link but I'm actually interested in making my own for the experience. I've recently developed an interest in doing all my own work as a hobby and figured starting with a front fender would be something I could screw up a few times without spending a bunch of money.

[ohiocaferacer]

I have made alloy fenders....really not that difficult if you have worked in aluminum before.

Hammering a fender into a mold isnt gonna work....i've tried it. The only true way I have found to get the right radius and curvature is using an english wheel. You really dont need a shrinker/stretcher for a motorcycle fender. Once you know what your doing...they are pretty easy.

Alloy fender I just made for the new 2009 CB350 race bike: