Author Topic: Seamus - '74 550  (Read 34310 times)

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Offline Little_Horse

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Re: Seamus - '74 550
« Reply #100 on: April 07, 2010, 10:23:32 pm »
any pics of the rearsets yet? I am excited to see what you are planning.
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Offline theofam

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Re: Seamus - '74 550
« Reply #101 on: April 08, 2010, 09:06:10 pm »
Cornandp, I'll get some pics of the rearsets up early next week.  Given the Colorado Rockies' opening day tomorrow with my Pops and trying to paint a friend's fender Sun/Mon, I'm not finding much time for Seamus!

Today was spent driving around Colorado picking up a TIG!  I got a Lincoln Square Wave 175 w/ the whole shootin' match - tank, regulator, cart, and foot control.  I just need to buy a nice auto-darkening hood.  I can't wait to try to learn to lay some welds, so I can move on to fabricating rearset mounts, among other things.  I'll definitely be contacting you via PM with a few questions I already have.

Offline Little_Horse

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Re: Seamus - '74 550
« Reply #102 on: April 08, 2010, 09:32:36 pm »
those square wave machines are great, take a pic of the front of it and I will try and run through all the settings for you and what they change or do.  The auto darkening hoods at harbor freight are awesome and they are around $50 my first one lasted me three years of full time welding job use, so hundreds of hours. Mine also survived more then a few drops so durability is not an issue. I always buy the cheaper of the two hoods they have I think they use pretty much the same components.
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Offline theofam

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Re: Seamus - '74 550
« Reply #103 on: April 09, 2010, 09:00:50 am »
Cornandp, I was wondering whether the Harbor Freight hoods were any good.  I saw a coupon on the $89.99 hood for $39.99 at my kid's orthodontist's office yesterday.  Should have torn it out of the magazine!!  I'll go grab one.

I hooked up the TIG this AM and tried it out.  It works great.  The one welding, though, has a long way to go before a weld will be trusted on a frame. ;D

Here's a pic of it:


Any suggestions you can give me on recommended amperages for different metal thicknesses would be great.  I'm having trouble getting a good puddle established, correct heat with the pedal, etc.  Practice, practice, practice!

Offline Little_Horse

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Re: Seamus - '74 550
« Reply #104 on: April 09, 2010, 09:40:51 am »
hey great machine used it back in college, taught alot of students how to tig weld with it. So here is the deal with TIG welding you want to get the electrode as close to the base metal as possible without touching it to the work piece, and still far enough away when you add filler it also doesn't touch the electrode as it fills upwards. So when welding say quarter inch you would have the electrode about a 1/16 in away from the material, when welding sheet metal you may be even closer, and that is where practice and steady hands come in to play. So getting a setting, you want to set the amperage so that when you are rolling along at pace you are floored, but still hot enough that if you where to sit in one place it would grow your puddle. For 1/8 in plate you probably would have it set between 120 and 150 depending on how fast (skilled) you can fill metal in and go. The faster the better because a good welder does his best to put as little overall heat into the work piece meaning that sitting there going slow will allow the heat to spread around further (bad practice) as some things have a heat treatment that can be affected. So welding hot (lots of amps) and moving fast is best but it take practice. Next sharpen the electrode like a pencil, make sure that you are set on DCEN for steel (Direct current electrode negative) and AC for aluminum, if I remember correctly the machine you have has an icon to make sure the ground clamp (which is actually +, I know  ::) ) is put in the correct location but if it is marked with positive and negative make sure the electrode goes in the negative opening. Next make sure the gas is on and the regulator is set between 15 and 20 CFM if it is more it actually creates a turbulence that pulls the shielding gas away. Check to make sure the gas is pure Argon it cannot be a mix with CO2, it can be mixed with helium but that is only used rarely. With that said you should have no problem getting a puddle going just get ready to sharpen that electrode alot as your learning curve will no doubt require it. Hope this helps.
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Offline theofam

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Re: Seamus - '74 550
« Reply #105 on: April 09, 2010, 06:21:53 pm »
Cornandp, thanks a bunch for the info.  That helps me visualize what I need to do - makes sense higher amperage and moving along quicker is better to keep from overheating the metal.  The clamp is wired to the machine, and the tig torch (which I think is considered the electrode) has a quick connect, so it's pretty easy to set up.  I know I'll have questions.  Thanks for being there for me!

Offline theofam

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Re: Seamus - '74 550
« Reply #106 on: September 10, 2010, 11:10:05 am »
So, I've been hibernating for five months and a day. Seamus looks the same as he did as of my last post April 9th. My kids are back in school, so I hope to start getting back into the garage. Today, I polished the rear drum cover:



It turned out nice.

Back in May I lost steam after totally mangling my rear hub in an effort to remove the bearing retainer. So, eBay got me this:



As the pic shows, there's surface rust where the brake pads will seat against the drum. I've sanded it awhile, but I'm not getting rid of it. Is it a big deal?  I'm thinking it'll leave a Bond-like rust smoke screen in my wake, but I'm not sure if it'll do any harm to my brake pads. Advice?

Next is polishing up the hub and sanding down the rear rim for paint. Feels good to be working with Seamus again!

Offline Little_Horse

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Re: Seamus - '74 550
« Reply #107 on: September 10, 2010, 11:28:07 am »
looks good, but I think the bike is mad  >:( since when do kids come first  ???
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Offline theofam

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Re: Seamus - '74 550
« Reply #108 on: September 10, 2010, 12:20:52 pm »
Cornandp, the down side of being a stay-at-home dad is that you have to keep the kids busy during summer!  But, I'm still convinced it's the world's sweetest gig.

Rear hub pre cleaning:


Rear hub polished up:


That's all I can pull off today!

Offline Little_Horse

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Re: Seamus - '74 550
« Reply #109 on: September 10, 2010, 01:43:06 pm »
I am sure stay at home dad would be awesome, I keep trying to get the wife to let me be a stay at home dad. She won't let me... she likes to tell me I like my job too much ::)
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Offline Stev-o

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Re: Seamus - '74 550
« Reply #110 on: September 10, 2010, 06:35:56 pm »
Welcome back, we've been waiting! Rear hub looks great, how'd you polish it? [I want to do mine].
I doubt the little rust on the brake shoe "seat", should will go away after heavy braking.
'74 "Big Bang" Honda 750K [836].....'71 Honda 750K project.....'76 Honda 550F.....K3 Park Racer!......and a Bomber!............plus plus plus.........

Offline theofam

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Re: Seamus - '74 550
« Reply #111 on: September 10, 2010, 08:26:27 pm »
Meriggi, thanks for the "welcome back" message!  Here's my step-by-step for polishing:

1.  For the real gruesome, 30+ year old junk, I use a wire wheel on my trusty 6" Black and Decker bench grinder.  I picked it up earlier this year on craigslist from a company going out of business - $20!
2.  The wire wheel leaves some inconsistencies, so I then hit it with 220 grit sandpaper until the surface looks more uniform.  With Seamus' previous life in a humid clime, he has pitting in all his metal parts, so I can't get rid of all the inconsistencies.  But, you'll know when you've reached the best consistent surface possible given the condition of your piece.
3.  Green ScotchBrite to knock down the 220 scratches.
4.  On the other side of my bench grinder I install different buffing discs.  The first one is a stitched sisal disc I use with a fast cut compound to get rid of light scratches - I make anywhere from 2-4 passes where one pass is applying the compound to the disc and then apply it to the piece.  Both are from Harbor Freight:

5.  I then install this loose leaf buffing disc and use a high polish (1-2 passes):

6.  Remove safety glasses, put on sun glasses, and try not to look directly at the piece in the sunshine!  It doesn't turn out to a mirror finish, but I'm not going for that much bling.  I just want it to look like someone spent some time cleaning up a 36-year-old scoot.  It's for ridin', not showin'!

On another note, I'm was TOTALLY STOKED to drop by a salvage yard this evening and find an awesome CB500 with clubmans and a cafe seat in the customer parking.  I searched the yard high and low and came upon the owner - it's Brett_Bike!  Brett was way cool, and we decided we'd get together for a beer soon, so I can pick his brain.

I've been kicking around rearsets on my bike, and after sitting on Brett's, I've decided to punt that idea.  I was concerned at 6'1" I'd be too cramped with rearsets.  Brett_Bike's 500 has stock pegs with clubmans (which were one of my initial parts purchases), and the layout felt AWESOME!  So, I'm glad to have that decision behind me before I tried to weld lugs onto my frame for the rearsets.

All in, I had an awesome day.  Progressed a bit on Seamus and met a fellow SOHC4er.  Not much tops that!

Offline brett_bike

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Re: Seamus - '74 550
« Reply #112 on: September 10, 2010, 08:39:31 pm »
Theofam,

Thanks for the kind words about my little CB.  It was nice to meat you today and your right, it's a good day when you get to meet another SOHC4'er and stomp around the salvage yard.  Bonus when you find something you need.  Lookin' forward to havin' a beer and sharing some ideas.  You need to stop buy soon and check out my humble collection.

And I'll be watching your build too.

Offline theofam

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Re: Seamus - '74 550
« Reply #113 on: September 10, 2010, 09:38:22 pm »
Sounds good, Brett!  Drop me a pm once you get some avail time. I look forward to seeing CB Central at your place!

Offline RAFster122s

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Re: Seamus - '74 550
« Reply #114 on: September 11, 2010, 12:14:54 am »
love your polishing work!

David
David- back in the desert SW!

Offline Stev-o

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Re: Seamus - '74 550
« Reply #115 on: September 11, 2010, 07:07:11 am »
Thanks for the write up on Polishing 101 - very detailed! I have a bench grinder at work and may give it a shot.
However, I just bought a polished rear brake for $30! Couldn't pass it up at that price.

Haven't met Brett, but seems like a good guy - I think I sold him a seat?
'74 "Big Bang" Honda 750K [836].....'71 Honda 750K project.....'76 Honda 550F.....K3 Park Racer!......and a Bomber!............plus plus plus.........

Offline brett_bike

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Re: Seamus - '74 550
« Reply #116 on: September 12, 2010, 09:15:57 pm »
Yep, Meriggi sold me the seat for my 550 super sport, but I have yet to have it recovered.  Thanks again buddy.

And yes, I am a good guy, just ask me, I'll tell ya.

Offline theofam

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Re: Seamus - '74 550
« Reply #117 on: September 29, 2010, 07:26:24 pm »
Had a great 4 hours in the garage today. I harkened back to kindergarten days and learned how to make a triangle.


Unlike kindergarten and the grass fire I started while burning ants with a magnifying glass, the grinder's sparks thankfully kept the garage in one piece. I learned an expensive lesson and trashed my prescription glasses with flying embers. My wife, always thinking, wanted to know why I didn't just pop in the contacts and don the safety glasses. I think she needs to take over the build - I'd be riding Seamus right now if she had!

Anyone have a 550/500 4-1 they're looking to unload?  I just missed a real nice one on eBay last night. 

I also shaved the chainguard mounts, but i can't figure out what the tabs toward the front part of the swingarm are for. Does anyone know? (dumb question)

Offline bwaller

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Re: Seamus - '74 550
« Reply #118 on: September 29, 2010, 07:37:30 pm »
They locate the front of the chainguard.

Offline theofam

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Re: Seamus - '74 550
« Reply #119 on: September 29, 2010, 08:03:16 pm »
Then they'll die a fiery death in the AM!  Thanks, bwaller.

Offline Little_Horse

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Re: Seamus - '74 550
« Reply #120 on: September 29, 2010, 08:16:32 pm »
nice work on the frame clean up there.
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LHC is my start up cafe racer shop specializing in custom parts, bikes, restoration and recreation

The 500 builds http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=64250.0

Offline theofam

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Re: Seamus - '74 550
« Reply #121 on: September 29, 2010, 09:08:38 pm »
Thanks, cornandp. Only a couple hundred hours to go!

Any news on your next project?  I'm still voting for a cafe'd goldwing!

Offline Little_Horse

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Re: Seamus - '74 550
« Reply #122 on: September 29, 2010, 10:05:31 pm »
next up is fixing and finishing the cx disaster...then the jeep, then the bus, then the old school wing, but I change my mind every other day
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Offline theofam

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Re: Seamus - '74 550
« Reply #123 on: November 02, 2010, 05:05:46 pm »
You probably already know this, but cornandp went down a few weeks ago and broke his back.  Please keep him in your thoughts as he recovers and gets ready to welcome his second daughter!

He encouraged me to post some updates on Seamus, no matter how small.  So, here goes.

My daughter and I recently tested an iPhone's ability to swim in a glass of ice water (bad hand off), so I lost photos of my process to fab up a battery/electrical tray.  I started with a cardboard cutout, traced it on a sheet of 16ga steel, and cut it out with the help of a 4.5" grinder and a Dremel.  I learned an important lesson with the grinder - don't stand in the path of the spinning cutoff wheel!!  I heard a noise and, all the sudden, noticed the spinning wheel looked different.  I let the grinder come to a stop, and about 2/3 of the wheel was gone!  Earlier, I had assembled my paint booth (plastic sheets hung in a big rectangle in the garage) to paint my rear rim.  About 9' up the plastic sheet was a hole.  I found part of the cutoff wheel in the paint booth.  I found the rest of it a week later on the other side of the garage (went through both sides of the paint booth and, luckily, didn't impale my Jeep!

I'm not exagerating when I say I trial fitted the tray 30 times, making additional cuts between each effort.  Once I got it to fit, I determined where it needed to bend to match the contour of the frame, hung it over my workbench at that spot, and leaned on it until I had the proper bend (poor man's brake).  Here it is on the bike:



I couldn't find bolts long enough to attach the tray to the rear frame hoop (where the fender mounts on the stock bike), so I bought some rod and threaded it with a new handy threading tool (I've almost put as much money into garage tools as Seamus at this point) [INSERT]Wife rolling eyes[/INSERT].  Here's the battery in it's soon-to-be location:



Give me feedback on the above photo.  Originally, the rear fender tucks up inside the rear hoop behind the battery.  So, I'm about 5" below that.  Am I hosing myself in terms of suspension travel?

My objective is to leave my hard-fought triangle clean.  So, here it is from underneath.  I don't think it'll be seen when looking at the bike on the centerstand:



Next up is fab'ing a battery tray and figuring out where to mount all the electrical components.  Some guys say electrical is their weakness.  For me, that's an understatement. My knees get weak and I start to throw up in my mouth a little just thinking about it.  So, while not looking forward to it, I'll be glad to get the electrical bits mounted.  Once I do that, I plan on welding about a 1/2" wall/edge around the tray to keep the elements out.

I've also been "gettin' my florist on."  I bought a bunch of green florist foam blocks at my local Michael's craft store, glued them up, and started envisioning a shape for my cowl.  I might be looking to bunk with someone locally here in Denver in a few weeks when Thanksgiving arrives, because our electric carving knife is TRASHED!  The foam makes this annoying, super-fine dust when you carve/sand it, and it's deep in the bowels of the carving knife.  No, I haven't broken the news to her yet.

So, about the cowl.  I bought Traveler's tank off him when he upgraded to his super sweet alloy tank.  I like the lines of it, and decided I'd try to mimic them for the cowl.  Here it is, so far:







Since the foam is a solid block, I've tried to hollow it out as much as possible without punching through the outer wall.  So, it doesn't sit as low as I'm envisioning.  Once I fiberglass it, I anticipate it'll slide over the rear portion of the frame.  It'll sit lower than in the pics, and I hope to use the rear frame holes to attach the cowl with dzus fasteners.

When on my workbench, it sits perfectly flat, so it won't point upward as in the pics.  Also, from behind, you can tell I've a bunch of shaping work to do.  It kind of looks like a slanted parallelogram on the left/right sides!  I hope to make the right side better match the left. 

The biggest boo-boo I've made is I glued the foam blocks too close to their edges.  You might see in the pics that there are strands of glue on the surface of the cowl.  You can't sand out the glue.  Instead, you have to make numerous judicial cuts with an exacto to remove them when they surface (without damaging the delicate foam).  So, think ahead to where you'll be carving your foam, and try to keep the glue away from those areas, if possible.

I went to my local fiberglass store today, and they confirmed what I read on the web - epoxy resin will not eat away the foam.  Polyester resin will.  I'm hoping to finish up the cowl and seat tray this week.  If I get a nice day or two, I may even try my hand at fiberglass!

As for the rear wheel mentioned above, I messed up the paint job so bad that I had it stripped and powdercoated.  It turned out great, so I laced the wheel to the rear hub I had cleaned up, put in new wheel bearings, and I had Woody's Wheel Works here in Denver true it and mount/balance my new rear tire.  They did my front in the same manner, so my wheels/tires are ready to go!

When I met Brett_Bike at our local salvage yard a while back, he told me HondaMan is here in Denver.  So, one of my next steps is to take my swingarm over to him for a rebuild.  It'll be humbling to be in the presence of that much knowledge!  I'm psyched to meet him.

That's it for now.  If the stars align, I plan on posting more electrical/cowl updates by the end of the week!

Offline Little_Horse

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Re: Seamus - '74 550
« Reply #124 on: November 02, 2010, 06:22:45 pm »
Sweet writing, you had me laughing at a few of the things you said. If you are worried about suspension travel and the wheel bottoming out on the tray you can put slightly longer rear shocks on. I have heard of a number of guys doing this with success.

Here you made it sound like your progress was minimal and that not much had been done but I see tons of great progress! Keep it coming!

Oh and electrical on these bikes is pretty minimal. Don't approach it with fear it my seem mysterious and the likes but it is still a mechanical entity with predictable problem solving, you will do just fine, no puke bucket needed  ;D.
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The 500 builds http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=64250.0