Final mockup

Complete final mockup done and looking fiiiine. Everything worked great and all went according to plan with all the details I've made. Next step tech inspection one (of three) and then teardown again. After that I will paint the frame black and put everything back again. The big four steps remaining are seat, wiring, oil lines and brake lines. Then its just the endless small "last things" that remains.

So happy how it turned out.

Distance in the lathe

After i finally figured out the measurements I had to do some final machining on the sprocket spacer.
Both diameter and thickness got some treatment in my little trusty lathe. 

After a while the bench looked like had found a silver mine.

Primer

So the day came that i didn't believed existed, when the frame was "done".
I rigged it up, cleaned it and started to lay some primer on it.
Two thin layers. First I thought I could use this color the first year but I think I have to paint it in some darker color, black?
This is just a temporary paint I will use the first year(s) until I feel the bike is ready for real then it's time for its final paint, probably black powdercoat.
It's not even allowed to paint the frame before tech inspection one, but protective primer is OK.
Tech inspection one is just around the corner so I will probably pull it apart again after that to paint it.
Not so labor intensive but still some work.
I might regret it later if I go for just the light primer.

Rigged up, completely cleaned with acetone and ready for layer one. 

Primer done 

Speedshop interruption

I had some delay in the Speedshop recently.

I went with some friends to the Motor Bike Expo in Verona, Italy.
Awesome happening both the city and the fair itself but mostly all the amazing people I met during the stay!
Inspiration for my own projects got itself a rise of course but the path for the projects for now are quite ready. But some planned details will be reworked.

Last minute adding

Just before the deconstruction I discovered that the voltage regulator had been forgotten.
So a simple bracket had to be made and welded in between the front legs.
Not at all a time consuming job at this point but if I had discovered it when the bike was done it would have been a slight drawback for sure.

First a bit of iron. 

Angle the ends and after that just drill two holes. 

Some quick work with the TIG and a suddenly I had a voltage regulator bracket. 

Final weld

So it was time for deconstruction and to transform bad tackwelds to hopefully not so bad final welds.

Taking out a Sportster engine alone ain't easy.

 I put it on a scale after and a Sportster engine is about 70kg/150lbs

Nice to finally have full access to all previous cramped areas to Weld. 

I also used my trusty carpenter style workbench to get the frame in to the right positions. 

Steering damper

Years ago I bought a used Öhlins steering damper and initial thought was to put it on the Shovelbagger. But it had quite weird dimensions so it continued it's life hanging on the wall in the speedshop.
So the other day I tried it on Cosmic Dreamer and this time I had a match.
But to avoid flimsy screw-on brackets I made a real weld on bracket instead.

The steering damper before it found a new home on the Cosmic Dreamer. 

First cut bit of my old trusty friend Mr square tubing. 

Then add a bit of extra metal on the inside to make enough thread. 

Positioning and testfit with a hose clamp.

And tacked in to place ready for final weld when I take the bike completely apart soon.