Billet Aluminum Parts

[Jeff]

I'm in the process of putting together a CNC mill rig and have already been tossing around some ideas for parts to create. I'll be starting small and working my way up. Here are a few ideas I'm toying with:

MC tops and/or reservoirs
Custom clutch cover
Swingarm pivot caps
Signal lights and stems
Gas cap
Idiot light cover
Speedo/tach faces
Fork brace
Petcock face and knob
Handlebar switch housings
Tank badges

What do you think? Any other ideas? Nice thing about CNC is that once a part is perfected, it is easily repeatable. I[ve taken this on as my winter project. It will be a month or two before I get the rig up and running. Then the FUN begins.

[Pat Kelly]

How about a choke (enrichener) knob to replace the lever?

[TomKat]

Passenger peg mounting brackets.

[Ken Talbot]

How about trying some float pin removal tools

[mro]

How about a "glue on" replacement part for the tabs that get broken off the side covers


mro

[DeanR]

Choke knob would be great, and pretty simple?

[xschop]

billet

The gas petcock with beefier handle. I will take two. The stock ones are pot metal and don't keep a polish at all....chop

[xswilly]

side cover badges

handle bar setbacks


i do some programming where i work, if you need any assistance
let me know, we use mastercam here

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Jeff,

Ooooooh....CNC mill, nice!!!

The speedo tach faces aren't needed, they can be printed onto CD/DVD small center hole stick on labels...I've done it...see tach repair tech tip!?

Gas caps for Specials are easily and cheaply obtained from MikesXS!

TKAT already makes a fine Fork Brace, for a very good price considering the amount of machining done!

Hey Willy, I'm looking into making modest sized setback myself on my MANUAL Mill, have a set to "COPY", they are a fairly simple shape, should be able to do rather cheaply!

Turn signals also readily available.

Handlebar switch housings are also fairly intricate, and deep, alot of waste in scurf, and they, too, are available from MikesXS, with just small mods for wiring, OEM black, and CHROME!
************************************************
I vote for :
Petcock handle/face;
tank/side cover nameplates;
Swing arm bearing caps;
MC caps/reservoirs;
Choke lever.

Hey MRO, how about the WHOLE SIDECOVERS!!
T.C.

[Targetman]

How about rear-set foot controls for people who want racier ergonomics, and forward controls for people making choppers or bobbers? Just a thought.
Or maybe triple clamps with new raked out angles for making a chopper with longer forks.
Or a good looking carrier to bolt on the back. I modified one to fit from some old honda and it looks like crap.

[Jeff]

Complete aluminum sidecovers were another project I plan to tackle....... with replaceable pins so you can replace just the pin if it breaks. I'm also looking into replacement pins to replace broken ones on stock covers.


You know.... its pretty easy to CNC a manual mill. I'm custom building a 48" x 36" flatbed CNC mill/router. I'm also putting together a digitizing probe for it to map and duplicate parts. It will make parts like side covers very easy to duplicate in aluminum or plastic. The probe tests thousands of points on an object and records the XYZ point of contact at each point. The software creates a 3D point cloud and converts it into a solid model that can be tweaked and refined if needed. From there...CAM software converts it into a code tool path to send to the CNC control box.

I know parts like fuel filler doors are readily available but I plan on creating some pretty "one off" designs such as a filler door with a raised relief design on the surface such as a skull face and such. With this mill, I'll be able to do high resolution carving and shaping of complex designs. I'll be able to duplicate things like a MC reservoir cover and also add details like an XS logo carved into or relief cut onto the surface. How about instead of a printed speedo face, have a thin aluminum sheet replacement with all the numbers and markings engraved into its surface. Never worry about it fading ever again. My partner also wants to set up shop to do at least small scale chroming and color anodizing. Powder coating has also been at least talked about. How about machined aluminum trim rings for the speedo and tach, to hide where they've been pryed open?

As far as the mill goes....... I have the motors and 3 axis control parts and about 75% of the chassis parts being delivered over the next week. I'm still negotiating pricing on some of the linear motion parts. With CNC, I'll be able to move the cutting bit in all 3 axises simultaneously. I've been purchasing as much as I can from surplus suppliers to keep costs down. I just bought $300 worth of new surplus precision linear slide bearings for a whopping $10. I'm constructing the frame and chassis from industrial extruded aluminum structural profile that I bought in the sizes I needed as cutoff end scrap from a manufacturer. While I'm waiting on parts delivery, I'm attacking the learning curve on the CAD/CAM software I'll be using.

I'll keep you updated on the mills progress and post pics of my trial parts.

[chevy45412001]

Parts

how about intake boots out of aluminum? please

[Jeff]

Haven't thought about that yet. An aluminum intake manifold would be cool...... but I wonder if it would cause any issues since the rubber helps keep vibration and some engine heat from transferring to the carbs.

Though I have toyed with the idea of an air cleaner that uses a single filter element with 4 velocity stacks. And.... a 1 piece replacement for the 4 carb diaphragm covers that looks like the valve cover.

[chevy45412001]

you make it

and i will guinie pig it.... . cars bump and viber. i think it would be awsome and doesn't aluminum disapate heat better then rubber? though would probly still need small pieace of rubb to mount carb to actual manifold???

[GNEPIG]

.. how bout solid motor mounts like they make for the Vmax's over in England.
and a special motor mount that bolts the top of the motor to the frame tubes under the fuel tank, for less frame twist[= better handling].
and some sporty lookin aluminum foot rests.
i hope your machine turns out like you want it- sounds like fun.