E: Engine Comet Mongrel

[davidd]

Would this work good enough, With out a Notcher ?.

Yes. I think it would. I was building frames that certified welders with lots of experience were doing all the final welds and I was trying to hand them items that met their expectations. I had seen this video and it did help, but at that time the welder asked me if I could get rid of the gaps. I got the notcher and all the gaps went away and it was a one shot deal. I found that with the notcher I did not have gaps and with little or no practice I could get the angle on tubes with the first try. There was no fitting or additional cutting.

The top of this piece on the right is welded to a 4" diameter tube on an angle.

This is the top. The tube is splayed at an angle and the cut is in different planes. This was the first attempt and it was why I liked the notcher. I was not getting this quality doing it by hand.

When I got the notcher I did do a bunch of sample notches on scrap tubing just to get the technique down. It also gave me some pieces that I could keep that were marked with the set-up so I could use them to guess what settings would work. It saved me a huge amount of time. I have not had the need to do many right angle or diagonal cuts that are used on roll cages, which might be easier.

David

 

[Cyborg]

Bill, with that mag drill, you could probably make up a simple jig and use a hole saw for a least some of the cuts. I used the mill which worked ok, but depending on the angle it was sometimes a challenge to set up. At first I used an end mill, but found that a hole saw was a lot faster. Not my mill in the photo, but it illustrates the limit of the angles you can cut.

I think David pretty much nailed it. It works, but for me it would take too much time to master it.
In a moment of weakness, I bought a plasma cutter, so may give that a go for some simple notches.

As they say, you get what you pay for, but you make a version of this or maybe find a used one.

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[Bill Thomas]

Yes I am saving my Mag drill for the Big job, But after, I think it will be good for other things.
I made some nice Alloy Standard footrest pivots, I tried to use my Ped' Drill and a cheap x y table, But too much chatter, So used a grinding wheel and some hand work, I love working with Alloy, You can polish it up on the buffing wheel, And looks like top job.
If I was building another Special, I think I would still go for a Vincent Headstock and a "D" top tube, It looks so simple to me.

 

[davidd]

If I was building another Special, I think I would still go for a Vincent Headstock and a "D" top tube, It looks so simple to me.

It would be nice if the tubes were larger.

I would do an FT1/1. It is the easiest to copy with tubes. This one was machined for taper rollers. The tubing is 4130.

David

 

[litnman]

In thirty plus years of building alum, ss and brass/bronze handrails this was my favorite machine. With ss the joints were fused then polished seldom requiring any grinding.
I've also built a few bike frames using this antique. It uses standard hole saws from 1" to 4".
I have several soft jaws for different diameter tube.

 

[Cyborg]

In thirty plus years of building alum, ss and brass/bronze handrails this was my favorite machine. With ss the joints were fused then polished seldom requiring any grinding.
I've also built a few bike frames using this antique. It uses standard hole saws from 1" to 4".
I have several soft jaws for different diameter tube.
View attachment 30646

I inherited a small Atlas horizontal mill that very rarely gets used, but I can’t bring myself to part with it. I think you gave me... just what I need...another rabbit hole to explore.

 

[Cyborg]

View attachment 30645

Silicon bronze I assume. Nicely done. That is another steep learning curve I need to work on. Not as easy as it looks.

 

[davidd]

No, steel TIG welding.

David

 

[Bill Thomas]

My idea was also for UK, So that we would have some Numbers, The all important thing here.

 

[Chris Launders]

I was given this last year, Ariel steering head converted.