Going where no man has gone before

Today I got the crankcase cracked open, it was quite a moment, as neither Bubba or I had ever torn this far into a motor.  It wasn't to hard to get it open; 18 bolts, a little heat, and a few minutes of whacking. 

End of March Update

 Well things have been busy the last few weeks.  I took a week vacation to go snowboarding in Salida, Colorado for spring break, then returned to a shitload of school projects. Between sculpture and metals, I've hardly had any time to work on my bike, but I did manage to work on it wednesday (disassembled the rockers, and started cleaning the head)

Heres some pics of my metals project, it is a form inspired by kustom mercurys, created using die forms and hand forming out of copper.

I also got started on hand forming the gas tank, I carved out a cavity in a log to help get the shape right.

'76 Yamaha XS650 Bobber Build

So for one week now Ive been disassembling my project bike. We got the motor pulled, top end disassembled, bead blasted the cylinders, started polishing tappet covers, clutch pulled, and alternator pulled. Next up motor wise is to crack the crankcase to access the crankshaft for rephase, and check bearings. This motor will be fully rebuilt so I know it will last for many years to come.  Framewise, I fabricated a motor mount brace so that the backbone and bottom rails could be chopped. However, Im now thinking of building a new backbone, so the brace may be obsolete.

Big thanks to Bubba Ward and Rattpiss officionados for the help and letting me use his shop and tools!

Bubba hooked me up with this front end of unknown origin (he thinks its off a honda or yamaha). Either way it fits perfect, is much cleaner and shorter than the original forks.

2012...Stepping things up

Its been a while since my last post, and alot has happened since. I have left my blacksmithing apprenticeship in order to focus more on my own work. I've begun producing sprocket bolo-ties, belt buckles, and collar tips. And even more exciting, I just started a custom motorcycle project.

Hot Rod Revolution

Yesterday my brother Steve and I went to the Hot Rod Revolution in Austin. It was a show that strictly focused on pre '48 traditional American hot rods, so the turn out was rather limited.  The venue was Camp Mabry military base, so combined with some WWII re-enacters the event was very cool. Sadly I had no battery to take photos, but I did score this rad new patch to add to the collection.

Blacksmith Apprentice

Last week I got a part time job working for an architectural metal fabrication company called Precision Iron.  I've been really craving some steelwork experience to help round out my metalsmithing education, so I've been practicing Some MIG welding and now am employed as a blacksmith apprentice.  The job is great but hard, lets just say I wont be needing to go to the gym. I've been forging these guitar pieces for some new railing at Hard Rock Cafe in San Antonio.

Sprocket Belt Buckle

This is my sprocket belt buckle, once I find a source of more sprockets these will be available for purchase.