Shaving forks (not with a razor)

I really like the look of polished forks. I keep seeing them online and I thought since I know how to polish I would give this a whirl. I figured the most difficult part would be the actual cutting of material. Mostly the entire process was difficult though.

Here I'm using paint stripper to remove the original paint. Buy a GOOD stripper. I didn't find the best stuff and I paid for it with a longer removal process involving several coats...

Grinding off the tabs for the fender and left brake were not terribly difficult, just time consuming. I used my Dad's air powered cutoff wheel.

From there it was a matter of grinding the material flush with a 90 degree sanding wheel (also the old man's). Then sanding through the grits as usual... (I did use some scotch bright pads to make the grinding cleaner before sanding)

I polished with two compounds black (coarse) and white (fine) to make them really shine.

Engine Almost Done?

Finishing up the engine. I've put the master link in and have "peened" the head over to lock the link in place. I started by marking the surface with a chisel and then coming back with a ball peen hammer.

There is a pattern for torquing down the head bolts and I followed it to a T. Valve covers are all on now and its looking good. Just need to finish polishing the side covers and we're in business.

6 Over Trailer

6 Over - Teaser from Wild Honey Productions on Vimeo.

Lacing a Rim Like a Pro (sort of)

A nice piece done by Etsy:

In a crowded Philadelphia garage, Adam Cramer revives vintage motorcycles and the American tradition of grease-stained self-reliance.

How to make those old valve covers look like new again

When sanding, keep in mind that you can always start at a lower or higher grit depending on the level of scratches that are already on the surface of the metal. Likewise don't be afraid to try out different buffing compounds on the wheel.

Engine Nearing a Final Finish

I would be lying if I said that having children doesn't affect your project. After being blessed with the birth of my son, he and my wife literally became my only priority during late Oct early Nov. I am happy to say he is a total joy and I'm glad that we've had him (and they'll always be a priority).

With that said, the wife finally let me get back into my garage. With my testosterone and sleep running on low I took another crack at completing this engine. I've learned a lot so far, and typically what takes a normal person 1 hour to accomplish, takes me two LOL! So far so good though.