long time Brit biker /metal worker /machinist saying hello

[Ken Hosford]

I am Old enough to have worked in a BSA dealer ship while in junior high school
I still have my first Triumph a 52 650
So I saw a picture of a Dust bin Norton Manx back in early seventies cool wow how did they do that Later read about English Wheels cool so are unicorn horns find one
Well the love of engines got me into automotive machine shop wow cool cylinder boring valve and seat grinding this interest later turned to Mills and lathe etc And welding and fab
To bring circle around The machine shop with a sprinkle of internet and you get to motor cycle sheet metal through building numerous English wheels and collection of a stable full of other sheet metal equipment
With stupid amount of play and learning and I worked out technique to make curved top motorcycle fenders out of any metal ? I have used steel, stainless, titanium, brass, copper, aluminum smooth, and diamond plate. the method does not limit me to fixed sizes , it allows wide range of widths, depths, and diameters with some limits.

 

[ATinkerer]

Welcome to the eccentric group that, sometimes hangs out here.
And, sometimes other places.

Gordon

 

[John H]

Welcome Ken,
Hope you will show us some of your handiwork. What is your location?

 

[Ken Hosford]

I tried to figure out how to post picture and gave up how about a tutorial for old goats. Just figured it out!
As to where I am well other than your digital back yard , I am on a different peninsular way different the lower peninsular of the pair upper and lower as in Michigan heart of rust belt . land of awful road conditions .

 

[John H]

That's some fancy metal working Ken. Too bad you aren't closer we could have a garage crawl to see more of your work.
What other vintage bikes do you have?

 

[Ken Hosford]

so a few of them I was up to 30+ back around 2000 and I decided I need not have so many going toward retirement So I thinned collection to buy machinery Down to about 15 now I stopped riding on street in 80s
I am thinking of taking it up again but it terrifies me I see all the cell phone driving and accidents Will not do it till I fit heads and tail lamp modulators to the bike
The brown Bike is a Rickman weslakle * valve fitted 1971 TR6C Triumph fitted with 5 speed and wheels and forks of 75 850 Norton The tank is Norton with cow hide stretched over it I hate paint ! Hence my love of metals like aluminum , stainless , brass , titanium .
The black and white is a 73 750 TR7RV with BSA spitfire straight through glass pack muffler oooh sounds beautiful.
And the gray a bitsa this and bitsa that 1952 650 t bird

 

[John H]

Yey! A metal man after my own calling. 38 years in the non ferrous fab business. Most in the architectural and light structural industries. Now happily retired to our forever home and my man cave.
Keep some good stories and photos a coming.