Custom Machined Parts

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Smoker
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Custom Machined Parts

#1 Post by Smoker » Sat Sep 17, 2016 3:40 pm

Looking for another person to make reasonably simple machined parts from 6061 and 4130.

Local machine shop is very busy. New machine shop is very busy. Both will make parts for me, but the wait is growing from one month to two months or more. Was even going to use a buddy in GB, but he's also swamped with requests. Machining custom bike parts is a good business to be in!!

I'm guessing I'll probably need close to 100 more parts machined to finish my current projects.

Any ideas or recommendations are appreciated.

Here are some examples of parts I need machined from 6061 at the moment. I also have drawings with all the numbers/dimensions.

Flanged spacer:
Image

Battery box bung:
Image

Headlight brackets:
Image

Fork clamps:
Image

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Questo vecchio rz
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Location: Reconquista of California

Re: Custom Machined Parts

#2 Post by Questo vecchio rz » Sun Sep 18, 2016 4:27 am

A shot in the dark here, But you might know him as hes a RD/RZ enthusiast. He recently manufactured the aluminum swingarms for RD350s, 400s & RZ 350s. He was on the USA2strokers board his name was "Ken" I beleive he owned operated a machine shop in Cerritos.

I think the problem you are seeing is, "time is money" and in a competitive market many really cant afford small one off parts, and the fact you have 100 would be detrimental to their regular business.

Perhaps contact some of the many custom build shops in and around L.A. like Deus Ex Machina, Yoshi @ Garage Company, Perf. Machine, Joker etc..or even Nigel @NK but shipping it overseas and combined with 100 single run diffrent parts could be a issue. Most all are 2stroke enthusiasts & maybye at least one of them have a lead on a freelance (go to) machinist or a (retired guy) who want to keep busy.
In Burbank area there has to be dozens of retired aerospace machinists. Would be great to find just one intrested guy.
You might try Dr. Johns too for any info or referrals, they have expanded their services. They are doing some quick fill & aluminum frame welding modifications on a particular GSXR and probably my RZ/TZR tank if I can get them to give me a set price 1st. Unfortunatley alot of shops think if you can afford a project you have unlimited funds too :smt012

If your parts are just basic as you say, then anyone with a lathe & mill in the garage should be able to do this for you, maybe someone here with machinist ability and....time could.
Hopefully you can find someone, if you do perhaps they would be open to doing some work for others here too ?, as alot of us can always use something.
Let us know what you come up with.

Good luck
Banshee (Baja) race bike,+ 2 A Arms,L.E.Ds, Toomey, +4 stroker IMS tank, run flats.
96 GSXR SRAD, Future Yoshimura rep.
85 custom Tri-Z
RZ/YZR bike(project)
86 VFR750 RC24 Merkel replica (project)
Royal Enfield Bullet 500

MK
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Re: Custom Machined Parts

#3 Post by MK » Sun Sep 18, 2016 6:18 am

If I were you, I'd get myself a bit of equipment like this:
http://littlemachineshop.com/products/p ... 1271799306" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://littlemachineshop.com/products/p ... 1387807683" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Bye
Martin

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Smoker
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Re: Custom Machined Parts

#4 Post by Smoker » Sun Sep 18, 2016 7:06 am

MK wrote:If I were you, I'd get myself a bit of equipment like this:
http://littlemachineshop.com/products/p ... 1271799306" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://littlemachineshop.com/products/p ... 1387807683" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Thanks, MK. I trust your recommendations are a good value.

But, there are a few different machines per page.

Which machines would you choose?

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Smoker
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Re: Custom Machined Parts

#5 Post by Smoker » Sun Sep 18, 2016 7:10 am

Questo vecchio rz wrote:If your parts are just basic as you say, then anyone with a lathe & mill in the garage should be able to do this for you, maybe someone here with machinist ability and....time could.
This was my hope. Or, that someone knows someone who can do it.

I'll also run down the names you mentioned. Thanks for that.

I don't have a hundred parts, just a few at a time. The machine shops I've used work on my parts in between the big jobs... but lately there are lots of big jobs.

MK
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Re: Custom Machined Parts

#6 Post by MK » Sun Sep 18, 2016 11:15 am

If it's just basic home parts, then the cheapest versions.
If you get ambitious, they will not be sufficient ....

I have a similar lathe like this http://littlemachineshop.com/products/p ... 1271799306" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and it's ok to make some bushes from time to time. Last project were the pitlane stand adapters on the VTR swingarm.
But doing threads or big steel diameters is a PITA.

A friend of mine has a 500 mm lathe in the 3-4000 Eur region and with this machine he even can rework heads or rebore his cylinders.
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Bye
Martin

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two-stroke-brit
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Re: Custom Machined Parts

#7 Post by two-stroke-brit » Sun Sep 18, 2016 7:01 pm

well i hoped to be moved house and setting up my own shop but our house buyer fell through otherwise i would be all over this.
someone will have a mill in there garage i am sure .
frustrated mark
350LC,Athena 392 big bore,stock porting,swiss cheese air box,stock reeds,spec11 pipes.(now TSA big bore pipes)
She might not be pretty but she will always be a fun ride


1982 YAMA RD350LC
98KDX 220R
1967 TRIUMPH TIGER
2001 TRIUMPH TT600

justind97
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Re: Custom Machined Parts

#8 Post by justind97 » Mon Sep 19, 2016 8:52 am

You can try Kyle @ Windmill Motorsports. http://www.windmillmotorsports.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

He does awesome work. He's done quite a bit for me, you may be lucky and catch him in lull and get your stuff done. He's a busy man.

Located in Ottawa, Canada.

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Smoker
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Re: Custom Machined Parts

#9 Post by Smoker » Mon Sep 19, 2016 1:25 pm

justind97 wrote:You can try Kyle @ Windmill Motorsports. http://www.windmillmotorsports.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

He does awesome work. He's done quite a bit for me, you may be lucky and catch him in lull and get your stuff done. He's a busy man.

Located in Ottawa, Canada.
Thanks, Justin - I'll add him to the short list of people to contact.

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