Re: What did you do to or for or with your Laverda today?
- Thread starter Paul LeClair
- Start date
G
Grant
Guest
Managed to reclaim a badly damaged alternator cover for a series 2.
Some DPO had drilled and tapped 2 holes in it and fitted 2 short bolts (crash protector??????).
The casing was also badly dented and scratched.
I had Piet organise some laser welding of the part.
Then I had my chromer polish it.
Not 100% perfect but definitely useable. Another rare part reclaimed for future use.
Some DPO had drilled and tapped 2 holes in it and fitted 2 short bolts (crash protector??????).
The casing was also badly dented and scratched.
I had Piet organise some laser welding of the part.
Then I had my chromer polish it.
Not 100% perfect but definitely useable. Another rare part reclaimed for future use.
Sir Sidney Ruffdiamond
Hero member
- Location
- Cotwolds
Brilliant Grant ! wouldn't have believed it unless I had seen the pics
G
Grant
Guest
The alloy weld is a slightly different colour/shade but one it's on a bike you really wouldn't know unless you peered at it.
Result!
I have managed to reclaim several covers in this way.
This one is now on POP as the Kawa alternator is slimmer than the standard one, so the chamfered edge can help ground clearance.
Result!
I have managed to reclaim several covers in this way.
This one is now on POP as the Kawa alternator is slimmer than the standard one, so the chamfered edge can help ground clearance.
chrisk
Hero member
- Location
- Brisbane, Australia
What are you using to fill it Grant. Doesn't look like it's been hot.
G
Grant
Guest
Laser welding is effectively cold (very localised heating) so no distortion. The weld line can be extremely narrow.
I don't weld it. Piet's mate does it for me.
Maybe Piet can expand further on the process.
I don't weld it. Piet's mate does it for me.
Maybe Piet can expand further on the process.
chrisk
Hero member
- Location
- Brisbane, Australia
Grant said:
Ok, Lo wait for Piet, unless l google it first.
Equipment is extremely expensive, then you need a lot of electricity to power it!
Welder currently has a machine capable of welding 1mm wire, requires something around 7kW and another 10kW to cool it! Costs around ?150000 to purchase, and quite a lot to keep it running.
Welding is performed with a laser beam under a gas shield(argon, asfaIk), controlled manually and viewed through a special microscope. Seems anything that melts, can be welded. Wifey has had juwellery repaired when normal brazing isn't possible to apply, close to delicate and sensitive stones and gems.
Heat is kept very local, items like Grants alternator cover get about hand-warm when finished. No distortion to worry about. Big, solid bits do require a bit of pre-heating to maybe 100?C. Typical customers are motor industry and tool machine manufacturers. Also used to fill in casting flaws in turbines, W16 Bugatti Veyron engine blocks
D), rollers, sheet metal press forms, moulds and dies.
A very reputed german auto manufacturer (I think they have 3 rings in their logo, or was it 4?) had a problem on a sports car production line... when the alloy body shell was finished (also welded by robot lasers!), the welding machine would randomly shoot a beam somewhere through the shell, usually in the middle of the roof. Because the large, flat area could not be repaired by conventional welding without enormous distortion taking place, the afflicted shells were scrapped, probably a quite expensive exercise! The factory did not have the facility to repair this, nor was the software fault found, so they contacted my mates company. They now visit them with the mobile welder and repair the 5-6 shells that were holed during the weeks and months prior.
I see lots of quite exquisite stuff in his workshop, exhaust manifolds from Maybachs and Rolls Royce, Veyron engine blocks to monster turbine shafts and press spindles. Lots of vintage/classic bike and car stuff, very often the very last resort, the difference between a static display and a working vehicle.
piet
Welder currently has a machine capable of welding 1mm wire, requires something around 7kW and another 10kW to cool it! Costs around ?150000 to purchase, and quite a lot to keep it running.
Welding is performed with a laser beam under a gas shield(argon, asfaIk), controlled manually and viewed through a special microscope. Seems anything that melts, can be welded. Wifey has had juwellery repaired when normal brazing isn't possible to apply, close to delicate and sensitive stones and gems.
Heat is kept very local, items like Grants alternator cover get about hand-warm when finished. No distortion to worry about. Big, solid bits do require a bit of pre-heating to maybe 100?C. Typical customers are motor industry and tool machine manufacturers. Also used to fill in casting flaws in turbines, W16 Bugatti Veyron engine blocks
D), rollers, sheet metal press forms, moulds and dies.A very reputed german auto manufacturer (I think they have 3 rings in their logo, or was it 4?) had a problem on a sports car production line... when the alloy body shell was finished (also welded by robot lasers!), the welding machine would randomly shoot a beam somewhere through the shell, usually in the middle of the roof. Because the large, flat area could not be repaired by conventional welding without enormous distortion taking place, the afflicted shells were scrapped, probably a quite expensive exercise! The factory did not have the facility to repair this, nor was the software fault found, so they contacted my mates company. They now visit them with the mobile welder and repair the 5-6 shells that were holed during the weeks and months prior.
I see lots of quite exquisite stuff in his workshop, exhaust manifolds from Maybachs and Rolls Royce, Veyron engine blocks to monster turbine shafts and press spindles. Lots of vintage/classic bike and car stuff, very often the very last resort, the difference between a static display and a working vehicle.
piet
chrisk
Hero member
- Location
- Brisbane, Australia
Thanks for the explanation Piet. Sounds like automatic sunroofs for R8's, at no extra charge.
"So they contacted my mates company. They now visit them with the mobile welder and repair the 5-6 shells that were holed during the weeks and months prior"................ "probably a quite expensive exercise!"
"So they contacted my mates company. They now visit them with the mobile welder and repair the 5-6 shells that were holed during the weeks and months prior"................ "probably a quite expensive exercise!"
wish we could find a laser mob here in Aussie that are willing to do this work at a reasonable price
companies we have found we had them quote on repairing crank webs, could have machined brand new billet webs cheaper than what they quoted
and they refused to even try and weld the cast iron skull caps in the cylinder heads
companies we have found we had them quote on repairing crank webs, could have machined brand new billet webs cheaper than what they quoted
and they refused to even try and weld the cast iron skull caps in the cylinder heads
GregT
Hero member
- Location
- Christchurch NZ
Nobody here doing it to my knowledge anyway. The random laser shots remind me of the first CNC machine in ChCh. Apparently, once it had finished it's programmed work cycle, it would go berserk for a moment and cut at random across the finished workpiece. Took the owners 18months to get that sorted out and it's left a huge mistrust of CNC machines in one of the biggest engineering shops here...
Red, what are you trying to do on the CI skulls ? repair cracks, rebuild seats up or repair dents ?
Red, what are you trying to do on the CI skulls ? repair cracks, rebuild seats up or repair dents ?
Rode into work on the SF2.
Beautiful morning, blue sky, -2 C?.
Roads dry apart from some white patches along the canal which I cross over and then follow for about 1km.
Went by a couple of bike cops stopping cars who were quite surprised to hear and see me go by.
Didn't see another bike on the way and no bikes in the parking space at work.
Th SF2 with it's gentle manners and low down grunt is ideal for riding on potentialy slippery roads.
Should have my Aprilia next week so the SF2 will be off for a couple of weeks for it's well needed winter once over.
Paul
Beautiful morning, blue sky, -2 C?.
Roads dry apart from some white patches along the canal which I cross over and then follow for about 1km.
Went by a couple of bike cops stopping cars who were quite surprised to hear and see me go by.
Didn't see another bike on the way and no bikes in the parking space at work.
Th SF2 with it's gentle manners and low down grunt is ideal for riding on potentialy slippery roads.
Should have my Aprilia next week so the SF2 will be off for a couple of weeks for it's well needed winter once over.
Paul
Dellortoman
Hero member
- Location
- Tasmania, Australia
The postman just turned up with my latest ebay purchase - a set of front and rear paddock stands for the RGS race bike. Now I can piss the centre stand off the bike, but first I'll have to make some bobbins for the swing arm. Not yet worked out how to attach them - may have to weld lugs onto the swing arm.
Fitted some nice and tidy rear blinkers to mine, bought a set of LED ones off Ebay 3 months ago,absolute crap. They weighted about as much as a 20cent coin and should have payed less than that for them.The right one died last week. The replacements came from John at Motociclo, he has a huge selection of bike stuff and great prices. In fact a better selection than ebay.Great bloke and easy to deal with, the website is extensive as well.
GregT
Hero member
- Location
- Christchurch NZ
Dellortoman said:
No idea if the RGS arm is the same, but the bike in my avatar had a convenient hole on each side just below the shock mounts.
Made up a couple of alloy bobbins retained by a capscrew and nyloc.
mauricejota7604
Hero member
- Location
- Victoria Australia
I got a bit bored today so after washing Nonna thought I would dial in her cams as she seemed a bit flat while I was away touring on her, it took me the best part of 5 hours what a pain the interesting thing was how far out the cam timing was, it appears that the Italian gent that built this bike had quite a bit of trouble drilling the flanges on the inlet cam as the holes were off to the edge no where near central and this engine had never been tampered with.
The inlet cam was retarded by 10 degrees and the exhaust was also retarded about 8 degrees.
She is a lot crisper now better watch out Jota!!!
The inlet cam was retarded by 10 degrees and the exhaust was also retarded about 8 degrees.
She is a lot crisper now better watch out Jota!!!
breganzane
Hero member
- Location
- NSW Australia
The postman just turned up with my latest ebay purchase - a set of front and rear paddock stands for the RGS race bike. Now I can piss the centre stand off the bike, but first I'll have to make some bobbins for the swing arm. Not yet worked out how to attach them - may have to weld lugs onto the swing arm.
Cam, if the stand is long (tall) enough, the lower shockie mount bolt is often a convenient place to put a bobbin. No mods necessary other than a longer bolt as required.
Bimota provided sexy race stands with their bikes - probably because they knew their side stands were not fit for purpose. They attach by a rod passing through the - equally sexy - hollow rear axle. Of course that makes it all but useless since you can't remove the rear wheel, but hell it looks good.
On top of front and rear race stands, I also made front and rear chassis stands for the SLC, so that swingarm and front end can be removed if required. Have come in handy a few times. Supercheap auto car stands under the footpegs suffice for the rear end if required.
PS My quote button is broken too!
Cam, if the stand is long (tall) enough, the lower shockie mount bolt is often a convenient place to put a bobbin. No mods necessary other than a longer bolt as required.
Bimota provided sexy race stands with their bikes - probably because they knew their side stands were not fit for purpose. They attach by a rod passing through the - equally sexy - hollow rear axle. Of course that makes it all but useless since you can't remove the rear wheel, but hell it looks good.
On top of front and rear race stands, I also made front and rear chassis stands for the SLC, so that swingarm and front end can be removed if required. Have come in handy a few times. Supercheap auto car stands under the footpegs suffice for the rear end if required.
PS My quote button is broken too!
Simonr501
Hero member
- Location
- Lympne, Kent. UK
Brenganzane said ' PS My quote button is broken too!'
Welcome to the club!
I suspect it is indeed a Laverdaforum issue as I can quote myself from my profile, that particular 'quote' button works fine but not from the discussions pages.
Welcome to the club!
I suspect it is indeed a Laverdaforum issue as I can quote myself from my profile, that particular 'quote' button works fine but not from the discussions pages.
Lav the impala
Senior member
SimonR501 said:
mine works.