DIRTY VIDEOS

The past couple of days have been spent dismantling and the machine is now in bits packed into boxes with identifying labels. As each part was removed I made a sketch of the more complex assemblies to aid reassembly. And just for good measure I also took close up videos during dismantling. What's obvious when taking something apart is easily forgotten six months later. My camera and note book are covered in the oil and filth from handling these parts whilst simultaneously filming.  The plan is to clean/polish/paint/and generally restore every component part separately and pack away ready for final assembly in Spring 2011.

 First problem and only one so far was removing the cylindrical silencer. As the fixing bolts were turned so the nuts inside the silencer also turned. Like the fuel tank I had assumed the silencer was a single unit sealed at the seams. It just didn’t occur to me that the hemispheres at the end of the cylinder could be twisted off to gain access to the nuts inside. Thanks to those club members who put me right. A classic case of ‘everything is simple…. when you know what you’re doing !’  

 As I come to prepare each component there is still grease and oil in every nook and cranny- I’m now on the third can of Gunk!

The painted parts are being degreased, lightly sand blasted to etch the surface, rubbed down with wet&dry and then coated with Kurust prior to painting.  At some stage the frame must have been painted with gloss straight over the existing gloss paint or bare metal/rust and inevitably this is now flaking off.  Update. My sandblaster is an attachment to a pressure washer. They’re useless !  The suction end goes into a bag of kiln dried sand and the high pressure water flow through the gun sucks the sand to the end of the outlet nozzle. At least that’s the theory. In practice the sand in the tube at the nozzle end is continually getting damp, clogging and stopping the flow. The DIY forums I’ve searched all report the same problem and I note that all the major manufacturers of domestic pressure washers have now discontinued this accessory. Back to using a wire brush and elbow grease.