Between 485 & 705 SQ/FT Mid-Century Moto Mecca Makeover

[sakurama]

Man, I step away to make dinner and you guys are all over it. Yeah, Sys 5 which is a big one. I keep looking at the smaller 55 and I really loved it when I had it. I don't use it enough to worry about the weight and the extra cut depth has been handy on a few occasions.

Gregor

 

[E12-535iTurbo]

Well, I don't have a normal job first of all. I'm freelance so I work far fewer days and get paid far more when I do work. Despite that I've sold three motorcycles and a fair bit of photo gear to fund the remodel and I've not ridden a bike in over a year and that was my main passion in life - so I've sacrificed a fair bit for this. I have a limited social life but I'm hoping to change that this year with more riding. I do side projects at night, only sleep about 5 hours and I've spent most of this past year being broke. That shed any light on it?

Gregor

I've read through your 950 project yesterday and decided you're just as human as others. I've read your frustration at times and it's cool to see other have the same feelings. I know them too well, I'm 7-years into a car project and am continously learning. Keep up the awsome work and please keep sharing!

BR Jan

 

[neilc]

Love the progress, Gregor!

On the little hammer you made, is that all stainless? Or aluminum?

Curious what you used on the two faces - one looks like brass. What is the other face? Might have to make one of those.

neil

 

[smschriefer]

It looks like he has a red poly suspension bushing sitting there and a piece of white Delrin in the lathe. My guess is he has interchangeable faces. The poly would be softer than the Delrin and then the brass face for harder surfaces.

 

[sakurama]

I didn't think I'd wear out the ends of the hammer so I just pressed them in. The red is some red delrin I had in my stock and the brass is just that. I've decided to give that hammer to my son for his birthday and then make another one just a bit larger and with swappable ends as you suggest. I think that I'm going to make him a hammer for every birthday - each just a bit larger and different. Should be a cool thing for him.

Gregor

 

[neilc]

I've decided to give that hammer to my son for his birthday and then make another one just a bit larger and with swappable ends as you suggest. I think that I'm going to make him a hammer for every birthday - each just a bit larger and different. Should be a cool thing for him.

Gregor

Thanks for the info on the hammer. Was the main body stainless or aluminum?

As for an annual gift, I think that's a really great idea. And you can use that Festool gear to make a display case for the collection. Might make sense to get them engraved with the year as well!

neil

 

[bdking]

I think that I'm going to make him a hammer for every birthday - each just a bit larger and different. Should be a cool thing for him.

If he's anything like my boys you'll get really good at fixing drywall. Just hope he avoids the cedar...

 

[sakurama]

Thanks for the info on the hammer. Was the main body stainless or aluminum?

As for an annual gift, I think that's a really great idea. And you can use that Festool gear to make a display case for the collection. Might make sense to get them engraved with the year as well!

neil

I thought about making a box for it but I know it would be destroyed in short order. The hammer is stainless for the weight. I've been working in 303 lately but this was made with just some scrap 304 from the stock bins. My knurler is a clamping type and I've gotten good at getting nice sharp knurls. I've heard people don't like the "cut your hands" type of knurl but that's just what I love - super sharp pointy diamond knurls. I real man's knurl!

The trick I've learned, if you're curious, is to use a lot of cutting fluid and then keep a jet of compressed air aimed at the wheels to blow off the swarf. As you compress the cutting wheels wait until they're cutting full depth and then engage your Z feed to automatically advance down the part. It takes some trial and error but the compressing knurler works best by far.

If he's anything like my boys you'll get really good at fixing drywall. Just hope he avoids the cedar...

Ha, I thought about that and that's why I decided to go so small with it. I think even his sister might be safe.

Gregor

 

[smschriefer]

You're a cool dad. For your daughter's safety make her a shield and a hammer... wait, then you'll have a Viking and a shield-maiden practicing combat. Maybe setup a small bench in the garage for your son to work at when you are out there.

 

[RaspPumpkinSeedPancakes]

One day I opened a door off of a yawning hallway of doors an internet search engine had laid out before me.

Who knew!
Funny where one can end up when typing, Viking range + "flippin' pancakes", into a box.

41 pages later and I've been floored in my chair marveling at the knowledge, mindfulness, intensity and persistence of some people on this planet.

I don't have a garage so I doubt I "belong" here (thank you all for your forbearance!), but I was so drawn in to this story when I found it this weekend that I couldn't help commenting at some point.

What a great read!

Is my life too short for me to heed the Danish genes of my ggg-granddad calling out to me, "forget pancakes... learn how to make a wood cabinet!"?

In any case, I feel inspired. All of you are amazing!

Remember, there is always an autodidact out there wanting to learn, so thank you for sharing!


Sincerely,

RaspberryPumpkinSeedPancakes

 

[sakurama]

Funny where one can end up when typing, Viking range + "flippin' pancakes", into a box.

In any case, I feel inspired. All of you are amazing!

That's some funny **** right there. Thanks and welcome. I don't think having a garage is required here but stay for long and the desire for one might become too much.

Gregor

 

[RaspPumpkinSeedPancakes]

Thank you for the welcome! But if I stay, I shall probably just lurk at times until the admins decide that my less than a handful of ignorant posts warrant deleting my account. I'm afraid creating garages and creating things in garages are out of my realm until I have more time to at least start with googling things like "define:swarf", initiating some sort of learning process.

Although I like MCM, which is one reason the thread was interesting (and will remain so), my main interest right now is finding the right secret hot sauce which will make my Chocolate Jalapeno Buckwheat Pancakes pop. But I did want to drop in to laud your tireless efforts! I hope you make it through the down times, and that your father (and Jorge) have a happy future. And be careful making those rings for your little daughter! With your skill, your next adventure will be to become a goldsmith, and you'll be spending your money and time making her something more along the lines of this man's work for her next trinket,
http://www.etsy.com/listing/126145028/unique-hand-made-and-hammer-forged-18k

 

[sakurama]

Well, the hammer was a great success.

Of course I didn't get a lot else done last week as I had to pick up the last of the things that were left at my MILs and then try to find space for them - including my boxer. Since the weather was warm I spent a little time clearing my head by working on my Guzzi (must. get. running.)

While cleaning and organizing I found plenty of stuff to sell on ebay and CL. The great part of selling things on ebay is that you free up space. The bad part is that space creates a vacuum and it creates a positive paypal balance. Nature abhors a vacuum and workshops abhor a positive PayPal balance.

Which is how I ended up with a notcher.

The last part of my sheet metal puzzle scored on ebay for $225. When I went to pick it up I asked the question I always ask, "Have you got anything else you want to sell?" and more often than not the answer is yes. Today it was, "Aw, hell yes!" Which is just what you want to hear at a helicopter workshop.

There's a 17-1/2 ton air over hydraulic Porto-Power in there, the slip roll, a turret post for my lathe, a cast iron grinder, a speed clamp for my cold saw, a slew of air filters, regulators, and fittings, a solid cast iron surface plate and oh, yeah, a box filled with lathe tools and, because the place made parts for helicopters, a whole box filled with aero-quip fittings and high pressure stainless line. I paid way less than half the scrap metal cost for all of it. Probably the best score I've ever made.

Damn shop is crowded again.

Gregor

 

[lilscorpion]

You should also build a box for your son to keep his hammers in. Maybe even a display case. As he gets older they may just become his most treasured things.

What a massive score! Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.

 

[2brown4u]

This is amazing!! I'm subscribing

 

[mtm_motors]

I know everyone will hate me for posting, but we are all patiently awaiting an update!

This continues to be my favorite thread here... the transformation is so inspiring. I keep looking for oddball '50s houses now..

 

[GRS DESIGN]

I know everyone will hate me for posting, but we are all patiently awaiting an update!

This continues to be my favorite thread here... the transformation is so inspiring. I keep looking for oddball '50s houses now..

You beat me to the punch I to have been waiting patiently for an update....cheers Glenn

 

[Jacko]

The great part of selling things on ebay is that you free up space. The bad part is that space creates a vacuum and it creates a positive paypal balance. Nature abhors a vacuum and workshops abhor a positive PayPal balance.

hahaha. The same proverb applies to parts for my old car!

 

[sakurama]

So I was making decent progress on the trim and then we had a stretch of perfect weather. The first good spring weather brings out every motorcycle in existence and I didn't have one that ran. And it's been like that for over a year. I was tired, burned out and fed up with the house and I decided that I needed to take a few days and get one of my bikes running.

I'm pretty sure this is the last group that I need to explain that to.

So I rolled the Guzzi out from beneath the eves of the porch and into the garage and, well, of course I started a build thread for it: Ugly Goose into Eagle of Zeus.

After a good week of fab and sorting I got the bike into a runnable state and met up with Ben and another friend for an amazing lunch ride which completely drained me of any bitterness towards the house and fully charged my batteries.

I'm pretty good at keeping my nose to the grindstone on a project but the house was draining me of all resources and I needed a break. Now that I have a running bike again I feel like a whole person and I'm ready to get back to the house so sorry for the intermission but my mental health required it.

Gregor

 

[SmokeyBC]

That's a fine looking bike! I'd like to follow you down a mountain road just to listen to it.

 

[Skyline]

Great thread on the Guzzi....

Have you thought about having a PDR guy have a go at that tank? We are not nearby, but I've seen my guy work miracles. You would definitely need to empty the tank and remove all traces of fuel. But that dent might be fixable from the inside with PDR methods.

 

[Brian R]

I own a Vincent Rapide and a BMW R50/2 with sidecar and I remember reading that article in Classic Bike and thinking that I would trade both of them for either of the bikes mentioned! Wow, what a small world that that article was about one of your bikes.

Can't wait for more progress on the garage and what you do with the Guzzi.

Gotta run - going for a ride on my Rapide.

Cheers,
Brian

 

[dreesemonkey]

So I rolled the Guzzi out from beneath the eves of the porch and into the garage and, well, of course I started a build thread for it: Ugly Goose into Eagle of Zeus.

Great, now I have another build I need to try and remember to keep up with. Thanks a bunch, Gregor!

 

[sakurama]

Great thread on the Guzzi....

Have you thought about having a PDR guy have a go at that tank? We are not nearby, but I've seen my guy work miracles. You would definitely need to empty the tank and remove all traces of fuel. But that dent might be fixable from the inside with PDR methods.

I had to google that - paintless dent removal - for anyone else that was stumped. You know I hadn't thought of that. When I raced I had Evan Wilcox repair a TZ250 tank that I smashed and he cut it open and hammered it out and I just assumed that would be the way to have it done. I've been approached by those PDR guys in the parking lot a few times (my truck is like a gold mine to them after it's years in NYC) and I've always been pretty skeptical since I've done my fair share of body work. But! But I bet you you're right and I'd be willing to give it a shot after googling them and watching the videos - I think it's a fantastic idea. Thanks.

I own a Vincent Rapide and a BMW R50/2 with sidecar and I remember reading that article in Classic Bike and thinking that I would trade both of them for either of the bikes mentioned! Wow, what a small world that that article was about one of your bikes.

Can't wait for more progress on the garage and what you do with the Guzzi.

Gotta run - going for a ride on my Rapide.

Cheers,
Brian

A Vincent? Is that offer still open? Wow. My dream bike is an Egli Vincent. I met Jay Leno for a shoot a while back and aside from getting a personal tour of his garage and shop I got to see all his bikes and the Egli Vincent was my favorite by far. Once Jay realized I was also a gear head he spent the whole morning with us and I even got a ride in a car. My shot:

I used to cut out and collect articles in Classic Bike about cool BMW's so it was like a full circle dream to have my bike in the magazine. Now I fully intend to make the Guzzi into something very unique, special and different. I want to push it farther than any Guzzi has gone yet which is a big goal since there's been a bunch of nicely built Guzzi's but it's a very special bike to me and so it's going to be a special build. And I just about have the garage for it.

Gregor

 

[Geezershop]

Great thread on the Guzzi....

Have you thought about having a PDR guy have a go at that tank? We are not nearby, but I've seen my guy work miracles. You would definitely need to empty the tank and remove all traces of fuel. But that dent might be fixable from the inside with PDR methods.

I am an insurance adjuster and I have seen PDR techs use a glue stick process to pull hail dents on double wall panels where access Was impossible. But PDR guys say it's harder to work aluminum than steel panels because of lack of memory in the material.

Love the garage, the house, and the bikes. Your photos are fantastic!

 

[Po'Boy]

I first noticed this thread when it was only a few pages long. After purchasing a new home and selling my current one, I've stumbled across it again, (with much more content this time of course.) I am so thoroughly impressed with every aspect of this thread. It seems to have come full circle, and the picture with the bike at the end makes it seem like the ending to a really good book that one wishes wasn't over. I am glad it isn't!! I have taken a lot from this thread, and plan on applying a good deal of it towards my new home / shop, as it is an older home, with just the right amount of flaws. By far the best read I believe I have ever come across online, in any forum, blog etc. Thank you for sharing in such detail and honesty with us all, and keep it going.

Matt

 

[YoungMedic]

Seems you have a knack for finding projects with horrendous electrical work Gregor!

Very cool thread on the guzzi though, can't wait to see what's in store

this picture reminds me of a big radial engine assembly on a early airplane

 

[bdking]

That's a fine looking bike! I'd like to follow you down a mountain road just to listen to it.

I was following Gregor on that ride. It sounded cool, but nowhere near as cool as the boxer. It'll benefit from a new Sakurama exhaust...

 

[mtm_motors]

Amazing how just a few simple changes can completely transform something like your Guzzi, I will have to follow your build on ADVrider now as well!

One of my favorite Guzzi builds is Revival Cycle's Beto... however, regardless of what direction you take yours, I'm sure it will be fantastic.

Great to see you using your garage as it was intended, as the Moto Mecca fab shop!

 

[bwitt]

OK, I just discovered this thread. I've skipped a few pages in the interest of time, but I do intend to read though it all. You're obviously an accomplished photographer and I understand from reading here that bike building is another successful venture of yours. Add to that your woodworking and metal working skills and you've got literally what I view as the perfect storm of creativity.

Just looking at the remodel of the house and seeing the drive, vision, detail, passion and beyond professionalism of your work is quite stunning. Your ability to "see" what this house should look like and bring it to that point, is simply amazing. Not to mention taking the time to set up and properly photograph the progess at each stage and also to take the time to share it here, all while juggling a career, family and who-knows-what-else.

This really is an inspiration. I enjoy photography, architecture, metal and wood working as well as auto repair and paint and body work, so seeing all this has really lit a fire under me to hone some skills and try to make something remarkable.

 

[MajorLeeGassole]

OK, I just discovered this thread. I've skipped a few pages in the interest of time, but I do intend to read though it all. You're obviously an accomplished photographer and I understand from reading here that bike building is another successful venture of yours. Add to that your woodworking and metal working skills and you've got literally what I view as the perfect storm of creativity.

Just looking at the remodel of the house and seeing the drive, vision, detail, passion and beyond professionalism of your work is quite stunning. Your ability to "see" what this house should look like and bring it to that point, is simply amazing. Not to mention taking the time to set up and properly photograph the progess at each stage and also to take the time to share it here, all while juggling a career, family and who-knows-what-else.

This really is an inspiration. I enjoy photography, architecture, metal and wood working as well as auto repair and paint and body work, so seeing all this has really lit a fire under me to hone some skills and try to make something remarkable.

Well said.

 

[sakurama]

This really is an inspiration. I enjoy photography, architecture, metal and wood working as well as auto repair and paint and body work, so seeing all this has really lit a fire under me to hone some skills and try to make something remarkable.

Thanks. I am always looking to learn something new but every once in a while I come across something like the loft railing in the house where I do a little machining, welding and woodwork and I step back and think - wow, that's really cool.

______________________________________
​

Then there are the days that I've had recently where I wonder what the hell I'm doing and when will it end. Suffice it to say that the length of time this has dragged on and the financial toll has stressed the home life. Of course it's a bit like saying you don't like sailing anymore once you're in the middle of the ocean. I have no choice but to keep paddling.

Some of it is my tendency to figure something out and then immediately try something harder or different. It's been a boon in my creative career and a thorn in my remodel. Case in point is the 3mm solid edge band I'm working with. Glue was too tedious and so I am trying FastCap Speed Tape. It's funny stuff as it's crazy sticky and you really need to trim any excess before you place the trim or it's a nightmare to get off once the paper is gone. I use a knife to slice just the glue...

And then peel up the release paper with the excess glue on it. To aid in this I lay the tape flush with one side.

I then stick the edge band on just slightly proud to trim with the MFK 700 trim router. I learned a lesson with the doors which is to trim each piece as soon as it's applied or the tall edges interfere with the remaining sides. It's just a lot more complicated than edge tape.

That little gap is the thing I'm running into with the thick edge band. The Fast cap tape holds the edging well but not super tight. It can have a tendency to pull up so I am also pinning it at angles (like making an X with the pins) to help hold it. That's working.

I'm not about to go and remake things at this point so I'm working on fixes. Or trying to.

I'm using a piece of trim to scrape up the waxy filler...

Then a cloth to buff it in...

Then fine steel wool to remove the gloss of the buffed wax.

Then I coated it with poly today. My goal is to try to have some noticeable things done for when Judiaann gets back from her next trip. Which marks the start of mine. We have literally spent this whole month crossing at the airport and it's getting old.

But, I did get back up on the horse and manage some house work, some bike work and some blog work. Now I'm off to do some zzz work.

Gregor

 

[lucky.expert]

We are knocking down some walls and giving our kitchen/living room a facelift, and let me tell you, I feel your 'burned out' pain. I enjoy carpentry work, but I'm just ready to be done so I can enjoy it! And so I can spend my time tinkering with hobbies rather than in 'get it done' mode. I am building concrete counter tops right now, which is a lot of work but hopefully will be worth it. I am only about 5 months into our remodel project which pales into comparison the size and length of your project, so I know (a fraction) how you feel! I've followed this project from the beginning, and I've been impressed with every bit of it.

 

[jacktrut]

Fantastic work! I followed your link here from advrider. Your build posts are an inspiration if not humbling. Your level of work is top notch.
I thought that there was no way I could add any info that would be helpful to you or your build. Untill i saw these pics

I'm not about to go and remake things at this point so I'm working on fixes. Or trying to.

I've never built myself a motorcycle or completed a house remodel but I have built a plywood kayak and I also built a cedar strip boat. And as one can imagine trying to hide any gaps in a hull made from skinny sticks is very difficult but not impossible. The way that cedar strip boat builders make gaps blend in is to use a darker filler than the wood you are using. I see you are using a reddishy tinted wax filler. A filler darker than the surrounding wood would make those gaps disappear. They would appear to be a natural part of the wood grain. Also as the wood ages it naturally darkens so it has a better chance of keeping those gaps hidden better over time.

my 2cents. I hope they were worth something to you.

 

[ct71rr]

What, no Festool motorcycle??!! Just kidding. Looks awesome, nice job as always!

 

[sakurama]

I've never built myself a motorcycle or completed a house remodel but I have built a plywood kayak and I also built a cedar strip boat. And as one can imagine trying to hide any gaps in a hull made from skinny sticks is very difficult but not impossible. The way that cedar strip boat builders make gaps blend in is to use a darker filler than the wood you are using. I see you are using a reddishy tinted wax filler. A filler darker than the surrounding wood would make those gaps disappear. They would appear to be a natural part of the wood grain. Also as the wood ages it naturally darkens so it has a better chance of keeping those gaps hidden better over time.

my 2cents. I hope they were worth something to you.

Dang it!, As I was doing it I thought to myself, "This should be darker if not outright black..." but I thought it might look okay once it was poly'd over. I didn't have anything darker and didn't relish the idea of another cross town trip to the wood store. What was the best stuff for that? I don't care for the stuff I'm using right now.

Oh, well. Lesson learned.

Thanks for the tip and I'll get some for the next round. Sadly the doors and hood aren't turning out like I'd like and I'm at the point of considering making them over. Of course if I put them up "temporarily" they will be up for the rest of my life so I'm trying to rescue them right now.

Frustrating.

Working on the Guzzi lately has reminded me how much more I like working on machines and how much more certain and exact the process is. Ah, well, I'll get my rhythm back soon.

Gregor

 

[sakurama]

Oh, if anyone is interested in a great 2015 Calendar of Adventure Motorcycling have I got a link for you!

No, I don't get a percentage or kickback or anything. I just like Lee and he made me the "featured photographer" for the calendar which is pretty cool.



Gregor

 

[swaffy101]

My favorite build yet! Keep up the great work.

 

[jacktrut]

Dang it!, As I was doing it I thought to myself, "This should be darker if not outright black..." but I thought it might look okay once it was poly'd over. I didn't have anything darker and didn't relish the idea of another cross town trip to the wood store. What was the best stuff for that? I don't care for the stuff I'm using right now.

Oh, well. Lesson learned.

Like anything that anyone builds. All the flaws are only visible to the builder. It's kinda like the ten foot rule..
I tried all sorts of different fillers but in the end I used wood flour(dust from my random orbit sander) and epoxy mixed to a peanut butter consistency and worked into the cracks then scraped and sanded flush when cured. I wouldn't try that on cabinets though. I'm sure you could find a suitable filler for cabinet grade work.

here's a sampling of wood fillers from lee valley tools.

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=20069&cat=1,190,42997

oh yes.. another place to spend money

 

[iibgdi]

You should also build a box for your son to keep his hammers in. Maybe even a display case. As he gets older they may just become his most treasured things.

What a massive score! Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.

My father, grandfather and great grandfather were all carpenters. Years ago, my dad made a shadow box out of barn wood and mounted his dads (my gpas) hammer which was passed down to him from his father.

Unfortunately i wasnt real close to my father (his choice for some reason) but I always said that was the ONE thing I wanted some day.

Well, dad passed away a few years ago and his wife gave me the hammer, along with his 1930 Model A that dad restored.

He loved that car but for some reason, that old hammer means much more to me than anything else.