Below 265 SQ/FT 10' x 22' Project – ‘Officina di Attrezzi Veloce’

[Trapps]

Minor updates.

The Palmgren vise restoration has begun. 5 minutes in a bath of Simple Green & water (1:5) then out to disassemble.



Then all the pieces back in for about 15 minutes.



Thoroughly dried and coated with a hit of Liquid Wrench Dry Lube for temporary protection.



Next up, wire wheel work...

Kudos to Stihl for making it so easy to change an oil fill cap (that some idiot let rest on a hot muffler). It was literally a 9 minute job. 2 to change the cap and 7 to drink a beer after completed.

Now to clean these filthy things.



That's it for QST, but I did experience "new jacket day."





It's a Dainese Corse Tex C4 textile made for Ducati. It will zip to my existing Dainese Strada C4 (again, Ducati branded) pants:



The jacket, the last one in NA, at least in the Ducati system, is coupe of model years old, but still coordinates well for protection. With armor and removable liner plus waterproof but breathable membrane and some acceptable venting should make this a good jacket for all but the really hot days.

One test ride confirms it 'Kills Bugs Fast.' No offense to the Porschefiles who may be reading.



Sláinte!

 

[wreckdiver1321]

That vise is going to come up mint. Nice work!

 

[GeddyT]

Nice jacket! I was about to ask about how Ducati talked Dainese into hiding their branding, but you beat me to the punch that it's made by them.

 

[Trapps]

Nice jacket! I was about to ask about how Ducati talked Dainese into hiding their branding, but you beat me to the punch that it's made by them.

They are up front with it, on the product and even on the website.





Ducati has other manufactures too. RevIt has several Ducati branded items. I have a pair of gloves branded as Ducati, but made by AlpineStars:



They're a replacement for these super mega awesome, most comfortable ever, but no longer serviceable Dainese Druids:



I wore the Druids 100%. But now I've also added a pair of Carbon 3s (looks like a match to your new suit!):



So I split between the two new pairs. I typically wear the AS for more casual/touring ish and the C3s for more spirited rides.

Sláinte!

 

[GeddyT]

When I was 26, my bike and I torpedoed a tire wall at a speed that I wouldn't have thought survivable. Luckily, I underestimated how much a tire wall gives, and I lived to bumble another day. The main lesson learned from that off-track excursion was that I needed better gloves. Mild concussion that might have been responsible for all of my bad personality traits (it's the excuse I use with the wife) aside, the only lasting injury I suffered was a bad sprain in my wrist that has hampered me to this day. At the time, I was wearing mid-range Alpinestars gloves that had a soft gauntlet. I upgraded to the top of the line Supertechs, as I never wanted to ride again without a glove with an armored gauntlet. I always learn the hard way...

The problem was that those Supertechs never really fit my (apparently weird shaped) hands well. Palms always felt tight, fingers too long, etc. When it was time to replace them, a lot of research pointed me toward Held gloves, and I've never looked back. For about a decade now, I've been wearing Held Phantom IIs, and they're absolutely amazing. Not only do they manage to be both more protective and more comfortable than the outgoing Supertechs (kangaroo palm, titanium knuckles, stingray abrasion zones), but no other glove company I found offers more customization with sizing. Instead of XS through XL, Held has something like a dozen sizes and most gloves can be ordered with long or short fingers as well. I've never found Held gloves (sporty variety, at least) locally, so I took advantage of SportbikeTrackGear's generous return policy and ordered three pairs in different sizes and finger lengths, kept the pair the fit like the proverbial (and actual) glove, and returned the other two. They've been through two crashes and are the only indication they're not new is the edge of the cuff on one glove is starting to fray. If it gets worse, I'll replace them in kind.

Anyway, looks like you're set for gloves for now, but give them a look next time you're in the market.

 

[Trapps]

@GeddyT those Held gloves are tasty! Stingray leather?!?! I often criticize myself for wearing a shorty instead of a gauntlet. It shouldn't make a difference track or street, but I like the dexterity I get with a shorty. I'm sure I'd convert if I ever got onto the track...

___________________

The Palmgren 000 is done. Following Simple Green cleaning, the parts all had a date with one or more of the following: nylon brush, wire wheel, white lithium grease and Johnson's Paste Wax. I tried to preserve the original paint as much as possible. I used some of my older weapons cleaning tools to clean out the threads and bores:













I find it interesting that heavy metal from Chicago in the 40's, 50's and 60's used similar, non-typical, green paint.



Based on this 1959 ad from Popular Mechanics and some markings on the vise, I believe this vise to be of a mid/late 50's build.



The finished item is buttery smooth and feels very solid. I'll build a small shelf for it and mount it on the wall near the drill press and main vise.

Sláinte!

 

[Trapps]

Sidebar story - Shop Projects: Ski Boot Repair

While in a warming hut, having a cocktail, Mrs. Trapps got a little too close to a heater. With her ski boot. Ski boots have decent insulating properties so it was not hot feet that alerted us to a problem. It was the smell of burning plastic.



A bummer as the boots are relatively new and she loved them for comfort and performance.



After assessing the damage and realizing it couldn't get any worse, I decided to see if I could repair. In the hopes of getting them to last at least to the end of the season.



After cleaning up the nasty bits with a file, a razor and some sandpaper, then a bath with some alcohol, I had a clean-ish wound.



I lined the inside of the hole with some aluminum duct tape:



Then began to fill the void with hot glue. Several sticks went in, in layers, each one reheating and bonding nicely to the one below.



Once I felt like there was enough material (overpoured?), I shaped the still warm glue with a knife as best I could to match the profile of the boot. Then I used a torch to reheat the glue almost to melting, but not quite. It flowed, settled and smoothed on its own into a fairly decent, uniform-ish, surface finish.



I would repeat this process 2 more times, each producing an improvement, at least in appearance.



The final result was functional if not pretty.



It was also successfully used for the rest of the season. But with winter approaching, and out west skiing on the docket for this winter, I've convinced her it's time to replace. Our bootfitter moved to Florida so we're on the hunt for someone local.

Sláinte!

 

[wreckdiver1321]

Well that's ingenious. I never would have thought to try that.

 

[racer-john]

Well that's ingenious. I never would have thought to try that.

Nor I.

 

[GeddyT]

Do you know what material the shell of the boot is made out of? If it's PE or PP, I'd be surprised that the hot glue sticks. I'm guessing it's ABS?

Either way, nice work!

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Nice work on the boot. I wouldn't have thought to use hot glue as the repair substance but it looks like it flowed out fairly smooth.

If I may suggest: mask and spray that with primer then flat black and it'll ALMOST look like it never happened!

 

[Trapps]

Do you know what material the shell of the boot is made out of? If it's PE or PP, I'd be surprised that the hot glue sticks. I'm guessing it's ABS?

Either way, nice work!

Thanks Tom!

Polyurethane, but not sure if its and Ether or an Ester. This wades into a language I do speak. I'm guessing ether due to low temp performance though. She skied it for 3 days after the repair; it was really only meant to get through one more weekend. I have no delusions of grandeur thinking it was a permanent fix, but my wallet wishes it was...

Nice work on the boot. I wouldn't have thought to use hot glue as the repair substance but it looks like it flowed out fairly smooth.

If I may suggest: mask and spray that with primer then flat black and it'll ALMOST look like it never happened!

Thanks Dan!

I was surprised at the final appearance. However, no more time or dollars into that boot, it's destined for the recycle bin.

 

[Trapps]

A smorgasboard of an update:

We used to average 75+ bags of leaves in the front yard. When we moved to this house, I bought a Little Wonder C5 blower. Seriously, this machine really blows. The large wheels roll over almost everything without complaint. The Subaru SP-170 motor has been durable and reliable in addition to not being crazy loud. Don't get me wrong, it is not quiet, and I do wear hearing protection when using it. This pile, deceptive in the pic, is about 50 bags worth...



This year, in addition to being down one large (24") maple, we had a pretty good wind storm the day before I did leaves. 61 bags.



I made and mounted a small shelf near the drill press to hold the Palmgren 000 angle vise I 'freshened' up.



And re-cut the counter top base of the bench to accept the Wilton:



It is fastened with 3/8" bolts into 'T' nuts. The overhang allows longer items to extend past the small parts organizer framework (left side) or to rest below the benchtop while clamped. It's base is centered on two 2x below the 3/4" ply and there will be a a layer of 8mm laminate oak flooring added once the trim is completed.

New tool A:



Specifically for wheel bolts / lug nuts.

New tool B:



It is a recreational unit designed and made in Canada by Shearwater, a company with an excellent reputation who made their mark with high quality technical dive computers.



The visibility alone is worth the upgrade cost from my old Cressi Giotto:



Christmas Day will be the first dive with it and my new watch.

Despite having all the parts except the saw, the MFT has been put on hold - I have developed a garage space conflict on the main side. I can't keep it in the shop side until the Superbike moves to its new custodian which will be springtime.

Sometimes at the end of a long day, and after a big meal, I like a coffee. In this case it was a decaf Nespresso and some liquid Italian goodness while watching the Spartans beat Kentucky on the court (instead of beating on Michigan players in the tunnel ):



Sláinte!

 

[wreckdiver1321]

I had a Shearwater Predator and it was fantastic. Got somewhat into tech diving but fell out of it once the kids were born. Will pick that hobby back up once they're bigger.

I have like a dozen tanks that need hydro'd and a bunch of regs in need of servicing.

 

[GeddyT]

In this case it was a decaf Nespresso and some liquid Italian goodness while watching the Spartans beat Kentucky on the court (instead of beating on Michigan players in the tunnel )

Ha! Rough year for the foosball Spartans. Too bad they're $100 million into Tucker.

 

[nicholam77]

The vices look good in their new homes. My Tekton torque wrench hasn't let me down yet, going on 7 yrs. But I really only use it twice a year.

I should have assumed, but I did not know there was a thread on watches here on GJ! Brb... gotta read the whole thing right now (and by read, I mean look the pictures).

Ok, I'm back.

Good stuff. The sea star looks great on the rubber.

 

[driftpin]

A good job on the vise overhaul and the mods to the work area.

I have a Dianese one-piece fabric suit, armored, I bought in Miami. I appear chunky in it, so check your ego before suiting up. Good road /weather protection though. I have a nice leather Alpinestars competition armored jacket which I like too, and a pair of their Tech boots.

Some info on diving and ocean exploration which may be of interest:
One of my co-workers on fire/rescue here in So. FL used to dive for Mel Fischer. "Today's the day!" that was what he would tell the crew each morning. He would save his vacation and work diving for a month at a time. My friend did not work for him when he located the Atocha. He also worked diving in the Mediterranean doing service work on sea-borne navigational aids, and he was part-owner of a Taylor submarine he worked on to re-commission, and then rented out. It was a Perry PC-1201. He has since sold his interest.

A Perry 1201:

Perry submarine for charter and film production

3 person Perry submarine for short and long term charter or lease

www.sub-find.com

 

[Trapps]

@wreckdiver1321 I took a long hiatus when my kids were born, which I do not recommend. Pre kids I dove in Michigan where the water is cold until you hit the thermocline, then it gets really cold. I'm now only interested in warm water diving. My son is not interested, but my daughter is certified. Here we are on Christmas day 2019 literally just after she completed her open water dives:



If I had it to do over, I'd have introduced both of them to diving during their teen years.

@nicholam77 I have been adding Tekton tools for a while now, well since discovering GJ. I've been happy with everything so far. Watches are on the 'A' List of GJ tangents; there are so many intersections here. Garages and vehicles are just the tip of the iceberg.

@GeddyT I expected a few years of mediocrity despite Tucker's initial success during Covid. The portal is great and proof that the right pick up can really affect a team/season (see Kenneth Walker). I hope Tucker returns the value, but I'm skeptical. I really do like him, his approach and style. But I just can't help but think he's overpaid. The minimum results for that level of salary should be consistent top 10 rankings and in the FBC discussion, like his peers are.

@driftpin I never considered a sub - thanks for the rabbit hole! I appear chunky in some of my gear, too. The silly, skinny European designers. I'll spare you the images of me in a wetsuit.

 

[todras]

What a **** SOB.

 

[Trapps]

What a **** SOB.

There goes the neighborhood!

 

[todras]

FYI I'm putting in some LVP. I learned to cut a triangle piece of plywood as my wall spacer from your post. I've done a small bathroom but I'm doing our entire basement. Looks like I need to lay everything out before I go full send. I'm also wondering if I need to grind a 5mm cut at the bottom of the brick fireplace like the installers did on our main level. What did you do when the floor met the brick? TIA

 

[Trapps]

Nice Avatar, Todras.

Triangles were just scraps left from gusset plates. Any 1/2" stock you can easily remove will do. Most products recommend a 1/2" expansion gap on all sides.

It's visible in this shot on the brick wall:

 

[todras]

Haha thanks. Knew you'd like it. Did you put baseboard to cover that gap I can see next to the brick? Or is that quarter round?

 

[Trapps]

Base. A substantial 1" x 6" from Claymark.

 

[Trapps]

My garage is many things, and a work from home office is one of them. I've been using a 1/2 sized card table for a couple of years:





It's time for an upgrade. Inspired by @Jack Olsen's fold down welding bench, I used one of the science tables from last year's score. A perfect track saw situation:





Because the phenolic top is so smooth I used the rail clamps. Then I laid out the folding shelf brackets on the now 42" square table:





The table is very heavy, but these brackets are good for up to 550Lb. I don't trust that. But the table is probably close to 100Lb. I am considering a drop down leg just for piece of mind as there's a pretty good amount of weight cantilevered. If I did that, I could put heavy weight on it.

Because the brick was not level and smooth, I decided to mount the brackets to a 3/4" sheet I had in my stash. A pair of tapcons hold the sheet to the wall, then each bracket gets three more tapcons, through the sheet in into the brick.













For scale, that's a full size set of drawings 24"x36". It is a great height for standing. I'm now searching for the right stool: urethane wheels, adjustable height, backrest, not eleventy billion dollars...

I got to dive, with my daughter as my Dive Buddy, over the holidays and that was great! Barracuda, lobsters, lion fish, puffer fish, and tons of angels, trigger, wrasse and other reef fish. The new computer is amazing! No more actually 'looking' at my wrist, just a glance and I get the piece of info I want. The display is awesome! I also wore the new watch on one dive, but it needs a bigger strap. Hmmm. *looks for deployable bracelet rabbit hole.

I have begun planning my first real adventure on my motorcycle; a multi day trip that will include Pikes Peak, Colorado. I'll profile that here, but for now, I've started acquiring the gear I don't have and making a few mods to my bike. Before:



More to come!

Sláinte!

 

[MadeByMiller]

Great work on the fold down desk/table! I really like that photo with the cool mood lighting.

 

[jbrentd]

Nice upgrade for the WFH desk! Not sure I could have done 2 years on a folding table.

 

[Trapps]

Great work on the fold down desk/table! I really like that photo with the cool mood lighting.

Thanks, a rare pic of the shop cleaned up; there may or may not have been coffee in that mug. Darker helps when casting to the TV.

Nice upgrade for the WFH desk! Not sure I could have done 2 years on a folding table.

Fortunately I'm not here 9-5 everyday, otherwise that would have been an issue. Still, I lived with it that way for far too long...

____________________________


The 2014 Multistrada came home with me, new from Ducati Detroit, in September of 2015. It was one of the last '14 Pikes Peaks sold in the US. With 150HP on tap, substantial 320mm/4 pot Brembo's, an adjustable on-the-fly suspension and a wet weight of just ~485Lbs, this bike has some serious performance. It's been maintained 100% by Ducati Detroit and I keep a very complete log book with all documents and receipts in plastic sleeves:





I had a few things done at the time of purchase. Some bling, some farkles (thanks @Nolift911 for the definition), and some purely performance oriented. Subtle is a word not often mentioned in the same sentence as Ducati. My original vision for this bike was to have it appear close to stock with add-ons being something many would take as 'factory.' Whatever mods I did, I wanted them to be subtle. Laugh later when you read about the full racing exhaust that was cut down by 4"....ok, perhaps the appearance change is subtle when compared to stock. The noise is not subtle; how much so depends on wrist angle.

Rizoma brake and clutch reservoirs:





Evotech Crash Bobbins:





Ducati Performance Auxiliary Spotlights:





For me these are more about being seen than seeing. They're wired independent of the bike lights so I can run them as I see fit, including with High Beams on.

CRG Carbon levers (full size clutch, shorty brake). This is one of my favorite mods.







Evotech Tail Tidy:

(stock photo, before):


after:



I also added Rizoma LED turn signals to the tail tidy:



And the license plate which not everyone gets - most think its an Arnold reference. It's actually a nod to Termignoni. I use the same format on my Superbike. It has a desmo engine and the plate is D3SMO.

The termi is a full titanium racing system with a matching fuel map. It was cut down by 4" and then the whole thing ceramic coated:



I also had various elements (shift linkages, brackets, etc.) powder coated black and I ordered the factory panniers (saddlebags).

Thats it as received in 2015. Since then I've added a few more bits...

Sláinte!

 

[Nolift911]

Dig it! That thing is filthy in the best way possible. I would get into some serious trouble - rapidly.

 

[nicholam77]

The fold out desk is fantastic. Mind sharing what brackets you used? I've been thinking about a fold up auxiliary surface, too.

The Multistrada is awesome and I like what you've done with it, especially the Termi exhaust. I'm not really a big bike person but I know that Ducati and Termignoni go together. My dad and brother ride. My brother had an 899 Panigale for a few years and did some similar mods. No Termi exhaust but he wanted one . I guess he had some issues with heat around the seating area and sold it for a BMW (not sure what model). I have to say I used to be mad jealous, the 899 is one prettiest bikes to me. So, I'm a Ducati fan vicariously I guess.

Looking forward to see what's next and your trip!

 

[Trapps]

Folding Shelf Brackets

Superbikes are notorious for seat heat, Ducati is no exception. @GeddyT has a great story about it. Something to do with marshmallows and his wife...

Termis are not cheap. But if you bought it new, from the dealer, with the map, you kept the warranty intact. This one, with no baffle and being cut down 4", is particularly raucous if you uncork it. The Termis take a good sounding machine and, with a certain amount of wrist, turn it into an angry mob of coke fueled angels screaming down a glorious mechanical song from the heavens. A spine tingling symphony you just want more of!

_____________________________

Since becoming the custodian, I've added a few more items over the years.

CNC Racing adjustable shifter (elliptical toe) & brake (elliptical toe and folding):











Flamingo Racing rear seat cowl:





Sargent Seats





Dynamic Luggage Rack & Backrest (a necessity for my pillion, Mrs. Trapps):





Chase Harper Tail Bag





QuadLock Phone Mount:





That's it for mods/mountable gear. I've enjoyed this bike both solo and with my wife. It is very much a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde machine. In addition to being very capable, it is also very comfortable.

For this trip I'm planning I'll need a few more pieces of gear.....

Sláinte!

 

[Nolift911]

Here's a question - how are you getting more than 10 full size photos in a post?

 

[Trapps]

Here's a question - how are you getting more than 10 full size photos in a post?

No idea; I just write and post. I am using a link from Flickr in BBCode for my images.

 

[GeddyT]

I've owned three different CBRs and two Ducatis with undertail exhausts. Being in the temperate land of liquid sunshine, I always viewed the hot seat as a feature, not a bug.

Now, the hardness of a seat is another question, and thats when bags of marshmallows enter the picture.

 

[Trapps]

I failed to list the CNC frame plugs visible in some of the pics above. Yes, they are solidly in the bling category.

The first add for the upcoming journey is a tank bag. I was very particular about what I wanted. Not too big, easy on/off, no worries about paint abrasion, durable.

I had seen some SW Motech products, but never owned one. I pulled the trigger on this:



It has outstanding quality of materials and craftsmanship. It is the perfect size and ticks all of the boxes and then some.

It mounts to a two part ring system. The first part is an adapter specific to your bikes' fuel fill mount. On top of that adapter is the actual mount that the bag connects to:





There are 2 more bolts hidden from view; it is a very secure feeling rig.

The bag itself has a mounting device attached to it that allows movement fore and aft and you can purchase extra height spacers too. I didn't need them for a no contact fit. This device latches onto the ring on the tank:







There is a magnetically activated lock that engages with a confident click. To release it just pull firmly on the red tab on the front of the bag. Size wise it is perfect for my intent.



Riding position view is good, no obstructions to the IP. No handle bar contact even at full extension.



Next up is a medium sized trunk solution...

Sláinte!

 

[Trapps]

The trunk will ride on a rack that mounts to the bike frame.

Bike frame:



Luggage rack:





Another SW part, nicely cut and finished aluminum. I like the lash points, rigid design, shape and size. It's designed to fit on a plate SW makes. But the plate extends the rack quite a ways back - fine if you have a pillion, but I won't for longer trips. I want to mount the trunk, ergo rack and mount, farther forward on the bike. The issue is I need to improvise a way to mount the rack to the bike. The rear holes are simply a measure, mark and cut operation; there is plenty of material webbing over the existing mount holes on the bike frame.



The front holes will need some sort of adapter. I can envision something fairly simple from flat stock. I'll have some spacers so height is not an issue as I can adjust the spacer height.

The question is, do I draw it up, grab some off the shelf stock and cut/drill/finish it here or do I make better drawings and utilize a send, cut send service? I am leaning towards SCS to insure a professional looking and fitting part.

In the new tools department, this arrived:







All metal construction and SAE and Metric markings were the deciding factors over other options. It came as a complete kit. I'm looking forward to completing the cabinets in Mrs. T's studio...

Sláinte!

 

[Trapps]

Old Brake Light (stock, LED):



Old Turn Signal (Rizoma Club LED):



Both the brake light and the turn signal are very good, but since I really like to be seen, this is better:





Its from Motodynamic and was a direct pug & play. The fit was a bit difficult though because I have a tail tidy so internal volume was reduced. So much so that it took two hours to fit the wiring, including resistors, into the remaining space. Foul language was uttered.



Totally worth the effort though; the three flash sequence on the brake light and sequential turn signals (timed with the front turns) are super bright and attention getting:

Limited space, and snow outside means repositioning in Officina di Attrezzi Veloce is a move you need to plan. Here is the Multi in the middle of a 28 point turn:



The trunk project is coming along too. Mocked up:







Paper to foam core product design & engineering. Once I get it sorted, I'll create a SketchUp model and then figure out how to convert that to do a Send, Cut, Send. Anyone care to educate me on which grade I want for this adapter plate? (Heat is not a real concern so I am currently waffling between 4mm 6061 and 7075). The end game is to make the adapter plate work with the bike, the luggage rack (3mm) and the seatback rack (5mm) too. Yes, it'll be powder coated black.

For longer distance I'm adding a touring screen and a Nav system (Old Cockpit):



Soon to be modified with this item I just recieved from Germany:





I'd venture to say that many (half?) of Garage Journalers have acquired tools becasue they saw them here. I am guilty too. On several counts. This set of Powerbuilt hex wrenches has been awesome for working on the bike:



Sláinte!

Mark

 

[GeddyT]

Live look at Trapps turning the Multi around:

 

[Trapps]

@GeddyT Oh behave...

More Progress:







Phone: iPhone 13Pro
Helmet Comms: UClear Amp Pro (researching an upgrade, sound quality is good, but volume is low on media)
Nav: Garmin Zumo XT

It took a couple of hours to get all three devices to play nicely together. A series of connect, test, disconnect, forget, reconnect, retest. For whatever reason, the order of pairing made a difference:

1. Zumo to iPhone
2. UClear to Zumo

I also had to have the iPhone 'forget' the UClear and leave it that way.

The Navihalter is great! High quality materials and craftsmanship. I'll play with adjustability a bit so it can sit as low as possible without obstructing the IP. It's currently in the high setting; I'm sure middle will work and hopefully low will too.

Sláinte!

 

[GeddyT]

Funny, you're one of two people in my life who I'm following along as they outfit a Ducati with cool parts. Keep the farkles coming!