Need help fabbing a motorcycle frame hanging rig.

[wolflrv]

Ok..here's the deal. I'll be spray painting my motorcycle frame and all the other parts outside. There's just no room in the shop to hang the frame and paint it. So I'm picturing in my mind something like a kid's swingset, that will be strong enough to hold the frame(about 90 lbs) and also for hanging other parts to paint. Needs to be roughly 5-6ft tall and about 5ft wide. I have no welding ability, so it needs to be built from 2x4's. It will be a one-time use(hopefully) project so it doesn't need to look great.

Has anyone built something like this?? Any pictures?? Ideas for structuring it, so it has no sway?? Thx in advance for any help!

 

[MP&C]

Here's my version....

They have held anything from tailgate (shown) to car doors to motorcycle frame. The span on the feet is stable enough for your frame as you don't have that much surface area for the air to de-stabilize it. These were display racks out of a clothing store, and I even have them outfitted with snaps around the perimeter to hold my welding curtains when they are needed. definitely multi-purpose. The legs of one will slide under the lower crossbar of the other for more compact storage... I'd say rather than building similar out of 2x4's, drive around your local strip malls and see if there are any excess racks that a store may want to sell. Some of the Thrift stores may be another source....

 

[justanengineer]

Sorry I dont have pics, but I made one a few years ago very similar to MP&C's frames out of 1" diameter black iron water pipe threaded together using T joints and 90 degree elbows. Every bit of it came from the local hardware store and was an off the shelf item. Very simple, quick, and easy. Not sure if the box stores sell iron pipe or not, so you may have to go looking.

 

[wolflrv]

Thx for the ideas guys! I looked into garment racks early on and most were just not wide enough and barely tall enough. I live in a very small town, so I don't have access to a lot of surplus shops. I have considered doing the garment rack design in 2x4's though and that may still be the simpler answer. If I move my tractor outside the shop for a few days, I could add wheels and be able to roll the frame back inside to protect it, between coatings. That has definitely been big in the thought process as well.

I also looked at getting the 10-12" threaded pipe pieces and building a garment rack style structure..but the cost of the pipe and fittings came to around a $150 not counting another $20 for wheels. So I scratched that idea, although it would probably be the strongest support I could build without welding.

Great ideas and concepts!! Keep them coming please!! I'll be building this in the next month or two and want to make sure I've thought of everything in advance if possible. Shooting HOK candy paint and don't want to screw it up!!

 

[A_Pmech]

You don't have any hanging rigs growing in your yard?

 

[wolflrv]

You don't have any hanging rigs growing in your yard?

hmmm...great idea...but nope...backyard just has a few bushes. There are a couple of ornamental pears growing on the side of the house..but the drift/wind would be way harder to control and side of house and neighbor dogs might get misted(which would be very bad). Plus I can't imagine the leaves dropping, tree sap and not to mention squirrels running across the fresh paint...LOLOL!

 

[jamesemery728]

Just make them like a really tall saw horse out of 2X4's, so that they come apart for storage purposes.

 

[porphyre]

Just make them like a really tall saw horse out of 2X4's, so that they come apart for storage purposes.

+1 to this idea. If you're really worried about weight bearing capacity, use a 2x6 instead of a 2x4 for the cross piece. Be SURE to add extra cross braces for the legs, though. Use hex head lag screws to hold it together.

Buy three 12ft 2x4s and one 8ft 2x6 and you'll be good to go. Should take maybe an hour with a power drill and a miter saw.

 

[wolflrv]

Ok..here is the plan..gonna use some heavy duty sawhorse brackets. I'll also add a bottom board to the "A" and attach swivel casters so that I can roll it in and out to paint as described in above post. I can then see how stable it is and add extra support boards as needed.

Thx for all the help and ideas guys!! I'll post pics when I get it built!!

 

[bchee]

 

[2oolhound]

+ 2 for the saw horse idea. Then staple clear plastic to it so you don't have dust blowing on it till it dries. Have a door on the end.

 

[ETwagon]

I used 2x4's and my Black & Decker Workmate. I made this for painting bumpers but it worked great for a Honda frame I painted

I ran round stock through the engine mounts and used some tubing welded to a piece of flat stock deck screwed to the wood so the frame would tilt forward and be able to paint the bottom of the frame.

 

[wolflrv]

ETwagon..that's a great idea, but I don't think it will work well for my frame. It has a break-away side rail for removing the engine...which I plan to paint separately. (see pic below). I'm pretty sure I have this figured out now with the sawhorse brackets and I plan to try and build it today if the weather holds...rained cats and dogs yesterday...LOL! I'll post pics of my finished setup! Thx again to everyone who's been trying to help me brainstorm this project!!