Not Bob Stuff

[Not Bob]

So I used to be around GJ long ago, it looks like my last post back then was in Oct. 2016. Well in Dec. 2016 I got hit by a pickup while I was riding home from work one night. Long story short, it took about six years to repair me, and while I narrowly avoided a couple amputations, I now have about half the use of my arms and hands. What to do?

The best physical therapy I did was to get in the garage and figure out how to work with my hands again. Also, why not learn something new at the same time. I decided to learn how to weld, and get heavier into metal fabrication. When my co workers brought my tools and boxes home to me, they put the bike I first built 20 years ago (the one in my avatar) on my lift for me. I went to work giving it a new look.

I was on instagram back then, so I took a lot of pictures. The bike has evolved since then, and I'm about to start building another piece for it soon.

I built new foot control mounts, moving them up and back, (I lost an inch and a half in height due to the wreck) so I needed a belt guard now.

 

[In The Doghouse]

You do good work. Glad you're recovering, and keep sharing with us your progress.

 

[driftpin]

OMG, glad to see you're still with us! Things look good on that ride. More pics as you progress, please.

 

[stinkity stoink]

Sorry to hear about the accident, but you seem to be adjusting well. Nice bike and work !! Keep the updates coming

 

[Not Bob]

This was the first project I tackled. I've been in the same two car, attached garage for 27 years now. It was already tight in there, and now my work boxes lived in there, and I was shopping for a TIG machine. Well Miller had a deal with discounts, and rebates, if I bought two machines. I ended up with a Syncrowave 210, and a 211, I've had the 130 since the 90's. I was able to chop up my HF 3 shelf cart to hold both MIG welders (the middle shelf is now a drawer under a workbench). The cart is only 16 inched wide, and just gets moved back and forth on one side of the garage when I need it out of my way.

 

[413dan]

first and foremost, glad to hear that although it's been a journey, you're on the mend after some time. Life is a marathon, not a sprint, keep the faith and plugging away day by day. Your shop looks great, love the layout and your boxes. I wish you happiness and health in 2026, keep us update on shop happenings. cheers

 

[Rusted Nut]

Congrats on powering through a difficult recovery. Looking good!

 

[gearhead1]

+1. Recovery is never easy but congrats on forcing yourself to push forward. The worst thing to do is nothing.

 

[gearhead1]

This was the first project I tackled. I've been in the same two car, attached garage for 27 years now. It was already tight in there, and now my work boxes lived in there, and I was shopping for a TIG machine. Well Miller had a deal with discounts, and rebates, if I bought two machines. I ended up with a Syncrowave 210, and a 211, I've had the 130 since the 90's. I was able to chop up my HF 3 shelf cart to hold both MIG welders (the middle shelf is now a drawer under a workbench). The cart is only 16 inched wide, and just gets moved back and forth on one side of the garage when I need it out of my way.

Excellent thought process on flipping the top lid over and making the cut-out for the tank!

 

[Not Bob]

The other side. The engine is unique, there are no off the shelf exhaust systems made for it. So I had to build it anyway.

 

[rattle_snake]

Wow, long time to recover. Glad you are back at it, especially a motorcycle project. The bike is beautiful.

I like the partial cover on the primary drive, came out great.

 

[Not Bob]

Wow, long time to recover. Glad you are back at it, especially a motorcycle project. The bike is beautiful.

I like the partial cover on the primary drive, came out great.

Thanks, they were pretty much done working on me by the end of 2018. But some of the hardware in my right leg broke, so, back to the OR. Everything went sideways due to infections, 9 more surgeries throughout 2019 trying to save the leg. Then nearly a year of walking restrictions before finding out if I could still ride. Learned a lot on that first ride, some good, some bad. Then it took a couple years more to fix my mouth, because a bunch of my teeth got knocked out. But I finally graduated. Just noticed today is 9 years to the day. since I got hit.

I have been working on my plan B though.

 

[Not Bob]

Always have a plan B. For maybe when you get a little too old, or incur a little brain damage. When the time comes, execute it.

 

[Not Bob]

I learned a lot riding plan B around. Just got the pieces in to start building plan B+.

 

[jsaw]

Mice work! Did You design the sidecar? Or did You find some plans somewhere?

 

[kaymccampbell]

Glad to see you're in one piece. You do nice work.

 

[Not Bob]

Mice work! Did You design the sidecar? Or did You find some plans somewhere?

Pencil aided design, the next, slightly wider one on the right. I've worked on, and aligned a handful of Harley rigs, so I knew the basics of designing for adjustability etc.

 

[Not Bob]

I was fortunate that one of the orthopedic trauma surgeons that worked on me, had an engineering background, he performed 15 of my surgeries over the years. He got very creative with my right arm. When the elbow came out of my arm, I lost a lot of pieces of bone, and a large chunk of the ulnar nerve. So he tucked the end of the nerve into a muscle in my upper arm, left the forearm bones fused together, and built a simple hinge where the elbow used to be. I now have 90 degrees of motion from the hinge.

Not knowing early on how much use of the hand I would have, I did put together a left side throttle. But I built enough strength in the part of the hand that works, that a normal throttle could be used. In the last couple years that hand has developed a nasty tremor that really ***** at part throttle, so a lot of different ideas, and many test rides, this is what I came up with from stuff I had laying around.

An aluminum 1/4 turn throttle tube, cut down to about an inch, a clamp from a Jag oil cooler kit, (I think it's nylon) and some aluminum for the paddle. The grip is stationary. It works well, and pretty much solves the problem.

 

[GreenIron]

Sorry to hear of your accident. Good to see you're taking the initiative to get back into your work-space. Your welding looks great.

 

[pancholasvegas]

Had a '75 Yamaha RD350 with a big paddle built into the throttle grip - Made it quite easy to get that thing to dig in. Great job.

 

[Not Bob]

Just realized it's been over 10 years since I retired my big red boxes after 12 years of day to day use at work. I did succumb to some GJ influence back then, and built it into the garage. the vinyl floor tile top is still going strong.

 

[Not Bob]

About a month ago I was making progress on the new side hack, when I got a text about my Mustang project. It wasn't for sale just yet, but a guy, that knows a guy, etc. came by to look at it, and we made a deal.

So a couple weeks to get it trailer ready, make a path to get it out, and gather all the parts for it that were spread throughout the garage and two sheds, stuffed the garage full. It went to it's new home last week. Then a scheduled water heater replacement this week, (attached garage, water heater, washer and dryer are all in here) Finally time to un-fubar the place enough to get back to the chassis.

 

[Not Bob]

Some progress on the new chassis.

 

[Not Bob]

A few tack welds.

 

[nadogail]

Best Wishes for a Comfortable and Speedy Recovery.