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Carbon Fibre fuel tanks |
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morepower
Moto2 racer Joined: 02 Mar 2014 Location: hinkley Status: Offline Points: 142 |
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Sorry for the slow update. I had to get the final Royal Enfield tank cover over to them on Monday..
So Tuesday I had to rush off and get some more material from the supplier.. The second tank shell is now almost assembled and will be in the oven tonight as long as my eye dont close up completely... Bloody hay fever... The anti histamines have kicked in to stop the sneezing mostly but the eyes... Damn they are sore.. lol.. SO got some matchsticks sorted to keep them open while I finish off the shell... The sections had their first layers down and have been sitting in a vacuum bag under vacuum for a couple of days while I sorted out what I had to do and collect more material. Now I am doing the backing layers and adding strength to the sections and bolting the mould together. All I have to get done now is the top of the tank. Assemble then bag it to go into the oven tonight. At about 11am tomorrow the shell will be out of the oven. I have tried something different with this tank as yesterday I laid up and cured the fuel pump section of the mould with the threaded inserts in place. I trimmed it up and have put the cured part into the rest of the mould and over laid fresh carbon to bond it into place. I have had to bond the inserts after making the shell before due to the bag not getting round the inserts fully and puncturing the bag. This allows me to be less critical of the bag going over the fuel pump area and just getting it onto the areas which need to be bonded. But too much information I guess. But it is another attempt to get the tank sealed an leak free without having to rely on wet resins to do the work after the sections are made. |
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Af1
Moto GP Alien Joined: 29 Dec 2016 Location: Herts Status: Offline Points: 651 |
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excellent. Too good to put fuel in. Should be balanced over the TV set to look at. Lol
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badapple
Premium Member Joined: 03 Nov 2014 Location: Norwich United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 5608 |
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looks stunning! Sympathy for the hayfever i suffer terribly too fair play for cracking on
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morepower
Moto2 racer Joined: 02 Mar 2014 Location: hinkley Status: Offline Points: 142 |
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Mould was in the oven last night... About an hour before I can demould it now as it went in at about 7pm.
Bagged up ready. |
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Timson
Moto3 racer Joined: 07 May 2018 Status: Offline Points: 47 |
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So much work goes into these fuel tanks!!
Really coming together now. Tim
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IanG
Premium Member Joined: 04 Oct 2010 Location: N Wales Status: Offline Points: 10725 |
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Quite an education watching an artist at work
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www.apworkshops.co.uk
www.apriliaforum.co.uk www.apriliaownersclub.co.uk Looking forward to the next track day |
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legend88
Premium Member Joined: 18 Aug 2013 Location: Newcastle Status: Offline Points: 6598 |
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And I guess that's why they are the price they are. How much do you get paid at work for the time morepower is spending on this?
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morepower
Moto2 racer Joined: 02 Mar 2014 Location: hinkley Status: Offline Points: 142 |
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Very subtle.... Possibly too subtle... So it may be better if the numbers are filled with a little colour..
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spiceweasel
Premium Member Joined: 29 Oct 2010 Location: york Status: Offline Points: 380 |
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Looking good mate 👍👍
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www.apriliaperformance.co.uk
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Timson
Moto3 racer Joined: 07 May 2018 Status: Offline Points: 47 |
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Happy Birthday by the way!!
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morepower
Moto2 racer Joined: 02 Mar 2014 Location: hinkley Status: Offline Points: 142 |
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Timson's tank is now almost a tank that can be used.. The base is bonded into place and the fuel pump hole is rough cut for now. It will be finished off a little more tomorrow as the adhesive needs a good 24 hours to cure fully. The inserts are bonded into place and going nowhere fast. The sad thing is it actually looks worse now than before it is bonded sticky fingers and adhesive being squeezed out just leave a residue. I do spray the shell with a wax polish to help remove the excess from where it is not wanted but it does not look so good until its about to go for lacquer. When it will be cleaned off and buffed before the painter gets it....
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morepower
Moto2 racer Joined: 02 Mar 2014 Location: hinkley Status: Offline Points: 142 |
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Oh I almost forgot to show the inside of the tank. Not the clearest photo but the tank is sealed with a thick phenol Novolac resin which is supplied exclusively to me without any cheaper resins blended to make it cheaper. Its the real deal base resin that is no good for making anything but is amazing for sealing fuel tanks..
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Af1
Moto GP Alien Joined: 29 Dec 2016 Location: Herts Status: Offline Points: 651 |
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and most importantly totally ethanol resistant !
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Timson
Moto3 racer Joined: 07 May 2018 Status: Offline Points: 47 |
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Excellent!! - Tho, is it just that picture or is that underside panel near the fuel pump base not bonded yet. Looks like there’s a gap.
Tim
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morepower
Moto2 racer Joined: 02 Mar 2014 Location: hinkley Status: Offline Points: 142 |
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No gap just the base overlaying the shell.. Its the strongest bond with a good surface area. The flat area will have a thin layer of resin put over it to also seal the outside face from Ethanol but that will be after lacquer has been applied so it can be sanded and keyed for the resin and not have lacquer over spray which may start to peel away over time.
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Timson
Moto3 racer Joined: 07 May 2018 Status: Offline Points: 47 |
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Almost sounds like you know what you’re doing!
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morepower
Moto2 racer Joined: 02 Mar 2014 Location: hinkley Status: Offline Points: 142 |
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Yep Almost....
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morepower
Moto2 racer Joined: 02 Mar 2014 Location: hinkley Status: Offline Points: 142 |
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OK just a quick update and the last one for a week or two possibly. The tanks or going to the painter today..... Off for lacquer then when they get back its the fuel pump area which needs to be finished off...
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spiceweasel
Premium Member Joined: 29 Oct 2010 Location: york Status: Offline Points: 380 |
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Oh dear I've had a moment ...😆
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www.apriliaperformance.co.uk
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Timson
Moto3 racer Joined: 07 May 2018 Status: Offline Points: 47 |
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Haha,
I know what you mean!! Control yourself! 😉 Just wait till they’re all glossy!!! Tim
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morepower
Moto2 racer Joined: 02 Mar 2014 Location: hinkley Status: Offline Points: 142 |
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So.. A bit of bad news.... For me mostly... The tanks are with the painter.. He decided to remove the flash with his air powered DA and some 180 grit discs.. He didnt put any masking tape on either side of the flashing and just attacked it... He has actually gone through one of the tanks... Sorry Timson it was yours... So I am now prepping the mould to make a replacement as fast as possible...
I am gutted to say the least.... But sh*t happens and I would rather is be me that makes a mistake so I feel like crap... The painter was as white as a sheet when he told me... But at the end of the day its just a part of making things... He who never made a mistake never made anything... (Just don't expect me to be a happy camper for the rest of today though... ) |
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Ice-mille
Moto GP Alien Joined: 19 Aug 2016 Location: Iceland Status: Offline Points: 786 |
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Are these Gen.1 mille tanks??
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Shake'n bake
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morepower
Moto2 racer Joined: 02 Mar 2014 Location: hinkley Status: Offline Points: 142 |
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No just for the Falco...
So anyway.... Timson's tank is now underway again... Number 2 is started... |
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Timson
Moto3 racer Joined: 07 May 2018 Status: Offline Points: 47 |
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Awww - FFS!!!... Sorry your work was ruined and sorry I won’t be getting my tank for quite a while longer!
More gutted for you tho.... I think your paint guy owes you a few freebies!! You’re a very understanding guy - I think my toys would all have come out of the pram if that were me! Tim
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morepower
Moto2 racer Joined: 02 Mar 2014 Location: hinkley Status: Offline Points: 142 |
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The toys were not in the pram but they were still close to it.... I will have a tank with him for Wednesday I hope.. It will be pushed forward a bit too...So it will only be couple of days behind where it should have been...
Its a good job I like making tanks.. I will see if I can do anything with it but it would just be a painted tank and used for display I think.. I have never had a tank here I can just use to show people.. I will sort something out with him... He was so white when he let me know.. I thought he had seen a ghost... |
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Timson
Moto3 racer Joined: 07 May 2018 Status: Offline Points: 47 |
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I really appreciate all the extra effort you’re having to make to speed through doing another tank for me - thanks so much!!
I was wondering if it was something you could repair / infill with black resin or something and sell as a ‘second’ to recoup some losses. Perhaps you will get more benefit from it as a painted ‘show’ tank tho. Tim
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redratbike
Moderator Group The Collector Messiah Joined: 07 May 2008 Status: Offline Points: 16146 |
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or a repaired cheap tank for me ha ha
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www.apriliaperformance.co.uk www.apriliaforum.co.uk www.apriliaownersclub.co.uk |
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spiceweasel
Premium Member Joined: 29 Oct 2010 Location: york Status: Offline Points: 380 |
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If I hadn't have had 11 put on mine he could of had that as I'm not in a rush,I really think that the sprayer owes you big big time..
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morepower
Moto2 racer Joined: 02 Mar 2014 Location: hinkley Status: Offline Points: 142 |
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If it had been done 2 inches further back it could be fixed easily and sold as a second.. But its just where I cannot get too... So its OK having a show tank as it can be hidden with a decal or some paint... But its trusting the repair would be fuel safe simply because you cannot get to the inside to be sure you have covered the whole area.. I will see when I go to collect it soon.. I just saw the photos and spoke to the painter...
He will do the right thing to help sort it out... He did me a few favours in the past when I had an issue with another tank that had been lacquered by someone else and it was bad.. He sort it out for me and did a good job and didn't take the piss... He will come good... A really nice guy. |
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redratbike
Moderator Group The Collector Messiah Joined: 07 May 2008 Status: Offline Points: 16146 |
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it’d good you have someone like that
As for the show tank instead of paint how about chopping it in half to show the way it’s made ???
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www.apriliaperformance.co.uk www.apriliaforum.co.uk www.apriliaownersclub.co.uk |
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