OK, so my I-beam isn't a front axle, it's the early springer forks on my 45 bobber project. If you've never seen them, they taper from top to bottom & look much cleaner than the more common tubular springers. So I'm staring at it in the garage and I say to myself, "Self, that would look awesome drilled, just like on an axle." The trick is, since it tapers, the holes need to get progressively smaller too. My question is - does anyone have any layout ideas? Any tricks or "rules" regarding width of the I-beam vs hole size? Any layout "short cuts"? Thx
Hmmm, most interesting. Would definatly look cool, are you gonna weld tubing in the holes aswell? I still might drill the frame for my mdl. A but just the front side. I would then paint inside the holes the body color(white)and the rest of the frame black(maybe with some red pinstriping around the holes). -Jesse
Ohh shit, I just realized you were talking about the cast springer. I know I'll catch hell but don't fuck it up, sell it to a restroer and buy a tube type(the H-D type)springer. Those are getting EXTREMLY rare, I know people like to piss off restorers but it's different when they just didn't make many of them. -Jesse
my initial thought would be to determine the largest hole size and then keep the margins (from the flanges to the edge of the hole) uniform as the taper decreases.
I'm no expert in this and I'm just theorizing, But in meta,l isn't cast items dependent on their strength from the poured item as a whole? Somthing to do with how the molecules line up or something ? I would be worried that at the first bump the lateral stress would break it in half. Some one else have a better clue on this? wheres that hamb metalurgy guy when you need him?
[ QUOTE ] I know I'll catch hell but don't fuck it up, sell it to a restroer and buy a tube type(the H-D type)springer. Those are getting EXTREMLY rare, I know people like to piss off restorers but it's different when they just didn't make many of them. [/ QUOTE ] Yeah, that thought did cross my mind. But it's mine now, so the purists can whine if'n I decide to go through with it. The VL springers are extremely rare, but this appears to be an early WL. The I-beam springers were used on early WL/WLAs until about 41/42-ish. Not common by any means, but not nearing extinction either...
The only difference between VL and WL springers are the rockers(except on servi-car)and brake ancor tab, I didn't think the WLA's came with the forged springer because they were worried about twisting, but I may be wrong. -Jesse
I think you're probably right - as I went back to a reference book & tried to find the reference to early I-beam WLAs. I couldn't find it right away, so gave up. I think I remember it being something along the lines of early prodcution stuff & leftover parts. Harley, like Ford, never wasted parts sitting on the shelves - they used them 'til they were gone. Maybe the early WLA I-beams DID twist, so they quit using them, who knows? I'll keep looking for that reference, but I know I've seen it in the last few days....(maybe I read it online somewhere) [ QUOTE ] The only difference between VL and WL springers are the rockers(except on servi-car)and brake ancor tab [/ QUOTE ] AND the neck stem size - 7/8" for 45 & 1-1/8" for 74/80 models.
I'd think if you supply the measurements with a rough drawing there are enough people lurking around here that someone could come up with a layout that looks right.
Very cool, I didn't know the necks were different diamaters. You learn something new every day. -Jesse
I've seen 'em drilled, never on a 45. I don't recall ever measuring the holes, just thinking that the old guys had all the cool shit (back before I was an old guy). If it were me I probably wouldn't make any holes any bigger than 3/4 the size if the web. And I would probably space them pretty good. That's just opinion, it wouldn't hurt to get your hands on a machinists hand book and check out what the engineers say. Now bear in mind, when I was seeing them drilled was 30 or so years ago. Metal, like people, and unlike fine wine,doesn't get any better with age.
I remember the Official HAMB Metalurgist giving the proper spacing for holes in axles. I think the minimum was 1 1/2 diameters between holes, but they do look "better" with them closer together. And countersink the edges when you'r finished.
[ QUOTE ] I'd think if you supply the measurements with a rough drawing there are enough people lurking around here that someone could come up with a layout that looks right. [/ QUOTE ] Well, I'll try to do that in the next day or so - I'm with the bike now, so I'll measure & take digi pics - when I get home in a day or two, I'll see if I can put something down & post it here...
Get yourself some of those stick on dots people use to put prices on at garage sales, they come in several sizes. draw a pencil line center of the web and cross hatch it at the center of the beam, then eyeball distances for next dot, they're cheap enough you can play around trying to come up with a pattern that pleases you. once you come up with a spacing that works visually measure it and use that measurement for your final layout.It will look best if you center the pattern and then work it to each side ending up with an odd number of holes.
Well, here's a pic of the forks. They're about 12" long on the flat side & taper from 1-1/4" down to 3/4" just above the rocker. Any suggestions?
The Jalopy Journal
