Metal type and thickness for tail tidy?

[Bassmatt]

I'm gonna have a go at making my own tail tidy. Everythings $200+ , even the local suzuki dealer wants $210 for there 'homemade' job, no plate light or indicators just the bracket.
I'm thinking aluminium or stainless steel considering its gonna get wet and dirty constantly.
I have no idea what thickness I need though, so i'm calling for advice from the experts out there.
Any other suggestions are welcome, and if someone wants to make it for me .....
Thanks .

[Akzle]

personally i'd go 4mm black plate for ease of machining, welding, folding, drilling etc.

Would advise against alloy as it can and maybe probably will fatigue and fuck your day up. But if you insist it'd be >6mm. Anneal the whole piece after forming/welding.

Stainless could be done at 2-3mm but again not my pick, just cos i dont like it that much.

[Bassmatt]

personally i'd go 4mm black plate for ease of machining, welding, folding, drilling etc.

Would advise against alloy as it can and maybe probably will fatigue and fuck your day up. But if you insist it'd be >6mm. Anneal the whole piece after forming/welding.

Stainless could be done at 2-3mm but again not my pick, just cos i dont like it that much.

OK, thanks....some of that is like a foreign language to me :(
What's black plate?

[tri boy]

I'd go Stainless.
No painting, no corrosion and looks cool.
Design your own, and take the pattern to someone like stainless designs.

[ellipsis]

...I'd go for a cut up plastic milk bottle and save the money for more serious things, myself...

[Akzle]

I'd go Stainless.
No painting, no corrosion and looks cool.
Design your own, and take the pattern to someone like stainless designs.
so you'd "go stainless"

... And then "go and pay someone else to do it"... :niceone:


you *can* fab stainless. It's not actively hard. Tig welder required for hot melty shit.

Bitch to keep clean. Expensive. Shitty to work.

Spose you could put a brushed or blasted finish, but still. Would look hoary, imo.



OK, thanks....some of that is like a foreign language to me :(
What's black plate?

mild steel. The shit your frame's made out of.
You can form it up yourself with aught more than a brace, taps, couple of car batteries and bench vice. Needs coating to protect it. Paint is usual. Also powdercoating and annodising and blahblahblah.

[Akzle]

...I'd go for a cut up plastic milk bottle and save the money for more serious things, myself...

this has merit.


Forgiving, inexpensive, hard wearing, flexible....

[AllanB]

4mm! fuck that's way too thick.

I made a nice one for my Hornet off top of head 1.5 or 2 mm steel (can't recall which), powder coated. Was still going strong after tens of thousands of kms when I trade it.

Alloy is fine but you need a decent thickness.


Also worth a evening surfing is ebay - lots of cheap Asian ones that while not bike specific may make a good base to start with and modify to suit.


I just received a bike specific Evotech one that cost a fair bit - stock turn signals do not fit the supplied brackets so I'll need to make my own. That's a name brand unit. Probably should have purchased a cheap Asian one and modified it for half the price .......

Also you need a number plate light of some sorts and a rear reflector to pass a WOF.

[bogan]

It depends on what gear you have to work with really (this includes willingness to outsource). I did a profile cut 3mm ali then welded corners for strength etc. But if you want to fold things, then some 1.2-1.6 stainless is probably the way to go, you could go with mild but as others mentioned it can be a hassel to protect it from corrosion. If its tin snips, drill, hammer and bench vice, I think you might struggle a bit.


PS. Ask aksy to show you the picture of the one he made before taking his advice too seriously.

[Bassmatt]

Also you need a number plate light of some sorts and a rear reflector to pass a WOF.

Yep, already got a couple of plate lights sussed, there always bolt lights too if the others dont work out.


If its tin snips, drill, hammer and bench vice, I think you might struggle a bit..

So you've been in my shed then. :laugh:
I've got a couple of people I can ask to do the cutting and bending. I just thought I'd source the materials and make up a template so I'm not asking them to do too much, it should also ensure it gets done this decade.

[bogan]

So you've been in my shed then. :laugh:
I've got a couple of people I can ask to do the cutting and bending. I just thought I'd source the materials and make up a template so I'm not asking them to do too much, it should also ensure it gets done this decade.

Only in a metaphorical sense :eek:

Yeh, in that case go with stainless, which will be nicer if they can use a disc grinder, so straight edges. If its an interior cutout go straight edges between drilled holes (on the outside edge). Try and add supporting ribs (10mm or so folded at 90degrees) along top and bottom for a bit of strength.

[Ocean1]

1.6mm stainless is fine. 2mm alloy is fine. In either case make sure there's no stress risers, (sharp inside corners/joints).

Both will probably need someone who can use a TIG and produce nice work.

Stainless will need post-weld treatment and a bit of a polish up.

Alloy should really be powder coated for best results.

See if you can find an existing item to make a template from.

Use stainless bolts and nylocks, they're cheap enough, and flat washers to help spread the load and prevent work hardening/cracking around the holes.

[Akzle]

4mm! fuck that's way too thick.

I made a nice one for my Hornet off top of head 1.5 or 2 mm steel (can't recall which), powder coated. Was still going strong after tens of thousands of kms when I trade it.

Alloy is fine but you need a decent thickness.

i can bend 2mm steel by hand. Literally, with my hand.

Granted, 4's butty. But needs no gusseting or ribbing or angles to strengthen it.
Will also take a beating. Which is what all my shit gets. So i make it tough.

[tigertim20]

anything under 2mm would be fine.
something that small will cost fuckall ($5-10) to powdercoat so use whatever you want I guess.

I Have made some nice ones out of a sheet of 3mm ABS plastic. looked good easy to work with / cut / fold etc was light as and no corrosion to worry about

[skippa1]

4mm is stupid overkill...

[AllanB]

4mm is stupid overkill...

Agree - Aklze must be designing for Harley .........

[Akzle]

Agree - Aklze must be designing for Harley .........

akzle designs for akzle.

[nodrog]

go into ullrich aluminium and see what they have in their off cut bin.

all mine are made from pieces of angle.

[Bassmatt]

anything under 2mm would be fine.
something that small will cost fuckall ($5-10) to powdercoat so use whatever you want I guess.

I Have made some nice ones out of a sheet of 3mm ABS plastic. looked good easy to work with / cut / fold etc was light as and no corrosion to worry about

Hmm, I was thinking about getting one 3d printed but the design software is way too complicated for me (ie. im too lazy to work it out).
I might try the abs though, I can get four sheets for $40 odd, so cheap and I can fuck it up 3 times and still be good.

[HondaLad]

This is the best custom tail tidy I've seen, the inclusion of a rego holder is a great idea

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php/171606-Warning-GSX-R-Tail-Tidy

[Bassmatt]

This is the best custom tail tidy I've seen, the inclusion of a rego holder is a great idea

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php/171606-Warning-GSX-R-Tail-Tidy

Very nice and the rego holder is a brilliant idea.

[Cheesy]

Hmm, I was thinking about getting one 3d printed but the design software is way too complicated for me (ie. im too lazy to work it out).
I might try the abs though, I can get four sheets for $40 odd, so cheap and I can fuck it up 3 times and still be good.

ABS is no good, get any petrol or oil on it and it will fall apart, no home type 3D printer will print anything strong enough, a proper rapid prototype (which is technically still 3D printing) that will be strong enough will be getting around $1000.

[bogan]

Hmm, I was thinking about getting one 3d printed but the design software is way too complicated for me (ie. im too lazy to work it out).
I might try the abs though, I can get four sheets for $40 odd, so cheap and I can fuck it up 3 times and still be good.

Rule of thumb, all 3d printers are rubbish until proven otherwise.

As cheesy says, plastics can be hit and miss with regard to reacting with various shit.

[Tazz]

I'll whip you up one mate, no trouble.

Here is the 'rat rod' version I do. Currently it is the only style I've mastered. 1 part rush, 2 parts half assed and a sprinkle of 'the fuck is everything illuminating on my dash for? Meh, lets just pin it.'


http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh12/SpazTazSpaz/Mobile%20Uploads/DSC_0805.jpg

Since you can't get one for under $200 I'll do you a deal. $199 :D + GST

Seriously though, the starting with a base isn't a bad idea. You might mod it to the point where you never really needed it, but its a start.
I just so happen to have a slightly used plate holder here :blip:

[pretenda]

Here is my one on my SV. Also assisted in makeing it by Zero_Limits (his one above)

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php/170459-SV650-Bits-and-pieces

[Coldrider]

Made mine from aluminium scrap, so minimalist none of it can be seen from the outside, plate, reflector and indicator brackets hide the lot, as intended.
Used LED lamp bolts to mount the plate and bolt it on.