Metal type and thickness for tail tidy?

**Bassmatt** · 29th October 2015, 15:37

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** · 29th October 2015, 15:56

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** · 29th October 2015, 16:49

Originally Posted by 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.

OK, thanks....some of that is like a foreign language to me

What's black plate?

**tri boy** · 29th October 2015, 18:07

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

**ellipsis** · 29th October 2015, 18:09

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

**Akzle** · 29th October 2015, 18:52

Originally Posted by 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.

so you'd "go stainless"

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

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.

Originally Posted by Bassmatt

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** · 29th October 2015, 18:57

Originally Posted by ellipsis

...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** · 29th October 2015, 18:59

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** · 29th October 2015, 19:04

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** · 29th October 2015, 19:30

Originally Posted by AllanB

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.

Originally Posted by bogan

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

So you've been in my shed then.

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** · 29th October 2015, 19:34

Originally Posted by Bassmatt

So you've been in my shed then.

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

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** · 29th October 2015, 19:43

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** · 29th October 2015, 20:05

Originally Posted by 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.

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** · 29th October 2015, 20:42

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