The Kneeslider

Doers Builders and Positive People

Friction Stir Welding

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Reading the latest Popular Mechanics (May 2010), they mentioned something I have not heard of before called friction stir welding. It's a process used to join metal, usually aluminum, without an arc. Instead, it uses a spinning rod, rotating at 15,000 rpm to heat the metal and high pressure to join the heated pieces together. It can move at 8 inches per minute and weld 1 inch … [Read more...]

TechShop and Inexpensive Tools

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After the Cleveland CycleWerks article, many of you were less than pleased to see motorcycles produced in China for far less than could be manufactured here in the US, especially when, for various reasons, the company found production here almost impossible. It's a complex issue, about which I'll have more to say later, but it was interesting to see this article in the New York … [Read more...]

Cleveland CycleWerks

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Scott Colosimo, from Cleveland CycleWerks, sent me a note a short while ago and thought we might be interested in his company. His idea is to build a "working man's motorcycle," something built with quality but priced low enough that the average working guy can buy one without breaking the bank. Scott is from Cleveland, Ohio, and he tells me he tried to build the bike there … [Read more...]

The Possibilities of Limited Production Specials

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While off my feet for the last few days, definitely not by choice, I had some extra time to think instead of write. The McDeeb Royal Enfields kept coming back to me as a wonderful opportunity on many levels. A small dealer and builder putting out some very well designed specials based on a current production motorcycle is an idea that could be adapted by many similar companies, … [Read more...]

McDeeb Clubman 500 Superlight

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Just a quick update from the McDeeb motorcycle crew with a photo of their latest build, the McDeeb Clubman 500 Superlight. I didn't get any details about this bike, I just received the photo, it isn't even on their web site yet, but judging by appearance, this is another very nice addition to the McDeeb lineup. These are practically guaranteed to build greater demand for … [Read more...]

Alcan Fairing – Craig Vetter’s Latest Project

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Craig Vetter is one of those guys that just keeps trying things to see how they work and his latest project is designing and building a new fairing for a trip to Alaska on the Alcan Highway, calling it, as you might expect, the Alcan Fairing. Step back for a minute to the previous posts about the Honda GL1000. When that bike was introduced, one of the first accessories … [Read more...]