Something I have been wanting to do for some time!

I have been wanting to make my own custom fiberglass saddlebags for quite sometime. The ones I find I like are so expensive it's ridiculous. The ones I can afford are just plain boring or ugly. Well in my web travels this week I found a very informative tutorial. This gentleman did exactly what I have been wanting to do for a long time. Not only did he do it, he documented the entire process, and man oh man they look sweet!!! They look so good I though I would share his tutorial with anyone, if there is anyone at all, who reads this blog.

Step by Step for making your own fiberglass Saddlebags.

I used the foam board method. Purchase several sheets of 1" foam board.

Next create your shape using a piece of cardboard to create a profile of your bags.

Cut the sheets to a rough shape of what your looking for leaving 1 to 2 inches of extra. ( the inner sheets should have the centers cut out to make for easier removal )

Glue the sheets together using foam glue. Align the sheets and press together using something heavy to hold them together.
(example I used 9 layers for mine)



Wait a days for this to dry.

Now you have to shape it. (hot knife hand saw sanding) I cut two pieces of wood exactly the same and put them together on either side of my bag and then used a sawzall with a long blade, making sure to not cut into the wood.



Once you have finalized your shape and have to of them the same it's time to tape.(masking tape)




Tape each one with two or three layers of overlapping tape.

If you do this the final layer may be not to smooth. If you want to make it smooth so the painter doesn't have to work to hard to smooth it out after you've taped it use a body filler over the tape (all over) and sand smooth.

Plan a opening or door of some kind.

A door will be done in the same fashion just later same for a lid.

Now it's time to start glassing. Read the waring labels and use in a well ventilated area. I used 32oz mat and lots of resin.

You will do one side at a time. Mix up some resin and lay it down on one side using a brush (that won't melt NO SPONGES) Get lots of brushes you can't clean them and it's not worth it. Also mix your resin in a plastic bucket when it dries you can crack it out and use the bucket again.

Layer each side all sides with resin allowing time to harden on each side. (smooth any rough spots with a power sander as resin is hard to sand)

Now cut your glass to fit with interlocking over lays on the edges this will make it easier to strengthen the corners. If you overlap try not to do so on the next layer in the same way as to keep the surface smooth. (smooth out any rough areas or fibers that didn't lay down)

With time to dry on each side and layer do two layers and then the final layer is resin only. Be generous as to create a smooth surface.

Once your done. Resin, glass/resin, glass/resin, resin. Time to do the same steps for a lid or door. The trick here is to (masking) tape off the area of overlap where the door or lid over laps what you have done.





When the lid is done pry it off and take it easy but it will come off.

Now dig out the foam there is no easy way to do this. Try a screw driver to break it up into pieces or a dremel.



The tape will want to stick and the foam is tough but try to not pry against your new fiberglass.

The pics I've provided are of my old and new bags note the design change I also layered in some expanded aluminum for extra strength.



Then go have someone paint them









I don't take any credit for this work. I certainly hope my next winter project turns out half as good as these did!!!! Hope you all enjoy!

Learn The Chopper Basics Before You Build One

            Chopper Basics: A Simple Look At How Choppers Work...
           
             If you want to learn how to build a chopper from start to finish and
            study all the fine detials involved in every step of the process,
            this article is not for you. It's simply too large a subject to
            discuss in one simple article. But if you want to learn the basics
            of how a chopper is built, and how each of the parts work, you may
            find this article extremely informative. This article is probably
            best for the novice chopper enthusiast who wants to take the fist
            step in learning how to build a chopper.
            If you want to ad in any additional information, please contact us
            and we may include it in this article. We would love to expand on
            this and make an advanced presnentation. And with your help on how
            to build a chopper we can accomplish this together.
            Also, if after you have read this article you want more detailed
            information I recommend this video (DVD) series.
            Following is the brief description about the parts used in chopper
            motorcycles and a basic guide to what's needed in the process of
            learning how to build a chopper...


            Chopper Basics: The FRAME

            The most important step in learning how to build a chopper is
            understanding the frame. The frame is one of the most important
            components on a motorcycle, especially on a large motorcycle. The
            frame must be designed strong enough and built rigid enough to:

              Manage the power and torque created by your power train and
              maintain its alignment during the full range of
              acceleration/deceleration.

              Maintain wheel alignment during extreme braking and hard
              cornering, as well as while riding over rough surfaces.

              Provide a solid mounting surface and pivot points for the front
              and rear suspension.

              Effectively support the weight of the motorcycle itself as well as
              the rider, a passenger, and travel gear.

            Frame Construction

            The frame is made from high-strength seamless steel tubing and
            utilizes a high tensile strength welding process to extremely tight
            tolerances.
            Chopper Basics: Types of Frames:
            1) Hidden Shock Frame
             A) Steering Head
             B) Frame
             C) Rear Forks and Pivot Shafts
             D) Shock Absorbers

            2) Rubber Mount Frame
             A) Steering Head
             B) Frame
             C) Rear Forks and Pivot Shafts
             D) Shock Absorbers

            3) Rigid Frame
             A) Steering Head
             B) Frame
           
            SYSTEMChopper Basics: The SUSPENSION  (Front & Rear)

            In learning how to build a chopper beyond frame design, the
            suspension system is the chief ingredient in determining the
            handling capability of a motorcycle. The suspension system is
            responsible for keeping the wheels on the ground and absorbing the
            shock as the motorcycle passes over uneven surfaces in the road.
            Both the front suspension (telescoping front forks) and the rear
            suspension (rear swing arm and shock absorbers) operate by
            compressing and extending as the motorcycle passes over a bump,
            absorbing the shock of the bump to keep the motorcycle stable. The
            front and rear suspension utilize springs for the up and down
            compression and extension, and suspension dampers to stabilize the
            up and down movement. Without the suspension dampers, the springs in
            the suspension system would continue to bounce up and down after
            each bump creating a “rocking horse” effect.

            FRONT SUSPENSION

            Motorcycles use two types of telescopic front fork assemblies:
            conventional and inverted. Each assembly consists of two fork tubes
            which contain springs, spring dampers and oil. The fork legs slide
            on the fork tubes. The tube or leg extends and compresses within
            itself as a shock absorber. The two types differ in these ways. On
            the conventional type, the fork tubes are captured by the triple
            clamp positioning the fork leg at the bottom of the assembly. The
            inverted type was developed on racing motorcycles to place the
            heaviest and strongest part, the fork leg itself, in the triple
            clamp - thus inverting the assembly. This design gives more rigidity
            to the fork, reducing fork tube flex and lessens the unsprung
            weight, improving suspension response. The triple clamps (trees) and
            fork stem hold the front fork tubes to the frame and keep the tubes
            aligned. The fork stem is an integral part of the triple tree and
            fits through the steering head allowing the forks to be turned to
            the right and left.
                                                                       
            Inverted Fork Suspension                                     
            Conventional Fork Suspension
            A) Triple Clamps and Fork Stem
            B) Fork Legs                                                                                                              
            C) Fork Tubes

            REAR SUSPENSION 

            There are two types of rear suspension exposed shock absorbers and
            hidden shock absorbers. The rear fork is attached to the frame with
            the pivot shaft. The arms of the rear fork (often called the swing
            arm) hold the rear wheel and keep it aligned. The rear shock
            absorbers mount to the rear forks and the back struts of the
            motorcycle. The ability of motorcycle to handle effectively while
            cornering, breaking, etc. depends in part on the suspension system
            having the right amount of “controlled flexibility.” Over time or
            under certain conditions if your suspension seems too rigid or too
            spongy, it may need servicing or adjustment.

            Chopper Basics: The POWERTRAIN
            The power train is composed of:
            A. V-Twin, 107 cubic-inch, or any four stroke engine
            B. Chain driven primary drive except in metric applications
            C. 5-Speed transmission or 6-Speed transmission
            D. Belt driven final drive down Chain works just as well

            Chopper Basics: How the Engine Works

            In learning how to build a chopper, you have to have a thorough
            understanding of the engine. A four-stroke engine means that each
            piston moves four times (strokes) for the engine to complete one
            full cycle.
           
            Four Strokes of engine are: Suck, Squeeze, Bang, Blow!!!

            (Suck)Intake Stroke -The piston moves down while the intake valve is open,
            pulling the air/fuel mixture into the cylinder.
            (Squeeze)Compression Stroke - The piston moves upward pressurizing the
            air/fuel mixture.
            (Bang)Power Stroke - As the spark plug ignites the compressed air/fuel
            mixture, the combustion pushes the piston back down.
            (Blow)Exhaust Stroke - With the exhaust valve open the piston moves upward
            again, pushing the burned gases out of the cylinder.

            The valves opening & closing, the pistons cycling at 3,000 to 5,000
            revolutions per minute (at normal operating speeds), the spark plugs
            firing all occurring in the proper timing is what it takes to keep
            your motorcycle down the road.

            PRIMARY DRIVE:

            The purpose of the primary drive is to deliver power from the engine
            to the gear box. The primary, or initial drive, on your motorcycle
            is composed of a primary drive chain which runs from the crankshaft
            in the engine to the clutch in the gear box. The power from the
            engine to the gear box is engaged and disengaged by the clutch.
           
            TRANSMISSION (GEAR BOX):

            The transmission or gear box connects the primary drive to the final
            drive with a set of shafts and different size gears. Engaging the
            different size gears in the gear box allows for a wide variety of
            rear wheel speeds, while allowing the engine to operate
            "comfortably" within its range of normal operating speeds. Smaller
            gears provide more torque while larger gears provide more speed.
            This pairing of different size gears is called “gear ratio” or “gear
            reduction”. The gear ratio or reduction in your Big Dog power train
            begins with the primary drive, increases in the gear box and
            culminates with the final drive.

            FINAL DRIVE:

            The final drive, is the last link in the power train and connects
            the gear box to the rear wheel.

            Chopper Basics: The BRAKING SYSTEM

            The front brake is a hydraulic disc type, which is operated by the
            hand lever on the right handle bar. It is composed of:
            A. Front disc rotor
            B. 4-piston caliper
            C. Braided stainless steel lines
            D. 5/8" bore master cylinder and fluid reservoir
            The rear brake is a hydraulic disc type which is operated by the
            pedal on the right foot rest. It is composed of:
            E. Rear disc rotor
            F. 4 piston caliper
            G. Braided stainless steel lines
            H. 5/8" bore master cylinder and fluid reservoir
            How the Braking System Works
            The braking system is designed so that the front brake should supply
            75% of the braking power or your motorcycle. It should be used as
            the primary brake while using the rear brake as secondary.
            FOR NORMAL BRAKING: Apply both the rear and front brakes while down
            shifting to match your road speed.
            FOR MAXIMUM BRAKING: Close the throttle and firmly apply both rear
            and front brakes; then pull in the clutch lever before coming to a
            complete stop to prevent the engine from stalling.

            Chopper Basics: The CLUTCH SYSTEM

            A. Clutch hand lever
            B. Clutch cable
            C. Clutch assembly
            The clutch assembly is positioned between the primary drive chain
            and the gearbox, and provides a way to connect and disconnect the
            primary drive (power transmitted from the engine) and the gearbox.
            The clutch assembly is disengaged by pulling the clutch hand lever
            in against the handlebar grip; it is engaged by releasing the lever.
            When the engine is running, the primary drive is spinning. As the
            clutch is engaged (the hand lever released) the power from the
            engine is transferred to the gearbox and the rear wheel. When the
            clutch is disengaged (the hand lever pulled closed) the gearbox does
            not receive power from the engine.

            THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:

            Simply put, the clutch assembly is composed of round discs called
            “clutch plates” which are contained inside a clutch housing (often
            called the clutch basket). These plates are pushed together by
            spring tension. When pushed together, friction between the plates
            causes them to bind or couple together which provides the link to
            transfer power from the engine, through the clutch, to the gearbox.
            CLUTCH HAND LEVER & CABLE:

            When the clutch hand lever is pulled, the clutch cable acts against
            (or relieves) the spring tension within the clutch assembly to
            release the friction grip inside the clutch. As the clutch plates
            separate from each other and slip, this de-couples the gearbox from
            the engine. The clutch assembly is a mechanical wet clutch.
            Mechanical means that it does not operate by hydraulic pressure. A
            wet clutch means that the clutch assembly operates immersed in an
            oil bath. This not only helps to keep the clutch assembly cool, but
            also washes away loosened friction material from the clutch plates,
            keeping the surfaces clean and free of debris.

            Chopper Basics: The ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

            The electrical system provides power for your motorcycle. It is
            powered by a high cranking, long -life, 12-volt battery. The
            electrical system can be divided into five sub systems:
            1. STARTING SYSTEM
            A. Battery
            B. Start switch - Not Shown
            C. Solenoid (Relay)
            D. Starting motor (Starter)
            2. CHARGING SYSTEM
            E. Alternator
            F. Voltage regulator
            A. Battery
            3. IGNITION SYSTEM
            G. Ignition switch and ignition coil
            H. Kill switch - Not Shown
            I. Electronic Control Unit
            J. Spark plugs - Not Shown
            4. ACCESSORY SYSTEM
            * Lights
            * Horn
            * Turn Signals
            * Warning Lights
            * Other Accessories
            5. CIRCUIT BREAKER

            Chopper Basics: The FUEL SYSTEM
            A. Fuel tank
            B. Fuel supply valve
            C. Carburetor and air filter
            D. Throttle grip & cable
            E. Fuel lines
            The fuel system on your motorcycle is a gravity flow system, so no
            fuel pump is required. Although it is a simple system, it must
            perform the complicated task of blending (or mixing) the fuel and
            air together in the right proportions and supply this mixture to the
            engine.
            FUEL SUPPLY VALVE:
            The fuel supply valve (petcock) is a manually operated on/off valve
            designed to control the fuel flow from the gas tank to the
            carburetor.
            CARBURETOR:
            The carburetor is the central part as well as the most complex part
            of the fuel system. Its primary job is it to atomize (break up) the
            fuel into small droplets, and mix the atomized fuel with the right
            amount of air. This mixing (or metering) of fuel and air is called
            the air/fuel ratio. It is precisely here (the carburetor’s ability to
            atomize and properly meter the air-fuel ratio) that performance, as
            well as fuel efficiency, is won or lost.
            CARBURETOR OPERATION:
            In basic terms (see illustration) as air enters the carburetor, its
            speed increases passing through the bottleneck in the throat of the
            carburetor. This increase in air speed creates a vacuum within the
            carburetor which pulls fuel from the fuel reservoir into the air
            stream. The fuel is atomized and mixed as it enters the air stream
            and is then provided to the engine.
            THROTTLE GRIP AND CABLE:
            The throttle grip and cable are connected to the throttle plate or
            throttle slide inside the carburetor (see illustration). The
            throttle plate and/or throttle slide controls the flow of air
            through the carburetor. Opening the throttle allows more air to pass
            through the carburetor which draws more fuel into the air stream.
            This results in increased power from the engine.
            AIR FILTER:
            The air filter keeps airborne dirt and debris from entering the
            throat of the carburetor and passing into the engine.

            Chopper Basics: CONTROLS AND DISPLAYS

            TURN SIGNAL SWITCHES:
            Located at the base of each handlebar control group. The right
            handlebar turn signal switch operates the right front and right rear
            flashing lamps, and the left handlebar turn signal switch operates
            the left. To operate the turn signal you must depress and release
            the turn switch.

            Chopper Basics: MIRRORS AKA Pig Spotters!

            Generally your Motorcycle is equipped with two mirrors. Adjust the
            mirrors to clearly reflect the area behind the motorcycle.
            A. SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER:
            The speedometer registers miles per hour of forward speed. The
            odometer registers the number of miles the vehicle has traveled.
            B. TURN INDICATOR LIGHTS:
            The green TURN indicators will flash when turn signals are
            activated.
            C. HIGH BEAM LIGHT:
            The blue BEAM indicator light, when lit, signals that the headlamp
            high beam is on.
            D. TRANSMISSION NEUTRAL LIGHT:
            The green NEUTRAL light turns on to indicate when the transmission
            is in neutral.
            E. OIL INDICATOR LIGHT:
            The red OIL indicator light, when lit, signals that oil is not
            circulating through the engine. The light will come on when the
            ignition is turned on prior to starting the engine. With the engine
            running, this light should be off except possibly at low idle. If
            the oil pressure indicator light does not go off at speeds above
            idling, it is usually because of an empty oil tank or diluted oil.
            In freezing weather the oil feed may clog with ice and sludge,
            preventing oil circulation.

            GEAR SHIFTER: The gear shifter is located on the left side, and is
            operated with the toe of the left foot. There are five or six
            forward gears (depending on model) and no reverse. Pushing the lever
            all the way down (one full stroke) shifts the transmission to the
            next lower gear, while lifting the lever all the way up (one full
            stroke) shifts the transmission into the next higher gear. The
            operator must release the gear shift lever after each gear change to
            allow the lever to return to its central position before another
            gear change can be made. The neutral position is between first (low)
            and second gears. First gear is the last gear position that can be
            found by pushing the lever full strokes downward. To shift from
            first gear to neutral, lift the lever half its full stroke.
            SIDE STAND:
            The side stand is located on the left side of the motorcycle and
            swings outward to support the motorcycle for parking.
            BRAKE PEDAL:
            In this article on how to build a chopper, we are going to end it
            with the brake pedal. The Brake pedal controls the rear wheel brake
            and is located on the motorcycle's right side. It is operated by the
            right foot.
            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
          

Now I know a lot of this applies to Harley Choppers, but it is all useful info to any gearhead out there. Make what works for work for you. Hope y'all enjoyed!!!

Ever thought of anodizing your own parts?

I did not write this article. The gentleman who signed it at the end did. I just wanted to share another resource I have.

Anodizing 101

Based on the number of companies selling, and people looking for, anodizing services for their gun's aluminum bodies and parts, I wanted to provide this info to the paintballing community. I first came across the process in Super Chevy magazine, in an article about anodizing your own parts and brackets, for a custom touch on your hot rod. (* Original article by Bruce Hampson.) Often anodizing is considered and/or presented as a difficult and expensive procedure. As it turns out, it really isn't that hard or that pricey.

Supplies Needed:

The first thing to do is to get the following things together: First on the list is the most expensive item: a 6 to 12 volt battery charger. This item is what might make this too expensive for some paintballers. I (and most other hot rodders) already have one, for my car. If you don-t, then you will need to pick one up. They run from $45.00 to $110.00 depending on model, functions, etc. While it may seem like a lot, it does have other uses. (You could charge a battery, for example.) =) The next item, though not that expensive, will take some effort to find: battery electrolyte, a.k.a. sulfuric acid. This should be available at a battery wholesaler for about $2.00/gal. To make the negative ground, you will need some aluminum ground wire and aluminum-foil. The wire can be found at an electronics store for about $35/spool, and you should have the foil in the kitchen. If you happen to be out of foil, you can pick up some more at the store when you go to buy the last item for this project.
No super-special chemicals or solutions necessary to make the colors; just plain-old fabric dye. (Something like Rit dye, for about $5.00.) Rit offers something like 30-40 different colors, so you have quite a number of choices for what color you want your parts to be. An optional item is nitric acid: about $25.00/2.5 L. (This is used to clean parts prior to anodizing, but there are some cheaper alternatives. See end notes.) This is available at chemical supply stores. Should you not be able to find any, you can try to get on the good side of the high school science teacher. He may help you out since you only need a few ounces.

Safety Precautions:

There are a few precautions I want to go over to help keep you from blowing up the house or trashing the garage. First of all, do not mix or store your anodizing solution in a glass container. Something could happen to make it break, and most households are not equipped to deal with that kind of spill. You also don-t want to knock over the container, so a stable, rubber bucket makes a good choice. You will also need to be certain that the part you want to color will fit in the container without sticking out of the solution, and without touching the negative ground in the bottom of the container. Any acid that you don't use, keep in what it came in, or an old plastic bottle, like a bleach bottle. You can also store your used solution this way for doing more parts later. (Make sure that there is absolutely no bleach left in the bottle. Acid and bleach make chlorine gas. Very bad. Don't breath. Poisonous.) Safety also applies to the nitric acid, but in a different way. It is imperative that you label and keep track of this stuff, as it is a stronger acid than sulfuric, and more dangerous. The breakage/spill problem is not as likely since you won't have that much around. (Unless you bought more than a few ounces from the chem store.) The last note about the acids is to mix properly when adding acid and water. Always pour acid into water, never the other way, and do so slowly, being sure to mix in well. There is a reaction taking place and it releases a lot of energy. During the anodizing process, you will be running electricity through a weak acid solution. This creates hydrogen (just like charging a battery) which is very flammable. This stuff burns at the speed of thought when ignited, so do be careful. (Read as Remember the Hindenburg?) Make certain that there is some way to ventilate the project area, and DO NOT let any sources of ignition near the project area.Other precautions you should take include safety glasses, rubber gloves, and maybe some sort of drop sheet under the area.

Preparations:

One of the most essential things you need to do in order to get even color over the whole part is to be sure that the part is absolutely clean. You want it free of all contaminates, from dirt to the oils in your skin. This is where the nitric acid and some rubber gloves will help. A solution of 1-2 ounces of nitric acid in a gallon of distilled water will allow you to clean the surface in preparation for the anodizing. Aluminum oxidizes very quickly when exposed to air, so the easiest way to keep it clean is to clean it just before you are ready to start working on the piece. (You should rinse the part with distilled water before you put it in the next acid solution.) Other options are carburetor or brakes cleaners, or other similar degreasers. Soap and water will work also, or cleaners like Simple Green. These are cheaper, a nitric acid wash is the best. (You decide, it's your money.)
Make your negative ground with the aluminum wire and foil. Shape the end of the wire into a paddle shape and cover the round part with the foil. What you want to do is create a flat, round shape to sit on the bottom of the bucket, with a lead that comes up out of the bucket. You will clip the battery charger's negative lead to the wire that comes out of the bucket. When you are ready to start, you will want to mix up your immersion solution. In your rubber bucket, combine the sulfuric acid and water to come up with a solution that is about 30% water. (1 part water to 2 parts acid.) Place the paddle in the bucket and attach the negative lead. Then attach the positive lead to the part, making it an anode, and immerse it in the solution. (Remember that the two leads the paddle (cathode), and the part (anode) should not touch.) This is the best time to turn on the charger: once the part begins to fizz, leave it in there for about 10-15 minutes. After about this time the part should no longer conduct electricity. (You can also use an ohmmeter to check conductivity, but this is not needed.) Turn off and disconnect everything, and rinse the part in cold water. Don't use hot water! You'll find out why in the next section.
 
A couple of notes:

I have read some other procedures that say it is important that the copper lead from the charger does not enter the acid solution. The article says nothing about this, and shows a picture with the lead right in there. It may take some trial and error to find out if this is a problem. It wouldn't be a bad idea to get some scrap aluminum and play with it before you start anodizing your parts. You can check out the above, as well as pick the colors you like best. If you test out some colors, you'll also learn just how long or short you need to work with the color solution.

Color:

So now it doesn't conduct electricity, and is ready for color. It's been rinsed and waits eagerly to change to a new look. Don't wait too long to do the color, due to that oxidizing thing again. You want to mix up a strong solution of dye and water, in a container that can be heated. The solution needs to be at low heat, such as on the stove, so bread and cake pans work well. Again, you need something that will fit the whole part, but it's okay if it touches the bottom this time. I would recommend turning parts every few minutes just to make sure that you get all-over color. Inform your mom or wife that the pan can (and will be) washed out. It is important that the heat be low enough. If the solution gets too hot, you will seal the surface, and it will no longer take any color. (See, told you to rinse it in cold water!) Leave it in the dye until the part is slightly darker than you want it. The next step is to seal the surface of the metal in clean, boiling water. This will leech a bit of color from it, thus the slightly darker color in the previous step.

End Notes:

It is important to realize that the process described above will yield only one color on your part. At this time, I haven't found out how to do any of the splash type of anodizing. (That's okay though, it looks really ugly anyways.) Should anyone happen to figure it out, I suggest you submit it to Warpig so they can put it up for others who like it.
Also, this process is for aluminum. I don't know how, or if, it will work on other metals. (I doubt it.) Anodizing only works well on rock metal like bar or sheet stock, as opposed to castings. If it was forged or machined, it should have the density to take color through this process. I figure this shouldn't be too big a problem with the guns, but just thought I should let you know about it.
Something to consider when looking for a charger, is how many amperes it puts out. Without getting into any mumbo-jumbo, anodizing relies on 10 to 40 amperes per square foot. For small brackets and such, this is no problem. The larger parts in a gun however, may need the higher levels of amperes. The other note about part size, has to do with how long you leave it in the solution. Above it said 10-15 minutes, but that is for a smaller part. The larger parts may not only need higher amperes, but more time as well. I would recommend an ohmmeter, but again, I have one already.

So there you have it. Quick, fairly easy, and not too expensive. If you don't have the charger, then your first anodizing session could cost as much as sending your gun out to be done. But, then you can do it again for much less. Or do your buddies stuff. Or talk them into chipping in on a setup for all of you to use. We all know ways to help make things cheaper.

And the stupid statement required to cover myself... If you try this and something gets messed up, or someone gets hurt, you are on your own. Deal with it, you can't blame it on anyone else.
T. Gray Jr.

Depression and adventure...

So here I sit depressed as fuck. I have had a very large part of my life taken away from me. It all happened about 4 and half years ago. I was standing in a parking lot getting something out of my trunk when I heard someone say something to me. I still have no idea what the mother fucker said. So I turned from the trunk of my car and faced his car head on. He looked at me and said something else. Before I could get the word What out of my mouth he had his engine floored and he was headed right for me. He was rough 12 feet away when he gunned the engine. What I can see in my mind in slow motion and so vividly actually happened so quick, I don't think I could have done anything to avoid being hit by this vehicle. Well I didn't avoid the accident.

Just before the vehicle hit me, I tried to jump straight up thinking this might help me for some unknown reason. It actually did help a great deal. All because of my pathetic little white man jump I didn't get completely run over by the late 80s Cutlass Cierra. Instead my knee took an impact I will never forget against the bumper, this caused my body to flop forward and smack the hood of his car with my basically the whole upper half of my body. Well the driver never slowed down. Nope not one fucking bit!!! ***Insert nasty name calling here*** So as I smacked the hood of his piece of shit Cutlass Cierra my body continued to flip over the hood and off to the side. I landed on the ground right next to his car. Has he was speeding off I still remember the rear wheel going by my face and missing it by two inches max!!!! Anyways, how I landed on the ground is what has screwed up my life in so many ways. I landed on the back of my head. My chin hit my chest so hard it left a bruise on my chest!!! First time I have ever seen that is what the doctor said to me. I also managed to not break a single bone. The doctors told me that was the bad part. You see what  I did injure was every muscle in my upper back and neck.

These days, four and half years later, I deal with constant headaches, I can barely turn my head to the left, some days I can't hold my own head up, and the pain....well the pain never stops. I guess I shouldn't say never, but I can say it hasn't stopped yet. That is a very long time to deal with this amount of pain. It hurts me to say that I have spent many nights trying to make a decision of whether to put myself down or keep moving forward. All I have to do is see my 7 year old daughters face, and that answer becomes quite easy to me. Although, I live with this depression. Many of the things I love to do I can't/ Plain and simple, I just can't do them. Most days my hands are so numb I can't pass a bottle of ketchup without using two hands.

I am still able to ride a motorcycle though! Motorcycles are the one thing in my life that I have had serious passion for! I mean I still remember the first bike I ever saw up close. It was an old trials bike bye bultaco. I knew I wanted to ride any and every kind of motorcycle I could throw my leg over! And to this day there are a few bikes out there that still elude me, but I have ridden so very many.

My doctor tells me if I don't see a psychologist soon that I my problems and my depression are only going to get worse. So I am thinking what I need is a short one man retreat. Me, my motorcycle, my journal, some music, and I would like to find a way to carry a guitar with me as well. Oh, and I need a decent digital camera as well. One week....seven days....168 hours....10080 minutes....604800 seconds....a lifetime of healing on my mind and soul.

So what is preventing me from doing this? My family? No I can't blame them....Money? Well, yeah maybe a little bit. My fear? Very much so. What if I find that I can't return to the ones I love because I don't want to be a burden on anyone. Would they miss me? Yes of course they would. But my wife tells me all the time how much she misses the old me.

So where does this leave me..................................................................................

The shop is so fucking cold!

Well I have a ton of motorcycle stuff to read or freeze my ass off and wrench or??? What I have been up to is building electronic gadgets. Something I love to do almost as much as building engines. Just got a pile of parts in to build a couple of orders for personal vaporizers.

Needless to say I have some very precise soldering to do, and some fun projects to make a little extra money. Plus I am helping people quit smoking which is always a plus!!!

Hopefully post some more motorcycle shit here soon!!!

A little more about vaping...

Yeah I know it looks simple, but it really can help you stop killing yourself with smoke!!! I just finished this one up yesterday, and thought I would put a pic up. This is one of the 3.7 volt box mods. These can also be made in other colors if you like. I personally have a translucent box with a green led so the whole box glows in the works right now. This will be a 5 volt mod. I can't wait to see how it turns out. It is supposed to be mine, but I know how this shit works!! I don't ever get to keep any of my cool stuff! Man I need some heat in my workshop right now, so I can throw some wrenches on my bike.

I am also thinking about taking a road trip and going to meet Hugh personally. I would love to hang around his shop for a day or two see and see how he does things. I have already learned so much from him just from reading his posts on forums and shit. If you don't know who I am talking about check him out here at http://hughshandbuilt.blogspot.com/ Check out the genius that is Hugh. He is a whiz with Yamaha XS650 motorcycles. Hey that just happens to be one of the projects in my shop right now!!!! Coincidence? I think not!!!

I want to help bikers get healthier here...

A lot of bikers I know smoke cigarettes. I used to be one of those people until a little over 7 months ago. I started using a personal vaporizer or an electronic cigarette. Doesn't matter to me what you would like to call it. It can help you quit inhaling all those chemicals from an analog cigarette. I still use nicotine which has been proven to be no more harmful than caffiene.

I make small box mods in 3.7 volts, 5 volts, and the almighty variable voltage. I can point you in the direction of getting good tasting nicotine juice in just about any flavor you can imagine. If you are interested in more information about this, would like to order one of my simple box mods, or whatever please feel free to e-mail me at mikzoc@gmail.com.

Let's be smoke free the easy way!!!! It's a lot easier than you think. I did it without killing anyone, so that has to say something!!! And don't let anyone tell you that they don't give big hits! It's a damn lie!!!