Step 2 in making your own tailpiece

Ok so first time I ever do this so I am bound to make mistakes!

Heres a few more pics

Pic 1

Rough shape

Rough shape

Started shaping the ‘thing’ by cutting an angle in the front and rear with a hacksaw

Pic 2

Rough shape rear view

Rough shape rear view

thing from a different angle

Pic 3

Wet foam

Wet foam

The filler foam has not completely set (more than 12 hours later!

Pic 4

Rough shape on bike

Rough shape on bike

Testing the shape on the bike

Pics 5,6,7,8

Starting to look like something extra foam added

Starting to look like something extra foam added

Starting to look like something extra foam added side view

Starting to look like something extra foam added side view

Starting to look like something extra foam added front view

Starting to look like something extra foam added front view

Yet another picture of extra foam added

Yet another picture of extra foam added

Batteries on the camera conked out so alot of shaping got done in between, decided I wanted to round the tail more so added more foam to get a single uninterrupted curve

Pics 9, 10, 11

Nearly completed shape on bike

Nearly completed shape on bike

Nearly completed shape on bike from another angle

Nearly completed shape on bike from another angle

Nearly completed shape on bike again from another angle

Nearly completed shape on bike again from another angle

Got some nice shape into the tail and checking it on the bike

Pic 12

Ready for laying of fibreglass

Ready for laying of fibreglass

little things on the front are an afterthought to extend the tail piece under the seat and make a smoother transition, getting ready to lay fibreglass

Pics 13, 14, 15

Ugly dip

Ugly dip

Ugly dip

Ugly dip

Ugly dip

Ugly dip

Grrrrr…. fibreglass resin eats away at the polystyrene, literally melting away all my hard work on shaping the tail, added to which I ran out of resin, talk about forward planning! now i need more resin, and probably going to have to build up the dips with body filler.

On the bright side, because of the foam and surviving polystyrene the tail piece is so stiff i was tempted to stand on it cos it felt so strong. And that with 1 layer of fibreglass!!

I have since started correcting the shape and added more fibreglass.

Posted under SR 500 Project Bike

This post was written by Shaun on June 24, 2009

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Step 1 in Creating a tail piece from foam and polystyrene

I actually did this about 2 months ago, bbut am only posting it now!
Being bored I figured I would get started on the tail

So pic 1

SR 500 polystyrene tail 1

SR 500 polystyrene tail 1

Started out with some polystyrene (knew I kept this rubbish for a reason!!) Pushed a screw in each side to keep it together.

Pic 2

SR 500 polystyrene tail 2

SR 500 polystyrene tail 2

Top view as you can see the back looks REALLY wide, much too wide for my tastes

Pic 3

SR 500 polystyrene tail 3

SR 500 polystyrene tail 3

So after alot of jigging and looking and head scratching I actually cut a section off the back of the bikes frame, it was just pushing it too wide, a few extra pieces to help form the shape later. Spaced off the back wheel by another piece of polystyrene.

Pic 4

SR 500 polystyrene tail 4

SR 500 polystyrene tail 4

My supervisor making sure I am doing my job properly

Pic 5

SR 500 polystyrene tail 5

SR 500 polystyrene tail 5

Side view of the bits and bobs stuck together

Pic 6

SR 500 polystyrene tail 6

SR 500 polystyrene tail 6

Foam filler, to fill the big gaps between the polystyrene, says its easy to cut and sandable, lets hope

Pic7

SR 500 polystyrene tail 7

SR 500 polystyrene tail 7

Ready for filling

Pic 8

SR 500 polystyrene tail 8

SR 500 polystyrene tail 8

Top view, shoved some old paper in so I don’t waste foam

Pic 9

SR 500 polystyrene tail 9

SR 500 polystyrene tail 9

Side view after filling with foam

Pic 10

SR 500 polystyrene tail 10

SR 500 polystyrene tail 10

View from the back

Pic 11

SR 500 polystyrene tail 11

SR 500 polystyrene tail 11

Piccie of bike with chassis surgery complete

Pic 12

SR 500 polystyrene tail 14

Showing how much I cut off

Pic 13 and 14

SR 500 polystyrene tail 12
SR 500 polystyrene tail 13

SR 500 polystyrene tail 13

Ain’t she a beaut?!?!? Almost ready for paint
Can you see it though? hey?

The next day was a Sunday and I started cutting the basic shape out.

Posted under SR 500 Project Bike

This post was written by Shaun on June 22, 2009

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