Slow Monster rebuild

350TSS · 03-12-2019, 05:22 PM

Today I finally got round to fixing the holding brackets into the fly-screen. After the second failure of the special epoxy I went for enough JB Weld to hold the top bracket in place. It sets firmly after about 10 minutes and really hard after about 8 hours. To be sure I left it bolted in position for a day and then epoxied it in place using shredded glass mat as the CF mat just was not flexible enough to conform to the contours of the inside of the fly-screen and the angular edges of the brackets. I
I will leave this overnight now.

I am now reaching the stage where I am not sure what to do next, options are
1. continue with the bodywork, finish the seat upholstery and then prime base coat, colour and lacquer all that needs to be painted –
pros
a) gets it done (circa 50 hours off the ETTC) and then it can be put somewhere safe until needed for final assembly
b) having some major bits in colour would give a sense of achievement and encouragement for completion
cons
a) it is very cold in the garage so far from ideal painting conditions
b) setting up the spray tent in the garage will take over completely.

2. start work on the engine, heads off, check barrels/pistons/rings, replace cylinder head studs, lap valves and set clearances and fit new valve collets and valve stem seals, reassemble.

Pros
a) probably the most interesting/challenging bit for me as I have not worked on a Ducati engine before
b) gets rid of a lot of boxes of bits which are cluttering up the floor space and once done the frame can be re-united with the engine, forks in, wheels on so lots more (knock on) space quite quickly
c) there are still a number of interface issues that will require that the bodywork parts are fitted so I can check brake pipe runs, clutch pipe runs, loom routes particularly around the headstock and if these parts are painted there is always the possibility of damage, if I leave the final finishing until later, any accidental damage issues can be repaired/resolved before the paint goes on.
Cons
a) whilst I had a couple of days tidying up the garage a few weeks ago, quite a bit of cutting and rubbing down has been done since so I would need another couple of days getting the environment dust free
b) means the total number of partially completed jobs will double which I find frustrating.

Having written the above down decision is now taken – get on with the engine.

The first task was to replace the double fluorescent that caught fire a few weeks ago with a double LED which is brilliant. Before replacing the expired double I had 7 x 6’ fluorescents in the garage a mixture of 4 singles and 3 doubles (10 tubes) of which 1.5 doubles and 1 single did not work (40%). The single LED gives off so much light I might get away with replacing the 10 tubes with 4 or 5 LEDs with a much brighter and clearer light. Aside from the price (£50 each) the only downside is that when I installed all the fluorescents (second hand ones) I used plastic tubular conduit and if I say so myself did a pretty neat job of it. The fluorescents all have central cable entry whereas the LEDs are end connected so either I re-do all the conduit (means emptying the garage and spending a day or so re-doing the conduit) or I bodge it and leave the old luminaires frames as ornaments on the ceiling and have a 3 foot flying lead to the new LED.

Ornaments it is then.

03-12-2019, 05:22 PM	#11
350TSS Too much time on my hands member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Shipbourne Bike: M900 Posts: 1,420	Today I finally got round to fixing the holding brackets into the fly-screen. After the second failure of the special epoxy I went for enough JB Weld to hold the top bracket in place. It sets firmly after about 10 minutes and really hard after about 8 hours. To be sure I left it bolted in position for a day and then epoxied it in place using shredded glass mat as the CF mat just was not flexible enough to conform to the contours of the inside of the fly-screen and the angular edges of the brackets. I I will leave this overnight now. I am now reaching the stage where I am not sure what to do next, options are 1. continue with the bodywork, finish the seat upholstery and then prime base coat, colour and lacquer all that needs to be painted – pros a) gets it done (circa 50 hours off the ETTC) and then it can be put somewhere safe until needed for final assembly b) having some major bits in colour would give a sense of achievement and encouragement for completion cons a) it is very cold in the garage so far from ideal painting conditions b) setting up the spray tent in the garage will take over completely. 2. start work on the engine, heads off, check barrels/pistons/rings, replace cylinder head studs, lap valves and set clearances and fit new valve collets and valve stem seals, reassemble. Pros a) probably the most interesting/challenging bit for me as I have not worked on a Ducati engine before b) gets rid of a lot of boxes of bits which are cluttering up the floor space and once done the frame can be re-united with the engine, forks in, wheels on so lots more (knock on) space quite quickly c) there are still a number of interface issues that will require that the bodywork parts are fitted so I can check brake pipe runs, clutch pipe runs, loom routes particularly around the headstock and if these parts are painted there is always the possibility of damage, if I leave the final finishing until later, any accidental damage issues can be repaired/resolved before the paint goes on. Cons a) whilst I had a couple of days tidying up the garage a few weeks ago, quite a bit of cutting and rubbing down has been done since so I would need another couple of days getting the environment dust free b) means the total number of partially completed jobs will double which I find frustrating. Having written the above down decision is now taken – get on with the engine. The first task was to replace the double fluorescent that caught fire a few weeks ago with a double LED which is brilliant. Before replacing the expired double I had 7 x 6’ fluorescents in the garage a mixture of 4 singles and 3 doubles (10 tubes) of which 1.5 doubles and 1 single did not work (40%). The single LED gives off so much light I might get away with replacing the 10 tubes with 4 or 5 LEDs with a much brighter and clearer light. Aside from the price (£50 each) the only downside is that when I installed all the fluorescents (second hand ones) I used plastic tubular conduit and if I say so myself did a pretty neat job of it. The fluorescents all have central cable entry whereas the LEDs are end connected so either I re-do all the conduit (means emptying the garage and spending a day or so re-doing the conduit) or I bodge it and leave the old luminaires frames as ornaments on the ceiling and have a 3 foot flying lead to the new LED. Ornaments it is then.