What aluminum alloy is used to weld the side case of my X75 Hurricane?

[ChrisAnglophile]

Carl gave us a , but I'm not in your league.
It takes 10's of years to build up that scale of commitment to Quality.
Most people , won't put in the time , unless there paid and even then cut corner's.
You must love doing it and also it takes a lot of work to get the space and machinery to do such machine jobs.
Chris

 

[grandpaul]

Welding magnesium?!?!?!?!

YIKES!

I hope you have really good fire protection! That stuff goes off like a giant flashbulb (for you kids, that's what we used before electronic LED flash)

 

[ChrisAnglophile]

Welding magnesium?!?!?!?!

YIKES!

I hope you have really good fire protection! That stuff goes off like a giant flashbulb (for you kids, that's what we used before electronic LED flash)

It was Manx Norton Rear Hubs. They were made by Magnesium Electron of Swinton, for Norton's Factory Race Bikes. There would have been a percentage of Aluminum in them to stabilise the compound. But only about 10 %.
So when welding under Argon Shield Gas , its not a problem. But any filings near the job, did glow a bit.
Magnesium , I notice is still used in racing. But slowly being replaced by Carbon Fibre...I don't trust either.
Yes , it was done , in a big brick and Concrete Building in Made for Use Facilities. Trained by the Best Teacher in Australia at the time. Now Retired. But like all Chain Smokers , ain't going to last to long.
Chris

 

[ChrisAnglophile]

It was Manx Norton Rear Hubs. They were made by Magnesium Electron of Swinton, for Norton's Factory Race Bikes. There would have been a percentage of Aluminum in them to stabilise the compound. But only about 10 %.
So when welding under Argon Shield Gas , its not a problem. But any filings near the job, did glow a bit.
Magnesium , I notice is still used in racing. But slowly being replaced by Carbon Fibre...I don't trust either.
Yes , it was done , in a big brick and Concrete Building in Made for Use Facilities. Trained by the Best Teacher in Australia at the time. Now Retired. But like all Chain Smokers , ain't going to last to long.
Chris

Welding magnesium?!?!?!?!

YIKES!

I hope you have really good fire protection! That stuff goes off like a giant flashbulb (for you kids, that's what we used before electronic LED flash)

Is magnesium what they used in the 1920's and 30's. In the movies, they had these flat plates almost vertical, with a lip on the bottom edge, and when it flashed a puff of smoke came off.
Chris

 

[Hurricanerider]

I haven't got the time right this minute.
But Oil from use is in the casting , its a pain to get the stuff out.
Some will come out with a soak in petrol overnight.
But mainly , its necessary to heat with the TIG and watch it pour out the casting.
Takes about 5 times or more of Heating with the TIG and cooling it and Scrubbing Acetone and Wire Brush to get anywhere.
In the mean time , gives you time to make a metal backing plate , to fit the other side of weld.
With a ridge down centre to let Argon Flow. That way , less clean up , on other side, before welding.
Once welded , the trick is to heat with a torch , other areas to get it to slowly cool, an shrink in none welded point last.
Otherwise its horrible to hear it cracking in front of your eyes, straight down the middle of the weld.
And if you think that's frustrating , I won't ever weld Magnesium Again.
Chris

No porosity, no oil near the weld at all. The casing was clean and melted into the 4043 rod. Never had to grind, just SS brushed it. We kept it at 300, then it cooled changing to the inside and used the rosebud to heat the steel plate then case to help keep equal heat spread. The oven was about 300. 300 for an hour, 250, for an hour, now 175 for a couple of hours, and then 100 deg. For 4 hours. I’ll cover the oven to keep it insulated until morning. No cracking has raise its ugly head after 3 hours.
Now to rely on my Aluminum injection mold making skills to feather it all in.

 

[Hurricanerider]

No porosity, no oil near the weld at all. The casing was clean and melted into the 4043 rod. Never had to grind, just SS brushed it. We kept it at 300, then it cooled changing to the inside and used the rosebud to heat the steel plate then case to help keep equal heat spread. The oven was about 300. 300 for an hour, 250, for an hour, now 175 for a couple of hours, and then 100 deg. For 4 hours. I’ll cover the oven to keep it insulated until morning. No cracking has raise its ugly head after 3 hours.
Now to rely on my Aluminum injection mold making skills to feather it all in.

 

[Hurricanerider]

View attachment 44223

 

[ChrisAnglophile]

View attachment 44224View attachment 44225

Magnificent ,

 

[grandpaul]

There's the RIGHT way, the WRONG way, and the NAVY way.

...or in this case, the NORTON way.

Very nice. I can see it all disappearing with the clean-up phase...

 

[Hurricanerider]

There's the RIGHT way, the WRONG way, and the NAVY way.

...or in this case, the NORTON way.

Very nice. I can see it all disappearing with the clean-up phase...

This morning and cool. It worked to prevent cracking. I put it on the mill and bolted the crank bearing face to the plate. There is some warpage on the bolt flange face of .013 at the weld. I’ll unbolt it and indicate the face to determine if the crank bearing moved, then recheck the centerline dimension of the crank and cam bores.

 

[Hurricanerider]

This morning and cool. It worked to prevent cracking. I put it on the mill and bolted the crank bearing face to the plate. There is some warpage on the bolt flange face of .013 at the weld. I’ll unbolt it and indicate the face to determine if the crank bearing moved, then recheck the centerline dimension of the crank and cam bores.

When I showed my friend, Kenny who did the weld, what I pulled out of the motor when I tore it down, he said I was lucky that it was just the original crack I posted. The rod cap and bolt was wedged by the large diameter of the crank where the crack was.

 

[ChrisAnglophile]

This morning and cool. It worked to prevent cracking. I put it on the mill and bolted the crank bearing to the plate. There is some warpage on the bolt flange face of .013 at the weld. I’ll unbolt it and indicate the face to determine if the crank bearing moved, then recheck the centerline dimension of the crank and cam bores.
View attachment 44226

Might need a sleeve of steel to get it right position.
Its normal for things to be out of alinement , laws of physics.
Everything else worked out good.
If when she's rebuilt , I see nothing wrong with letting her Rev abit.
What ever she feels happy with , but not forced.
" What name are you going to give her , anything but Doris "!

 

[ChrisAnglophile]

When I showed my friend, Kenny who did the weld, what I pulled out of the motor when I tore it down, he said I was lucky that it was just the original crack I posted. The rod cap and bolt was wedged by the large diameter of the crank where the crack was.

I had the same with a 1972 T100R , the bolt snapped. Had to replace the Rod.
Didn't score the case , just knocked a hole through the bottom of the case.
Just big enough to jiggle the 1/2 the endcap and 1/2 bearing to disappear, never to be seen again.
Reminds me of a Sidecar 650 Triumph Racer at Oulton Park in 1970.
Driver said " the was a terrific bang" ! We looked at it.
All that was left was the Cylinder Head and the Splayed Amal Mk1's with Trumpets , bolted to the top rail.
The Pre-Unit was gone, just a big Vacant space , the chain was holding the Gearbox in place.
Chris

 

[CarlS]

I had the same with a 1972 T100R , the bolt snapped. Had to replace the Rod.
Didn't score the case , just knocked a hole through the bottom of the case.
Just big enough to jiggle the 1/2 the endcap and 1/2 bearing to disappear, never to be seen again.
Reminds me of a Sidecar 650 Triumph Racer at Oulton Park in 1970.
Driver said " the was a terrific bang" ! We looked at it.
All that was left was the Cylinder Head and the Splayed Amal Mk1's with Trumpets , bolted to the top rail.
The Pre-Unit was gone, just a big Vacant space , the chain was holding the Gearbox in place.
Chris

Wow! I would like to have seen that!!

 

[Hurricanerider]

Might need a sleeve of steel to get it right position.
Its normal for things to be out of alinement , laws of physics.
Everything else worked out good.
If when she's rebuilt , I see nothing wrong with letting her Rev abit.
What ever she feels happy with , but not forced.
" What name are you going to give her , anything but Doris "!

The only name anyone has used on the street, bike rallies, and shows has always been “The Hurricane”.
No other name would do it justice.
My shop, second home, man cave took me 2 years to build, it’s 36x50’. I also have a poor man paint booth in the middle. The paint booth roof hangs from the ceiling and I lower it and hang plastic, setup exhaust, and try to be a painter!

 

[ChrisAnglophile]

Wow! I would like to have seen that!!

Like a Polo Sweet , just a bit bigger !

 

[ChrisAnglophile]

The only name anyone has used on the street, bike rallies, and shows has always been “The Hurricane”.
No other name would do it justice.
My shop, second home, man cave took me 2 years to build, it’s 36x50’. I also have a poor man paint booth in the middle. The paint booth roof hangs from the ceiling and I lower it and hang plastic, setup exhaust, and try to be a painter!

Man Cafe looks the tops! And Clean.
You got some good equipment there. A good setup.
Hurricane sounds good to me!
Chris.
The Great Mike Hailwood said he liked to run an Engine in by letting it run freely on low throttle. And never let it labour.
These new Synthetic Oils are fantastic, but so good , its impossible to run an Engine in on them!!

 

[CarlS]

Man Cafe looks the tops! And Clean.
You got some good equipment there. A good setup.
Hurricane sounds good to me!
Chris.
The Great Mike Hailwood said he liked to run an Engine in by letting it run freely on low throttle. And never let it labour.
These new Synthetic Oils are fantastic, but so good , its impossible to run an Engine in on them!!

I agree 100%.

 

[ChrisAnglophile]

The only name anyone has used on the street, bike rallies, and shows has always been “The Hurricane”.
No other name would do it justice.
My shop, second home, man cave took me 2 years to build, it’s 36x50’. I also have a poor man paint booth in the middle. The paint booth roof hangs from the ceiling and I lower it and hang plastic, setup exhaust, and try to be a painter!

Its been nice chatting with you.
You have my respect.
Chris

 

[Hurricanerider]

Man Cafe looks the tops! And Clean.
You got some good equipment there. A good setup.
Hurricane sounds good to me!
Chris.
The Great Mike Hailwood said he liked to run an Engine in by letting it run freely on low throttle. And never let it labour.
These new Synthetic Oils are fantastic, but so good , its impossible to run an Engine in on them!!

Here’s the before and after weld readings.