Axles & Sprockets

I had my doubts about buying a rotary table for the mill but it's pretty much paid for itself in just one job. I bought a blank rear sprocket for less than £30 and did the machining myself, and hey presto a couple of hours later a sprocket emerged from the pile of swarf! The sprocket isn't for the new build, its for the current bike - its quite a big change but according to my calculations it should get the rpm's nearer the optimum in top gear, and should make it accelerate harder too, but we'll see about that.

Next on the agenda was the back axle for the new bike, its' needed as part of the jig so i set about making my own. Last time i needed an axle i asked Bob Brooks (yellow metal racing) for assistance as i didn't know what material to use, nor what diameter, and to add to the problem i didn't have a lathe big enough to fit it in. Bob did a great job, so i'm attempting to copy what he did just slightly longer basically. I bought a couple of bits of bar, checked them for runout and cut threads on each end. (i practiced first on some scrap ally.... it helps) I also fitted a hex head to one end so an allen key can be used stop the axle spinning when tightening it up.

Next task ..... well, i spent hours fettling the jig, getting the axle blocks lined up, and a set of engine cases centralized and squared up in it..... finding the centre of an engine is tricky.
But cutting and bending some tube is not far away.