broken fin

[rockthedog]

hi all, i have just bought another a10 swing arm bike,got this just to get me to work and back, the bike is a bit tatty but runs very well with receips for full engine rebuild 4 years ago, the top fin has broken of the barrel on one side and looks to of been like that for some time,will it be ok,or should i strip it off and have a repair done dont want a spotless bike its just for work thank you .

[BSA_54A10]

Unless you race the bike it will not make a nings knacker of difference.
Uf it looks funny you can grind the broken fin to a reasonable shape then grind the other side to match.
Done it more than once myself and about 1 in 1000 notice the modified finning.

[muskrat]

 I nipped up the '51 A7 30 years ago, sitting on 60 for about 45 minutes ! Let her cool for 15 minutes then rode the 100miles home.
You could see the hot spot in the bore was where the broken fin was. They were small fin head and barrels. Big fin would be OK.
Cheers

[rockthedog]

Unless you race the bike it will not make a nings knacker of difference.
Uf it looks funny you can grind the broken fin to a reasonable shape then grind the other side to match.
Done it more than once myself and about 1 in 1000 notice the modified finning.

  thank you for that i will give it a go next time head is off,

[orabanda]

Well, suddenly this is very topical for me.

After trying to find a barrel for a '57 VH Ariel for a loooooong time, someone in England tracked one down, and sent pics.
We quickly did a deal!



Last week, wifey says "Youv'e got another one of those parcels from England, but this one's heavy"

Excitement became disappointment when box was opened and...........WTF!!!

[muskrat]

 Bugga. Hope it was insured. It was obviously not wrapped very well.
 But working in the transport industry for many years I'm not surprised. Lunchtime football is played with parcels.
Cheers

[LJ.]

I can really feel that disappointment and was ready for the same treatment only a week ago when I had a large fin B33 barrel sent me. I'm lucky it was okay but I did nag the seller to pack it really well. Damn... I hope you manage to sort that out, I expect you will but somehow it never really feels the same even after a very good repair. 

[BSA_54A10]

Sorry to see the mess. shit happens when people do not stop to think about what they are doing.

As some one currently working in transport this is some thing that I regularly have to draw to my clients attention.
According to IATA a properly packed parcel must be able to be dropped from waist height onto a concrete floor without either splitting open or damaging the goods inside.
Fragile things like barrels should ideally be shipped in a solid ( read wood or metal ) container not a card board box with some bubble wrap stuffed into the empty space.
Being heavy , a barrel will be placed on the bottom which means that it could have upwards of 2 tonnes on top of it so  "fragile" , "Handle with care " or "top load only" sticker is just no going to cut the mustard.
When companies like BSA shipped spares to places like Australia they were in individual wooden ( ply wood ) boxes inside solid wood crates.

[a10 gf]

Argh, that's a depressing sight, it's 100% the senders fault, it could easily have been avoided, wrapped in really adequate layers of bubble-stuff (whatever it's called) + a good box and you could actually have played football with it with no damage (except to the feet of those who tried to kick it). Hoping it can be salvaged and\or it was insured, good luck.

[Rocket Racer]

At least the breaks are fresh, uncontaminated and cosmetic, so should be readily repairable. Certainly an unexpected cost though. Bugger.

Brings me to mind of an alloy ZB competition beesa I had 20 odd years ago that threw a rod through the front of the barrel. knocked out a big hole and was pretty nasty.
However I collected all the big bits and a good alloy welder put it back together and with a fresh sleeve and some other repairs she was back on the road. Sadly I sold it due to space and financial constraints, but it was repairable!

[orabanda]

A wonderful job was done by Kevin the craftsman! All for $150; i am a happy little vegemite again!









He has also repaired 10 boken fins, and the exhaust stub on the barrel of my 1927 Ariel Model A.





Richard

[trevinoz]

Richard,
                   Looks like a labour of love!
I take my hat off to Kevin the Craftsman.

Trev.

[pato08]

Where is this "Kevin the Craftsman" ?? antywhere near canberra. ?

Pato

[orabanda]

In Armadale (Perth).
Member of WA VMCC, retired boilermaker.

Some of his (regularly ridden) and immaculate bikes include:

1952 Vincent
1920's Henderson 4
1930's Indian (big and beautiful)
1920's Triumph Ricardo single (4 valve)
Triumph Grand Prix (replica)
Super Rocket,
Many others.

He was recommended to me by others in the WA VMCC.
Richard