Tank design, Comments welcome

jimxsrider · Full Member Joined: Oct 31, 2006 Posts: 67

Im making an aluminum tank at school. Its a little bit on the extreme side for mostly stock bike, but its a starting point. I'll post pictures later this week if anyones intrested.

Xumi · Posted: June 11, 2007, 11:28 am Post subject: Re: Tank design, Comments welcome

Would love to see the design. Extreme is always good - it brings an idea to it's fullest potential. Often the best designs I've ever seen are extreme.

ttmaniac · Full Member Joined: Dec 22, 2006 Posts: 468

Yeah, post em please!...I want an aluminum cafe style tank myself just don't have the resources for it. Anybody got any good links for aluminum tanks?

jimxsrider · Full Member Joined: Oct 31, 2006 Posts: 67

Here is the tank. Just finished it today. Its the first tank I have ever built. I did it in my wyotech street rod class. I shaped the front to be like the stock tank but put some recesses in the side for my knees. I thought they would be way too big, thats what I meant by extreme. I haven't ever seen a tank with that big or that pronounced recesses, but when I mounted the tank on the bike they were actually just right for my legs. I still have to make a seat, as you can see Ive started a pan... And also I still need to seal the inside of the tank with some sort of sealer I'm told. The gas cap is off of a radian. and I dont have any petcocks on it, Im just using some fittings with copper hard line for now, because the style petcock I want is to dang expensive. Send me a pm and let me know what you think!

jimxsrider · Full Member Joined: Oct 31, 2006 Posts: 67

here are some more. Ohh, and does anybody know how to resize pictures? I cant really find any program to open it up with to resize them. I also dont have photoshop so I cant do it that way. thanks

jimxsrider · Full Member Joined: Oct 31, 2006 Posts: 67

If you zoom out under the page tab, it allows you to see the pics better. Also incase anybody is wondering. I am going to paint a majority of the tank, and the recesses will be polished.

Xumi · Posted: June 20, 2007, 11:18 am Post subject: Re: Tank design, Comments welcome

That's a gorgeous tank - ya done good!

I've seen a few people looking for custom tanks that have been getting shafted by shops... either super expensive or don't finish the job.

Have you considered making these professionally?

jimxsrider · Full Member Joined: Oct 31, 2006 Posts: 67

Yes Actually. I really like working with aluminun. The only thing is at first I would only be able to make more simple shapes, because I dont think I would be able to afford a big power hammer like a pullmax. I had to shrink the sheet aluminum in the front where it has most of the radius like a stock tank. Its really hard to do with out the big expensive equipment (a pullmax can be upward of $10,000). I'm buying a tig welder in 3 months when I am done with school. Also I should be able to build myself and english wheel for pretty cheap so that would help with the intricate shapes. But If the tank design was more square and boxy with minimal compound shape I think I could easily make it.

Oh, another thing, Aluminum fittings and small aluminum tubing (overflow drains and such) are kind of hard to come by. If any body knows of a place where you can find small (1/4 - 3/8") hard line, let me know.
thanks

Jim

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