Kawi2strokes.com Forum

Learned something on Friday... Actually learned a few things.

1st, is that, plastic, or at least the plastic used in the gauge pod (Buell X1 Lightning) that I "modified" to fit the Speedhut gauge will indeed HARDEN and become BRITTLE when subjected to adhesion promotor, SEM Flexible primer and base/clear coat!!


I had taken one of these (left over from the Buell project from a few years ago)

which before paint was nice and pliable...

and cut it down to kinda-sorta look like a "wrinkle-finish" H2 style gauge pod.

Instead of wrinkle, color-matched it to the tank/headlight. I don't have any pics of prep and paint process, but in the end it turned out like this.......


and I thought "cool", one more think checked off the to-do list.
I let it set over night and the next morning when I went to slip it over the gauge it cracked .... And not in one spot, but in multiple spots.


The whole thing turned "crispy"!!! oh well..

So, the new plan was to order a chunk of aluminum (or stainless) tubing of the correct I.D./O.D. and make one out of that. I found a couple of online vendors, but had to run to the lumber yard to pick up some materials for work. Figured I'd see if they had anything that I could "retro-fit"...
No dice, but for giggles, on the way home, decided to stop in at the new Goodwill that opened. Its like a perpetual Garage Sale and who knows WHAT you'll find???
Well, I knew what the measurements were and low and behold, came across... This! A shiny Penguin!!!!


Which at the time, I thought was nickel plated steel or stainless? That should work. Measurements were EXTREMELY CLOSE and for $9.99, figured what the heck.
A chunk of "online metal" would have been at least 3x's that when you factor in shipping...

What is it you might ask? A coctail mixer! Scroll down this page and see...
http://www.sheryls-artdeco.com/drinks6.html


Too late!!! I got to chopping.


And it turns out it isn't stainless or plain steel, but nickel plated brass.. Hmm? I wonder what would happen if I polished all of the nickel off of it?

tah-dah!



Now, I'm not really sold on the polished brass/gold pod, so I'm actually considering painting it, but at least I know that it wont crack and will hold up one heck of a lot better than plastic. For now I'll leave it be.....

what do you guys think? Too much? Sorta reminds me of this guy... yeah boiiiiiiii

oh!! one more thing..

I still have the penguin's head! Don't tell me this wouldn't make a PERFECT gauge pod/mount?

Good conversation piece, I would leave it.

_________________
Twist the throttle, tilt the horizon, and have a great time. What triples are all about...........

My wife is lamenting the end of the penguin, saying she would have loved to have had that. She knew right away it was a cocktail shaker.

_________________
If it surges, that's normal, upshift.

Yeah, my wife collects Penguins - I thought this was a family-friendly site........!!

_________________
"One day, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it's worth watching." : anon.

shame on you Cody this cocktail mixer was awesome

Mount it to the top of your helmet!

_________________
We don't need no stinkin' Cams!

One expensive clock pod = approx $750

there are a couple on ebay, priced way lower than that.

Pretty sure the one listed is an original Art Deco Period shaker... the one I scored for $9.99 is a modern reproduction.