rjjammer

Finally getting the year old building ready for concrete. My dream shop may really get built! Yesterday we preped the floor and the crete should be poured by the end of the week. I am a firm believer that concrete work is a spectator sport so I hired that done. I plan on steel for the walls and ceiling, wiring in conduit installed on the outside of the walls, lots and lots of lighting thanks to recycled lights from a school, and heat! Here are a couple pics for your viewing enjoyment.

I made mine out of 1/4 inch bolts with two nuts. I ground the head of the bolt and polished it to fit similar to the ball studs you mentioned. Then I mounted them with the plastic between the two nuts and cut them to length This way makes the depth adjustable so the panels fit flush.

On July 2 our Camp in Kabul was attacked and bombed by insurgents. We lost a US police Officer in the attack along with numerous other international support staff. Dozens more injured. Our teams prevented further loss by containing suicide bombers armed with AK 47's grenades and vest bombs in the outer perimeter. Please remember the thousands of US Police and US civilians supporting our efforts here. I pray for their families. rjjammer

Here is what I did, I had glasses my whole life. I was terribly near sighted. About 7 years ago I got to the point I had to take OFF my glasses to read anything. Any kind of mechanical work was looking over my glasses then through them, then over and so on! Glasses got to be such a pain. So I did some research and I had Lasik! But a bit different than most. I had my right eye corrected for distance and left the other one alone so I can see close. Its called mono vision. I dont need glassses to read or see far. I get to wear COOL sunglasses when I ride! I hear some people cant adjust to this type of lasik but it works for me. Of course I am not sure how it will go this November when I renew my drivers license and they test each indiviual eye????? That could pose an issue???

Pretty hard for me to contact him from here, but I am not going to have my wife be the go between. Although she is more than capable. No looking at the work I am sure he isnt capable of doing seats like on my Venture.

I just had the seat done on my first Gen. My bride picked it up the other day. After almost 8 months waiting and 250 dollars later.... when I get home Ill rip it off and start over. I have never seen such poor work. He was highly recommended too. I dont understand? Anyway leasson learned So anyone know of a reputable place near Wisconsin that I can send it to? Thanks

Withee is not that far from me, I have tons of the 83/84 parts. I would be interested. can you send pics etc. One problem though, I am still in the sandbox and wont be home now until Aug 30. But I am sure something could be arranged.

I have been looking for a good set of these forever! Thanks. rjjammer:cool10:

Put me down for three.

I know everyone that turns wrenches on just about anything has stories that when thought about, would make one wonder how was I that stupid but later makes you laugh. Years ago, I had just finished a 4 year project, I took two Yamaha 750 specials and made one good out if it. It was beautiful! Every bolt removed and all the parts fixed polished and painted. Late one night I ran the bike and saw no problems, all was good I decided I would test ride it the next day. I went to the shop the next morning, put the liability insurance paperwork under the seat and installed the plates. I fired up the bike with the overhead door open, and let it run a bit to warm up. I picked a few tools up and turned my back for a few seconds.... I heard the now familiar whoosh ... I turned to see the bike on fire. Flames are coming out from under the fuel tank! No problem, I grab the fire extinguisher, pull the pin aim it at the fire and pull the handle. Pfffft, Oh Oh all I get is a poof of dust then nothing! Holy Crap! Now what? The fire has gotten bigger now...I am going to catch the whole shop on fire. So I grab the back of the bike and start sliding the thing towards the overhead door. It moved pretty good with it on the center stand and sliding across painted concrete. When I get it to the door... the center stand hits grass and stops dead... at about the same time the fire gets bigger as it has burned through the fuel line. Panic sets in as flames are melting the Styrofoam on the door. Somehow I grab the back of the bike and heave it into the lawn. It tips over and is fully engulfed. As this happens I hear my retired neighbor lady yell to her husband...GARY CALL 911 Rob has a fire!! I cant even remeber how I did it but I kick the fuel tank across the lawn and grab the water hose and the fire goes out. As I stand there and gaze at the pile of smouldering ruins I hear a calm voice behind me, its Gary my neighbor, he says Hmmm I see you got it out it doesnt look so bad. I bet you can fix it. I never did fix it. I hauled the remains, all the parts left over, and anything that had to do with this machine to a guy that wanted it. My wife and I laugh about it now, but in the end I was lucky to not get seriously burned, lucky to not burn the shop down. Even luckier to not have it start on fire while riding it. Moral of the story? Check your fire extinguisher! Have a spare!

I have one for an 86 worked well when I took it off. I replaced it with an aftermarket. You can have it for shipping Send me your info in a PM and I will get it out this week.

A fellow Deputy, Police Advisor and co worker was killed Christmas Eve here in Kabul Afghanistan. Not only do we have our brave young soldiers out there in harms way, there are hundreds of US Police Officers embedded with these soldiers, training and mentoring the Afghans. These men and women are volunteers, they live and work with our US Military doing a job that is rarely recognized. Please give a nod and a prayer for the familiy of Joe Griffin, and another for all our people over here. May you all have a safe and happy new year. http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/story/20476093/p

Congrats Grandpa, My grandaughter is going to be 4, it changes your life for the better.

Nope, sorry gotta go with the Pack

Here it is, the shell is finsihed. The ground work and electric are in as is the line for the hot water heat. Concrete will go in this spring. Now I have to figure out how to finish the interior. (40 by 40). I should have spent the extra money and insulated the ceiling on the shop side of the building.... I attached photos so I dont get the dreaded message " this post is absolutley ....." I cant wait until I get to stay home and get to work on the building, and in it when it is finished.

:rotf::rotf:I love Ole and Sven stories.

Hey I am in Kabul too. Been here since 2006, Ok been in Afghanistan since then all over the Country. I am in Camp Pinnacle. Where are you and what are you doing if you can say.... Be Safe,

Thanks for the replies, I will try to get them cleaned and get this running. I have to go back over September 15th, so what do all of you do to prevent this from happening? Drain everything? Also take a look at the new building, half of this will be the heated shop 40 by 40! No more tripping over things in the garage while working on the bikes!

I finally got home from over the pond and decided with all the warm dry weather to get the 1st gen out. Guess what? it wouldn't run without the choke on. If I tried to rev it up it just died. Bit of history, 86 Venture Royale. 36,000 miles, stock with the exceptions of upgraded fuse block, I put the aftermarket CDI box on it (bought through Dingy). Progressive springs, fork brace. After all the mods last year, I rode it for 18 miles and it ran great. I drained the carbs, put stabil in the gas and it sat until today. I drained the old gas out of the tank and put new in replaced the fuel filter, and tried to fire it up it wouldnt run without the choke on. Today I pulled the carbs, and cleaned them fully, I did find one of the little plugs in the carb on the bottom of the main jet block kind of looking mushy. ( they were new a year ago with a full carb overhaul. (Done by a carb re-builder) I replaced it with a new one from a kit I had left over. I tried it again and the same thing. Pulled the carbs again and made sure everything was good. The diaphrams are new last year, I replaced the plugs, checked for vacuum leaks and bad plug wires didn't find anything wrong. It still wont run without full choke. I even put the known good stock CDI box on and tried it. Still don't work. I am out of ideas to find the problem. I dont use the gas with the ethonol in it. can anyone help? rjjammer

I wanna go......

I cant compare to the most miles I only have 39000 on my 86 VR, however I think I can win the least miles. 0! I bought a brand new 1983 Yamaha XT 250 in November of 83. Hauled it home and put it in the garage. Two weeks later the garage was broken into and the bike was gone! It was winter in Wisconsin and I never got to ride it at all. I did replace it with a 84 XT 250 (Which I still own) That one only has 16000. I keep things a long time...Jeez!

Sheet rock is reasonable here but I really dont like working with it. I do a lot more than bikes in my shop and rock gets pretty funky when it gets wet. I am really lousy at taping and mudding the seams. After I did my house I have decided sheet rock is a spectator sport.

After 6 years of saving and planning the building has started. Im putting up a 40 by 80 pole building with 40 by 40 for a heated shop and the other half for her horses. Dirt and fill is being delivered as I write this. My final addition to my little piece of America. Got to watch the first loads being dumped on facetime. When I get home in July the building will be there and Ill put the electrical and other miscellaneous items in. I cant wait. No more tripping over the toys in the garage. What do you all have for a shop? Should I finish the interior in steel or wood? Any ideas and pics would sure help. rjjammer

Will someone here tell me the advantage to delinking the brakes? I have already done the progressive spring upgrade and removed the anti dive feature on my 86 VR? I like the idea of the linked system, but have some of the the same issues as Jay A has. Upgrades I have already done. Fuse box upgrade, aftermarket TCI ( that thing works great) progressive fork springs, block off plates, and vented Clearview windshield. Planned upgrades LED lights, starter ground and cable upgrade. Although I am sure that I will find more to do as I monitor this site.

I also have a 1983 Standard frame and clear Idaho title, the frame is already stripped and ready to go. The frame is in Wisconsin, a bit far from you I will be home from the sandbox the 19th. Drop me a line and let me know what you want to do. Rob