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CHAPTER THREE - 16
Before I mixed up the
resin I blocked all the holes, the crossover and fuel tap holes. What
you must remember is that you should use a material that the resin won’t
stick to. I found a piece of poly tubing worked well, you know the tube
that is used for fish tanks, it was just the right size for the fuel tap
hole. I now had to find something to go in the crossover holes, that’s
when my brain, shut down and went on holiday. As the tubes sticking out
from the tank were angled half way I couldn’t find anything that would
go in, except for some nylon rope that was just the right size. Of
course I pushed that into the holes thinking that it would do the job –
WRONG. I sealed up the holes and preceded to mix up the resin, read the
instructions, which said to swirl it all round the tank until it sets.
So, I sat there tipping the tank to one side then the other making sure
that every part was covered. This took around 5 minutes, I then repeated
the process over and over again, after a hour at this I was getting
quite bored with the whole thing, but if I left it, all the rest of the
resin that was still in a big blob would settle to the bottom of the
tank.
In the end I succumbed
to weariness and put down the tank, but I made sure that the remainder
of the resin would settle at the front parts of the tank. The next day I
had a look at it and surely enough it had hardened, but not completely.
I came back to the tank about three days later and the resin had cured
completely. I shone a torch inside the tank and l saw that 95% of the
resin had settled at the bottom, but it had also done its job of coating
everywhere else. Great job I thought, removed the plastic tubing from
the fuel tap hole, and then went to get out the nylon from the crossover
holes, but it wouldn’t move.
After some time trying
to get it out it suddenly occurred to me that the holes were completely
blocked with resin. After I stopped swearing at myself, you know what
its like when you know you’ve screwed up, I had to think of a way to get
the resin out. Of course, the only way to do this is to drill it out,
which let me say here is not easy, especially when you have to drill
round a bend.
The morale of this
story is – make sure you can get out what ever you put in any hole.
Now the inside of the
tank had been done, it was time to do my ‘Tarzan’ act; I have to fit the
new rubber band round the tank. The old cream coloured strip was not
good enough to put back on, so I had to get a replacement, which is
black.
When I first got the
rubber strip, I fitted one end into the holder at the front of the tank
and hammered the securing clip in place. I was then confused to see that
it didn’t stretch round to the other clip. I tried pulling and pushing
but there was no way it was going to stretch.
When I asked for help
the first suggestion was that I had to heat the rubber strip in boiling
water to make it supple, connect one end and it would then stretch to
the other clip. I pulled and pulled, sweat started to bead on the
forehead, but there was no way I could get it to stretch.
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Second
suggestion was to connect both clips and stretch the rubber over
the tank like an elastic band. This suggestion should become a
new exercise for all the keep fit people or developing weight
lifters. After trying this for 5 minutes my arms were aching
like never before, again sweat not only was on the forehead but
now running everywhere. This nearly worked, but I caught my
finger under the rubber at full stretch, which was extremely
painful, as I couldn’t get my finger out for quite a while. TIP:
Don’t’ place fingers under the strip when pulling the rubber
strip over the tank ridge. IT’S PAINFUL!! |
The third suggestion
worked well, place the rubber strip in the microwave and heat it up that
way, but be careful when getting it out of the microwave. If you grab
it, the rubber will never shine again, as your skin that has been melted
onto it takes ages to wear off. Always put on gloves of some kind, as
the strip will be very hot. Now, you can connect both ends into the
holders and hammer the securing tags into place.
Using a thin coat of
lubricant, rub it on the inside of the rubber. It was now quite easy to
pull the rubber strip over the tank ridge, but at the same time keeping
your fingers out of the way. When the rubber strip cools down it
tightens leaving it a tight fit round the tank. Phew!!
The last thing I tried
to do was to start the engine, to see if it was good, the wiring being
bypassed. The only trouble is, it won’t start. I kicked and kicked, but
nothing. I have covered it with a cover and have left it in a very
despondent mood.
It’s now October and I
have to forget the bike until the middle of November, Guy Fawkes will
take the front stage in my working hours.
I will continue in a
month or so... |
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