I think you’re right Classicbike. I may make one aluminum mold just for fun. Probably a CBR1000RR rear seat cowl mold.
If you are able to make aluminuim tools cheaply yourself, then why not not have a go at forming some aluminuim parts, rather than using compostites?
then he’d need to make a “mold” (a.k.a. die) out of tool steel and use a press punch! haha, and that’s way more expensive than a couple one-off composite bits.
You can make aluminuim parts using GRP tooling, if needs be. Guy locally makes top quality tanks for HD using this process, and he uses epoxy and GRP tooling, and even has tool made out of body filler (bondo) that works very well.
I’m sure some of the guys over at www.metalmeet.com would know how to make aluminum parts. The issue with making bike plastics out of metal is the lawsuit factor…if someone cuts themselves deep on it. An aluminum fuel tank would be cool though. For now I’m happy if i can make composite parts.
I have (am getting) the original oem abs plastic body panels off of a motorcycle. Can i poor or roll on epoxy over the top of the body panel to make a mold that way? How thick should the epoxy be? What would I use to keep the epoxy from sticking to the original oem part? If using epoxy to make a mold should it be reinforced with fiberglass cloth? If this all would work… how many parts can i expect to get out of using the mold?
Seems to me that before thinking of starting a business making hundreds of parts for bikes, that it might be a very good idea to buy a couple of books on the subject of composites, and gain a good idea of how to do things. Sadly its not merely a matter of reading posts on forums such as this, and unless you have the knowledge gained from experience, then I personally would say a worthwhile business is a non-starter!
Finally in terms of the law-suits I guess this being a major concern in the US, is probably going to also apply to composite parts in the same way as those made from aluminium, and any producer of parts intended for sale to the public, would be well advised to have good liability insurance (which might be quite costly).
It’s not too bad if you pick up an LLC (limited liability corporation) license. They’re maybe $300 at most and they prevent you as a person from being sued, only the business can be sued.
Would it be common for the business to need to be insured to avoid public liability issues, in regard to possible claims?
I’m a CNC machinist, in the mold industry, fluent in MasterCam. If it’s not an overly complex mold (read: don’t have a lot of extra free time to invest into project) I’m willing to help out.
Otherwise for more complex parts you’d have to go through the proper channels. Our shop rate is $80/hr we have 1 CNC CMM, 3 CNC mills for metal, 2 CNC mills for carbon, 2 wire EDM’s and 3 sinker EDM’s, We also have Design, Programming, and Polishing departments…
All I’d ask in return is help in really leaning the composite trade (other than injection molding)
I have an LLC and all my products have a disclaimer pretty much stating it is for of road use. Of course it is longer and such but it covers it all so I am not held liable if they hurt themselves or their property.
Once I get set up in a shop I’d want to go LLC ( Inc is too complicated for me to mess with). I believe it is $300 in Arizona to get the LLC. Yep, a disclaimer is a good idea, and I will probably write one up with the help of a lawyer. I don’t really foresee anyone suing me for this stuff… more likely they would sue the motorcycle mfg if they got hurt while riding. If the business were to grow I’d look into the insurance.
For now i’m not looking into quiting my machinist job… will probably take a two or three years to slowly build a company.
I realize I have much to learn.
Tri-J… thank you for your offer on help with aluminum mold making. I will probably get a guy from work to help me out with the one mold. As far as me teaching someone about composites, i know little right now, but these guys are good and work with the stuff a lot 
Might be worth looking at a composites market, which isnt quite so competitive as that catering for Jap sport bikes? Have a look at the products around at the moment, and work out if you think you would be able to make a better product at a lower price.
but also build a brand name. in some markets it pays to be the lowest price but in some markets people will pay for the best product and the name. I make a spark plug cover for a certain application where my cloest competition sells them for $65 and mine is $155 but I sell a ton of them just because I have built a brand name
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Tri-J…hit me up. I need some stuff made that I dont have the tooling to do.
There is no liability in making parts out of metal. Its just plain stupid for anything but the fuel tank.
Why use something that would have to be paper thin to be as light as ABS or composite and end up requiring all kinds of extra work to be painted or shaped?
I think classic was really getting at why FastRR doesnt make some rearsets or clip ons.
A little bit of ingenuity would go a long way if someone were to take the time to make things better.
In actual fact making formed aluminuim parts, such as fuel tanks and exhausts, using the rubber pad forming method is a good deal easier than using composites.
A male former is made from something like epoxy or even GRP, an aluminuim sheet is placed over the forming tool, and then a hydraulic press forces a steel box containing rubber, which bears onto the sheet to be formed, down over the former, and very quickly you have one half of a fuel tank for instance, which after minor hand finishing is ready to be welded to the other parts, to form a complete tank.
Guy I know makes custom one off tanks for Harleys and also for works Suzuki race bikes, and the top end Harley tanks sell for £3000, so it seems there is a lot of money to made from this method of production!
got any links to how thats done?
Ive had to make bucks and hand beat out and patch weld all my aluminum tanks…Id like an easier process.
Not been able to find anything on the net about the process, but its commonly used in the aircraft industry for small run and making prototype parts.
I am very lucky knowing someone locally who is an expert at this, and who is willing to help me produce parts to make aluminuim exhausts for off-road bikes.
the most complicated thing Ive learned is backyard hydro forming for two strokes.
Works like a champ when you get it down right and the materials aka tools needed are easily had.