Making exhaust guards for my soft bags

Was toying around in the garage and verified just how rusty my welding skills are by whipping out this guard for the soft bags. Should have no problem keeping them off the exhaust and anything else that might be in the way.

Almost finished, but the real challenge will be to get the other side to be the exact same.

 

great idea - yep also think you will have fun getting them the same - but this side looks good

 

Symmetry is always the bugger. I will sometimes use a piece of wood, with finishing nails. Bend the first one, use the nails to outline, then bend the next one so it fits in the outline. Not super precise, but it can make duplicating shapes a pretty quick job.

Jose

 

Along the same lines, I'll bend the forward end first and that should be easy to match the angle. Then I can flip it and match the rest. At least that's the idea. My pen marks are still on the tubing and didn't complete;y burn away, so that should help. When they are both done, I'll hit it with some flat black.

 

Very nicely done. Your call of course, but I would be inclined to take such a nice looking project to have powder coated black rather than just spraybomb.

 

That looks great! I like the concept.

 

Thanks for the responses. Powdercoating? Maybe on the second round when the welds aren't so embarrassing.

Second side came out really close to the first. I was too impatient when doing the harder bend. But hey, map gas and a vice....all free hand. A little tweaking and I'll get it following the lines of the bottom of the exhaust, like the first side.

But now I think I'm ready for our weekend run to Monterey with the luggage.

Added one pic from yesterday, such a nice day

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

Can you grind down the welds with an angle grinder to smooth them out a bit if you are not satisfied with the cosmetics? You can get flexible grinding pads for angle grinders that will not leave ugly mars like a grind stone will.

 

Could. I'm toying with the idea of breaking out the "stick" welder as I have much more experience with that. I can grind down the welds and lay a bead over them to make it pretty. Wouldn't be the first time ;-)
I just like the idea of the MIG, even if it's a 110 unit (I should probably lose the flux-core wire it came with and actually hook up the gas bottle).

 

When you go from flux core to gas, it makes for WAY easier/nicer welds. Flux core really is for when you are doing farm equipment, not something you want to be "presentable".

Jose

 

I swapped in solid wire and gas Friday and just hit some scrap pieces. WAY BETTER! Now I'll have to make another set. ;-)
Meanwhile, after being painted they look way better on the bike too. Took for a test run yesterday and they did their job.