Working with White Metal

[dingy]

I have an Atlas RS-1 frame (China I believe) that I have been able to fully strip. I now have a bare white-metal frame.
The frame has cast-on details. Trouble is, the details are a bit too clunky, and I'd like to make it look a bit better.

I will need to perform surgery on the frame. I'm not a metal guy, so I'd like to know if there is any info that can be passed on as
to how best to remove existing cast-on details. I figure that some of the surgery will require the use of a dremel, but there are some other
areas that would be strictly hand-work.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

[iomalley]

Milling is by far the best way, but is very dependent on your contacts who own a mill. I initially had a friend do my milling who owns a H-D motorcycle, and he was turning his own custom parts. He would whack a fuel tank in half for me for pennies, but he tended to crank the vice a little too hard sometimes and crush bolsters out of alignment. I have since found another hobby friend to do it, who has an appreciation for the final product and the care needed to do it right.

You could use your dremel, although thick material tends to drive the consumption of your cutoff wheels way up. You may want to use a hacksaw to remove larger amount of material and use the dremel to finish up the area. I have also used my angle grinder with a cutoff wheel too, but be careful of the heat that builds up.

You can also whiddle away at it with a rasp or file...but try to stay awake.

Without a mill, there's no way to not get your hands dirty.

[dingy]

Ha! Was looking at something that wouldn't take forever.

Funny thing you should mention the fuel tank. I've puzzled on that one for a while. The likely choice is to grind everything off and rebuild.
As to the fine detail - I'll end up doing that by hand. Some of the work is tight and will undoubtedly be the source of many descriptive phrases.....

Maybe it is time to start looking at a mill.... 

Thanks!

[spike]

Besides cut off discs, Dermal has milling cutters. The problem is to keep it steady and do a neat job, since it is freehand. At least a milling machine has the table to keep perfectly straight cuts in all three axis.

[dtinut]

Looking at a mill? I wont say no, but it is gonna eat 1000 of your hobby dollars to get benchtop mill, vice, cutters and some other basic gear needed to do the job.

What all are you looking to do? Maybe i can help?

Regards,
Brian

[dingy]

I was looking at something smaller like one of the MicroMark units (brand is not paramount). The x/y/z seems to be a good fit for
what i'd need. I understand about the $$$ involved. Been toying with that idea for quite a long time - which is why I haven't
done anything.

But then of course there is the "tool envy" side (and envy of Mr. Bana....).
I always drool when I drive by the local Production Tool Supply.

I've also thought about going the TechShop route ( www.techshop.ws ) but that might be more expensive in the long
run - although I'd have access to more toys! The only downside is the recurring membership plus the classes (although the
classes are a good thing - gotta approach everything like a noob). Would be nice learning on a Tormach though (and everything
that comes with it).

As to the project - I'm working on AA21. The cast-on detail on my frame isn't the best sucks and requires some "modification".
The only thing that looks nice is the coupler pocket. After all - if I'm going to make the shell look nice, the frame has to look nice
too, correct?

I've also been thinking of building a frame in brass as the simpler approach (soldering isn't an issue). The big issue would be
where to place the weight! Definitely something that needs a few beverages to help ponder a solution....