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Plating in a neck correctly

1K views 4 replies 5 participants last post by  JonesL 
#1 ·
Does anybody have any input as to how you would go about plating a neck in properly? Im running a paughco frame and the neck section is kind of ugly so im gonna plate it in, plus it will give me room for some cool paint stuff on the frame as well. I think the structure of the frame is fine strength wise so im figuring just cut out some 1/8 plate sections to patch in where i dont want the pockets in it, and maybe hose the pocket down inside pretty good through any gap i can get in with some galvanized spray to rry and help the interior from getting rusty too quickly? Or weld it all up solid, drill a hole in the center of my patch and fill it with cavity sealer?

How have any of you guys done it? Tricks and tips?
 
#2 ·
If you feel you must protect the inside of your tubing I would recommend filling the frame with a rust encapsulator like Por-15. Let it sit a little and the drain out the paint and you should be good to go for 50 years.
 
#3 ·
If your plates let water in and trap it there, yes there will be a rust problem.
If your plates are fully welded and are sealed, no need to worry about sealers or rust prevention.

Oxygen is the evil to turn steel to rust, block it off and there will be no rust.
 
#5 ·
TIG or MIG is probably the preferred method of welding. I'd cut the patches to fit then start by tack welding the corners in a crisscross pattern. Do both sides of the frame so you don't find the neck starting to pull as the welds cool.

Next start filling the seams in between the corners with short stitches, again alternating from side to side.
Too much heat like a long continuous bead will build up enough temperature and stress to mess with the alloy and whatever temper is in there. You might even try pre-heating the area.
This may sound like a lot of extra work but I've seen lots of super sanitary welds with distress cracks right along the edge of the heat discoloration line.
You definitely do not want a weld failure at the neck-- Harleys were NOT designed to be ridden like a unicycle.
To combat rusting in the frame(s) I built, I pour a couple of tablespoonsful of oil in each tube before sealing it closed. Over time the oil will eventually spread and coat the inside surfaces, acting like a rust inhibiter. If the worse happens, a little oil showing lets you know a crack is forming.
 
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