I want to get the forks attached to the frame first.  To do that I need to shim the bottom of the triple tree to make sure that the bearing sits on it correctly and without movement.  I have all the bits I need for that.  What I don't have is the spacer that sits on the triple tree below the bearing and acts as a dust seal.  Jerry Greer's Engineering have the part, item #25 priced at $13 but it costs about $60 to get it shipped to the UK which is just madness.


So, I look at the description and decide to have a go at making it myself.


They give the thickness of the spacer and the inner diameter and I can measure the recess in the frame for the outer diameter so all I need is some metal.  I go to my garage and rummage around in the corner where I have old off cuts of metal and find something that is almost exactly the correct thickness of 1.6mm, I can't believe my luck.  So I start the process of measuring out the spacer.


I centre punch and use a pair of industrial compasses that I found years back and kept for a day like today.


I then start drilling.  I am not that accurate, unfortunately and it takes a lot of time.





I eventually get it done and then chisel the centre piece out.




 The clean up operation takes a variety of tools.





Worryingly, it is a little bigger than I hoped for as 1.255" is about 32mm.  Oops. 


Anyway, I plough on.




It isn't the most accurate thing I have ever made but I think it will work.  Tomorrow I will paint it and then look at the shims for the triple tree.






 

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