A Small Metal-working Project

[Deleted User 287]

I want to build one of these breather catch boxes.



I remember working with sheet metal in Jr. High. We used fairly heavy tin (I think) and worked with a brake and learned how to do the necessary tricks to make a box, or something (a long time ago.). And whatever the base metal was, we also learned soldering using flux and an iron. No flame. So no - we were not brazing.

Which brings me to my questions.

Will I need a small brake to duplicate something like this? Or will a pair of locking metal-working pliers be good enough?

I've no idea what metals are available easily and economically but will hold up to a hostile environment.

And I think I will need to learn to braze (just because I have heard it referred to so much here, and from what I've read on the subject, it seems to be a possibility) to create a leak-free box.
I thought about putting some scrubbing pad inside to catch some of the oil. Maybe a drain plug on the bottom?

I can see the main breather entering the box on the left, and the vent tube on the right - but I think I see another tube entering the box in between the two. ?
I wonder what it could be?

[ME 109]

You never mentioned this at the doctors Rob?

I'd like to help but I'm unsure of exactly what needs to be achieved.
In your picture I see two separate pieces of steel, what needs to be welded/joined?

I do see a cad drawing and a trip to a laser cutter, for optimum results.

I would use aluminium sheet perhaps 1/8" thick

[Deleted User 72]

I would look for a piece of tubing with which to start the building of the box. Either square or round. Spigots for the hoses would be bored into and welded to the box, etc. YMMV

[ME 109]

Duh, now I see the 'box' way down there.
Still not sure which of the hundred possibilities to advise.

Me, I'd start with thin wall stainless square hollow section, cap the ends and add spigots, overflow, drain plug, as required.
There will be some old guy out there with a tig.

[Duane Ausherman]

Rob, why?

Are you desparate for a project? Do you have time to spare? Chase girls.

[Deleted User 62]

Regards the second, smaller tube; it appears to be a later engine, judging by the slots in the starter cover, so that smaller tube could be coming from the small breather in the bottom of the starter cavity, which was part of the emission controls on the later airheads.

[Deleted User 287]

Rob, why?

Are you desparate for a project? Do you have time to spare? Chase girls.

I never have liked dumping my CC breather into the intake system (oil on boot), and over the years I have modified it to vent to atmosphere.
I thought the small K&N filter at the back would be what I needed, but after my trip to Columbus, OH 2 years ago, either that vent, or my final drive had the bike-side of my left saddlebag an oily mess.



I have the easier option of installing a more traditional dump bottle, but I like the little box, better.

[Airbear]

Rob, the material you used at school was most likely 'tin-plate' - thin mild steel sheet plated with a layer of tin. It is what traditional tin cans are made from. It is easy to fold over a sharp edge of steel angle, tapping with a hammer. It is easy to solder with a stick of plumber's solder and a suitable flux (from a plumber's supply shop). An electric soldering iron of at least 80 Watts should work.

Copper sheet is just as easy to work and solder, would last longer and give a nice contrasting colour (o, all right spellchecker, 'color'). May need a different flux. Copper tubes in various diameters are readily available, too. You could anneal the copper tube and flare the end to make a flange to permit soldering it to the sheet. Sounds like a fun project.

[mattcfish]

My solution.

It's neat how the holes line up on the front cover and transmission.

[Deleted User 287]

Airbear, copper tubing and flaring would be very easy for me, as my neighbor is a HVAC guy! He probably even has experience with some sort of brazing. I think I've seen a small set of tanks in his van. Hmmm...

Matt, that looks like a small diameter tube. I was always under the impression one would want this outlet to be as free-flowing as possible, so I have always chosen hose with the same ID as the OD of the CC breather spigot.