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To clean or not to clean

Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2016 11:27 am
by PipeyD
I have these prettified forks that I rebuilt a few months ago in preparation for a swap out to my 1970 /5.
2016-10-10 09.56.33.jpg
The question is what to do with the replaced forks? I want to keep them. If I clean and rebuild I have a place to store them on the wall. Just wouldnt look right with dirty forks. If they are not cleaned they go to the basement or shed for longterm storage. Both places are not the best for storage especially with the humidity. Someday I may put them back on a bike.

Do you store the used parts in the cleaned state or just throw in the corner and deal with it in the future.

Re: To clean or not to clean

Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2016 12:35 pm
by Rob
I don't know, but I had a set of lowers blasted with walnut shell. They were gorgeous afterwards.

Cosmoline?

Re: To clean or not to clean

Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2016 1:56 pm
by Ken in Oklahoma
PipeyD wrote:. . . The question is what to do with the replaced forks? I want to keep them. If I clean and rebuild I have a place to store them on the wall. Just wouldnt look right with dirty forks. If they are not cleaned they go to the basement or shed for longterm storage. Both places are not the best for storage especially with the humidity. Someday I may put them back on a bike. . .
If the forks please you as more or less as an art form, they need to go onto the wall. I would wax them well so as to minimize any corrosion/oxidation and keep my eye on them--which will be easy to do since they are hanging on the wall. Otherwise I would more prepare them for long storage, such as with a film of grease or oil, bearing in mind that grease will slowly oxidize.

In my den (not a man cave!) here in Boise I have my Brother's Harley engine and my BSA Gold Star engine and transmission on display. Soon I will put an airhead engine (with transmission, carbs, etc.) on display. The rolling bases for the display are the lower (rolling) part of a Craftsman tool chest. The drawers in the chest can accommodate associated brick brack which I don't need to display. (I also have 5 whole motorcycles on display including two airheads, two Triumphs, and one Clews CCM MX'er.

I know, I know! If there ain't no pics it didn't happen.

Ken

Re: To clean or not to clean

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2016 7:54 pm
by Rob
Ken in Oklahoma wrote:
PipeyD wrote:. . . The question is what to do with the replaced forks? I want to keep them. If I clean and rebuild I have a place to store them on the wall. Just wouldnt look right with dirty forks. If they are not cleaned they go to the basement or shed for longterm storage. Both places are not the best for storage especially with the humidity. Someday I may put them back on a bike. . .
If the forks please you as more or less as an art form, they need to go onto the wall. I would wax them well so as to minimize any corrosion/oxidation and keep my eye on them--which will be easy to do since they are hanging on the wall. Otherwise I would more prepare them for long storage, such as with a film of grease or oil, bearing in mind that grease will slowly oxidize.

In my den (not a man cave!) here in Boise I have my Brother's Harley engine and my BSA Gold Star engine and transmission on display. Soon I will put an airhead engine (with transmission, carbs, etc.) on display. The rolling bases for the display are the lower (rolling) part of a Craftsman tool chest. The drawers in the chest can accommodate associated brick brack which I don't need to display. (I also have 5 whole motorcycles on display including two airheads, two Triumphs, and one Clews CCM MX'er.

I know, I know! If there ain't no pics it didn't happen.

Ken
I am waiting for the link to "Ken's Not A Man Cave Motorcycle Museum" [North]!

Re: To clean or not to clean

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2016 10:34 am
by khittner1
Clean them; they'll be an easier sell if you eventually decide to do so.