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Looking for a machinist

R1Rider

Aluminum
Joined
Feb 19, 2018
Hello, Im in northern IL and I am looking for a knowledgeable machinist to repair some Honda ATV engine cases for me. New ones are not available. There are a couple guys that do this repair but they are 1 man shops and they are months behind. The repair that is required is super common and there are lots of these cases that need to be repaired and will continue to need repair in the future. I am willing to ship if needed.
 
Good luck. The reason you find yourself in this situation is that these repairs cost more in labor than you are willing to pay. Only one man shops have the low overhead that might allow them to do this, but only in the case of the absence of more profitable work.
 
Generally with this sort of repair issue there is significant set-up effort and time involved in getting ready for machining when using general purpose machinery. If its to be possible or economically viable the actual repair is usually pretty straightforward. Its the set-up time that breaks the job.

If, as you say, the repair is common look into jigging / mount arrangements to make set-up quick and easy. Crankcases by their very nature always have accurate surfaces to pick up on.

If you have a jig made that can be set up on the machine in very few minutes and can supply a reasonable size batch of crankcases at a time to have done, maybe 20 or 30, then folk will be more receptive to the job. Either come to an arrangement with one local shop that retains the jig or send jig and the batch of cases to the firm that is going to do the job.

Frankly if its 10 minutes to set the jig up and 5 minutes per case and you turn up with a batch of 20 cases I'm going to be a lot more receptive to the whole thing. A couple of hours at shop rate spread over 20 is probably economically sensible for you too.

Turn up with five when I'll be spending half an hour cobbling up something to hold them and 10 minutes each to get then just so and you will get a pretty dusty answer. Still about 2 hours shop time so its four time the price but its a embuggeration job that I just don't want.

Even "the guy in the garage" is getting wise to these things.

If its not worth your while spending out on a jig and collecting a sensible size batch then the job isn't common enough to be worth my, or any other shops, while doing anyway.

Clive
 
Hello, Im in northern IL and I am looking for a knowledgeable machinist to repair some Honda ATV engine cases for me. New ones are not available. There are a couple guys that do this repair but they are 1 man shops and they are months behind. The repair that is required is super common and there are lots of these cases that need to be repaired and will continue to need repair in the future. I am willing to ship if needed.

And just what Honda ATV is this for? What is the nature of damage? First thing that pops in my head is 250R threw a chain.
But unless you specify, nobody has a clue. If it involves a bearing fit? Start watching ebay...........
I doubt you want to see the price to bore and sleeve for the countershaft bearing. And its a sketchy repair anyway.
So...........what Honda ATV? And what is the damage?
 
I’m curious . Can’t figure out how to private message you at the moment somehow . Contact me here and I’ll send you address and or can send some pics to phone .
 
Good luck. The reason you find yourself in this situation is that these repairs cost more in labor than you are willing to pay. Only one man shops have the low overhead that might allow them to do this, but only in the case of the absence of more profitable work.

Im not in a situation. I jsut started looking
 
yes, a jig to hold the part would help but it has a flat surface that could be clamp'd down and then machined.

I dont have a batch unless I start buying up all the broken cases which I thought about doing. What I need now, is someone that has the time in a shop to figure out a method to do this and we move forward from there. These cases are all broke in the same place. Going rate to repair these is ballpark of $250.
 
Im not in a situation. I jsut started looking

The situation is that you can't find anyone not busy enough to do your work without a long wait, so yeah, you are. Post a few pictures of the damage you need repaired, surely you will be able to find someone here that will do it, there are probably plenty of guys like me that aren't in the biz full time anymore that might be able to help you out.
 
And just what Honda ATV is this for? What is the nature of damage? First thing that pops in my head is 250R threw a chain.
But unless you specify, nobody has a clue. If it involves a bearing fit? Start watching ebay...........
I doubt you want to see the price to bore and sleeve for the countershaft bearing. And its a sketchy repair anyway.
So...........what Honda ATV? And what is the damage?

Smart guy :) 250R. the seal bore around the shifter broke from chain whack. I have another case where the clutch actuator arm area is broke and needs to be bored from the top down and will need some reshaping on the outside.

If it helps, I have a good case with no damage to take all the measurements. If it helps to CMM the outside to make a 3D drawing in cad...?
 
The situation is that you can't find anyone not busy enough to do your work without a long wait, so yeah, you are. Post a few pictures of the damage you need repaired, surely you will be able to find someone here that will do it, there are probably plenty of guys like me that aren't in the biz full time anymore that might be able to help you out.
20210612_210621.jpg20210612_210616.jpg

this is my first effort to find someone outside of the 3 guys that have already done this repair. 2 pics attached.

the case half with the weld in the center needs to be bored from the top down, there are 2 needle shell bearings that fit in there, then a hole needs to be drilled from the back side. I have 3 of these halves. 2 need repair. between the 3 all measurements can be taken if needed.

Any final shaping, I can do later. I have had to do quite a bit of it over the years and have gotten pretty good with it.

thank you
 
So, holes not in any particular location or diameter? Just put it on a drill press and crank 'em out, looks like a dead simple job. You don't need a machinist for that.
 
LOL,
Could it be that Mr Rozen is being sarcastic?... Say it is not true :)
Easy op an with a print or some information most three year experienced machinists can do this.
The problem becomes time and money in the setup stage.
Bring me one and bring me 100 and the price per part way different.
Bob
 
Pretty sure he means to send the three cases to someone and have them do the measuring off the good one. Which definitely makes this a lot longer job. If there were guaranteed volume it might be worth making a little fixture for someone. But for onesie-twosie I'm with Bob. I wonder how often this actually happens to people. I rode dirt bikes a lot when I was younger and I think I had a chain come off maybe 5 or 6 times max. But never any case damage. That was on 250cc 2-stroke dirtbikes and quads, so fairly strong.
 
Pretty sure he means to send the three cases to someone and have them do the measuring off the good one. Which definitely makes this a lot longer job. If there were guaranteed volume it might be worth making a little fixture for someone. But for onesie-twosie I'm with Bob. I wonder how often this actually happens to people. I rode dirt bikes a lot when I was younger and I think I had a chain come off maybe 5 or 6 times max. But never any case damage. That was on 250cc 2-stroke dirtbikes and quads, so fairly strong.

this happens alot, very common on the 85-89 Honda ATC/TRX 250R motor. chain snaps and whacks the case and shifter shaft and bends the shaft down and snaps off the bottom of the case. This is kind of a catch 22. I am willing to buy up all the broken cases out there and send them to someone for repair, but first I need to find someone that is willing and competent enough to handle a project like this.
 








 
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