A bit of press

My CB450 is on Bikeexif, with some great photos by Dave Gunderson.

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I  am chuffed to be up there on Bikeexif with some of my all time favourite bike builds.

Head over to Bikeexif for the full story: 

http://www.bikeexif.com/honda-cb450-k0

Been a tad occupied...

You see - I have this new secret laboratory set up where I can tinker on new steampunk devices and old motorcycles.

I can't tell you where it is - but I can show you the door.

Actually, I have been quietly tinkering away behind this door for a wee while, but I did get the rather apt sign for it today from a flea market in the country.

I was also recently honoured with an appearance in a documentary which was partially filmed in my secret laboratory, more on that once the work is completed and in circulation.

Meanwhile, I continue to work on my latest creation, the 'temporal prognosticator' a science device that attempts to harness the powerful but uncontrollable predictive powers of a gypsies crystal ball and direct it to specific futures.

Fun times.

How much is that Beeza in the window?

... the one with the hard tail.

My BSA project is currently decorating Tanya's shop window as part of a 'mantiques' display for Father's Day.

I added a selection of other old parts from my collection, old oil tins, magazines, helmets, and spare parts from other bikes to give the whole window a garage feel.

So far so good - it is getting some attention for the store.

Happy fun times - the BSA begins

I picked up my new project today - it starts with a 1937 BSA hard tail frame and girder fork front end, and hopefully a 350 engine at a later stage (that's a 250 in the photo).

This one will be a real spartan build, no bling, no paint, no shine - more of a 'rustoration' project.

Here's what I have to start with...

The box contains the gearbox, the rest is as you see it. The rear wheel has never been used on a bike before - so a bit of a bonus. The engine is now soaking in lubricant in the hope the piston frees up and I can get the head off. I will restore the 250 as a practice run whilst I search for a 350 to replace it.

This one will be fun, a bit steampunk, a bit dieselpunk and a bit ratty.

Distractions

I don't go looking for steampunk inspiration as much as it finds me. Even in the Board room at work, there lurks a tempting piece of furniture just waiting to be turned into some amazing contraption.

Actually, what am I saying? It needs no modification at all, just keep it as is.

Damn distracting at times when you are in an important meeting at work and that thing is sitting there.

Technical difficulties

Just as I am building my confidence in the bike I built, it does something to have me doubting the bike and my mechanical aptitude.

This morning's ride effort lasted approximately five hundred metres before the bike decided that no amount of throttle was going to produce the required acceleration, this became more challenging as the bike refused to travel at any more than walking pace in first gear as I abruptly turned for home.

I have parked the bike at home (with one extremely hot left hand side exhaust) and I will commence diagnosis on the weekend. Early indications with the Facebook crowd from MCR is that I may have a blocked fuel line and consequently be running very lean (hence the heat) in one cylinder.

Hopefully this is the case, as a blocked fuel line and a possible cleaning of fuel jets is something I can do.

End of the day - I will fix the problem and end up more confident of my own skills and the bikes performance, remember, this is a journey.

steampunk

My steampunk art pieces currently on tour in the Antipodean Steampunk Show.

Both pieces use found object material to create devices that are wearable, whimsical and non sensical (an air brake on a rocket pack?).

motorcycles

I also like to rebuild motorcycles. I first built a CB750F1, which was basically a cosmetic make over with no real consideration for performance. 

It was okay.

Then I decided I wanted to experience a true 'ground up' restoration or customisation - so I got hold of a 1965 Honda CB450 Black Bomber and rebuilt it to reasonably close to original, but with some modifications.

I wanted the finished bike to look like a Honda special edition cafe racer style CB450 that could have been released in the late 60's.

End result.

These excellent photos were taken by a friend of mine, Dave - who has a good eye for bikes.

So having built one bike, I now want to do more and explore how creative I can be whilst still being practical enough to ensure the end result can be ridden and enjoyed, rather than just parked and admired.

I would like to customise an old BMW.

steampunk

I have made a few steampunk styled things over the last decade or so, the first thing I ever consciously built as a specific steampunk device was this working computer.

Building this was fun, it challenged me to use materials in new ways, learn electronics and learn more about steampunk. Since building the computer, I have built about a dozen ray guns, other scientific devices, iPod players, rocket packs, goggles and stuff. 

The latest and biggest steampunk themed item I built was this.

This took me back to my set design and construction roots. A giant machine (about 5m tall and 3m wide)on stage for a theatrical production of 'The Woman in Black'. I worked on this with my dad and another talented artist Caleb Heinselman. It is a timber carcass fitted with found objects (lots of gauges). We had steam shooting from cracks in the pipes, working levers, a glowing fire in the grate and plasma lightning on the round white screen on the right of the unit. I guess this piece epitomised steampunk for me - theatrical, entertaining and atmospheric.

So right now I have two items on tour around Australia as part of the 'Antipodean Steampunk Show', and around 30 pieces in private collections. Don't know what I will make next, I have got a little lazy since building the set piece. I guess I am waiting for some steampunk inspiration.  

I would like to do a store interior though.

Drawn back into the mire

It seems that in order to learn more about the creative process of other people on their many projects - I must share.

I had a long relationship with steampunk via blogspot when I ran my 'austeampunk' blog, and a brief but exciting flirt with motorcycles as 'abstractmachine'.

Then I got all zen like and decided to remove my blogs and live more in the real world.

Well - it just can't be done, so I am back with a simple new blog with which to share creative output, both mine and yours.

More soon.

maduncle.