I was looking at one of these series of welders.
But they are all scratch to start types, just how much difference does that make to the ease of getting going?

The alternative is something like this on eBay which for some reason I'm skeptical about despite be an eBay nut (blue star).

The first project will be (you guessed it) steel tube after that it's anyones guess what I'll want to weld next which, is why I like the idea of TIG rather than MIG.

Suggestions?

Don't go for a scratch start, you will be disappointed.
The second option is better, foot pedal etc, but it does look exceptionally cheap !
I paid £680 for my tig which came from an italian ebayer.

The second unit is similar to the recent bulk-buy TIGs from Calvinx, but with the pulse option. A friend of mine has recently bought the same one (he missed the bulk buy) and is very happy with it. Mine (without pulse) is great - I'd certainly recommend one for average workshop use!

I doubt that pulse would be necessary for general usage, though at that price it's a blinking bargain (half the price of mine)!

p.s. WOuld that be a TZ250 in your avatar? Is it yours, and if so what year? I have a '94 that I'm rebuilding after a big get-off last year.....

Yep that was my 91 TZ.

There's nothing in the world that main-lines adrenalin like a GP-250. And if anyone disagrees with that well clearly you've not ridden one!

The pic below was taken after I'd shipped to the states it's still all in packed up mode with grease all over it to stop corrosion.

By the time I'd done with it, it had 96 heads 94 cylinders, a kit radiator, moded cases from a All-Japan team home made air boxes, Quick shifter, Brembo brake discs, beefy triple clamps and more.

Did I mention these thing soak up money?

Forgot picture...

Ooooh lovely!

I've just returned from the garage where I've been fiddling with mine (still mid-rebuild)....

As I said, mine is a '94 ex-Padgetts bike. It came second in the '96 Manx with Barry Wood onboard (I have a copy of the video too!). It's pretty standard as far as I'm aware, except with barrels have been beautifully fettled (don't know who by and to what spec but it's really smooth and sweet) and it has PVM wheels (standard wheels with wets).

It's utterly awesome and I really miss not riding it - it's been nearly a year now!

Anyhow, here's a pre-crash pic. I was queueing for the start of a twisty sprint a Cadwell....


Description

Unfortunately mine had to go some time back but I still miss riding the thing.
Over here in WA there were only 2 sometimes 3 GP250's sowe were put in with the F1 bikes which here meant essentially 'unlimited do what you want' which made it a little tough.

Lovely paint BTW, hope you get if fixed soon.

Cheers! It was lovely, but obvious not now....
I'm rebuilding it to be mechanically sorted (not that you can skimp on a TZ) but cosmetically challenged. That way, I may actually use it as hard as I should do without being scared of scratching it!

Talking of TZs in open class races, I was at the very track that the pic was taken in '98 mechanicing for a good friend who raced a sorted CBR600. In the open race the circuit (which is very technical) was slightly damp, but the winner out of about 30 starters by half a lap was a TZ!
The grid included two (newly launched) R1s amongst others! My mate came 5th....

I haven't yet entered a 'proper'circuit race on mine yet, having only raced it in hillclimbs and twisty sprints (though I came 3rd overall in the Yorkshire Hillclimb Championship in '05). I think that it'll hit the track properly this year though as it'd be wrong not to!

One bit of advise I'd give on the re-build is consider getting the frame - swing arm checked for straightness by someone who knows what they're doing i.e. with a jig and was recommended by someone like Padgetts.

I couldn't tell mine was bent but after one prang that bent the forks, yokes and front wheel I thought I better get it checked and sure enough it was twisted.

One thing to remember when racing - if its not another 250 or a 125 you CAN ride around the outside of it. Making yourself do it when you get there is the hard part

The best bang for the buck improvement I ever made was the quick-shifter which was a cheap model.
The real advantage in these things I found is when your in a corner and want to go up a gear so you can go full throttle but don't want to shut the gas off as it'll upset the front.
with the quick shifter you can just push it up a gear and then go full throttle.

[Edited on 14/3/07 by Doug68]

Cheers for that old chap, and sorry to go so off thread!

Luckily we had a reasonably soft landing, and the only things that dug into the kerb were the RH peg and hanger and the RH pipe.....

Obviously the fairing and seat copped for it, but they'll just be tarted up for now to get it back in action. I reallt can't wait!

Everything else *seems* to be relatively straight, though once I get the wheels back in I'll be having a good look and a measure to see what's where (string is such a good tool!).

p.s. Did you get a welder?

No welder yet there seems to be a continual stream of these things on eBay so we'll get there in the end!

Hopefully I'll be getting some tubes bent that I need for my design tomorrow. Thats where the budget for the month is going.

Two weeks ago got myself a 1999 CBR919RR so I'm still getting the 2 wheel fix.

[Edited on 15/3/07 by Doug68]

Nice toy Doug! A couple of friends of mine have had 'Blades. I once rode one of them, but after 2 miles it dropped on to two after a previous owner had badly removed an immobiliser....

My TZ is nearly back in one piece!