Who would be interested in getting 11mm mirror stems?

[Steve Swan]

Mark, i think you've just about covered the bases.  

Sounds like the only piece of info you're needing is to make sure the length of the stem above the bend is same between "short" and "long" stems.

KP mentioned the 397 Canadian bike on ebay *appears* to have a long and a short stem.  It does appear to me also, there could be a difference between the stems seen on this 397 bike.

Unfortunately, there is only one somewhat decent picture, which certainly could suggest long and short stems.  

There is another picture, but it's less revealing than the other.

On another note, i would like to put in for 2 LH "long" stems and one "short" stem.

[kp]

Fellas, You heard the man. He needs a source to make the top clips .............. top priority and I know a lot of you have contacts you don't know you have that can do this stuff. Cutting the pattern won't be a problem but forming and punching will. The punch die will not be an issue though as this will be a custom cut to size ...... but it all costs. I'll check my end but I live in the boonies and not much sheet metal activity here

[markb]

Thanks for the help!  I may have sounded more desparate than I really am.  I have a quote from one shop (a little high in my opinion) and I'm waiting for quotes from 3 others (one is trying to make up a sample).  So things are just going slower than I would like.  However, if you know of a possible source I'd certainly check it out.

[bojje]

Hi Mark, Steve, KP and all others interested in the 11 mm-case! Thanks for explaining your doubt, now it´s easier for me to understand your hesitation about new experiences.
Mark! If you´ll send me your adress to my e-mail bojje@snapphanetruck.se I´ll send you my both 11 mm stems so you can do your own measuring. Kind Regards, Bo

[kp]

Hi Mark, Steve, KP and all others interested in the 11 mm-case! Thanks for explaining your doubt, now it´s easier for me to understand your hesitation about new experiences.
Mark! If you´ll send me your adress to my e-mail bojje@snapphanetruck.se I´ll send you my both 11 mm stems so you can do your own measuring. Kind Regards, Bo

That is very generous Bo KP

[markb]

You're right KP, it is a very, very generous offer.  Bo, I would never have asked but since you offered I will take you up on it.  I will be very careful with them and return them as soon as I can get them measured up.  Steve and I both think it would be a good idea to compare to his.  Many thanks to you again.  Email sent.

[markb]

Time for a quick update.  After taking many pictures and documenting the measurements, I have sent Bo and Steve’s stems back.  Fortunately they all arrived safely.  It was very helpful to compare them.  As you recall, Bo had two stems, one with a short leg and one with a long leg.  The long leg one was exactly the same as Steve’s.  Steve is pretty sure his is a right hand and from Bo’s pictures we can see his is a left hand.
I also compared Bo’s two stems.  They were the same except for the length of the leg and the thread.  Here’s a pic.


It certainly makes sense that the right mirror could be shorter and would be the logical one to be shorter because of the height of the master cylinder.  It’s also possible that the short leg one had been repaired by the previous owner.  The long leg has a distinct shoulder on the thread and appears to have been cut with a single-point tool on a lathe.  The short leg thread doesn’t have the shoulder and looks like it might have been cut with a die.  So we know of examples of the mirrors being the same and Bo’s example of them being different.  I am providing this information so you will all know as much as I do and will leave it to each of you to form your own opinion and decide how you want them.  It won’t be a problem making some with short legs and some without.

Many thanks again to Bo and Steve.  These stems are valuable and like I said, to send them halfway across the country much less halfway across the world is a very generous offer.

[kp]

Great job Mark and and also very generous of you to go out of your way to do this for the group. KP

[cb7504]

Mark:
        Thanks for the follow up on the 11mm mirror stems. Under taking this difficult project is/was greatly appreciated and needed to ensure the correctness of our sandcast restorations. Thanks Steve and Bo for providing the examples needed to make this happen in a timely fashion. Good work Mark keep us in the loop as things progress. Marty K.

[bojje]

Hi Mark and you other friends.
It´s wonderful with honest people like you Mark. I know some people wonders if I´m peculiar while I´m sending my both original 11 mm stems half around the world without any guarantees I´ll get them back again. However, I did the right thing, to trust in you Mark and I´m happy for it.
I agree with Mark, it looks as one of my stems has been shortened. If someone finds another short stem we perhaps might change our minds. I´m very impressed of how thouroughly you´ve done your examination of Steves and mine stems. I´d like to thank you very much for your job.
As I´ve earlier ordered two short and two long stems I think it would be better if I change to two short stems and four long stems. Then
I´m able to use the correct kind if we will be sure in the future.
Once again, Thanks a lot Mark from Bo

[markb]

Hi Bo, thanks for trusting me! 
A quick update.  I had a shop that said they would make me some sample clips.  That didn't work out.  Not sure if they ever even tried to make them but after bugging them a couple of times they finally told me they weren't interested in doing them.  So I've got another shop making a few samples.  They should be done by next week.  I really want to make sure they look good before doing a whole batch.
Mark

[markb]

After three tries I finally have some clips that I’m happy (enough) with.  They’re not perfect but they’re pretty good.  Part of the reason is they’re not as rough on the edges as the original stamped clips.  But they never will be original anyway and they will have 11mm stems.  The double D holes line up great.


They do spring open some but when they are clamped around the stem and brazed they should be a pretty good match.


Now that I have clips made I’m going to order the material for the stems.  The 11mm stock is quite expensive.  It looks like I can buy 7/16” stock and have it centerless ground to 11mm and polished for about half the price.  I think I’ll get a sample done to check out the finish.  I’ve already ordered the 14mm hex stock for the nuts.  I was thinking of trying to machine them myself but I found a shop that I think can do them inexpensively enough.  I’ve already found someone who will do the bending and I think I have someone who will do the brazing.  So although it’s taking much longer than I anticipated, things are starting to come along.

[kmb69]

Excellent work, Mark!

Test a small piece of the centerless ground 7/16. I know they will be plated but the underlying surface usually shows through. There will be a difference in the ground finish and the rolled mill finish.

Keith

[jkp2240]

Mark
I would be interested in one set, possibly two!
John

[Riccardo]

I'm interested.
But are they correct for my vin 737, 1081 and 1256?