Anybody ever see a dished maxim tank?

So I'm thinking about doing a couple tear-drop dishes in the side of my tank and was wondering if anybody might have a picture of this done to a maxim tank.

I've found pictures of it done to other bikes but I'd really like to see how it looks with an xj.

I'm probably going to do it even if I can't find a picture, but it would be nice to compare location and angle etc.

 

how would you go about this? a ball-peen hammer, a fender dolly, heat, a 2X4 ?

 

I can either cut the shape out on both sides, then swap them and weld or I could just hammer it.

I'll probably use a hammer because I really like the aesthetic of the hammered dishes on a bare tank.

 

I think you fill the tank with sand to give yourself something to work against.

+1 !! DO it !!

 

Have you worked wih sheet meal before? If not, get some scrap from a metals dealer and practice, practice, practice. If you don't get the technique for shaping metal down ahead of time, you'll almost be guaranteed to be disappointed with the results.

 

I'm a steel fabricator by trade. This won't be my first rodeo.

Good lookin' out though.

 

You tube vid showing one way..

 

Excellent news! Lately I've been saddened by the number of "custom" fuel tanks on "custom" motorcycles that have been "shaped" with a claw hammer.

 

If you go ahead, can we get some pics please it's one of the ideas I'm toying with.

 

Definitely. I'll probably do it this weekend, so I should have an update with pictures by Monday.

 

Sweet thanks man!

 

I've thought about doing this too pretty pretty sure I'd waste a good tank :wink:

There's been a few that have popped up on here:

http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=2 ... +tank.html

http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=3 ... +tank.html

http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=2 ... +tank.html

http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=3 ... +tank.html

http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=3 ... +tank.html

Gotta' love that search function! :lol: Sorry if some of the pics on these don't show up - I'm at work and they started blocking any pics that come from Photobucket, Instagram, etc. :x

 

I planned to do this as well. It doesn't look like the tank is symetrical in a way you can simply cut, swap en weld the left and right side. So thought about hammering it, as shown on a few Youtube vids. However, due to my drivestyle my xj runs so quickly out of petrol, that I lost the will to do so.

I would say google around a bit. It's also called Knee dents on café racers, and there's one more synonym I actually don't remember..

 

After looking at the above dished tanks, I would only dish the amount to fit my knee to the bike - the "full dish" looks wrong, but might work better because of metal-stretch.

I'm not liking the hammer dimples -
Along with filling the tank with sand, I'd use thick padding and a rounded block of wood and tap with a 3 pound mallet to get a smoother finish.

(just my opinion)

 

Could always put a Seca tank on there.

 

I once found this bike somewhere...

 

/\ /\ /\ /\ that bike is pretty sweet and the tank looks cool from that angle (maybe a little rougher in "real-life").. I think the dished tank looks way better on the 750 maxim tanks than the 650 Maxim tanks but both of them look way better from the side than if you're looking from above or behind the bike.

 

seca tanks aren't dished, they don't line up the same, and another way to define 'dished' tanks is "smashed in' tanks, of course, that's my own oopinion. ymmv

dave

 

The reason I mentioned the Seca tank is that it already has "knee dents" if that is the look your going for. Dished Max tank is a cool mod, but being limited on range as it is, I wouldn't do it.
Also, there is a fine line between the cool dished look and a tank that looks like it got the hell beat out of it.

 

with a little extra effort

 

Just a quick update.

I've got the right side dish roughed out. Now I just gotta pull a pattern to do the left side, then the bottom of the tank is coming off to allow access for sharpening up the edges and a little bit of smoothing.

This works out pretty well since I was going to cut the pinch-seam out and but-weld the tank for a smoother look anyway. Two birds with one chop.

Hoping to have the tank done tomorrow or the day after and pictures will follow.

 

Interested to c what it looks like when it's done.

 

Don't know about your welding experience, so just putting this advise out there.
You'll want to trim the edge of the inner piece so that there will be a 1/32th gap between the pieces. That's so you don't remove 95% of your weld when you grind/sand the welded joint smooth.
Common mistake to butt the pieces together, weld a bead across the top and buff smooth. Taking away 95% of your weld and having it break or leak due to stress and vibrations. Hope that helps.

 

Good lookin' out sir. The gap is indeed in the plan.

I actually cut my teeth welding Ag-processing tank panels built from mild sheet.

 

Cool, post some pics when you get this done.

 

But not just when it's done - - some pics of the process so we can learn.
I just got a wire-feed welder, (weldmark 140, made in USA) and lacking skills.

 

I really suck at remembering to snap pictures while working so there will probably be some steps left out, but I'll do my best provided you keep low expectations. haha