Sometimes, making a small change can mean a lot of work. But, it's those subtleties that make parts more interesting and the process of that change usually leads to some sort of innovation. There are a few guys in Huntington Beach, California, that own a shop called Foundation Custom that have developed a new bar design called the Boom-Boom Bar that is easily recognized as something cool and different.
After seeing the bar for the first time, we had to cruise down to their shop to see how they did it. Justin Levassiur, one of the three Foundation owners, walked us through the process.
In order to give the handlebar...
In order to give the handlebar the raised ridge in the middle, Foundation starts out with a solid piece of 2-inch-thick 1018 steel. Then, it's chocked up in a CNC machine.
We stopped the machine about...
We stopped the machine about halfway through the machining process to show you how much material is actually removed. They're not trying to waste metal, the billet piece lends to the strength to the bar.
The outer bars are made from...
The outer bars are made from 1-inch, 0.120-wall DOM steel tubing. With a circular saw, Levassiur cut the outer bar section.
Basically, there are four...
Basically, there are four major parts to make the bars: the outer hollow tubing, the center section, and the risers. The bars can be drilled to run internal wiring.
Before the bars were welded...
Before the bars were welded together, the outer tubing had holes drilled in the edges for a rosette weld a little later.
All the burrs were removed...
All the burrs were removed with an air-powered sanding wheel. The quick sanding helps to ensure the metal surface is clean for better welds with less contamination.
After preparing the pieces,...
After preparing the pieces, Levassiur spread a little TIG magic to attach the outer tubing to the center section.
The circular-shaped weld in...
The circular-shaped weld in the center of the bar is called a rosette weld -- one more method to ensure the bars are strong when finished, supplemented by the weld around the entire circumference.
To join the bar to the risers,...
To join the bar to the risers, the center section of the bar was drilled out to fit the top of the riser perfectly. A top triple-tree was used as a jig during the welding process.
For the last time, the TIG...
For the last time, the TIG melted some metal together.
Levassiur ground the welds...
Levassiur ground the welds on the bars down for a clean look.
...followed by the rest of...
...followed by the rest of the bar. It almost appears as though the bars were made from a single piece of metal. The bar's finish has to be perfect because once it's sent out for chrome, any imperfections in the metal are amplified.
The left side of the bar was...
The left side of the bar was ground down...
When the bars come back from...
When the bars come back from being chromed, securing them to a set of triple-trees is a simple matter of two bolts and a couple of bushings.
Not only are these bars functional...
Not only are these bars functional and good-looking, they are also very unique.