# MGG Spanish Cafe Racer



## Metropolicity (Aug 22, 2013)

Had this one ALL planned out in my head, on paper and in CAD form, it came together much quicker than I had thought. I was in across the country on a family errand and brought the main part of this sling with me. After 2.5 days of planning and prepping, I was raring to go when I got back to the shop.

I present...the Spanish Cafe Racer, after the classic naked sport bikes that favour speed over comfort for short races between watering holes.

Why Cafe Racer? Well...because this is made from a Triumph 600 piston head! This all started when I saw the profile of the piston head when You'llShootYourEyeOut posted his Con-Rod sling, I thought it would make the perfect platform for a pinch style grip with minimal additions for a pistol grip handle and a well engineered fork plate. That's right, this particular piston head is actually made from the piston head that YSYEO's Con-Rod mated with, no waste in my shop.

I knew I had to mill off some of the piston head to get a flat surface to mount the fork plate on, so did some careful measuring of the circumference of the piston head and digital loped off a section. The cross section distance was my starting point for the fork plate design. 3mm carbon fiber was the material of choice. A hole for my index finger to stick out of and the other side similarly shaped to visually balance it out. A brake disc pattern was also laid onto the thumb side of the fork plate. In the middle a series of slots to mimic a grill and of course the Metro badge out front. The bands are attached via brass pegs and my slotted tab system. This plate is attached via M4 screws and the sight pin is also attached with the same screw (with some awesome orange washers)

The handle was a little trickier, while the outside was visible for measurement, the internal structure of the piston head is a bit difficult to stick a caliper into. I kind of had to guess and since the handle would be made of wood, I knew I would have to do some fitting to get it to sit right. The goal here was to use the connector rod pin to hold the handle on. I use some nice teak I had been saving for a project. Once it was shaped correctly and finished with BLO, a base plate was added, made from some fiber fill CF board.

After milling the measured amount of aluminum off the front face of the piston head, the whole thing was thrown into the tumbler for 14 hours to clean and soften the edges. I got most of the carbon deposits off with acetone, toothbrush and scotch bright but the tumbler got the rest of the surfaces more even in texture. The .5" upper lip of the piston head where all the gasket rings would normally sit was a little skinny and sharp for my index and thumb (and web of the hand) so i stitched up a leather band with some nice colour matched orange threads. I felt this was kind of like a 'seat' of a moto. A long threaded rod was passed through the con-rod pin and capped with some carbon fiber tube and machined aluminum balls (I had made these a LONNNNG a\time ago). This served as the handles of the moto, but also a place for my index and thumb to rest on.

The last detail was to add a M4 allen tool for sight adjustments. I used a gold anodized thumbscrew and hand filed the knurled portion to mimic a gas cap.

Most of the weight is in the piston head so the balance is superb and the narrower forks make for a even more compact and stout target hitting machine. Contrary to it's name sake, it's very comfortable to shoot and it will be perfect for 10 meter competition shooting. My first 10 shots with it, I managed to sink 3 in the rings and 1 in the bull (2.4" target sticker(

Thank for reading my super long winded explanation!!!


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## slingshotnew (Oct 29, 2014)

Fantastic!!!!!! Congratulations!!


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## Phoul Mouth (Jan 6, 2015)

I am not a fan of these Spanish style slingshots, but that is [email protected] nice. Almost makes me a believer. haha


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## Tremoside (Jul 17, 2013)

Hi Eric,

I love these slingshots from you. Looks like creature / character design combined with functionalist production design. Like the way you moved to use more elements within a slingshot and explored the power of organizing the forms within the little system. All colors - materials - volumes are used in an exciting way.

Amazing design workflow for your style and senses.

Have a nice day,

Mark


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## Yosemite Sam (Feb 18, 2016)

That is awesome.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Can-Opener (May 11, 2013)

Good morning Eric,

Thank you for making my day much more exciting.I totally see this zooming down the road. For me I wondered if you had giving up serious theme slingshots.I see you have not. You have made lots of slingshots since the coffee one and the gun theme but none seemed as serious. Now we are talking. I have never seen anything like this and it excites me. It makes me want to look more. It is a nice piece of functional art.

:bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:

:bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:

:bowdown: :bowdown:

:bowdown:


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## Metropolicity (Aug 22, 2013)

slingshotnew said:


> Fantastic!!!!!! Congratulations!!


Thank you!!



Phoul Mouth said:


> I am not a fan of these Spanish style slingshots, but that is [email protected] nice. Almost makes me a believer. haha


I would consider this more of an advanced, supported pistol grip with a sight. Those wire attachment systems on traditional Spanish shooters drive me crazy with how wide they are.



Tremoside said:


> Hi Eric,
> 
> I love these slingshots from you. Looks like creature / character design combined with functionalist production design. Like the way you moved to use more elements within a slingshot and explored the power of organizing the forms within the little system. All colors - materials - volumes are used in an exciting way.
> 
> ...


Thanks Mark. It's really a challenge designing around a part that is exists and yet this one came together nicely and the proportions and hand placement makes my other scratch built ones feel off! haha



Yosemite Sam said:


> That is awesome.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


indeed! thanks!



Can-Opener said:


> Good morning Eric,
> 
> Thank you for making my day much more exciting.I totally see this zooming down the road. For me I wondered if you had giving up serious theme slingshots.I see you have not. You have made lots of slingshots since the coffee one and the gun theme but none seemed as serious. Now we are talking. I have never seen anything like this and it excites me. It makes me want to look more. It is a nice piece of functional art.
> 
> ...


Thanks Randy. The piston head was a great point of inspiration. While I've never owned a Cafe Racer or a motorcycle (beyond a scooter), I've always admired naked frame bikes and the simplicity/complexity duality they have! All purpose, and the beauty is in the mechanical.


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## Vly62 (Feb 21, 2015)

That is absolutely amazing!! Hope that is coming with you next weekend!!


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## Metropolicity (Aug 22, 2013)

Vly62 said:


> That is absolutely amazing!! Hope that is coming with you next weekend!!


OH yah, it def is. It shoots even better than my other Spanish dudes. The weight of the piston makes this soooo nice for recoil.


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## BAT (Feb 26, 2015)

I like your last spanish shooters, but this one, is amazing! I love the theme, and the great combination of elements in a very balanced shooter.

Thanks for sharing!


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## Alfred E.M. (Jul 5, 2014)

*That's a steampunk delight. Your creativity is off the charts. * :thumbsup:


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## Quercusuber (Nov 10, 2011)

WOW!!!!!!!

This is Flamenco and Sci-Fi mixed together!!!!

An amazing work of originality, craftsmanship and detail!!!!

It would be very interesting to see this one in action!!!

WONDERFUL work, Eric!!!!!

Best regards ...Q


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## Vly62 (Feb 21, 2015)

Metropolicity said:


> Vly62 said:
> 
> 
> > That is absolutely amazing!! Hope that is coming with you next weekend!!
> ...


I hope you don't plan on taking it home with you!!He-He!!


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## Metropolicity (Aug 22, 2013)

Vly62 said:


> Metropolicity said:
> 
> 
> > Vly62 said:
> ...


I have other Spanish shooters that I maybe convinced to part with  but this one is mine! (mostly because I am not sure I could repeat it if I wanted to!)


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## ShootnCoastie (Jan 26, 2015)

I looked at all the pictures for quite a while. Then I placed my elbow on my arm rest and rested my chin on my fist in the Thinker position. I gazed upon the pictures some more pondering on how to reply.

I still don't know what to say... you just keep out doing yourself.

But, if you'd like another idea for a slingshot. Your MGG Spanish Cafe Racer seems to remind me a little of Steampunk.


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## alfshooter (May 11, 2011)

:wub: :wub: The thought and process, are incredible !!!

Well done Eric :target:


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## Can-Opener (May 11, 2013)

Vroom,Vroom,Screatch,Zoom!!!! Off on another ride


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## Metropolicity (Aug 22, 2013)

Tried this on some targets...toilet paper tubes!










Bullseye!


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## Poiema (Jul 21, 2014)

Metro,

This Spanish-style target slingshot that you created for the 2016 tournament season is amazing. *I didn't even realize, until this morning, that you had made a video for it. Unfortunately it was not included in your original 04 March post.* I didn't see it, and I think you really have to see the video to fully appreciate the amount of work and brilliance that went into this clever piece of craftwork.

There is even a 'gas cap' tool, which is a 2.5mm integrated M4 hex wrench for sight adjustment. I had not made that connection while reading the lengthy write-up.

Perhaps one of these days we will find some of these unique slingshot frames included in the Smithsonian Institution's collection.

Great job Metro. Really quite super imo! Amazing piece of creative engineering brilliance!









*Spanish Cafe Racer - 5 March 2016*


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## Metropolicity (Aug 22, 2013)

Poiema said:


> Metro,
> 
> This Spanish-style target slingshot that you created for the 2016 tournament season is amazing. *I didn't even realize, until this morning, that you had made a video for it. Unfortunately it was not included in your original 04 March post.* I didn't see it, and I think you really have to see the video to fully appreciate the amount of work and brilliance that went into this clever piece of craftwork.
> 
> ...


...and yet still not good enough to win.

Thanks Poiema.


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## Poiema (Jul 21, 2014)

*Not true! *

You are a creative talented and productive builder, and often divided against yourself. It happens, you know!

But in no way does this communicate or signify "not good enough" *-**NEVER that**!*

*Edit:*

There are 2 parts*!*














Aaand here is the great little *storage/carry case* that goes along with it.

*MGG Cafe Racer Range Case*
http://slingshotforum.com/topic/46559-mgg-cafe-racer-range-case/


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## TARDIS Tara (Jul 28, 2017)

I would love to buy the machined sights and band holds so I could make the grip myself...


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## RHTWIST (Jan 31, 2014)

TO THE 9's and it shoots the 10's! WOW!-CD


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## nike (Oct 26, 2013)

GOOD JOb :violin:


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## nike (Oct 26, 2013)

good :violin:


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## brucered (Dec 30, 2015)

nike said:


> GOOD JOb :violin:





nike said:


> good :violin:


Double good. Double violin. :violin: :violin:


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