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18th September 2005
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XL FORUM TEAM MEMBER
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Waterport, NY
Posts: 3,088 Sportster/Buell Model: XLH 883 Hugger Sportster/Buell Year: 2000
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What's "billet"?
I've seen that word used now and then, and would like to know just what billet is. When I Google it, I get a lot of French stuff, and the dictionary isn't much help. Is it some kind of aluminum? TIA!
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~Momma of the Sons of Santa MC
RIP MrJimi... miss you.
2000 XLH 883 Hugger
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18th September 2005
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Custom Bike Builder
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Valley St.
Posts: 2,281 Sportster/Buell Model: xl883 Tax's paid Sportster/Buell Year: 2005
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my understanding is that billet is a part that is made from one solid piece of aluminum
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:doh
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18th September 2005
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XL FORUM LIFE MEMBER
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Baltimore, Md.
Posts: 3,813 Sportster/Buell Model: 1200 XLC Sportster/Buell Year: 2003 Other Motorcycle Model: Suzuki GS 750 L Other Motorcycle Year: 81
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A solid chunk of aluminum, is a billet.
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expect the unexpected 
2003 1200 XLC Sterling Silver/ Vivid Black
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18th September 2005
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Assistant Administrator
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: South Shore, Massachusetts
Posts: 9,981 Sportster/Buell Model: 1212 conversion/497 cams Sportster/Buell Year: 2004
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Yep. The boys are right. And most stuff that is made from one chunk of aluminum usually cost more than the rest as I'm sure you've noticed.
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18th September 2005
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Chief Harley Engineer
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Beech Island,SC
Posts: 583 Sportster/Buell Model: Night Train Sportster/Buell Year: 2006
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06 Night Train
95 1200 Sportster
04 1200 Sportster
09 Dyna Street Bob
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18th September 2005
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Senior Bike Builder
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Mexico City
Posts: 1,951 Sportster/Buell Model: NRHS 88" Custom Sportster/Buell Year: 2002
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The alternative to billet is cast. Cast is weaker but cheaper to manufacture. Billet is a raw piece of Aluminum that is machined into the shape you want.
Cast is when molten Aluminum is poured into a mould of the shape you want.
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'02 883 Custom
NRHS 88" Stage III
Last edited by Predator; 18th September 2005 at 22:53..
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19th September 2005
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Silver Supporting Vendor
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Albany, NY
Posts: 548 Sportster/Buell Model: XLH 1200 Sportster/Buell Year: 2003 Sportster/Buell Model #2: Rigid 180-Tire Chopster Sportster/Buell Year #2: 2004 Other Motorcycle Model: Springer Bobster Other Motorcycle Year: 2005
Reputation: 47
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Predator
The alternative to billet is cast. Cast is weaker but cheaper to manufacture. Billet is a raw piece of Aluminum that is machined into the shape you want.
Cast is when molten Aluminum is poured into a mould of the shape you want.
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Predator nailed it!
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19th September 2005
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Senior Chief Master Mechanic
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Tasmania, Australia
Posts: 978 Sportster/Buell Model: 883 Custom Sportster/Buell Year: 2004
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billet doesnt just refer to aluminium.
it could be silver, gold, stainless.
my under standing is anything that starts as an ingot and machined down.
cheers
crackers
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19th September 2005
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Senior Master Custom Bike Builder
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: WA State
Posts: 5,768 Sportster/Buell Model: XL1200R Sportster/Buell Year: 2007
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by crackers
billet doesnt just refer to aluminium.
it could be silver, gold, stainless.
my under standing is anything that starts as an ingot and machined down.
cheers
crackers
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Bingo.
"Billet" is simply a reference to a large chunck of solid metal. Square, round, cylindrical, doesn't matter. From these billets, slabs will be cut. From there. depending on the application, these slabs will either head straight to machining to get cut in the desired product or will be run through a roller over and over to flatten them and spread them out and then be machined.
We have cylindrical copper billets at work that are about 8" in diamter, 12" tall and weigh probably 65lbs. We have aluminium billets, cylindrical, that are about 8" in diamter and are about 3' long and I got no idea how much those weigh. Then we have various shapes and sizes of a broad range of metals, some very exotic and some EXTREMELY expensive.
Last edited by GOTWA; 19th September 2005 at 00:41..
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19th September 2005
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Senior Master Custom Bike Builder
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Join Date: May 2005
Location: Western NC
Posts: 4,983
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Billet = money
(Well, I AM Miss Smarty Pants....) |
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