The next move was to get the bike from the bench to the ground and move it around the shop. Thomas bolted up a set of OCC billet triple-trees, then slid a set of 14-inch-over-stock chrome tubes in place, along with a set of billet lowers to hold the 21-inch chrome spoke wheel. Out back, Thomas went with an 18x8.5-inch spoke wheel and covered both with Metzeler rubber. For stopping power, he bolted on a set of Russell rotors and HHI calipers. With the bike able to move around his shop, he started on the sheetmetal. Thomas decided to go with a metalwork and machine-shop theme, a skill deeply rooted in his background. So after fitting the fenders to the frame and finding a WCC gas tank that he liked, he started working on incorporating his chosen theme. He welded a mount to the downtubes for a timing chain and another for a set of connecting rods along the lower framerails. Thomas knew the next step was integral in pulling the theme of the bike together-the paint.
While Thomas was purchasing parts from OCC, he pondered over whom to go to for paint, so he asked around for someone who could paint his chopper to rival the bikes he'd seen in magazines. Vinnie and Rick recommended JB Grafi-X. Once again taking their advice, Thomas set up a meeting with Justin of JB Grafi-X. Blown away by Justin's skills, Thomas asked if he had the time and would he be willing to paint his bike. He discussed with Justin the idea of incorporating his machine-shop logo into the bike's paint scheme. After weeks of mockup and trial and error, a complete rolling chassis stood before him. It was just upsetting that he had to dismantle the bike for paint. Although it would have been less expensive to paint his entire truck, Thomas knew it was worth every penny. The paint job came out better than he ever could have expected. It was time to pay the bill and get the bike back together. Connecting rods, the timing chain, rocker arms, valves, and an excellent paint job were all combined to make the "TLC Machining Bike."
The build started on November 1, 2003, and finished on March 1, 2004. On the final building days, the challenge was to put the bike back together without scratching the paint, along with getting it wired and filling it up with the fluids. As Thomas accomplished these tasks one by one, assisted by his dad's knowledge of electrical wiring and his own mechanical abilities, Thomas felt he had truly created a personal theme bike. It was finally time to turn the key. As he started it up, he listened to the roar of the pipes and realized he had undertaken a complex project and followed it through from inception to completion.