A first mockup

The top panel is cutted out now and loosely screwed to the frame.
I have to install several parts inside the frame,
thus the top needs to be removeable for the next days.

To raise up my motivation I have made a quick mockup.
Very crude, I just leaned four wheels against the frame and the designed ground clearance was provided by my old battery charger and a toolbox under the frame bottom.

Wheel size is 24'' all around

The narrow track of the front wheels will be widened to 110cm/44''

 when the axle will be installed 

The two beams behind the front wheels will take up the bottom brackets and cranks

First "test ride"

Amelie on the back seat

So long...

Kai

Side boxes

Today I have build the side boxes.

 

At first I have made four plywood frames from 18mm(3/4'')birch ply, stacked them together and sanded the pieces to an exact equal shape with the belt sander.

The two frames of the left box are glued and screwed in place

Finally the framework is covered with the usual 4mm ply.

Needs still some sanding.

 

 

Kai

 

The frame takes shape

Todays progress:

The spacers between the beam panels installed

Side view, front is left

All side panels assembled.

The small sheet on the top was a torque test on the fly.

While the frame has still a lot of twist without the top side,

 the frame becomes very stiff with the panel screwed on .



Today I decided to give the side boxes a curved design too.
Just a rectangular box looks really stupid and doesn't fit visually to the curvature of the frame.
Furthermore it adds weight, air resistance and a sharp edge 12cm/5" above the ground behind the ankles and heels of the pedallers is not what I want. (Ouch)
I don't want to explain this further, a picture is worth a thousand words.
I hope to get the boxes ready this week and that the look it will have, is at least a little surprise.

Kai

The plywood frame, first steps

After three days of part time work on the plywood frame I want to show you the results.

At first I have build the four vertical sides of the two beams.
You can see these parts (2,4m/8ft long) leaning against the fence.
I used 4mm exterior birch ply and 20x20mm stringers.
It was a little bit tricky to bend the stringers around the curved edges of the panels, while I have to glue and screw simultaneously, 20mm stringers are real stiff.

Then I spend one day with cutting out the bottom panel, marking all the necessary lines and hundrets of points for screw holes, which must be drilled afterwards.
But it's more comfortable to drill all these holes before assembling and makes the build much quicker.

Yesterday two (inner) beam sides were fastened to the bottom.
Several bulkheads and frames are mainly done now.
Now the frame is 3D but I estimate 50% of work is left to do.
In the picture the frame can be seen from the front and right side up.
The bottom is cutted out, where the glue bottle is standing.
This gives the necessary room for the legs of the two pedallers.
The "wings" on the sides are the bottom of the boxes, which will doubleact as side part of the seat bench and swing arm support for the rear wheels.

Next working steps will be the completion of all eight bulkheads and the supports for bottom brackets and rear swing arms.
Then finally the outward sides of the two beams, the top panel from 6mm okoume and the side boxes will complete the frame.

Kai