Thunderbolt tadpole in wood

[KrisWood]

Ok I'm going to call around machine shops and the few trike shops in town and see if I can't find someone that can make the axle in the morning. If I can't find anything local, is anyone here able to machine the part? I'd be more than happy to pay for materials and labor!

 

[tjason]

How about something like this?
Go kart spindle...

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_35036_35036

 

[KrisWood]

Thanks for the suggestion, but it needs to fit a 20mm x 110mm hub.

 

[Gordo]

Kris;
Take a close look at your own suggested URL http://www.bitexhubs.com/htm/hub-b-DH127N.htm

Wheelchair stuff.

 

[KrisWood]

Thanks Gordo, I've already bought two 20mm hubs though so these 12mm hubs / axles won't help me much without an adapter. Unless of course I'm reading it wrong?

 

[Gordo]

My thoughts were that this supplier will have the 20mm bolts you need for axles? Should be cheaper than having axles custom made. If you were closer, I would look at some of the used wheelchairs we have at my job site to see if they are useful for a tadpole? I've been tossing them in the dumpster for the last 3 months. I must not look too close or I will be putting the rest of the junk I have collected together as a trike.

 

[KrisWood]

Hi again!

I took a while off due to running out of funds to work on the project, but I'm back at it again. I've decided that for now I'm going to use the much more easily obtained standard front wheels used in regular bicycles. Yes they will eventually bend or break under the weight of the trike, but for testing purposes they will work fine and should last until I've saved up enough to buy the correct parts for it.

Meanwhile I've been pondering what parts could be made of wood rather than metal. For example it occurred to me yesterday that the steering tie rods could be made of wood easily enough. Can any of you think of other parts that would normally be metal that could be made from wood instead?

 

[LI-ghtcycle]

Looking like a trike!

I'm curious, you mention that your making some things out of wood just as a mock-up for a metal version, how much of the frame is just mock-up?

You also mention you are following a blue-print, is this a complete design for what you are building or only a guide that you are having to "fill in the blanks" to make it out of wood?

Either way, looking good, hope to see some wheels on it soon!

 

[KrisWood]

I'm working from the Thunderbolt MKIII plans by Rick Horowitz. I'm following them as closely as possible but considering I'm working with wood some parts have to be fudged here and there (mainly the welding seams and some of the machine fabricated parts).

This is a mockup for a later wood version that will make use of bent laminations rather than dimensional lumber. I might make a metal one eventually but for right now this is the best I can do. Wheels will have to wait til I have something to attach them to