Categories: all aviation Building a Biplane bicycle gadgets misc motorcycle theater
Sun, 07 Sep 2008
Jesse and I got together today, and put the final touches on the trailer. It now sports all of its structural members (ie, the final diagonal on the tongue), as well as a full assortment of wall supports and tie-down hoops. We got the axle holes drilled (which was very difficult to do free-hand, but there wasn't a better way available) and the wheels installed.
I even (very carefully) sat down on the crossbar just aft of the axles. I eased my whole weight onto the trailer, and it held just fine. Jesse said it didn't really deflect, either. That's a fantastic sign, since that means that the trailer is almost certainly capable of supporting 200 lbs (I'm 230 in street clothes). I was mostly on the one crossbar, and normal loads will be spread across many points via the plywood decking.
Unfortunately, I didn't have a camera with me, so I didn't get any pictures, but I'll take some pictures once I get the trailer home. I also didn't have my trailer-side hitch done, so I couldn't bring it back.
That, however, is what I spent my evening doing. I just got back inside from some quality time with the mill, where I came up with the trailer-side hitch fixture:
It will be mounted with the right side, the "fork," forward. That fork goes around the circular ball joint in the bike-side hitch, and a pin drops through the holes, keeping it all together. I hope I can find a pin that fits, since the fittings are metric. If not, I guess I can just make one. For a sense of scale, the whole thing is 1/2 inch wide and about 3 and 1/4 inch long.
I'm really enjoying the ability to make my own thingies out of metal. This whole metalworking thing was definitely a good idea. I certainly wouldn't have embarked upon this project if I hadn't gotten the lathe, and I wouldn't be able to finish it if I didn't have the mill (this hitch was made entirely on the mill).
Posted at 22:54 permanent link category: /bicycle
Categories: all aviation Building a Biplane bicycle gadgets misc motorcycle theater