Another FWD Delta trike.

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OK, OK...you nag worse than my Missus ;)

Today was a mixed bag of results, some good, some not so good.

Firstly I had a go at making a seam remover for some 38mm Square tube I want to slip inserts into.
The idea is that a "carrier slug" of the required insert tube size is prepared so that it will hold a piece of HSS tool-steel in position exactly where the weld seam is located.
A cap on this insert has a captive nut welded onto it and a length of "all-thread/studding" is used to pull the carrier through the outer tube and scrape off the protruding weld-seam.

Here is the insert carrier with the slot that the tool-steel rests up against.


This next picture just shows the slug inserted into the outer tube. It is in the vise only because I ran out of hands to hold things to take the picture.



Did it work? I hear you asking.

Well, Yes & No. :(
Yes it worked and removed several inches of the weld seam.
But then... it got stuck partway through the tube and the forces proved too much for the M10 studding and it snapped just where the welded on nut was applying the turning force against the friction in the set-up.
The outer tube was almost HOT to the touch, so there was considerable friction forces in there. and TBH I am not surprised M10 snapped (it is a little light for the job).

So, we have parked that while we go get some heavier gauge thread & nuts and we will have another go later.

Next up was a "trial fit" onto the Python Trike of a rack that I had made for an earlier trike (WD II). It was made of 12mm Square tube (mostly) and was exceptionally strong.

I will fit the rack to the seat support spar using the existing Seat-mounting fixing point at the top and I will create a new fixing point lower down on the spar for the bottom end of the rack.
Unfortunately I have run out of 10mm round tube so I will need to get some. As little as 1 Metre should do it.

That is all. :)

Danny, did you put cutting oil in there too? You didn't comment on that, but i'm thinking it might help... if it doesn't mean issues later on wrt contamination and your inserts.

Just thinking out loud...
 
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Danny, did you put cutting oil in there too? You didn't comment on that, but i'm thinking it might help... if it doesn't mean issues later on wrt contamination and your inserts.

Just thinking out loud...
Yup, it was sprayed with Tap & Die Oil of the most expensive kind. :) It was just too tight a fit and I suspect that one end of the tool-steel dug in and skewed the tool-steel across diagonals so it just dug in tighter & tighter. :(
 
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Today's Tom Foolery. :)

I need some longer than "available to purchase" QR clamps (we do like QR clamps for seats racks etc. et.).

I usually like the 8mm versions because the 8mm diameter has really good shear strength.
But the 8mm ones all come as alloy 1-piece that you cannot mess with very easily (see the top item in the picture).
However, the 6mm variants often come in the form of a "pinned" M6 shaft that is threaded at the end (second item in the picture).
With Brute force and ignorance (I have both) you can snap the securing pin and unscrew the 6mm shaft out of the barrel.
So I thought I would grab me some M8 threaded Stainless Steel studding and turn it down at one end and then re-thread it to M6 to go in the barrel and get green loctite stuck into place.

Yup, that works. :) So I can make them any length I need them to be. Result!

 
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Yup, it was sprayed with Tap & Die Oil of the most expensive kind. :) It was just too tight a fit and I suspect that one end of the tool-steel dug in and skewed the tool-steel across diagonals so it just dug in tighter & tighter. :(
Bummer. Would making the insert a bit longer help as well? Reduces the possible angle. Or get reeaaly fancy and get rolling bearings in the insert to prevent binding.

You could try a Newfie screwdriver approach too. Attach your cutter to a shaft a bit longer as you want to shave. Clamp the bleep out of it and on the non cutting end of your cutting spear, smack it with your Newfie screwdriver (aka hammer to you non-Newfies)

Again, just thinking out loud..
 
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Bummer. Would making the insert a bit longer help as well? Reduces the possible angle. Or get reeaaly fancy and get rolling bearings in the insert to prevent binding.

You could try a Newfie screwdriver approach too. Attach your cutter to a shaft a bit longer as you want to shave. Clamp the bleep out of it and on the non cutting end of your cutting spear, smack it with your Newfie screwdriver (aka hammer to you non-Newfies)

Again, just thinking out loud..
Yes, a longer "slug" might help. :)
A very long sharp HSS edged chisel might work as long as it can get at least 12" down the tube and maintain the correct angle.
 
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Yes, a longer "slug" might help. :)
A very long sharp HSS edged chisel might work as long as it can get at least 12" down the tube and maintain the correct angle.
Well, I know from reading over the past few years you like discussion and seem to always solve the issue in some fashion. Looking forward to finding out how you solve this. I won't say crack this nut... I think you already did that ;-)
 
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Steel(s) have arrived for the seam remover and the rack support struts. :)

So I had another go at it and what a difference! :)
The seam appears to have been removed and no damage done to self or tooling.


And here is the slug with the HSS tool steel at the exit end of the tube having been pulled all the way through.


So would a 35mm tube now just slip in there smooth as silk? Errrr.....Nope! :(

It is good to remember that all tubing sizes are "nominal" sizes and there can always be some variation.
Undaunted, I took a piece of 35mm Square tube of 2mm wall thickness and attacked it with the "nominal-size-adjuster" on all 4 sides progressively in rotation until with a metallic "pop" it began to slide in.

After several more goes and some "polishing" with emery cloth and a wire cup-brush I was able to shove it in both ends to a depth of 10-Inches. Most satisfying I am sure you will agree. :)

Here she is with both ends stuffed with 10" of adjusted metal tube. Yay! Success. :)


Taking the size of the inserts down by maybe 0.5mm overall on all 4 faces will just return the tube to the same thickness as the outer tube. I do not believe strength will be significantly compromised.

I am quite pleased to get the result I wanted.
 
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Dan

Go Forrest go .......

Hope you can keep it corrosion free , maybe copper grease ?

Paul
 
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When I needed a tube seam removing I welded a bolt into the end of some round tubing and then superglued 80 grit sanding belt to the tube. The bolt then went into a drill's chuck. Fairly simple and it worked. The tube was 2 foot long so had a good reach.
 
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When I needed a tube seam removing I welded a bolt into the end of some round tubing and then superglued 80 grit sanding belt to the tube. The bolt then went into a drill's chuck. Fairly simple and it worked. The tube was 2 foot long so had a good reach.
A good approach indeed. Unfortunately the seam in this instance was 1.5mm from the corner and unlikely to be hit effectively by a round spinny-thing being so tight in the corner.
The tool-steel did a good job of erasing it away, I am happy to say. :)
 
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Dan

Go Forrest go .......

Hope you can keep it corrosion free , maybe copper grease ?

Paul
Corrosion and binding will indeed be an issue to counteract if it is to work as intended.
Copper grease or similar is a good call. I might try a good clean of both tubes (one inside and one outside) and pickle/cold-blue them too (every little helps). :)
 
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I've cold blued a few items from my shooting days. It rarely worked very well when compared to a factory hot blued finish. I once owned a gun with bluing by Purdey who usually make exceedingly high end shotguns. The finish was amazing.
 
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Remembering that the trike will be stored in an un-heated shed, there is quite likely a chance of it rusting up binding/together.
Obviously, I can remove the inserts if I want to and store them elsewhere, but then its a bit of a faff to gather all the bits together etc. etc.

Here is an example of the spring-loaded index pin I am considering using to hold the inserts in place. Rather than using pinch bolts; although TBF, I could use both.

 
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I spent some little while today smashing 10mm pipe-ends flat and drilling holes in them in order to create some support struts for arear rack on the Python.
While I managed to get a rack fitted I am ashamed of the 💩 hole I drilled by hand through the rear seat spar at an atrocious angle :eek:.

So here are some "show & tell" pictures. [Disclaimer: The following images are not for the faint-hearted and viewer discretion is advised].

The rack is held rigid to the rear seat spar and will be affixed with 2 QR lever clamps (one shared with the upper seat mounting).

So the manufacture of elongated M8 QR shanks is the next task. :)

Here it is with a single 30L Pannier attached to the rack. There will be room for a daybag, tent or bedroll on the centre section as well I think.



 
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Dan

Looking good , is there room for the tent between the panniers ?

A small extension to the end piece of the rack would allow another pannier to hang across the back ?

Beginning to get useful 👍

Paul
 
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Dan

Looking good , is there room for the tent between the panniers ?

A small extension to the end piece of the rack would allow another pannier to hang across the back ?

Beginning to get useful 👍

Paul
IF... I was willing to dance up and down on my tiny-tent I suspect I could thereafter wiggle it into the gap, but whether I could extract it again after it has puffed itself back up...is an entirely different matter. ;)
It might be better to make a "tool-box" or similar to fit in that "between panniers" space and put essential repair tools and maybe my gas & my stove in there?
A.N.Other bar across the back could indeed hand another pannier OR just straps and tent + bed-mat etc. Even my 3-man dome tent could fit inside that wheel-track. :)
 
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All the carrying capacity is aft of the rear axle. I don't know how much you intend to carry but there'll be a limit before it tips when riderless. Hanging another pannier off the rear of the rack would hasten that limit.
 
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It might be better to make a "tool-box" or similar to fit in that "between panniers" space and put essential repair tools and maybe my gas & my stove in there?
Spooky I had though of that as well , as then it could be there for all rides and easily accessed from the back.

Paul
 
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I was commanded to start painting the flank wall of the house (the bad-weather side) and so any fun in the workshop had to wait until the first coat on the lower half of the wall was complete and my shoulder was complaining. :(

So it was more "lathe-boy" madness making my custom length QR skewers for rack & seat fixing.

All done!
So now I have a selection of Stainless steel shafts that can be glued into the M6 threaded cam-lever assemblies and I can still have M8 thickness where I need it for the Shear-strength I would like to see in seat mounts etc.

While this isn't "thrilling" by any means, I know my old mate John Price would be tickled-Pink to see me doing this stuff. :D

Happy Days!

 
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Definitely NOT as exciting as reporting on rides on a tilting Python but I did finish making my custom QR skewers this morning.
The turned-down M6 threaded bit is glued into the barrel with bearing glue.
They came out quite well, and as expected, they work fine.
 
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