My life with Python trikes Mk1 , Mk1.5 , Mk2 ?

[DannyC]

Seems that's me

I need to weigh it as well , then if I cut up a piece of card to match the shape of some cr*p plywood I have I can estimate the weight difference should I want to build it out off something more [ maybe ] durable ?

Paul

Per Square-inch of finished (painted/varnished/PMF'd bodyshell) +/- 20% ought to be reasonable enough.

 

[Popshot]

Underneath, how about "see, I told you it was unstable". Somewhat Spike Milligan like.

 

[stormbird]

Underneath, how about "see, I told you it was unstable". Somewhat Spike Milligan like.

naughty ........

 

[stormbird]

Hi all

So progress she is slow however steady ....

so this is the back the cereal box covers the corners as they were hard to figure out their shape , then a piece of the double box corrugated was glued inside them for strength.
the edges were filled with exterior ready mixed filler and some have been covered with the paper plaster board tape using eco friendly varnish so no nasty smells and can be done indoors where it is warm and so dries thoroughly and quickly.

The front where you can see a couple of vertical edges that need the paper treatment and patch the gaps .

Messy inside the plan is to glue some foam down to the 4 corner triangle pieces so when I am fastening it down they stop it rattling [ I hope ].
next up 2 coats of primer ready for the gloss paint.

Then on to the bigger lower part , 2 mudguards and it can be mounted on the trike.
As a stop gap the old mudguards are reinstated as it has become very wet and dirty and I had getting my clothing muddy !

Paul

 

[stormbird]

Top and base have 2 coats of primer and after a brainstorm on a fresh thread we have a fastening method for the top.
No screws or heavy catches , no rattling and no weight win win !

So I think DannyC had the brainwave to use Velcro and I just perverted it to the cause by using double sided Velcro.

Test pieces the upper one [ lid/top ] has a strip of heavy duty cardboard front and rear and a slot cut for the Velcro
Lower one [ base/fairing ] has a piece of heavy duty cardboard glued both sides and 2 slots cut for Velcro
The cardboard resists the Velcro pulling through the corrugated sides.

Velcro is threaded through slot in top one a round back where it is stuck to itself and a tail is left hanging down
Velcro is threaded through both slots in base piece and stuck to itself around the back.

Viola as the French say ...
One neat fastening no weight or rattle and only Velcro pulling against Velcro.

Downside ? there are 2 small slot's in the base that need sealing against water ingress , compared to it's bulk I don't think they will be a problem.

Implement on the real thing then I can lash some paint on.

Paul

 

[DannyC]

Downside ? there are 2 small slot's in the base that need sealing against water ingress , compared to it's bulk I don't think they will be a problem.

Indeed, a bit of clear silicone sealant ought to sort that.
Nice.

 

[stormbird]

Hi all

So Tilt#6 has been ridden through another winter and we have both survived roughly intact.

DannyC and I had a discussion this morning as to when a bodge becomes elevated to the status of ' the way to do it ' ?

In Aug 2021 I made these handle bars :-

However they were only meant as a stop gap , not bolted on properly and bolt on bits rather than welded [ which should be lighter ? ] and they have been ridden 1 year and 7 months ? bodge ? or not ?

They work by going under the seat as the front end pivots giving a great turning circle however it is possible to trap them under the seat if the seat is tilted , a bit unnerving and other changes are in the pipeline so a proper set of bars are needed.

Right hand side jigged up , red lines almost meet get some metal on....

Bit rusty welding maybe second this year after the repair , very low on gas but looks solid [ apart from tiny amount of porosity visible ]

So next up repurpose jig for left side and repeat , if I get that done Sunday I will have probably run out of gas by the end hey ho.

Then 2 more parts need cutting and fettling to fit.

Paul

 

[DannyC]

I doubt it will fall off. Nice neat welds. No popcorn in sight.

 

[stormbird]

I doubt it will fall off. Nice neat welds. No popcorn in sight.

first welds this year , I looked back the weld of the frame failure was last September , where's that time gone !!!
Done other side now I need to make the next bits , 2 more each side.
I feel a jig coming on ...
Almost out of gas , no leak but it seemed to be disappearing at an alarming rate ? seems I must have knocked the set valve and so welding @ 20 l/min and not my usual 9 l/min , corrected now and then I remove the knob from the valve to stop it being accidentially moved. I will replace it with a flat lever so @ a glance i can see it is where it should be [ there being no easy visible reference marks on the knob ]
Paul

 

[DannyC]

so @ a glance i can see it is where it should be [ there being no easy visible reference marks on the knob ]

Lay a ruler alongside your knob and mark the inches off? It might help a bit.

 

[stormbird]

Dan

Quite happy to remove it , it was much to easy to turn and stops me accidently moving it.

I doubt it is the best on the market anyway ...

Paul

 

[DannyC]

Dan

Quite happy to remove it , it was much to easy to turn and stops me accidently moving it.

I doubt it is the best on the market anyway ...

Paul

I have the same one and its playing up. Makes a "clacking" noise when welding.
I used to have a proper 2-stage reducing set but my brother took that.

 

[stormbird]

You reminded me , mine was very noisy for a while when this tank was just fitted and has now stopped maybe it is related to pressure and will become noisy again when I get a full tank ?

Maybe you need to check yours ? as when I took the top cap off the knob I found it's retaining nut finger tight however worse was when the knob was removed the screw on nut that holds the valve in was also very very loose !

I suspect that could be a loss of gas whist welding situation ? very bad.
if it is then simply leaving the tank valve accidentally open could empty the tank without you realising the cause ?

Paul

 

[stormbird]

So make a jig sort of sorts ?

The orange pipe has been bolted to some wood and mimics the current handle bar angle the tape with line represents the shortest bar that I can get the levers/controls onto

measure distance between tops of existing bars and left bar from seat then removed them.

then attached newly made frame part to front end and propped orange tube in same place as original handle bars had been.
I was intending avoiding using bolt on parts however they may be the only way to get this to work ?
So red bolt on part has a paper roll sticking out and I have crudely cut that off at an angle so it roughly meets the orange tube.

To do this side i now need a piece of real handle bar cutting to the pattern size of the orange tube,
another piece wants cutting to replace the paper roll and welding to the red part and the actual handle bar
the surplus end [ wrapped in a spiral of masking tape ] needs trimming and capping.
then on to the other side.

I have avoided this job for a long time as it is a nightmare of tubing meeting at different angles no reference points and everything ' hanging in the air '
DannyC lost most of his hair trying to do this an even harder way using a tube bender , still has a twitch in one eye as a result !

Paul