working in wood

deacon · #1 05-13-2008, 06:05 PM

I hung another weed eater motor on the back of a bike. I don't want to mess with a machine shop on this test bike so I'm thinking that I will make a wooden holder for the free side of the friction wheel. To keep it straight and to take some of the pressure off the engine's bearings. Has anybody ever used wood in a bike build. I'm thinking lots of grease.

Bikeguy Joe · #2 05-13-2008, 06:15 PM

Never used wood in a bike (yet) but I have built aircraft from it. Very strong and light when done right.

For a good compromise between weight and strength, use fir, for ultimate wood strength, use oak or ash, oak being the best choice.

deacon · #3 05-13-2008, 06:32 PM

Oak is hard to fine unless I tear the furniture or the house up lol. I have some pine strips I think I'm going to use to anchor the drive just to test it out a bit.

the motor runs good but I can't get it on the bike stable enough yet. I'll get it stable then the motor will probably stop running. LOL don't trash your bug just yet, I still might buy it from you.

Bikeguy Joe · #4 05-13-2008, 06:36 PM

Oak is available at Carter Lumber, Lowe's, Home Depot ect. You can even buy small "cut off's" at most of those places.

SEE THE SWAP SHOP FOR THE BIKE BUG/TAS SPITZ....It's going on ebay this weekend at the latest. They are selling on there for 100 for a parts engine, and 150-ish for a runner that needs a lot of work.

I have the manual, original packaging (styrofoam fitted box) and I also fitted it with longer bolts with nuts so it will fit a modern tubular fork.

In all honesty, I did step on the gas cap and cracked the top off, but it has an inner metal piece and doesn't leak. A weedwhacker cap should fit, but I never got around to checking it.

deacon · #5 05-13-2008, 08:21 PM

I was going to say you should give ebay a try they are doing great there. I really was kidding I still haven't come to grips with that front mount. Good luck on ebay. If I change my mind, I'll just bid on it there. That is the fair thing anyway.

deacon · #6 05-14-2008, 04:01 PM

Im not really sure how the wood experiment worked out. The friction wheel turned just fine but frankly no matter what I did i could not get the bike fast enough to start the engine. I know what it is because the engine runs just fine when pull started. without a clutch of somekind it is impossible for me to get it up to speed. I probably could going downhill but I can't always expect that to happen,so I scrapped the idea for now.