Indian Tadpole

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curtisfox

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Dec 29, 2008
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minesota
AWESOME You sure are doing nice work. You have a artistic ability to capture the right perspective. It is looking just right,even the tank awesome...........Curt
 

fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
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Thanks for the kind words fellas. The sidecar was easy compared to this.

Told my brother the first ride in front was his. He seemed to be a bit reluctant about the honour. It was mentioned that I could have the first ride and he'd steer but he has to many things that he would like to get even for.
Being the younger brother isn't always a good thing.

Steve.
 

fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
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Sorry to keep you all waiting but here it is at long last. The next page in, What's the old boy doing now?
I'll trim everything up tomorrow and maybe get a shot at making the foot rest.
There will be a cap on the uprights since the upholstery will have to have something to sit on. I changed the uprights to 1x2's in the most of it and 1x4's in the front since it will leave more room for the seat and add support with the extra uprights.
As always click on the photo to go to photobucket. Descriptions on the bottom of the photo.

 
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silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
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northeastern Minnesota
That flexible plywood is pretty cool. As you know, in the winter months I live in a vintage Spartan Aircraft trailer (1951). It has a number of rounded edges in the ceiling and coming around corners... kind of an art deco look to it. I'm a member of the yahoo Spartan trailer group and have heard this plywood referred to as "slippery plywood". Pretty neat stuff. That can't be easy to find, is it? Is it expensive? Can't say that I understand how it works since my understanding of plywood is that multiple layers going in opposite directions get glued together. I don't understand how it "slips". But it does, I guess and the seat is coming together. Cool.
SB
 

fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
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Silverbear,
Just went out and got the bill for the plywood out of the camper. They call it Wiggle Wood and it's was $29.95 for the sheet.
It's made of poplar veneer with the grain going from side to side with a cloth binder in the middle.

With the grain running the same direction it is able to bend and the cloth core allows it to hold together without splitting. It can be veneered with anything you want from wood to metal so long as it's thin.
Maybe a sidecar covered in Wiggle Wood and fiberglass or spandex soaked in epoxy resin. How about aluminium or copper. Could make an interesting velo car as well.

It's on the list as of now but BarleyAwake mentioned a 4 wheel drive electric bike and that's close to the top of the list now. See I know this guy who sells 250W hubs that are supported on one side only and there is a guy in Hong Kong who has really great batteries reasonably priced and when the March check comes in.......

Steve.
 
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harry76

Well-Known Member
Apr 16, 2011
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Brisbane, Australia
Silverbear,
Just went out and got the bill for the plywood out of the camper. They call it Wiggle Wood and it's was $29.95 for the sheet.
It's made of poplar veneer with the grain going from side to side with a cloth binder in the middle.

With the grain running the same direction it is able to bend and the cloth core allows it to hold together without splitting. It can be veneered with anything you want from wood to metal so long as it's thin.
Maybe a sidecar covered in Wiggle Wood and fiberglass or spandex soaked in epoxy resin. How about aluminium or copper. Could make an interesting velo car as well.

It's on the list as of now but BarleyAwake mentioned a 4 wheel drive electric bike and that's close to the top of the list now. See I know this guy who sells 250W hubs that are supported on one side only and there is a guy in Hong kong who has really great batteries resonably priced and when the March check comes in.......

Steve.
What???? Another build? And i thought i was bad but your sickness is far worse then mine.... maybe an intervention is in order? LOL

I really like the sound of the electric 4 wheeler, so the intervention can wait until then :)
 

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
8,325
670
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northeastern Minnesota
Fasteddy,
Oh man. I don't even want to hear about it. You're bad and are already guilty of contributing to the delinquency of a geezer, first with this tri-car madness and next up a three wheeled velocar. The tri-car is mid way, the velocar is just in the planning and parts gathering stage and now you're figuring on an electric 4 wheel drive. No sir, I'm already broke. Electric is too rich for my blood, so I'm out on that one.

But I guess it wouldn't hurt to just think about it a little bit, right? Like window shopping doesn't mean you have to buy anything. Or appreciating good looking old women doesn't mean you wanta get married, right? Right!?
SB
 

Tinsmith

Well-Known Member
May 15, 2009
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Maryland
SB, as soon as you get that red "chick magnet" bike on the road you'll have the women chasing you down the road!
Dan
 

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
8,325
670
113
northeastern Minnesota
SB, as soon as you get that red "chick magnet" bike on the road you'll have the women chasing you down the road!
Dan
Dan,
I think if I saw an oncoming car in the rear view mirror and it was a woman chasing me, chances are it would be one of my three ex wives and I'd best hit the ditch while I can.
SB
 

fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
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Harry, I'm trapped by a fertile mind. The trouble is this time it was Barely's fertile mind.
There is no reason that a 4 wheel drive bike couldn't be built with electric power but it won't be by me I'm afraid.

I don't have a place to put the tri-car when it's done so I'll have to rent a storage area. The velocar is in the works and it will need storage as well. I'll mess with the trike but that will be a simple electric rider for everyday use.

Should there be enough time I'd like to do an early trike with the Villiers but I'm going to have to give that some thought. Building is fun but unless I sell them the storage charges will eat my money up.

Oh yes, Harry, when your young it's a sickness. When your old it's a hobby to keep you occupied and your mind sharp. Heh, Heh, Heh.

Ask any of the old guys on here. They've been selling that story to thier wives for years.

Steve.
 

fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
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Silverbear,
Contributing to your delinquency would have been a whole lot more fun if it hadn't be so darned easy.

When your crusing town on the Red Racer I'll make myself available to console the ladies who have be rejected.

fast "The Old Charmer" eddie
 

fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
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The back is now glued on the tri-car seat and bracing is glued in as well. No photos tonight since all you could see is a forest of clamps.

A lot of sanding tomorrow to shape everything up and smooth it out. Have to draw the patterns out for the foot rest parts tomorrow as well so it should be a busy day.

Steve.
 

curtisfox

Well-Known Member
Dec 29, 2008
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minesota
If you go to a sashand door you can get 1/8" Baltic Birch and it would bend enough to form a seat like yours. A little late but next time you need something like that check it out............Curt
 

fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
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Just got the wood that I clamped in to stiffen the seat up sanded to shape. Trying to figure out what size to make the foot rest under the seat.
It's a little more elusive than I thought since every thing I drew up didn't look right.

Silverbear, these might work as velocar seats. We can wrap them in Rich Corinthian Leather.

Steve.

 

curtisfox

Well-Known Member
Dec 29, 2008
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Curtis,
I have some left over from a project and tried it first but it split in two when I bent it.
This plywood just falls into place.

Steve.
Just thought it wood I know I formed it before. I will have to look for the stuff you have............Curt
 

fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
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Curt,
Not saying that it can't be bent but the ply I had wouldn't. It was old and that might well have been the problem. Remeasured the plywood I used and it's 1/4 inch thick.
First saw it when a cabinet maker friend of mine was making columns for a store and then wrapping them with brass sheets.

Steve.
 

curtisfox

Well-Known Member
Dec 29, 2008
6,077
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113
minesota
Curt,
Not saying that it can't be bent but the ply I had wouldn't. It was old and that might well have been the problem. Remeasured the plywood I used and it's 1/4 inch thick.
First saw it when a cabinet maker friend of mine was making columns for a store and then wrapping them with brass sheets.

Steve.
I used it to go around some half moon trays I built in my kitchen cuboards. I riped it in strips were only ! 1/2"wide and doubled it so to make it 1/4" thick,worked good. I don't know how it would be wider pieces like yours, might need 200 clamps..........Curt
 

fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
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Got the foot rest for the tri-car done. Haven't joined it to the seat yet so the photos show it resting on the foot rest. Tomorrow is a day full of setting the nails in further and puttying the holes then sanding it all.
Still some final fitting and I'll post some photos when it's done.

All in all I'm quite surprised how easy it is to do this. So far the hardest part was getting the pattern for the foot board sides right. Soon as I changed one set of lines to get it right I had to go back and do the rest. Took almost a day to get it done.

Recycled a lot of plywood in this that was going to the dump. Old kitchen cupboard parts. Have to buy another sheet of wiggle wood board to do the second seat but to do the two seats will be about $125 so far. The upholstery will add a bit to the cost.
I cut around the cut outs on the plywood and will use that in this build and others.

The sides are made from 5/8" paper covered sign board called Crezon board. Smooth and water proof.
I wrote all this out on the photos for the folks that just find it cruising the net. I'll start leaving a message how to link up to the forum in the next set of photos.

Click on the photo and it will take you to the photobucket page.

Steve.

 
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