Indian Hiawatha

[silverbear]

CB2,
Thank you, sir. You have indeed given me food for thought. Offhand it sounds like the direct drive motor might be the better choice providing the over charging potential is somehow dealt with. Wrecking the controller or batteries would not be good. The batteries being recharged "automatically" is a plus.

On the other hand I think with this project the possibility of overloading the geared motor is for real considering my 230 pounds of mostly not muscle plus a passenger in the wicker seat up front. Might rip those gears a good one.

Is there a gauge which would allow one to determine how fully charged the batteries are? Is there a way to shut off the circuit going to the controller manually once the batteries are topped off so that the juice is no longer really going anywhere? Or maybe a set of lights could be turned on to drain away the excess juice once the batteries were charged. Don't understand enough about it to know how, but I bet there is a way around the problem. Still sounds to me like the direct drive hub is the better choice for my situation.

No hurry on the hub motor as summer camp has pretty well flattened my wallet. A kit might save money, but for me sometimes it is easier to buy a part or two at a time from my social security check to ease the pain. We'll see when the time comes...
SB

 

[cannonball2]

I agree on the DD motor. I will check out the Sphere on the charging thing. Seems I read a thread where some one had a regulated circuit.

 

[moto-klasika]

Hello Silver,
I will abuse your hospitality and announced here opening of new thread that could be interesting to us all...

As many of us are interested in stronger wheels, cheap as possible, I opened special thread for that under name "WHEELS for velocars, velomobiles and other multi-wheelers" in our sub-forum "Motorized Tandems, Trikes and Recumbent Bicycles". Maybe we could gathered there interesting ideas, without strangling too much this one...
Ciao,
Zoran

 

[bluegoatwoods]

I wish I had more time to read this thread!

As it is, I've had to skim a lot.

But that's a fine looking build you've got going there, Silverbear.

 

[silverbear]

Zoran,
Looks like a useful thread you have started.

Bluegoat,
Thank you, sir. It's a lot to read and sure wanders around. And isn't done yet...
SB

 

[fasteddy]

Hello everyone,

This thread has been dormant for almost 2-12 years. Poor health for both of us has been the culprit.

We're back with the seat build. Let the good times roll.

Steve.

 

[indian22]

Happy to see Hiawatha back in progress! Rick C.

 

[fasteddy]

Well we're rolling on a flat tire at the moment. Photbucket won't let me get to the menu or load photos so until that gets straightened out things progress wise are stalled photo wise.

The chair is now two legs shorter and the leg bracing is gone. Off to Home Depot tomorrow to get some plywood for the seat and and the foot rest.

Steve.

 

[curtisfox]

Would that be called build before the build? LOL.............Curt

 

[fasteddy]

Or the build up to the build, Curt.

Steve.

 

[curtisfox]

Or maybe get-er done. LOL...........Curt

 

[fasteddy]

SB,

The brass can be used for the foot rest in the foot rest if you will. May be room for accent pieces as well. Maybe brass and mahogany.

There is a warning though. The old fella is alone in the garage without adult supervision.

Be afraid. Very afraid.

Steve.

 

[fasteddy]

Curt, I can only hope that it turns out as well as the pictures of it in my head.

Steve.

 

[curtisfox]

It will, you just to fussy LOL. Like me, but what ever come out will be good..........Curt

 

[silverbear]

Must be pre-senility kicking in. I posted the following on the wrong thread... your tadpole thread when it should have been here.
"Nobody is happier than me to know that the project is back on active duty. Curt has indicated that once some other things are taken care of he will be able to finish up the wonderful leaf spring he very nearly finished making for the Hiawatha in two wheel mode which will be a defining contribution to the build. Also, the canoe sidecar originally intended for the Hiawatha and side tracked for a few years on a Panther is returning to the Hiawatha project. It was meant to be convertible from two wheeled light motorcycle to one with a sidecar and with the front end changed over to a tri-car... three bikes in one. I'm excited about the summer and the final chapter of this build.

Steve, you may recall my picking up a headboard for a brass bed which I stripped down into components with the idea of using parts for the foot rail of the chair. Not that we have to use them, but they are there if we so choose.

Snow is melting here and the lake is grumbling... a sure indication that the ice will go out relatively soon, perhaps by mid April. Summer and bike camp are coming... woohoo!
SB
______

 

[fasteddy]

Just chuckling to myself. Old habits die hard for those of us at an advanced age.

Steve.

 

[fasteddy]

Back at it. I think the problems with photobucket are repaired so I'll get some photos loaded up tomorrow. Finally made it to Home Depot with half the city in attendance but managed to out elbow most of them to get what I wanted.

I bought some 1/2" plywood for the foot rest and some really good construction adhesive. I'm going to glue #28 gauge sheet steel to both sides of the plywood used in the foot rest. This way the underside can be painted as well as the top with paint to match the Hiawatha before we mount it on the tri car. Much easier to paint metal.

The sides of the foot rest will be mahogany which should go nicely with the red used on the tri car. We are supposed to have a couple of sunny and warmer days and that will help things move ahead for my old pal Art Ritis and me.

I'm thinking that the wicker seat should have a nice warm aged brown stain on it to confer the time it spent cruising the roads in times gone past. A subdued protective coating to protect it from the elements is in the works as well. Nothing too shiny.

Stay tuned.

Steve.

 

[silverbear]

Thank you, my friend.
SB

 

[fasteddy]

Always a pleasure. Feels good to be back.

Steve.

 

[indian22]

Sure sounds an excellent plan Steve. I can't wait to see the photos. Rick C.