Indian Tadpole

[fasteddy]

Thank you all, for the kind comments. Seems funny that after years of removing paint from wood I'm now covering wood up with paint. I used Zinnsser oil based primer and boy did that cover everything up. One more coat will do it and that's not really needed.

I see light at the end of this long tunnel and I sure hope it isn't the 7:14 freight out of Topeka.

Silverbear, I did find a Coke can from 1905 but there was a big dent in the bottom and I couldn't use it.

Steve.

 

[fasteddy]

P.S.D.
I have looked at building wheels but my hands are pretty badly affected by arthritis and any fine work like that with small parts is hard since I tend to drop small things like the spoke nipples.
If you have ever had a bad leg cramp that is what happens to my hands and they twist into some mighty interesting shapes. Any repetitive action like twisting a spoke wrench set's it off.

Now the good news. The wheels are DONE. They called a couple of hours ago to tell me and I'll pick them up tomorrow.
Pounding rain at the moment but as soon as it stops I'll get the steering clearance so there is a better turning radius and hook up the spindles and get it out for a few photos.

It's been a long while coming.

Steve

 

[silverbear]

The wheels are done... woohoo! That's cause for celebration! When you pick them up ask what length the spokes are so that I can have mine ordered and ready to lace up to the hubs you're bringing to motorbicycle camp for mine. The rims from a vintage Schwinn are primed and ready for building. Can't wait to see the pictures of your tri-car on all three feet. Next up is the motor, I guess.
SB

 

[fasteddy]

Yes the wheels are done. Like I said before this is a great bike shop and the best by far of the two we have. Our area is bike nuts like most of B.C. and therefore it's darned busy year round. Kind of nice to look at $3,000 to $5,000 bikes but to me they still look like bikes.

I was working on the theory that when the spring rush was over they would get to the wheels and that was what happened. The wheels I used were pretty standard with Shimano front hubs but I'll ask him what he had to get them to fit and if he used two or three across.

Yes, the motor is going to be the focal point of the build. I can't wait to get it done and on the road but it won't be long now.

Steve.

 

[RicksRides]

we send ours out to be laced and trued he charges us like 50 bucks a set

 

[fasteddy]

Not sure what the price will be Rick but he did say he got $45 a wheel to build them + the spokes. I gave him the two wheels so I guess it will be more since he had to pull them apart.
What ever it is it's worth it to have it done correctly and I don't have to worry about it. Every thing cost more up here. Gas is something like $5.30 a U.S. gallon at the moment.

Steve.

 

[Mr.B.]

Done by June 8th...?


"-)

-Kirk

 

[fasteddy]

Mr.B,
I'm trying but I really doubt it. It's about a 4 day, 2,000 mile drive to get to Silverbears and that's if the weather is good and the road construction is light. Then from Silverbears to the ride.

I'm putting the spurs to the horse but the weather here is lousy and I have to work outside most of the time.

Steve.

 

[RicksRides]

Yup they must be done right!! we supply our rim man with all parts 50 just for labor. hes done close to 250 sets for us so far this year. oh took 2nd place @ the show today. heres what took 1st

 

[RicksRides]

its a salt flats competitor. 1955 500cc royal enfield

 

[fasteddy]

Just left the bike shop with the wheels. F'n bike mechanic put 15 gauge spokes in and told me that the 12 gauge spokes didn't fit the hub.
I left the bike shop before a meteor shower of shyte blew up but tomorrow there will be a phone call made.

Steve.

 

[silverbear]

Ah man...
15 gauge!
Does it look like the spoke holes on the hub have room to be drilled out larger? I sure hope so. I was figuring on using 11 gauge. 12 would be OK, probably. With the two wheels up front and the bike not leaning into curves there will be a lot of lateral pressure against the wheels. I don't think 15 gauge could possibly hold up. What a waste. And no doubt it cost a small fortune. Sorry to hear that, Steve. I'd be pissed, too.
SB

 

[fasteddy]

Didn't wait for tomorrow. Came home, checked Silverbears hubs to make sure that the holes were indeed 12 gauge as I had asked for. The spokes fit so I went back and got some guff from one of the owners that they had to be the right spokes because I guess their mechanic doesn't make mistakes. When I finally got across to him that Ace had put 14 gauge spokes in a rim drilled for 12 gauge spokes and a good portion of the nipple head could be seen through the hole in the rim. his smirk changed real fast and he handed me off to yet another mechanic who tried one of the original nipples in the rim and of course found it fit.

The owner literally ran around in circles taking his coat off as he went after that. I asked him how long he thought it would be before the spokes pulled through on a motor bike that was doing 20 or 25 miles an hour.
Never got an answer because he headed up to the front counter. I would imagine that Ace got a call not long after that.

The part I didn't tell him was my nephews father in law is a lawyer with a Masters degree in Law. He represents different Indian tribes with land and mineral claims so he's no slouch. Also his billing rate is $680 an hour and he gets that for a good reason.
I don't think the bike shops insurance company would be amused.

Steve

 

[fasteddy]

Hi Silverbear,
As you will have read above, these rims had 12 gauge spokes and this idiot put 14 gauge spokes in, in place of the 12 gauge spokes that were in there originally. When you looked into the nipple hole you could see almost half of the shoulder of the nipple on one side of the nipple hole.
It wouldn't have taken many miles for the nipple to pull through and Bear Head State Park road to have a rather nasty stain running up it and I would have been lying at the end of it. It may have worked if there was a washer underneath it but as it was the one side of the nipple was almost pulling through with nothing above it to hold it in.

These dicks charged $180 for this mess. When I pick them up there will be a major price adjustment and I'm going to suggest that they just hand over the wheels and hand the money back. I'm a nasty old man when riled up and I have a computer and lots of people and places to complain to and the rest of my life to do it and I'll stick to it like shyte to a Salvation Army blanket.

Steve.

 

[silverbear]

Lets hope they make things right and don't wait forever to do it. $180.00 is a whole lot of money for lacing two wheels. Once I know what length the spokes need to be I can order two sets of 50 11 gauge spokes from Husky for $50.00 plus some shipping. Hoping they have the length I need, of course.
If they keep jacking you around, get your money back, the 12 gauge spokes you left them with and we'll do them here. My hands still work pretty well.
SB

 

[Mr.B.]

I was joking.

As much as I’d like to meet you guys the distance you would have to travel is quite unreasonable!

I’d actually feel a little guilty if you did.

Good luck with the wheels, I’ve got a feeling it’s going to work out.

-Kirk

 

[fasteddy]

Silverbear,
I was told that they were 260 in length. I take that is mm. He did 2 across.

I think he made the crucial mistake in figuring my intelligence by the thickness of my glasses and the length of my cane.
It isn't the first time some young a** hat made that mistake and it won't be the last time I have to correct them on it. Trouble is they always show up with a sling shot mentality at a gun fight.

Some day I'll tell you how I really feel about it.

Steve.

 

[fasteddy]

Mr.B,
I was looking forward to seeing you guys as was Silverbear. We had it all planned out until things went off track. Maybe if you have time we'll stop in on the way out or the way back. Seeing you all will be a treat.

As a volunteer fire fighter I picked up my share of people off the road in various states of disrepair and I've been picked up myself more than once. At darned near 70 the repair time may exceed the life time and I don't want it happen because some kid doesn't give a shyte about how he does his job and thought I was too old and stupid to know the difference.

Steve.

 

[silverbear]

According to a conversion chart on the web 260 mm comes out to 10.236220472440946 inches. What pattern did he lace the wheels? (how many neighbor spokes does a spoke cross over followed by one passing under?) What is the diameter of the hub where the spoke holes are? And you are using 26" rims, is that right? ten and a quarter inches sounds short to me. I had guessed at 10 5/8. Scratching me head... don't know.

The trip would only have worked if the timing were such that we'd be making our pass by to the east coast... me to Maryland and Steve to New Hampshire. Gas up my way has jumped to $3.90 a gallon just in time for the upcoming holiday and summer vacationers. We could save some money if we rode our bikes, but I'd need a but transplant after a couple hundred miles. I'm good for about 15 miles before I have to get off and walk around. Yes, maybe we can meet up for a cup a coffee when we get into your part of the world. Be nice to meet in person.
SB

 

[fasteddy]

Silverbear,
Here is the original wheel. They used the same pattern in the wheels they messed up.
The hubs that came out are 2-9/16" to the outside of the spoke holes. The hubs going in are 2-11/16" to the outside of the spoke holes.

The guy who messed them up eyes danced around like a tuna being chased by a shark when I asked him how long the spokes were. He clearly wasn't sure and I think just grabbed a number. I'll pull one out of the wheels I still have here and measure it.

Steve.