Maytag Flyer

Glad to hear the bike is telling you what it wants alot of people think thats really weird! but when I do a painting job that someone asks for a color change I have to let the house tell me what color it wants, very few people will understand that one
 
I totally get it with letting the project tell you what it wants. I call part of the process, "creative staring", just sitting back and looking and then coming back an looking some more. Then being willing to set aside what you had thought was the way to do something or how it should look and allow the project to inform you. Sometimes it is the metal itself as when you're welding or soldering, forming it. Or the leather work. Or any of it. And for me that's part of the pleasure in doing this stuff and being pleasantly surprised at how well things turn out.

This Maytag Flyer sure is turning out. The gas tank is coming along nicely. Thanks for the show and tell.
SB
 
SB that "creative staring" is what I am doing much of the time and my wife refers to it as me having a "Rodin Moment"

For me it is an enjoyable part of the process.
 

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harry76 said:
WOW WOW WOW, this is shaping up to as nice if not nicer then Buddfabs bike.

Just in case you aren't aware, MSRFAN shared a little info with me that really helped my Villiers build and may be helpful with your build.

Your bike has a belt driven primary with idler tensioner just like mine. A problem I encountered was that when the idler pulley was released the belts gripped the primary pulleys rather then slipping, that's because the primary belt wants to return to its round shape.

MSRFAN told me I needed a primary guide/guard to stop the belt edge (opposite side of idler pulley) from getting a curve in it.

I'm sure you are aware of what I mean, if not I can post pics of what I'm talking if needed...... Just something to consider. Keep up the nice work!
Click to expand...

Hey harry76 if you could please still post picture of what you are talking about it would help me because I am going to be using a belt primary drive like Whozawhat.
 
I did not accomplish much this weekend just a little finishing up of the primary belt tensioner and cable retract system. It now works by the hand lever.

dracothered said:
Hey harry76 if you could please still post picture of what you are talking about it would help me because I am going to be using a belt primary drive like Whozawhat.
Click to expand...

dracothered, I believe Harry76 was referring to a guide similar to what I have now done with mine.

I hope this is what he meant as it makes sense to me, if I am wrong someone please educate me.

The white nylon block does not touch the belt when it is under tension from the idler, it has about 2mm clearance at this point but the nylon can be shaved if more clearance is needed.

MaytagFlyer198.jpg


When hand lever is squeezed the cable pulls the tensioner to retract and the looser belt wants to assume a circle shape but it can only move outwards as far as the guide will allow.
This causes the excess slack in the belt to be trapped in between the guide and the idler thus forcing the slack towards the pulleys and allowing it to slip.
I hope.
It seems to work well by hand after trying a couple of different v-belts
MaytagFlyer197.jpg


Thanks Harry I am always open to suggestions like that belt guide tip I think it will help quite a bit.

Spent some time getting the design for the rear belt tensioner into my head.
Slowly I will get those parts made up. and those shafts shortened, and the cover made and the exhaust, and the.....................
 
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Hey! Velo Thats why we are members of this forum (LOL!) some times we would have never thought about something and then alot of times other people would have never thought of something either,so we share our Madness, I really think that if some one wants an M/B or is a beginer should join here and do some re-search as well as study from others on DIY projects, Man! there realy are some sleeping Genius's on this forum glad I joined !
 
And thats why we joined this forum (LOL!) who would have ever thought? someone did, just like you you did with yer bikes,
This is turning out to be a very cool! bike
 
Whozawhat your bike is looking fantastic, and your guide is what I was talking about.

Personally I think your bike would look better without the plastic guide part. It isn't really necessary and it hides all your craftsmanship. The guide I made was from stainless steel so it would remain "slippery", and I get it free from work :-) and it has caused no damage to the belt. I hope you don't mind me making that criticism but I think a smaller guide would look better and more period correct. And I LOVE your bike so far.

I'm on my phone and haven't been able to get a link for a picture of my guide, but if youre interested you can search "Villiers Beach Cruiser" in the DIY section on the last page you can see a picture of the guide.
 
harry76 said:
Whozawhat your bike is looking fantastic, and your guide is what I was talking about.

Personally I think your bike would look better without the plastic guide part. It isn't really necessary and it hides all your craftsmanship. The guide I made was from stainless steel so it would remain "slippery", and I get it free from work :-) and it has caused no damage to the belt. I hope you don't mind me making that criticism but I think a smaller guide would look better and more period correct. And I LOVE your bike so far.

I'm on my phone and haven't been able to get a link for a picture of my guide, but if youre interested you can search "Villiers Beach Cruiser" in the DIY section on the last page you can see a picture of the guide.
Click to expand...

Is this the one you are talking about...
Picture688.jpg
 
Harry, constructive criticism is welcome. The primary will be enclosed and you won't see any of the guide or pulleys. So I am not too concerned that it doesn't look "period".
 
After I wrote my reply I considered that you may be running a primary guard, to me it does seem a shame to cover up any of that beautiful engine and all your craftsmanship, but I'm sure you will make it look sensational. Can't wait to see more
 
It was a good day to be in the shop today and I made progress on the secondary belt tensioner.

I made the tension lever, idler arm and roller pieces which are just loose fit at this point until I can make shaft spacers and change the pivot to a heavier piece.
Still waiting on the last pulley so I can measure for the flat belt.
MaytagFlyer211.jpg


I made a couple of weld-on mounts for the tension lever selector quadrant. I want it to fit below the gas tank as the tank is small and I need room to paint the name on the tank side.
MaytagFlyer208.jpg


Fit the quadrant side plates
MaytagFlyer202.jpg

and drilled the selector holes
MaytagFlyer203.jpg
 
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Made the selector quadrant and fit a lock lever and pin. I still need to fit a spring to hold the lock lever engaged but I did not have the right spring in my junk box.
MaytagFlyer200.jpg


Maytag Speed control (^)
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Arnold this is the carb I will use, almost at the point of getting it mounted.
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This week I found a suitable spring for my tension lever lock handle.
It's from my work where I removed it from the reduction gearbox on the front of a turbine aircraft engine.
It's worn slightly and unserviceable for reuse in the engine but perfect for the Flyer.
Also worth $$$ new but free to me.

MaytagFlyer212.jpg


I made up a brass plug to locate the spring and act as a stop before the spring is fully compressed

Reworked the primary clutch cable anchor point by moving it closer to the idler pulley.
This will allow for a smaller primary cover when I get to that point.
Tightened up the radius of the C arm for the secondary belt tensioner as well, makes it a little more compact.

MaytagFlyer214.jpg


Made up the exhaust flanges and bent some tubing to start fitting the exhaust system.
MaytagFlyer209.jpg
 
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