Ever since I was little I wanted one of these. A few years ago I nearly started building one. But I couldn't locate anything suitable to make the tires out of. Recently I found a fellow in Ohio that sells it\o/ So work has began.
In case you don't know what a Penny Farthing Bike is here is a well made example from Finland. About half way through there are some nice stills of the pieces that he made.
I have steadily been making parts for this project. I have taken design elements from bikes that I've only seen pictures of. The rest is my own ideas of how a Hiwheel bike should be. Since they are mostly wheel I started there. How the heck am I going to make a wheel???
First I needed to make a roll. I've always wanted a roll, but, I've never had a project where I actually "needed" a roll. Now I need both\o/ I found some pictures on the net of some simple rolls and started there. I made some dies to roll 3/4" X 3/4" X 1/8" angle so the pointy part was inward. Nothing fancy. It doesn't even have any bearings. I'll have to take a few pictures of it.
Good news!! It worked
![:ddb:](https://madmodder.net/Smileys/default/dancenana.gif)
I now have a 48" and a 16" rim. They made them up to 60". But you have to have longer legs than me to operate something like that:o)
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v652/Powderkeg3418/Penny%20Farthing/Pennyfarthing001.jpg)
I made the axle next. I had some mystery stainless to play with. At first I thought it would go pretty quickly. Wrong!!! I had to take pretty light cuts, slow feed, with oil. Or my inserts would break. But I eventually got through it. I used a N-05 locknut to hold everything together. They require a washer and a key-way milled into the shaft. I'm still waiting for the washers. I'll cut all the key-ways then.
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v652/Powderkeg3418/Penny%20Farthing/Pennyfarthing002.jpg)
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v652/Powderkeg3418/Penny%20Farthing/Pennyfarthing003.jpg)
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v652/Powderkeg3418/Penny%20Farthing/Pennyfarthing004.jpg)
The frames on some of these bikes get narrow near where the rear forks attach. Not knowing how to taper tubing??? I made an insert. It is drilled out so it's not to heavy. The rear step will probably be welded or bolted to this. This will be welded to the frame.
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v652/Powderkeg3418/Penny%20Farthing/Pennyfarthing010.jpg)
On the axle, hooked to the forks is usually a bearing carrier. This will also let me remove the wheel, by removing two bolts, if needed. I made the round part on my lathe then cut it in half. One for each side. I milled out the other pieces and beveled them a little to prepare them for welding.
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v652/Powderkeg3418/Penny%20Farthing/Pennyfarthing005.jpg)
I bolted a spacer between the ears and clamped the pieces to my bench and tig welded them together.
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v652/Powderkeg3418/Penny%20Farthing/Pennyfarthing006.jpg)
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v652/Powderkeg3418/Penny%20Farthing/Pennyfarthing007.jpg)
A lot of filing and grinding. They are nearly done. When I get them to my liking, I'll have them bead blasted.
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v652/Powderkeg3418/Penny%20Farthing/Pennyfarthing008.jpg)
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v652/Powderkeg3418/Penny%20Farthing/Pennyfarthing009.jpg)
I have been trying to find something nice to make the forks out of. I ran across this at work.
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v652/Powderkeg3418/Penny%20Farthing/Pennyfarthing011-1.jpg)
That looks like bicycle forks, doesn't it??? To me it does:o) I chucked it in my lathe and cleaned it up with emery paper. Then I marked it out and cut a couple strips out of the pipe. I clamped a straight edge to the pipe that would guide my thin cut blades on my grinder.
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v652/Powderkeg3418/Penny%20Farthing/Pennyfarthing012.jpg)
Maybe this will look more like forks? They have a nice taper to them. I like how they turned out. I think I'm going to weld a couple of bands on them to make them look nice. They warped a little, but I can fix that.
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v652/Powderkeg3418/Penny%20Farthing/Pennyfarthing013.jpg)
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v652/Powderkeg3418/Penny%20Farthing/Pennyfarthing014.jpg)
Here is where I'm at. Today I'm going to try and get the steering pivot made and the hubs turned. The hubs will be bronze.
![](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v652/Powderkeg3418/Penny%20Farthing/Pennyfarthing015.jpg)