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Author Topic: Penny Farthing Bicycle  (Read 297743 times)

Offline AdeV

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Re: Penny Farthing Bicycle
« Reply #225 on: April 02, 2012, 05:33:09 AM »
Wes:

Fabulous craftsmanship,  stunningly machined, and beautiful art - and swarf! - all in one post!

 :bow: :bow: :bow:

The word "awesome" is over-used, especially in America, but it is definitely the only word that fits the bill right now.

Can't wait to see the finished bike!
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Occasionally: Zhengzhou, China. An even longer way from anywhere...

Offline pepethefat

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Re: Penny Farthing Bicycle
« Reply #226 on: April 02, 2012, 08:39:44 PM »
Hi Wes,

nice work.

what are the specs on that tubing for the rear fork?

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Offline Divided he ad

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Re: Penny Farthing Bicycle
« Reply #227 on: April 03, 2012, 06:16:36 AM »
looking very good Wes  :thumbup:


As many have pretty much said, this is a hell of a project and is very enthralling  :proj: :coffee:


Don't know about the rest of you? But I'm putting all these pieces together in my head and trying to envision the final picture (can't help it) :med:

Looking forward to the next part.




Ralph.
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Offline Powder Keg

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Re: Penny Farthing Bicycle
« Reply #228 on: April 03, 2012, 11:05:27 PM »
Pepe, The tube is 4340 chrome molly. It has about a .04" wall thickness. I think it's a little thin but a bike builder friend says that it's plenty:o)

Tonight I started shaping the rear fork ends. I still need to go at them with a ball endmill but they are looking pretty good.



More tomorrow:o)

~Wes~
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Wesley P
A Gismo ??? If it has a flywheel or spins and is made with small parts. I'll take one! If it makes noise, moves, or requires frequent oiling and dusting it's a better deal yet. It's especially right if its shiny and bright; but if it's dirty and dull it wont mater at all...

Offline Powder Keg

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Re: Penny Farthing Bicycle
« Reply #229 on: April 04, 2012, 11:14:25 PM »
The rear fork ends are nearly done. I just need to shape them a little more. I made a couple buttons that I'll use as a guide to file them down to. They are the fat washers bolted to the ends.



~Wes~
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Wesley P
A Gismo ??? If it has a flywheel or spins and is made with small parts. I'll take one! If it makes noise, moves, or requires frequent oiling and dusting it's a better deal yet. It's especially right if its shiny and bright; but if it's dirty and dull it wont mater at all...

Offline pepethefat

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Re: Penny Farthing Bicycle
« Reply #230 on: April 05, 2012, 01:41:45 PM »
Love those chips...although they don't look like chips I make. Possibly a function of knowing what you're doing and a bigger mill.  What alloy/steel are you using for most of your bits that you're making? I'm just getting going, myself, so I'm looking to learn a bit from this thread.  I will be making my own penny sometime soon...but for the time being I'm on the basics.
What thread did  you settle on for the front spokes?
feedback on your photos...very nice...and most have either a ruler or some other object of known size which allows us to get an idea of dimensions...which will be handy in the future.
thanks, and carry on!
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Offline Powder Keg

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Re: Penny Farthing Bicycle
« Reply #231 on: April 08, 2012, 12:55:03 PM »
I'm working on my Penny still:o) These are the rear fork ends. I made some filing buttons and bolted them to the end. I then used my bench grinder and ground the corners off leaving them a little proud. Then using a couple files I removed metal flush to the buttons. I think they turned out pretty good:o)





I hit them with a wire wheel on my bench grinder to even o8ut the surface finish a bit.



~Wes~
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Wesley P
A Gismo ??? If it has a flywheel or spins and is made with small parts. I'll take one! If it makes noise, moves, or requires frequent oiling and dusting it's a better deal yet. It's especially right if its shiny and bright; but if it's dirty and dull it wont mater at all...

Offline DaveH

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Re: Penny Farthing Bicycle
« Reply #232 on: April 08, 2012, 04:00:07 PM »
Turned out nice Wes  :thumbup: :clap:
 :beer:
DaveH
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Offline Powder Keg

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Re: Penny Farthing Bicycle
« Reply #233 on: April 09, 2012, 07:58:59 PM »
I got home from work today and there was a envelope from "Jolly old England" waiting for me. It came by Royal air mail. "Must be important" I says to myself:o) It was a little heavy, so I was thinking, it must be expensive also? There was a great picture waiting inside :clap:



And a note from Ralph\o/



This picture has me thinking that I made something wrong? The seat is mounted different on this fine example.



No worries though. It's probably a different brand of seat. My spring isn't nearly that wide as the one in the picture. I'll check into it though. Maybe they stripped the bike down for a race? The brakes are gone also :med:

Thank you very much Ralph! This means a lot to me:o)

~Wes~
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Wesley P
A Gismo ??? If it has a flywheel or spins and is made with small parts. I'll take one! If it makes noise, moves, or requires frequent oiling and dusting it's a better deal yet. It's especially right if its shiny and bright; but if it's dirty and dull it wont mater at all...

Offline Brass_Machine

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Re: Penny Farthing Bicycle
« Reply #234 on: April 09, 2012, 08:08:45 PM »
Very cool Ralph, very cool!

Eric
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Offline Divided he ad

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Re: Penny Farthing Bicycle
« Reply #235 on: April 09, 2012, 08:37:13 PM »
Glad it got there Wes  :beer: 

Hope it confused you for a few moments? Happy you like them....  Saw the card, the mind stirred and the ball started rolling, remember when I asked about approx dates?  I wanted them to be about right   :)




Wasn't expecting you to post it though... My Mother is still appauled at my handwriting  :bugeye: Oh the shame of it....  Where's the red faced smiley?!  :lol:






Ralph.
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Offline Stilldrillin

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Re: Penny Farthing Bicycle
« Reply #236 on: April 10, 2012, 03:24:44 AM »
What a wonderful, thoughtful gesture, Ralph!  :bugeye:

Well done!  :clap: :clap: :thumbup:

David D
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Still modifying bits of metal... Occasionally, making an improvement!

Offline mattinker

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Re: Penny Farthing Bicycle
« Reply #237 on: April 10, 2012, 05:05:54 AM »
Quote from: Powder Keg on April 09, 2012, 07:58:59 PM
I got home from work today and there was a envelope from "Jolly old England" waiting for me. It came by Royal air mail. "Must be important" I says to myself:o) It was a little heavy, so I was thinking, it must be expensive also? There was a great picture waiting inside :clap:


And a note from Ralph\o/



This picture has me thinking that I made something wrong? The seat is mounted different on this fine example.


No worries though. It's probably a different brand of seat. My spring isn't nearly that wide as the one in the picture. I'll check into it though. Maybe they stripped the bike down for a race? The brakes are gone also :med:

Thank you very much Ralph! This means a lot to me:o)

~Wes~

Wow! that takes me back, I remember going decimal in '71, nineteen at the time, farthings were already already out of use when I was a kid, but I can remember having a couple at home. They seemed smaller than that! Those pennies were huge, made great holes in your pockets!

Regards, Matthew
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Offline Powder Keg

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Re: Penny Farthing Bicycle
« Reply #238 on: April 14, 2012, 08:23:29 PM »
I worked on my Penny some today. I'm building a jig to hold the forks in place while I braze things together. I should have enough to show tomorrow. I have most of the pieces ready to weld together. But I still have to figure out a few things:o)

~Wes~
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Wesley P
A Gismo ??? If it has a flywheel or spins and is made with small parts. I'll take one! If it makes noise, moves, or requires frequent oiling and dusting it's a better deal yet. It's especially right if its shiny and bright; but if it's dirty and dull it wont mater at all...

Offline Powder Keg

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Re: Penny Farthing Bicycle
« Reply #239 on: April 15, 2012, 07:30:56 PM »
I spent the day monkeying around with my Penny Farthing parts. I've been working on a jig that will hold the front and rear forks while I'm brazing them together. I decided that I needed to finish a couple more bike parts before I could come up with a good jig. The bearing housing for the front wheel needed touched up a little. When I welded them I got them slightly crooked.



I then squared up a couple of blocks to make the front fork ends out of. Here is a rough cut out of the center.



Fine tuning the fit. The fork ends are a gentle tap onto the bearing housings.



I now need to drill them for a bolt and mill the angled pilot holes like I did on the rear fork ends.



More soon:o)

~Wes~
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Wesley P
A Gismo ??? If it has a flywheel or spins and is made with small parts. I'll take one! If it makes noise, moves, or requires frequent oiling and dusting it's a better deal yet. It's especially right if its shiny and bright; but if it's dirty and dull it wont mater at all...

Offline Powder Keg

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Re: Penny Farthing Bicycle
« Reply #240 on: April 23, 2012, 08:41:57 PM »
I just finished the front fork ends for my Penny Farthing. I think I'll start finishing up the parts for the front wheel. I need to cut a few keyways and do some final fitting. I want to make sure everything is done before I start lacing the wheel. It would suck to have to take it apart to finish something I missed. No pictures. They are nearly the same as the back fork ends.

~Wes~
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Wesley P
A Gismo ??? If it has a flywheel or spins and is made with small parts. I'll take one! If it makes noise, moves, or requires frequent oiling and dusting it's a better deal yet. It's especially right if its shiny and bright; but if it's dirty and dull it wont mater at all...

Offline pepethefat

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Re: Penny Farthing Bicycle
« Reply #241 on: April 30, 2012, 03:14:24 PM »
The suspense is killing me.

I check this thread more than the news.
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Offline Powder Keg

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Re: Penny Farthing Bicycle
« Reply #242 on: May 02, 2012, 09:59:00 PM »
I'll try and update more\o/

The last thing before I weld up the top of the steering hed is to cut a champher so I can lay in a good weld. luckily I had a big counter sink:o)



The V will be filled in with weld.



I have a couple more little pieces that need made. Then I can check out a couple things  that I'm not quite sure on. Then I will be able to braze the forks together.

~Wes~
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Wesley P
A Gismo ??? If it has a flywheel or spins and is made with small parts. I'll take one! If it makes noise, moves, or requires frequent oiling and dusting it's a better deal yet. It's especially right if its shiny and bright; but if it's dirty and dull it wont mater at all...

Offline MadNick

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Re: Penny Farthing Bicycle
« Reply #243 on: May 03, 2012, 02:51:14 AM »
Good progress Wes,

And fine workmanship too - when do you intend to have the bike completed for?

Nick
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Offline pepethefat

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Re: Penny Farthing Bicycle
« Reply #244 on: May 04, 2012, 12:59:05 AM »
Wes, it's official.  You've inspired me. Also that Finnish fellow who built one too has inspired me. I just got myself a lathe and mill a few months ago and my Penny will be my first *real* project beyond a few little practice things.  Hence the questions I've had now and then while I lurk on your thread!

http://iloveoilandmetal.blogspot.ca/
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Offline Brass_Machine

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Re: Penny Farthing Bicycle
« Reply #245 on: May 04, 2012, 09:49:33 AM »
Quote from: pepethefat on May 04, 2012, 12:59:05 AM
Wes, it's official.  You've inspired me. Also that Finnish fellow who built one too has inspired me. I just got myself a lathe and mill a few months ago and my Penny will be my first *real* project beyond a few little practice things.  Hence the questions I've had now and then while I lurk on your thread!

http://iloveoilandmetal.blogspot.ca/

Took a quick look at your blog... Nice start!  Post up a build log here too  :poke: copy your pages as you go along!

Eric
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Offline Powder Keg

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Re: Penny Farthing Bicycle
« Reply #246 on: May 04, 2012, 12:53:48 PM »
Wow! Nice work!!! I don't know what to say. I'm usually the guy looking for inspiration.

Guess I better post a picture:o) I welded up the top of my steering head this morning. I need to get better at welding. I learned a couple things doing this piece.

One: Make sure you have everything clamped good. This helps avoid buzz marks :zap:

Two: Make sure you have everything clamped good. This way then the tungsten sticks to your part and you jerk away. The part doesn't hit the floor. Grrrrrrr.



It all worked out good and I about have it cleaned up. I'll post a few more pictures later.

~Wes~
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Wesley P
A Gismo ??? If it has a flywheel or spins and is made with small parts. I'll take one! If it makes noise, moves, or requires frequent oiling and dusting it's a better deal yet. It's especially right if its shiny and bright; but if it's dirty and dull it wont mater at all...

Offline Powder Keg

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Re: Penny Farthing Bicycle
« Reply #247 on: May 05, 2012, 02:47:43 PM »
I had some troubles yesterday. I was cleaning up the mustache bars and was nearly done. I threaded one side into the steering head to admire how good they looked. As I was unthreading it, I made about one turn out and the bar froze up in the steering head. I drenched it in penetrating lube and started working it back and forth. I got lucky and managed to get the two pieces apart. The threads on the bar are messed up slightly, but I can fix them:o) My thread files are at work though. I ran a tap through the head piece and it is OK.

What went wrong? Make sure that you clean snug fitting parts before you try and assemble them. The handle bars had grit on them from me polishing the surface. This grit will cause trouble. I know better. I was just in a hurry. I'll get a couple pictures.

~Wes~
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Wesley P
A Gismo ??? If it has a flywheel or spins and is made with small parts. I'll take one! If it makes noise, moves, or requires frequent oiling and dusting it's a better deal yet. It's especially right if its shiny and bright; but if it's dirty and dull it wont mater at all...

Offline Divided he ad

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Re: Penny Farthing Bicycle
« Reply #248 on: May 05, 2012, 07:52:43 PM »
Sounds like you're having fun Wes,

That's a nice looking weld too :thumbup:

Bet it put a lump in your throat when the thread locked up!?  :Doh:


At least you got it apart  :headbang:





Looking forward to seeing some of these parts come together  :borg:





Ralph.


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Offline Powder Keg

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Re: Penny Farthing Bicycle
« Reply #249 on: May 07, 2012, 10:49:05 PM »
Here is a picture of the damage. You can see where the threads are galled up a little.



I managed to save everything accept the nut. I'll be making wider ones.



I'm back on track now\o/

~Wes~
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Wesley P
A Gismo ??? If it has a flywheel or spins and is made with small parts. I'll take one! If it makes noise, moves, or requires frequent oiling and dusting it's a better deal yet. It's especially right if its shiny and bright; but if it's dirty and dull it wont mater at all...
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