building a recumbent

[smokeysmoo]

http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/home-built-trike.123780/
Cheers Ed

Saw this thread earlier and I remembered XRHYSX's build thread, but I've only just been able to look it up, but you've found it already

PM @XRHYSX I'm sure he'll answer any questions you have.

 

[PhilDawson8270]

You're going to have a nightmare with rust too if you use Mild Steel tubing, if you go for Stainless Steel, you're going to need some pretty pricy gear for cutting the tubes and cutting fishmouths etc, as regular tooling for normal steels isn't hard enough.

Then, once you have got over that hurdle, if you are welding stainless steel, then you must use pure argon as your shielding gas, and tube also needs to be back purged to prevent contamination from the rear of the weld, so you will need to be capping the tubes, and filling them with argon, so you're going to need a 2 way take off with 2 regulators of your gas supply.

Do you have any photos of what you have done before with regards to welding? As simple as bikes are, welding and fabricating thin wall tubes requires more skills than it appears, and jumping into such a project without the necessary skills and equipment is very expensive.

What equipment do you have? Buying a recumbent is more than likely going to be cheaper than buying the gear to build something not as good.

If you want to actually build one, and enjoy doing the drawings etc, then that is where you will enjoy it, if you want to build something cheaper than buying, then you're likely to be disappointed.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

You're going to have a nightmare with rust too if you use Mild Steel tubing, if you go for Stainless Steel, you're going to need some pretty pricy gear for cutting the tubes and cutting fishmouths etc, as regular tooling for normal steels isn't hard enough.

This seems overly scaremongering to me. If it's properly prepared and painted there's no reason it should be more problematic than any other steel framed bike.

 

[PhilDawson8270]

This seems overly scaremongering to me. If it's properly prepared and painted there's no reason it should be more problematic than any other steel framed bike.

The rust will start from the inside out, where it won't be painted, I am unsure of what steels are usually used in bicycle construction, but you can pretty much guarantee they will be dipped in an anti-corrosion coating after welding and fab, and before paint to prevent this kind of thing happening.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Admittedly even BSOs are mostly made from higher grades than mild steel but the stuff doesn't rust so rapidly that you should discount it as a material. Current bikes may be dipped in an anti-corrosive agent (can anyone advise?) but I very much doubt classic ones were and there are plenty surviving.

Amateur constructions can be protected inside: There are products like Dinitrol and Waxoyl which can be squirted inside any tubing where the insides are exposed to the elements and the sealed sections won't be a problem.

You make it sound like the thing will just disintegrate if mild steel is used and I do not believe that will be the case if it is suitably protected and looked after.

 

[PhilDawson8270]

You make it sound like the thing will just disintegrate if mild steel is used and I do not believe that will be the case if it is suitably protected and looked after.

That is not my intention, more that the choice of material needs to be well considered, as does the rest of the project for it to be a success, it would be a shame for somebody to spend a lot of hours on a project like this for it to rust from inside out in a few years time due to an oversight.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

I imagine that if this project is successful the OP will have moved on to a modified and improved version in a few years. I know I would.

 

[young Ed]

You're going to have a nightmare with rust too if you use Mild Steel tubing, if you go for Stainless Steel, you're going to need some pretty pricy gear for cutting the tubes and cutting fishmouths etc, as regular tooling for normal steels isn't hard enough.

Then, once you have got over that hurdle, if you are welding stainless steel, then you must use pure argon as your shielding gas, and tube also needs to be back purged to prevent contamination from the rear of the weld, so you will need to be capping the tubes, and filling them with argon, so you're going to need a 2 way take off with 2 regulators of your gas supply.

Do you have any photos of what you have done before with regards to welding? As simple as bikes are, welding and fabricating thin wall tubes requires more skills than it appears, and jumping into such a project without the necessary skills and equipment is very expensive.

What equipment do you have? Buying a recumbent is more than likely going to be cheaper than buying the gear to build something not as good.

If you want to actually build one, and enjoy doing the drawings etc, then that is where you will enjoy it, if you want to build something cheaper than buying, then you're likely to be disappointed.

i have an arc welder, a pair of angle grinders a selection of metal files round and square,2 hack saws and the other general smaller things like tape measures and sharpies etc etc
and believe i don't need to use stainless or anything other then mild steel dues to me saving up and splashing out right at the end and drilling 1 or 2 holes in the frame and then sending the whole frame off to be galvanized and then powder coated admittedly not cheap but will then last for years to come rust wise

This seems overly scaremongering to me.

cheers i agree
Cheers Ed

 

[XRHYSX]

i have an arc welder, a pair of angle grinders a selection of metal files round and square,2 hack saws and the other general smaller things like tape measures and sharpies etc etc
and believe i don't need to use stainless or anything other then mild steel dues to me saving up and splashing out right at the end and drilling 1 or 2 holes in the frame and then sending the whole frame off to be galvanized and then powder coated admittedly not cheap but will then last for years to come rust wise



cheers i agree
Cheers Ed

this is what I'm going to do with mine when i get around to finishing it,
my best bit of advice, buy the best drill bits you can and some cutting fluid, i killed so many bits before I worked this out, lol

 

[PhilDawson8270]

cheers i agree
Cheers Ed

Maybe it's just my engineering side coming out, but after building a LOT of different projects, and working in that kind of industry, planning for every failure gives you every chance of success.

It's good to see you already have plans protecting the frame, though for steel I would avoid powder coating, as this can trap moisture and promote corrosion. Galvanised + Paint is better and cheaper in this circumstance.

So you don't think I am all negativity

http://home.tallships.ca/mspencer/winmiter.html
You may find that useful, it creates paper templates for you to cut around for fish-mouthing tubes to but up against each other

I wish you the best of luck with it, and look forward to seeing progress, just heed my advice, question every step of the way "what can go wrong? Am I using the best method I can?" And it will be a success, make no assumptions, and go at every stage with cold hard logic.

 

[young Ed]

this is what I'm going to do with mine when i get around to finishing it,
my best bit of advice, buy the best drill bits you can COBALT and some cutting fluid,ANY LIGHT OIL; i killed so many bits before I worked this out, lol GRIND THEM BACK WITH A CHEAP BENCH GRINDER

Maybe it's just my engineering side coming out, but after building a LOT of different projects, and working in that kind of industry, AWESOME AWESOME MAN I LOVE THAT KIND OF STUFF! planning for every failure gives you every chance of success. BE PESIMISTIK

It's good to see you already have plans protecting the frame, though for steel I would avoid powder coating, HAVE POWDER COATED STEEL BEFORE WITH NO PROBLEM as this can trap moisture and promote corrosion. Galvanised + Paint is better and cheaper in this circumstance. THANKS THAT IS PROB WHAT I WILL DO GALVAIZED AND THEN HAND PAINT FRAME AS NEET AS I CAN ALSO I MEANS I CAN DO SEVERAL COLOURS

So you don't think I am all negativity NAH I SEE YOU POSITIVE AND ENGOURAGING SIDE NOW

http://home.tallships.ca/mspencer/winmiter.html
You may find that useful, it creates paper templates for you to cut around for fish-mouthing tubes to but up against each other THANKS VERY USEFUL BUT I THINK THIS WILL PROB BE ALL SQUARE TUBE FOR SIMPLICITY

I wish you the best of luck with it, and look forward to seeing progress, just heed my advice, question every step of the way "what can go wrong? Am I using the best method I can?" And it will be a success, make no assumptions, and go at every stage with cold hard logic.THANKS

Cheers Ed