Reliable service! Prompt and efficient!Helicar Blog
Helicar Day 1 - Man in a kids world
Helicar Day 2 - 8 Blades top it
Helicar Day 3 - On 2 wheels
Helicar Day 4 - A dove to far
Helicar Day 5 - Sitting on 3 wheels
Helicar Day 6 - The cut of the car
Helicar Day 7 - The colouring in
Helicar Day 8 - The result
Helicar Day 9 - Into school
On two wheels - 4th December 2010
To enlarge photo's click on one!
Its been a few days since we was last able to work on the helicar. Being a weekend I made some time and dragged the boy to the workshop kicking and screaming. Ok he walked with excitement, at least he listened to the "no running rule"!
On the agenda today is the rear wheel assembly. My idea isn't quite how I draw it on computer but similar, wastes less timber and weighs less.
I get some 2x11/4 stock and trims down to two lengths, pile them on top of each other and ask the lad how do we get a hole throw the centre of this length after its glued. He replied with a very long drill bit. Not having a drill bit that long for wood, I explain what this piece is and how we shall use the table saw to mill a channel out of both pieces, to make the hole we need before gluing. It maybe a square hole but it provides the support in the centre the axle will need. At this point I take the time to show the lad a set of router cutters that included one I could of used to get the hole round, if I could be bothered to set the router table up.
The boy informs me that I could be a person that sold tools, as I know so much and thinks some else told me all I know.
Instead of gluing this centre mount we use screws. Being a bit mean I let the lap drive the screws home using an 18v impact driver. He can barely lift it, let along control its power. Anyhow he muddles through with my help to hold the driver. We taken great care to try and get the screws perfectly flush to the surface and not to far down.
I cut a couple of pieces off a joist that I had laying about to complete the bracket that holds the axle. Hoping the boy remembers what i taught him about speeding up repetitive work, I ask him what is the quickest way, to drill holes in these two pieces. Using a drill bit he replies, so do I drill each one seperate I ask, to which he replies, you could tape the two pieces together. Well done but this time, instead of using tape we shall just clamp the two pieces together in the bench vice.
Not much left to do. Screw the centre mount to the outer brackets, nuts and washers, oak wheel bushes, wheel and more washers and nuts, again I let the lad assemble this. The lad wanted to show his mother and struggled to carry it into the house and just made it there.
