Uni project day

[showard]

I devoted most of today to unicycle projects that I've been working on for what seems like forever. The first project today was a nice MUni ride! I'm very lucky to have a great trail within about 4 blocks of my shop so that's where I rode.

I've been on the "South Beach Diet" and have lost about 15 pounds in that last couple months ... makes a noticable difference not packing around that extra lard. The attached photo is me on my way down the trail about to cross a creek that the single track follows all the way. Beautiful trail!

After my ride I set to work: I've been making some extra wide hubs. I have all the parts done and was going to weld everything together but I didn't like the looks of the flanges I made. The spoke holes were too close to the edge of the flange so I decided to make another set of flanges. The hard part of making flanges is drilling all those little spoke holes in the stainless steel flanges. I stack the flanges up and drill them all together but it takes a *long* time. Fortunately, it's done on a CNC mill so once everything is set up and running the machine will take care of it's self. While the flanges were being drilled I worked on other things.

I've been building another MUni. All that needed to be done was to convert a right handed 170mm Shimano crank to left hand. That process went pretty smooth so I went ahead and started converting another set of 170mm Shimano cranks to 138.5mm. Yes ... they are 138.5mm ... 135mm is too short and 140mm is too long! Here's a link to some photos of the crank project:

http://www.unicyclist.com/gallery/albut00

With the Shimano crank converted and the hub flanges still drilling I assembled the new MUni. I must say that it's kind of pretty. The brand new Gazz and new red KH saddle help the looks out a bunch. Here's a link to a couple pictures of it along side my dirty, old (but also kind of pretty) MUni:

http://www.unicyclist.com/gallery/albus99

As you might know, I recently bought Jagur's Summit 20" trials uni. I've never owned a 20" and thought it would be a good to have but more than that I wanted to check out it's splined axle and cranks. The "protrusions" on the cranks barked my ankles right away so today, after the other projects and while the flanges were *still* being drilled I took on the Summit cranks.

It was really pretty easy to get rid of the protrusion. I machine so much stainless steel that I've forgotten how easy carbon steel (even 4140 alloy) is to machine. Those protrusions came off like butter! Here's a link to some photo's of that process:

http://www.unicyclist.com/gallery/albut01

All in all a very productive day and the flanges *did* finally get drilled. Tomorrow I'll weld them together and perhaps have yet another photo gallery of the wide hubs to add to the collection.

Steve Howard

[john_childs]

Your galleries are great. I like seeing chips fly and coolant squirt.

The "Summit crank protrusion removal" gallery shows very clearly what is involved in removing the ankle biter from the cranks. It's more involved than simply griding or machining that protrusion off.

Was there any issue with the weld on the cranks being in the way of the protrusion removal? If the piece that protrudes is welded there I don't think you want to be machining off the weld along with the protrusion.

[gingerfreek]

That is some slick engineering! i love your frames, they're amazing. how much do they weigh?

iain

[Krashin'Kenny]

Showard, I want one. Check your pm's

[mike.hinson]

Steve,
Thanks for giving us all the details & excellent pictures.
The crank protrusion reduction seems like a modification that should be taken up by the manufactures of that crank set.
/\/\

[jagur]

nice work.the taming of the cranks was cool,the thought of useing a giant drill bit never occured to me...everyone says "grinder" but you choose a drill bit,ingenious!

now if you can just use a rubber band and a tyre lever like U-Turn can you will truely be the king
___________________________________

awhhh 138.5 cranx,yes,yes indeed...

[john_childs]

Originally posted by jagur
nice work.the taming of the cranks was cool,the thought of useing a giant drill bit never occured to me...everyone says "grinder" but you choose a drill bit,ingenious!

It's not a drill bit. It's an end mill on a milling machine.

End mill pics

Milling machining info

[jagur]

oh silly me...i thought it was some sort of drill press thingy.

[m_extreme_uni]

I 100% agree on the crank size thing. 145s are too long (hit the ground when glding) and 130 is basically 127 (too short) 135 isn't a big enough difference, and 140 is just barely too long. somewhere with 137-139 would be ideal. i'm talking of course in retrospect to street unicycling.

good work.

-Ryan

[ajp529]

Hey Steve,
Man I love your frames! I live in washington so I was just wondering if you wanted to ride sometime? Where in Idaho do you live? Im in Spokane.

Alex

[Beener]

Great job on the cranks. I think your frames rock as well, but i'm too far away to ride with, sorry, Beener