gary350
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2008
- Location
- Murfreesboro, TN. USA
What do you use your shop for besides work? Got any hobbies? What do you do for fun?
Now that I am retired, for the past 2 years I have been building a lot of different types of recumbent bikes in my shop. I make a lot of parts on the Bridgepoet Mill and Churchill Lathe without this equipment I could not build these bikes. The back wheel mounting brackets take the most time to cut out on the mill, about 2 hours work. Wish I had a lazer it could cut this part is about 20 seconds. I have built welding fixtures for all these bikes so I can build more if I want. The best part is riding the bikes expecially in nice weather. I still need a tubing roller I may order one from Harbor Freight. My favorite bike is the Lowracer it is the most fun to ride and it is very aerodynamic so that makes it very fast. I can cruise along at 24 mph fairly easy. If I pedal hard I can get it up to 27 mph. Not bad for someone my age.
This is the Low Racer that I built. I put about 1200 miles on this bike during the summer. This bike weighs 27 lbs. I took the picture without the seat pad.
This is my Tour Easy bike it is a very confertable ride. I did a 300 mile bike ride through the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia last summer. I camped in a tent every night it was a lot of fun. This is not a fast ride I cruise along at about 12 to 14 mph most of the time. If I pedal hard I can do 18 to 20 mph. I put about 1500 miles on this bike during the summer. This bike is a little on the heavy side 37 lbs. I have a bike trailer for this bike I can haul 125 lbs of stuff, tent, sleeping bag, food, water, etc.
This is my P-38 bike it is very manoverable like a sports car. Lots of fun to ride and it is reasonable fast. I can cruise along at 16 to 18 mph. If I pedal hard I can do 22 mph. This bike weighs 21 lbs.
I sure wish I could find a faster way to make these metal parts and a faster way to cut these angles in the tubing using my mill. First bike is always the slowest to build I have to figure out all the angles, lengths, then do a test ride and work out the bugs. I have 18 different bikes I won't list them all.
I also build and fly Control Line Model Airplanes. I have to build the motor mounts, landing gears, bell crank, and several other metal parts in my shop. I have several airplane the Twister is my favoriate.
Here is a jet engine that I built.
Ok.......one more. Here is 1 of many hot air engines that I have built. Check out my 4 video on You Tube. I also have steam engines. A 6 cylinder model radial engine and several more model engines.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57GFrxz_mnw
Here is what may be the worlds faster go cart with a 4 cylinder 65 HP mercury outboard engine power head. The go cart will do 87 mph the way I have it geared. It will do 87 mph in 3 seconds. Lots of machine work here, it took me a month to build this.
Here is a pic of my largest Tesla Coil it makes 12 foot long sparks. It is fun to play around with. I have several Tesla coils each one is a different size. Smallest is a desk top model. I wind all my coils in the lathe.
OK guys what do you use your mill, lathe, welder, and other shop equipment for FUN and Hobby?
Now that I am retired, for the past 2 years I have been building a lot of different types of recumbent bikes in my shop. I make a lot of parts on the Bridgepoet Mill and Churchill Lathe without this equipment I could not build these bikes. The back wheel mounting brackets take the most time to cut out on the mill, about 2 hours work. Wish I had a lazer it could cut this part is about 20 seconds. I have built welding fixtures for all these bikes so I can build more if I want. The best part is riding the bikes expecially in nice weather. I still need a tubing roller I may order one from Harbor Freight. My favorite bike is the Lowracer it is the most fun to ride and it is very aerodynamic so that makes it very fast. I can cruise along at 24 mph fairly easy. If I pedal hard I can get it up to 27 mph. Not bad for someone my age.
This is the Low Racer that I built. I put about 1200 miles on this bike during the summer. This bike weighs 27 lbs. I took the picture without the seat pad.
This is my Tour Easy bike it is a very confertable ride. I did a 300 mile bike ride through the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia last summer. I camped in a tent every night it was a lot of fun. This is not a fast ride I cruise along at about 12 to 14 mph most of the time. If I pedal hard I can do 18 to 20 mph. I put about 1500 miles on this bike during the summer. This bike is a little on the heavy side 37 lbs. I have a bike trailer for this bike I can haul 125 lbs of stuff, tent, sleeping bag, food, water, etc.
This is my P-38 bike it is very manoverable like a sports car. Lots of fun to ride and it is reasonable fast. I can cruise along at 16 to 18 mph. If I pedal hard I can do 22 mph. This bike weighs 21 lbs.
I sure wish I could find a faster way to make these metal parts and a faster way to cut these angles in the tubing using my mill. First bike is always the slowest to build I have to figure out all the angles, lengths, then do a test ride and work out the bugs. I have 18 different bikes I won't list them all.
I also build and fly Control Line Model Airplanes. I have to build the motor mounts, landing gears, bell crank, and several other metal parts in my shop. I have several airplane the Twister is my favoriate.
Here is a jet engine that I built.
Ok.......one more. Here is 1 of many hot air engines that I have built. Check out my 4 video on You Tube. I also have steam engines. A 6 cylinder model radial engine and several more model engines.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57GFrxz_mnw
Here is what may be the worlds faster go cart with a 4 cylinder 65 HP mercury outboard engine power head. The go cart will do 87 mph the way I have it geared. It will do 87 mph in 3 seconds. Lots of machine work here, it took me a month to build this.
Here is a pic of my largest Tesla Coil it makes 12 foot long sparks. It is fun to play around with. I have several Tesla coils each one is a different size. Smallest is a desk top model. I wind all my coils in the lathe.
OK guys what do you use your mill, lathe, welder, and other shop equipment for FUN and Hobby?