Monday, March 28, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
I totally cheated!
Yup, you heard me, I cheated!
I am a firm believer that a successful craftsman needs to be able to utilize the tools at hand.
To create my wheeled designs I have been utilizing simple machining and fabrication processes and never any CNC machining. Well that has all changed now!
I have a background in computer design and my day time design job relies heavily on hand sketching and computer drawing in both 2D and 3D. My moonlighting design jobs typically utilize lots of 3D modeling and rapid prototyping processes to help realize the functionality of a design.
Because I seem to spend way too much time in front of a computer I have always welcomed the challenge and physicality of creating pieces with my two hands. I never seem to realize a design that I can not make with my hands. Most times this is just fine but lately I am visualizing more and more details that I find nearly impossible to do freehand.
Being a believer in a craftsman needing to master his tools I see a computer to be no different than a pencil and that there is a time and place for everything. With my current build, the Ducati, I happened upon the perfect element to utilize CNC machining.
A dry clutch Ducati requires a cush-drive and the rear hub I am using had none so what did I do, I designed one. Working around available polyurethane cush-drive bushings I created a 3D AutoCAD drawing that not only hid the cush-drive bushings but spaced the sprocket for perfect chain alignment.
I do know I could have machined this part on the rotary table by hand but I wanted a more flowing and sculptural part that closely matched the original Ducati part. Careful measuring, drawing, and incredibly accurate machining created a perfect part.
Casey, thank you for giving me the opportunity to see this piece come to life. It all went together flawlessly! I couldn't be happier!!!!
I am a firm believer that a successful craftsman needs to be able to utilize the tools at hand.
To create my wheeled designs I have been utilizing simple machining and fabrication processes and never any CNC machining. Well that has all changed now!
I have a background in computer design and my day time design job relies heavily on hand sketching and computer drawing in both 2D and 3D. My moonlighting design jobs typically utilize lots of 3D modeling and rapid prototyping processes to help realize the functionality of a design.
Because I seem to spend way too much time in front of a computer I have always welcomed the challenge and physicality of creating pieces with my two hands. I never seem to realize a design that I can not make with my hands. Most times this is just fine but lately I am visualizing more and more details that I find nearly impossible to do freehand.
Being a believer in a craftsman needing to master his tools I see a computer to be no different than a pencil and that there is a time and place for everything. With my current build, the Ducati, I happened upon the perfect element to utilize CNC machining.
A dry clutch Ducati requires a cush-drive and the rear hub I am using had none so what did I do, I designed one. Working around available polyurethane cush-drive bushings I created a 3D AutoCAD drawing that not only hid the cush-drive bushings but spaced the sprocket for perfect chain alignment.
I do know I could have machined this part on the rotary table by hand but I wanted a more flowing and sculptural part that closely matched the original Ducati part. Careful measuring, drawing, and incredibly accurate machining created a perfect part.
Casey, thank you for giving me the opportunity to see this piece come to life. It all went together flawlessly! I couldn't be happier!!!!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Knobbed for my pleasure!
Soon things are going to get pretty exciting with the Ducati build.
Buchanan's has working on my wheels which should be heading back up this way some time in the coming week. My hub and rim combo really threw them for a loop but after some head scratching and a few phone calls they were able to couple them together to create a pretty unique pair of wheels.
I have never built a bike with the type of tires I chose this time around. I chuckle when I think about it because these wheels and tires are pretty much the opposite end of the spectrum from what I did on the Beezerker.
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