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AeroCrafsman

Joined
Jul 18, 2011
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Flabob Airfield, Riverside CA
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So after reading through the build threads, I got the itch real bad to build a board track style bike. One of my hangar neighbors had this old Schwinn cruiser that he used for cruising around the airport. I told him I needed it for a higher cause, so he donated it to the project. This is the result of less than a weeks part time work. Kinda fun to have a project that doesn't take months and months.
It's working pretty good now, so I'll get it pulled apart for some detail work and paint.


From this:
bike1.jpg


To this:
bike2.jpg


Had to use a little bit of aircraft hardware somewhere:
bike3.jpg


I used 6061 .060 to fabricate the tank.
bike4.jpg


The filler neck was the coolest part of the whole build. Recogize it? It's the back end of a maglite.
bike5.jpg


I had another old D cell flashlight laying around. The battery case was a perfect place to hide the coil and all the wiring. The kill switch is on the other side.
bike6.jpg


All for now, more after clean up and paint.
Mark
 
I knew when i seen your name this was gonna be a good one. Very cool and i like those unique touches youve put on it. :shock:
 
Very cool.

The best change you can make is putting the chain tensioner on the pedal chain. Tension the engine chain with the wheel. It works a lot better.
 
Beau said:
Very cool.

The best change you can make is putting the chain tensioner on the pedal chain. Tension the engine chain with the wheel. It works a lot better.
Click to expand...

That sounds like a good idea. The chain tension on the pedals isn't nearly as critical as the engine. The thing I liked about the turnbuckle was that I could adjust it without needing tools, but the idler wheel is working a lot harder than it ever would be on the pedal side.
 
To play Devil's advocate, I think it is great the way it is. The pedal chain gets low use and will very seldom is ever go out of adjustment. The engine chain is the side that is going to need constant re-tensioning and lubing. The addition of a turnbuckle is great because you can now adjust it without any tools, so it is easier to live with and you will probably check it more often. Good job.
 
What I'd like to find, is a small sprocket with a bearing to use as the tensioning idler. The skateboard wheel is a lot better that the bushed pulley that came with the engine, but it's still a little clunky looking. I also need to work on the clearances between the chains and the tire. Right now theres enough room to slip a playing card in between, but just barely. I'm thinking about trying to run the chains through some tubing. That's how the Wright Brothers did it on the Wright Flyer. It's the little details that make it fun.
 
Cobra- That's a fair idea. I like it. Never thought about it that way I guess. The spring tensioner would help to take out the runout that rear sprocket has too. :D
 
AeroCrafsman said:
What I'd like to find, is a small sprocket with a bearing to use as the tensioning idler. The skateboard wheel is a lot better that the bushed pulley that came with the engine, but it's still a little clunky looking. I also need to work on the clearances between the chains and the tire. Right now theres enough room to slip a playing card in between, but just barely. I'm thinking about trying to run the chains through some tubing. That's how the Wright Brothers did it on the Wright Flyer. It's the little details that make it fun.
Click to expand...
there are a bunch of companies that make small-sprocket tensioners for s/s conversions. Check your local shop.
 
I was using a skateboard wheel until I needed something that lasts longer. The skateboard wheel material is too soft. I went to a motorcycle accessory shop and got an idler wheel for a dirt bike. They have two kinds. One like the skateboard wheel you are using but with no groove in it, and the kind I am using, one with a reverse groove in it. Rather than a groove cut in the middle of the wheel for the chain to stay in, it has a raised center that the chain rides upon and it tracks really well. The bearings in it are super duty, so they will last a very long time. The material it's made of is like a really hard urethane but softer than the stock chain idler wheel that comes with the china girl engine kit. I recommend it highly.
 
Got any pics Cobra?

They also sell a sprocket on a bearing with a spring, much like a deraillier works, but a lot nicer looking They are made for choppers ands bobbers and such Ive seen them in a magazine. Im sure a lot of people make em but heres 2: "www.bareknucklechoppers" and "www.Monstercraftsman.com"
It says in the ad they start from $65 shipped. Hope that helps
 
thats a cool bike. looks old. ill keep an eye out next time im over there (its been afew months)
 
I haven't posted here in a while but I would like to address the issue of the chain tensioner. I agree that it would be better to use the dropouts to tension the chain for the motor side, then use a tensioner for the pedal chain. I have two mopeds and have seen hundreds of others and this is how all of them are set up that have a separate pedal chain. I believe that it probably has something to do with the amount of force being put on the engine chain. Also from my experience you don't need to adjust the engine chain very often. It shouldn't be super tight either. Lastly if you end up riding this bike a lot and the chain goes slack, this means it has stretched and you NEED A NEW ONE! You want to replace a stretched out chain before it destroys the teeth on your cheap Chinese cogs and you have to replace them instead.


Aside from that nice bike!
 
There's a lot more force on the engine chain than I could ever apply to the pedal side. Any kind of tensioner for the engine side is something that has to be cobbled together, but keeping the tension on the pedal side is easy and the parts are available right off the shelf. I've been riding the heck out of the bike and it's working fine, but I'm going to look into rearranging the tenioners before I tear it down for paint. I appreciate the suggestions.
Mark
 
Been quite a while since I've worked on the bike, but last week I decided it was time to take it apart and start getting it finished. Got it apart, primed, painted and mocked up before final assembly.
Gotta let the paint cure a little bit more before lettering and striping, but it sure looks better. I wonder why I waited so long.......
Reelie.jpg
 

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