if i see anything else come out of your shop,im moving to Idaho:-)

jagur · September 17, 2002, 10:34pm

its enough to make any Uni-rider sick.Showard has been at it again!

http://www.unicyclist.com/gallery/albun21?&page=1

showard · September 17, 2002, 10:51pm

Wow Jagur! You saw my “photo essay” before I was even done setting it up!

Here’s what I’ve been up to: I bought a Profile (says GT on the cranks) BMX bottom bracket and 170mm cranks for $88.00 on ebay. I then set out building a hub/axle by copying the Profile stuff. I’m using the cranks, bearings and spacers on my MUni.

Just got it all put together tonight and have just ridden around the yard a bit. Seems good - thought folks might like to see some photos.

Steve Howard

harper · September 17, 2002, 11:09pm

Wait until you see the custom 29er frame that he made for the new uni.5. I should get the wheel and have it together in a couple of days. Everything the guy makes is art. I don’t think he’s making food processing equipment anymore.

john_childs · September 17, 2002, 11:28pm

Wow! That’s nice. With welded flanges you might be able to avoid some of the creaking that happens to the Profile hub. I think some of the Profile creaking actually comes from the press fit in the aluminum hub with the keyway holding it together.

I’ve been wondering how Profile machines their splines. Do they machine the splines like you did or do they roll the splines on (knurled). With the small splines I think it would be possible to roll them on which would be cheaper and easier than machining them.

system · September 18, 2002, 7:23am

Re: if i see anything else come out of your shop,im moving to Idaho:-)

ya, me too,we’ll be waiting till the cows come home for norcos new unis,
“john_childs” <john_childs.b5xon@timelimit.unicyclist.com> wrote in message
news:john_childs.b5xon@timelimit.unicyclist.com…
>
> Wow! That’s nice. With welded flanges you might be able to avoid some
> of the creaking that happens to the Profile hub. I think some of the
> Profile creaking actually comes from the press fit in the aluminum hub
> with the keyway holding it together.
>
> I’ve been wondering how Profile machines their splines. Do they machine
> the splines like you did or do they roll the splines on (knurled). With
> the small splines I think it would be possible to roll them on which
> would be cheaper and easier than machining them.
>
>
> –
> john_childs
>
> john_childs (at) hotmail (dot) com
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> john_childs’s Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/449
> View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/20500
>

system · September 18, 2002, 12:38pm

Re: if i see anything else come out of your shop,im moving to Idaho:-)

Hell yes we like seeing the photos - great stuff!! How does it ride?

—Nathan

“showard” <showard.b5w2d@timelimit.unicyclist.com> wrote in message
news:showard.b5w2d@timelimit.unicyclist.com…
>
> Wow Jagur! You saw my “photo essay” before I was even done setting it
> up!
>
> Here’s what I’ve been up to: I bought a Profile (says GT on the cranks)
> BMX bottom bracket and 170mm cranks for $88.00 on ebay. I then set out
> building a hub/axle by copying the Profile stuff. I’m using the cranks,
> bearings and spacers on my MUni.
>
> Just got it all put together tonight and have just ridden around the
> yard a bit. Seems good - thought folks might like to see some photos.
>
> Steve Howard

showard · September 18, 2002, 8:51pm

I’m sure Profile machines the splines like I did. Where the splines end you can see how the cutter pulled away leaving a radius.

Took it out for a proper trail ride this evening and it’s great … no clunking sounds, creaks or groans (at least not from the MUni). Everything just feels solid as a rock. The trail I usually attempt to ride is really nice. It follows a creek and has many rocky technical spots, steep uphills, twists, turns … in other words it’s perfect for MUni so this evening was a good workout for the new hub.

Steve Howard

billnye · September 18, 2002, 9:19pm

re:if i see anything else come out of your shop,im moving to Idaho:-)

steve, steve, you magnificent bastard. i’m sure i speak for all of the unicycling community in offering a sincere statement of jealousy over all the toys you continue to produce out there in potato country.

i have to wonder, though, how many hours did that process take you, and at what material cost? part of the curiosity is whether it’s worthwhile for someone to take up slack in an off-brand profile-compatible hub market, or if the costs and labor are prohibitive.

there’s also the durability and weight to consider, compared to a stock Poznanter-Profile setup… i, being a metalworking dummy, have no clue, but what do you others who dabble in the dark metallurgical arts think?

[and congratulations, steve, picture 10 is my new desktop wallpaper]

green-eyed, but who says it’s a monster,
John M

[actually my eyes are brown]

UniDak · September 19, 2002, 10:41am

I think Its high time you start selling these things.
As cool as your stuff is, I would really like to take advantage of your artistic metal sculpting abilities, and see you make some completely crazy designs.
I’m thinking the Frank Lloyd Wright of unicycle design. Like concept cars, but concept unis. I know you could make some really cool stuff. Try it.
-David Kaplan

JoeRowing · September 19, 2002, 1:42pm

Lol -

That looks nice.

I’m currently working on a design for a hollow EN20 version of this - Bombproof

harper · September 19, 2002, 3:44pm

What is a hollow EN20 version?

showard · September 19, 2002, 9:44pm

Making these things in batches of 10 or 20 is the only way to do it efficiently. I think I could make one hub in about 1.5 hours that way. It took about 1/2 hour to cut the shaft, drill and tap the ends and polish the diameter. Cutting the splines on the first end took a long time because I “snuck up” on the correct depth of cut - I’d cut the splines, test fit the crank, move the cutter in slightly and cut the splines again. I did this three or four times until the crank fit the splines. The second end took 14 minutes to machine.

The stainless steel shafting I used is pretty expensive compared to 4140 chromoly steel but even so it’s only about $6.00! The flanges are free because they’re made from drop pieces of sheet metal retrieved from behind the shear.

Yes. Durability is a real question at this point. I think the axle is made from really good stuff but it hasn’t been tested. I’ve made four hubs from the same material but with the standard square taper. So far they’ve held up fine … time will tell though.

Steve Howard

billnye · September 19, 2002, 10:26pm

if i see anything else come out of your shop,im moving to Idaho:-)

ohhhhhh don’t torment us commoners with these ideas of mass produced profile-compatible goodness ;)

what we really oughta do is somehow tempt you to make another run, and get the hub into the hands of mister Dylan Wallinger, or Nathan Hoover, or the like, to do some .real. testing of the sumbich.

something to give you an idea of “nahhh they’re pretty much not gonna break” or “well, it’s good up until <such and such>”

still groveling at the feet of the machinist master,
John M

oh, by the way someone really needs to take David Kaplan’s implied advice in another thread:

and serve as mister Howard’s patron… like the artists of old, someone to cover his expenses while he’s free to let this God-given talent make itself known to the world

that is all.

system · September 22, 2002, 9:58am

Re: if i see anything else come out of your shop,im moving to Idaho:-)

JoeRowing wrote:
> I’m currently working on a design for a hollow EN20 version of this -
> Bombproof

Ooh, dangerous word to use. There’s an entertaining letter in the current
issue of Cycling Plus complaining about its misuse:

"A lot of claims are made by tyre manufacturers. Phrases like ‘bullet
proof’ and ‘bombproof’ are common.

"Now, I live in Belfast. A lot has changed in the past five years, all for
the better.

"However, I live in North Belfast where things are taking that wee bit
longer. It’s probably the last place in Europe where you can put these
grand claims to the test.

"I commute, taking the bike through most of North Belfast’s ‘flash points’.
I was getting an average of one puncture a fortnight, so I fitted a pair of
Schwalbe Marathon tyres, reviewed in your June issue as ‘BOMBPROOF’.

"Mid July, lots of petrol and blast bomb remnants littered my route to work,
but fear not, I have my ‘bombproof’ tyres. Bombproof my arse! I hit the
shrapnel with confidence. Within 20 metres both tyres and confidence were
shredded and flat.

"Any manufacturer needing a product tester can find me fixing a flat in
North Belfast.

“Still enjoying the magazine.”

Stephen McNally, Belfast

–
Danny Colyer (remove safety to reply) ( http://www.juggler.net/danny )
Recumbent cycle page: http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/recumbents/
“He who dares not offend cannot be honest.” - Thomas Paine

system · September 22, 2002, 10:03am