88 Blazer Trike

[Fowler]

I think Im going to just go buy a new welder. I have gotten my moneys worth out of the old one.
Thinking about the Lincoln Electric 120 or 230-Volt 180-Amp
Multi-process Wire Feed Welderhttps://www.lowes.com/pd/Lincoln-Electric-120-or-230-Volt-180-Amp-Multi-process-Wire-Feed-Welder/5013872807

 

[Fowler]

I just got back for buying that welder.
I will set it up tomorrow.
My old welder has the door on the right side. This new welder has it on the left side. So I have to reconfigure my cart.

 

[Fowler]

New welder welds great!

Did not try the stick or TIG though
I dont like that the power switch is in the back though.
Also it did not come with the TIG gun
Hopefully I will be back working on the Trike tomorrow

 

[Fowler]

I have been using the welder all morning and its great!
welds nice and smooth, even through the areas I cant get completely cleaned off.
Got to stop for the day though. I'm in a lot of pain and I have to get off my feet for a while.
VA give me drugs for the pain, some don't work well the others drug me out to much.
I have to box tonight with my son so I'm taking it easy until then

 

[Fowler]

I finished all the welding on this side (at least I think I have)
today is cleanup and primer
then flip to the other side

My welder is still working great. I do have another thing I dislike about it though
The ground clamp does not open very wide.
I think I will change it out

 

[Fowler]

I was almost fished with the cleanup. I was removing some welding splatter from the brake booster bracket and the grinder decided to take a bite out of my hand.
7 stitches

 

[Jack Klarich]

Ouch, that is pretty bad

 

[Fowler]

its weird though. It did not hurt and it still does not

 

[Zammy]

Damn Bob, that looks pretty rough.

 

[Fowler]

I get my stitches out on the 2nd

I finally got this side of the frame cleaned up and primer
will wait a few days before I spin it back to the other side again

 

[Fowler]

The Doc did not take my stitches out on the 2nd. She took 1 out and the cut started separating. SO I have to go back next Wednesday.

I got the frame spun around to the other side. I defiantly should have connected the 2 ends of the rotisserie because it shifts to much when spinning the frame. In fact the entire thing shifted so much I had problems closing the door.

I marked up all the areas I need to look at again and I started on the cover plate, like the one I put on the other side over where I removed the leaf spring brackets.

 

[Fowler]

Didn't get any work done on the frame today but below is what I have done recently

Cover plate


Transmission bracket. I had to readjust it for it would fit in the frame without moving the point where the transmission bolts are


BTW the yellow marks are pints I need to lookat for 1 reason or another

 

[Fowler]

Its back right side up and I have finished to welding I planned to do now.
I forgot to fab up 2 things before I disassembled it and put it on the rotisserie
It still needs some type of step for the Ol'Lady can get onto the back seat and I wanted to make a guard to protect the brake linkage that is hanging lower than the frame. I sure I can still make them after I reassemble everything.
I plan to coat the frame with truck bed liner like I did my VW trike. The bed liner is easy to maintain, My VW trike has been coated for 15 years now.

The next step for my with this trike is the front forks. They are already built I just want to dress them up some

 

[Fowler]

In the above message I mentioned I put bed liner on my VW trike about 15 years ago.
In the last message, look at the last pic, you can see the black spot under the frame. Bed liner is still stuck there.

 

[Fowler]

Just ordered some sanding disk, so should be able to start on it by this weekend.
It is heavier than I remember. It took both my son and me to put it up on the table.

 

[Fowler]

I actually had to do some repairs and still need to dress it up more.

 

[Fowler]

Today I am going to work on capping off any open holes, just for water does not get up inside.
I am also taking a ride on my other Trike with the Ol'Lady to the local middle school. I have been 3D printing stuff for the Art class.

Making 60 of these. They are called Funkos. Never heard of them before but the art teacher says the kids like these. She wants plain ones for the kids can decorate them. I'm actually printing more now without the beard.


Im also giving her some extra 3D prints I have

 

[Fowler]

I decided to attach a "wrap around" on top (not really sure what to call it) it welded on fine but the next morning my forks where warped
I assume it was from the heat and cool down.
I strapped the forks down to the flattest location I have and heated up the top end. I'm going to leave it strapped down until tomorrow
I'm hopping it straightens up.
So no more working on the Trike today. Going to make Beef Jerky instead

 

[Fowler]

I unstrapped it and it looks fine. I finished the rest of the welding and now just need to clean it up and primer it
I strapped it back up again just in-case.

 

[Fowler]

Its ready to remount on the frame tomorrow. I know it will need to come off again but I need it there for some of the other stuff first.
Not sure what and when I will tackle next. The Ol'Lady wants me to make things for people for Christmas and just told me about it.

 

[Fowler]

I had to remake the top plate. Actually I still making it. Had a hard time with the 1 inch hole but I finally got it and it turned out good.
Replaced all the bolts with grade 8 bolts, did not do the nuts yet because I will need to take it apart when I put the coating on.

 

[LarryA]

Looking good...was wondering how to get the engine in place? Then realized you can just lower the frame over the engine..Cool!

 

[Fowler]

Looking good...was wondering how to get the engine in place? Then realized you can just lower the frame over the engine..Cool!

Yep

today I worked on the top plate. I fabricated a bearing dust shield and the wrap around.
Just tacked welded in place for now with the piece of wood to hold it from shrinking in while it cools.
Will finish it up next time I get to work on it (most likely Wednesday)

 

[Fowler]

Had it all bolted together and realized I forgot 2 bearing spacers, had to pull it off and put it back together again
Also found that both legs were hitting the side welds on the top plate, ground down the welds and it fits fine now
The front end is HEAVY but the neck bolt is a 1 inch grade 8 bolt. It should be able to handle it.

 

[Fowler]

I was thinking of starting to go through the steering linkage next but I am stuck making Xmas presents.
Here is one im making for her bother

 

[Fowler]

And this Gnome for someone else
Its still printing
almost 16 inches (400mm) when done. You cant see from the pic but it is color changing. I think this one is green, blue and red. You look at it from different angles and you see different colors

 

[Fowler]

I think the steering linkage will be the next project on the trike. It is fine the way it is now but I was thinking it would look real cool if I made them out of chain like I did the handle bars.
I have 3 different sizes of conveyor belt chain, the smallest is about the size of a large motorcycle chain. I have a lot of it BUT it is rusted solid. It would take a lot of time, work to get it clean and then I'm not sure I could get all the rust off.
SO I was thinking of just buying some large motorcycle chain.
I believe 630 is the largest But not sure how much I need.
Looking at this.

 

[Fowler]

Here is a Pic of the linkage and the handle bars I made
The chain I made the bars from is to big.

 

[Fowler]

I went out in the cold and cut a section of chain.
Its not as bound up as I thought. I sprayed it with WD40 and hung it up.


Its not a big as I thought but I think it will be fine. The links are 1 inch

I have some extra turnbuckles so I will make up 1 and see how it turns out

The guy in the background is a gnome I am working on for someone

 

[Fowler]

Soaked it in muratic acid (don't know how to spell it)
Then used 2 cans of Break-free to lube up and wash off the acid
Came out cleaner than I would ever got it with a wire brush but I got break-free everywhere