PyroBike!

[eSCHEn]

Well I finally finished a long running project this week. I was asked by a friend if I could assist him in making a bicycle powered pyrography machine. The idea being that it's taken to shows and people pedal it while someone else writes their name in some wood. Don’t ask I just make the things

I didn’t really take many photos during construction but here’s some of the finished item.



A closeup of the charging system and tensioner.



Front panel showing resting voltage – I need to charge it up! Note the redesigned light from an indoor water feature thingy - turns out the original SES 1W bulb was barely visible in ideal conditions so the new bulb is 5W and much better!

 

[eSCHEn]

Some front panel shots and one of the load produced.


Here’s the repurposed soldering iron to hold the nichrome wire. It’s about 2” long and 28 AWG. Takes about 1.2A to run it nicely.


Ooops. 2.5A is too much!


All for this end result


Finally some of the “welds” I did. Bear in mind I’m doing this as a favour for a mate and getting nowt but parts and consumables In other words BE KIND :*


Snoochies!

 

[the snooper]

if by any chance the public will pedal that bike I would get a guard on the alternator if someone happened to reach behind themselves they could find their finger pulled through the pulley, ouch

 

[eSCHEn]

if by any chance the public will pedal that bike I would get a guard on the alternator if someone happened to reach behind themselves they could find their finger pulled through the pulley, ouch

Really? I just spent the best part of an hour loading in pictures to my crap laptop, resizing them then uploading them on my even crapper connection, then writing a (admittedly not very good) witty script and that's the best you can do. A safety message.

Cheers.

The titivation of the thing to make it public-friendly is down to its new owner, my mate. I was just tasked with putting a system together that could burn wood from pedal power only.

 

[the snooper]

Really? I just spent the best part of an hour loading in pictures to my crap laptop, resizing them then uploading them on my even crapper connection, then writing a (admittedly not very good) witty script and that's the best you can do. A safety message.

Cheers.

The titivation of the thing to make it public-friendly is down to its new owner, my mate. I was just tasked with putting a system together that could burn wood from pedal power only.

what an excellent invention you have there, best thing since sliced bread, a great addition to any household wishing to burn designs on their furniture and keep their children fit in the process
however you wouldn't get me pedalling that thing, id just plug the iron into the mains

 

[Parm]

A completely strange contraption but I bet you had fun designing and building this, exactly the sort of heat Robinson device I would come up with, but mine would have guards

 

[rtbcomp]

Really? I just spent the best part of an hour loading in pictures to my crap laptop, resizing them then uploading them on my even crapper connection, then writing a (admittedly not very good) witty script and that's the best you can do. A safety message.

Cheers.

The titivation of the thing to make it public-friendly is down to its new owner, my mate. I was just tasked with putting a system together that could burn wood from pedal power only.

A bit of a harsh reaction to constructive criticism.

 

[eSCHEn]

A bit of a harsh reaction to constructive criticism.

I wouldn't call that sort of criticism constructive rtbcomp.

 

[rtbcomp]

^^ Snooper suggested fitting a guard to prevent injury - that's constructive in my book.

 

[eSCHEn]

As did Parm. I would call his constructive. I would call the other just criticism.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

I love that sort of thing.
At the Green Scythe Fair local to me they have a smoothie stand where you put your fresh fruit, milk etc into a blender attached to a push bike.
They also have a large scaletrix track with the cars powered from dynamos on a pair of bicycles. Its a good laugh, after a few beers, peddling like mad to power your car round the track racing against a mate. You need to brake for the corners otherwise your car will skid off!

 

[the snooper]

As did Parm. I would call his constructive. I would call the other just criticism.

Then you have just spat your dummy because I didn't say straight off what a great job you did, if you want to be Exact I didn't criticise at all I suggested a safety feature there is a diffrtence

 

[eSCHEn]

I love that sort of thing.
At the Green Scythe Fair local to me they have a smoothie stand where you put your fresh fruit, milk etc into a blender attached to a push bike.
They also have a large scaletrix track with the cars powered from dynamos on a pair of bicycles. Its a good laugh, after a few beers, peddling like mad to power your car round the track racing against a mate. You need to brake for the corners otherwise your car will skid off!

Thanks mate, I really enjoyed making this one Totally different to what I'd normally do and a few head scratchers along the way (I'm looking at you alternator wiring!)

The chap who this is going to (a friend of a mate) has a pedal powered grain milling machine. You grind your own flour and then cook your own pancake, yum!

The scaletrix idea is amazing! I will definitely not be mentioning that or else I'll have to make it lol

 

[eSCHEn]

Then you have just spat your dummy because I didn't say straight off what a great job you did, if you want to be Exact I didn't criticise at all I suggested a safety feature there is a diffrtence

Actually no Snooper I didn't. I don't take exception to the fact you pointed out a lack of guard as I wasn't ever responsible for that but hadn't made that point in my first posts. I object to the way you put it. Others at least used an open criticism sandwich.

Whether you like it or not means naught to me and I certainly don't need your praise

 

[the snooper]

W

Actually no Snooper I didn't. I don't take exception to the fact you pointed out a lack of guard as I wasn't ever responsible for that but hadn't made that point in my first posts. I object to the way you put it. Others at least used an open criticism sandwich.

Whether you like it or not means naught to me and I certainly don't need your praise

we will have to agree to disagree all I did was point out a danger as it jumped straight out at me when i saw the picture, and whether you are responsible for that part or not would you be happy to hear a child got their fingers caught or broken, I doubt it

 

[eSCHEn]

all I did was point out a danger as it jumped straight out at me when i saw the picture, and whether you are responsible for that part or not would you be happy to hear a child got their fingers caught or broken, I doubt it

Okay, the old "think of the children" argument. Personally I don't have any problems if someone, a child or otherwise, stuck their appendages in the mechanism. That's their choice / stupidity or their parents' lack of attention. Life is full of risks and not everything needs coating in cotton wool.

we will have to agree to disagree

Agreed

 

[pedrobedro]

When I'm out on my pushbike I constantly have to shout at children not to poke their fingers in the spokes, sometimes it all seems just too much trouble but then I think what if one of them was destined to grow up to be another Sergei Rachmaninoff and I was the reason the world missed out on such a talent but then I think of Russ Conway and Bobby Crush and think sod it I'll save my breath for pedalling

 

[eSCHEn]

 

[66-V8]

Well I like it, in fact I'd attach sweets to the rim and spokes and set up a camera, just in case.

 

[eSCHEn]

Well I like it, in fact I'd attach sweets to the rim and spokes and set up a camera, just in case.

And I like your sense of humour mate x