PING Steve Knight

On Thu, 22 Jun 2006 21:56:25 -0400, [email protected] (J T)
> Something like this would have to be an accessory before I'd be
>interested. http://www.cvc.net/cvcmem/currin/assist/assist.html

that would be fun but not exactly keep you from being a couch potato.

Fri, Jun 23, 2006, 10:53pm (EDT-3) [email protected]
(Steve=A0knight) healthily spaketh:
that would be fun but not exactly keep you from being a couch potato.

I've got bad knees. I could manage on the flats and down hill, but
up hills would kill me anymore, so something would be needed.

My option is steam. One day. In the meantime this thread has
given me some new inspiration, and new search ideas. And, I've come up
with a whole loade of stuff on steam bikes/cycles that I'd never ran
across before, and still getting more.

As an aside, if I were going to make a non-powered bike
(recumbent), I'd make a trike, not a 2-wheeler, with provisions for a
trailer. I'd probably want to streamline it some too. Now that I think
one it, I think I'd just make a big-wheel instead. LOL

If you ever need any new bike ideas let me know. Somewhere I've
got free plans for a peny-farthing, and a motoriced kids trike, stashed
somewhere. Which reminds me, I've also got a picture somewhere of a
3-wheeled bike, with a grindstone - just the thing for making house
calls, to sharpen plane blades.



JOAT
Politician \Pol`i*ti"cian\, n. Latin for career criminal

"J T" <[email protected]> wrote in message

I've got bad knees. I could manage on the flats and down hill, but
up hills would kill me anymore, so something would be needed.

Isn't that what gears are for? Agreed, there's a whole lot more peddling
when you're in low gear, but usually strength isn't a factor. Of course, if
it's the constant bending and straightening of the knees, then you're stuck.

"J T" <[email protected]> wrote

Which reminds me, I've also got a picture somewhere of a
3-wheeled bike, with a grindstone - just the thing for making house
calls, to sharpen plane blades.


I remember a guy who used to pedal around town in my youth who would sharpen
everything on a big pedal operated grindstone. It had to be almost two foot
in diameter. He would pedal to his location and use the grindstone to
sharpen the various tools and implements people brought him. I was too
young to notice just how it worked.

My grandfather had a huge grindstone that was on a wheelbarrow base. He
would lift the two handles and wheel it to where he wanted to sharpen. Then
he would sit down and sharpen the tools. He used to put it on a truck and
drive it to the neighboring farms. He would then sharpen their sickle blades
used to cut hay. Those things where at least fout feet long.

Sat, Jun 24, 2006, 9:43pm leemichaels*nadaspam*@comcast.net
(Lee=A0Michaels) doth sayeth:
I remember a guy <snip>. I was too young to notice just how it worked.
<snip>
My grandfather had a huge grindstone <snip> He would then sharpen their
sickle blades used to cut hay. Those things where at least fout feet
long.

I found a picture of your guy's rig.
http://www.artisanit.com/torredipalme/lavorosuipedali/arrotino.htm

You're getting religion mixed in there. The things Druids used to
gathere their mistletoe were sickles. The things you're talking about
for cutting hay, et al., are sythes - and they're just as easy to use as
they look, for about two swings, then they start developing into work,
serious work.

You must be pretty damn old if your grandfather's clients cut their
hay with sythes. Even when I was a kid the only hay I knew of being cut
was with a tractor drawn mower, mostly, there were a few people still
pulling their mowers with horses. Altho I have worked with horses to
gather hay. The sythes were still around, just used for cutting weeds.
Sickles were sometimes used used for cutting and shocking corn, probably
more often for cutting weeds.



JOAT
Politician \Pol`i*ti"cian\, n. Latin for career criminal

"J T" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
Sat, Jun 24, 2006, 9:43pm leemichaels*nadaspam*@comcast.net
(Lee Michaels) doth sayeth:
I remember a guy <snip>. I was too young to notice just how it worked.
<snip>
My grandfather had a huge grindstone <snip> He would then sharpen their
sickle blades used to cut hay. Those things where at least fout feet
long.

I found a picture of your guy's rig.
http://www.artisanit.com/torredipalme/lavorosuipedali/arrotino.htm

You're getting religion mixed in there. The things Druids used to
gathere their mistletoe were sickles. The things you're talking about
for cutting hay, et al., are sythes - and they're just as easy to use as
they look, for about two swings, then they start developing into work,
serious work.

You must be pretty damn old if your grandfather's clients cut their
hay with sythes. Even when I was a kid the only hay I knew of being cut
was with a tractor drawn mower, mostly, there were a few people still
pulling their mowers with horses. Altho I have worked with horses to
gather hay. The sythes were still around, just used for cutting weeds.
Sickles were sometimes used used for cutting and shocking corn, probably
more often for cutting weeds.



The sickles we used were the horse drawn and three point mounted tractor
variety. The consist of long bars with about forty or so trapzoid type
blades riveted to a bar. These were put in the mower and moved back and
forth and cut the hay. There were two edges on each section. It looked like
a triangle with the top lopped off.

It took a steady hand and a fair amount of strength to hold those things at
the proper angle to sharpen them. But he didn't have to worry about burning
the steel. He couldn't pump the pedals fast enough!

Sun, Jun 25, 2006, 5:46pm leemichaels*nadaspam*@comcast.net
(Lee=A0Michaels)
The sickles we used were the horse drawn and three point mounted tractor
variety. The consist of long bars with about forty or so trapzoid type
blades riveted to a bar. These were put in the mower and moved back and
forth and cut the hay. There were two edges on each section. It looked
like a triangle with the top lopped off.
It took a steady hand and a fair amount of strength to hold those things
at the proper angle to sharpen them. But he didn't have to worry about
burning the steel. He couldn't pump the pedals fast enough!

Ah ha. Obviously from different part of the coutry. What you're
calling a sickly we always called a mower. However, the part that
folded up, with the blades, we did call a sickle bar, and the individual
blades were sickle blades. A sickle was/is a short handled, curved
blade abut a foot long. A sythe was/is long handled, with a curved
blade maybe four foot long - that's where you lost me. The sickle bar
on the mowers were more than four foot long, more like about six,
certainly taller than me. As far as I know, everyone sharpened their
own.



JOAT
Politician \Pol`i*ti"cian\, n. Latin for career criminal

Dear JT, et al,

If you want power assist, consider the electric
option. Usually the motor is built into the hub.
See:

http://www.poweridestore.com/Hub-Motor-Kits
http://www.electricrider.com/electricrider/index.htm

I commute by bicycle every day and in a few
years, I figure this might keep me cycling and out
of cars untill I retire.

Thanks
Roger Haar
Tucson, AZ


********************************************
J T wrote:
>
> Thu, Jun 22, 2006, 8:35am (EDT-3) [email protected]
> (Steve knight) has spoke thusly:
> a recumbent,bent is a bike that is easy to make out of wood check it out
> http://www.manytracks.com/recumbent.htm
>
> Something like this would have to be an accessory before I'd be
> interested. http://www.cvc.net/cvcmem/currin/assist/assist.html
>
> JOAT
> Politician \Pol`i*ti"cian\, n. Latin for career criminal

Fri, Jun 23, 2006, 8:30am (EDT-3) [email protected]
(Roger=A0Haar)
doth claimeth:
Dear JT, et al,
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0If you want power
assist, consider the electric option. <snip>

No. For a variety of reasons. Ecologically, I figure your losing
by the battery making process, over an I.C. engine (that's runing as it
should). You can't fill up your battery at the local gas station.
There's a lot more, but basically, it ain't fun. By the way, it ain't a
biggie to make your own setup.

If you're willing to put up with a few nuisances, I would say go
with steam. Depending on fuel, it can be very ecologically sound, and
minimal cost to run. Personally, I think hybrid steam/electric, or
steam/air, power would be a much more promising path to follow than the
exotic (and expensive) systems the big-shots all seem to think is the
way to go. K.I.S.S. usually works best.

This is one choice.
http://www.geocities.com/katieanntoo/steamped/steamped.html

But something along these lines would be my first choice.
http://www.stanleysteamers.com/stoneman.htm

However, I imagine I would wind up with something along these
lines.
http://personal.eunet.fi/pp/davinci/hoyry2.jpg

One is on my list, after a few high priority things get done.



JOAT
Politician \Pol`i*ti"cian\, n. Latin for career criminal

Thu, Jun 22, 2006, 8:35am (EDT-3) [email protected]
(Steve=A0knight) has spoke thusly:
a recumbent,bent is a bike that is easy to make out of wood check it out
http://www.manytracks.com/recumbent.htm

Something like this would have to be an accessory before I'd be
interested. http://www.cvc.net/cvcmem/currin/assist/assist.html



JOAT
Politician \Pol`i*ti"cian\, n. Latin for career criminal

I knew I had this stuck away. This is the recumbent I have in mind
making.
http://www.simpsonmotorbikes.com/Gary's MBS 001TN.html
http://www.simpsonmotorbikes.com/Gary's MBS 003TN.html



JOAT
Politician \Pol`i*ti"cian\, n. Latin for career criminal

OK Steve, I'll letcha alone for now. This ne is even the right
color. http://photos.bravenet.com/207/138/368/8/5B8012616E.jpg



JOAT
Politician \Pol`i*ti"cian\, n. Latin for career criminal