Foul Play Suspected

I have been the victim of a blatant attempt to delay progress on the geared facile. This past weekend was a long one here in Canterbury, the powers that be giving everybody the Friday off due to my birthday. Or something. We chose to visit Mr. Middleton and count his bicycles. This took slightly less time than it should.  Consequently I have spent less time in my shed than usual and more time in Mr. Middleton's shed. Mr. Middleton has capacious sheds, so much so in fact, that it is possible to get lost in the labyrinth. I've taken to filling my pockets with torn up scraps of paper and discreetly dropping bits so I can find my way out again. On one such foray, I swear I glimpsed a bewildered moa in one of the deeper recesses.

Mr. Middleton has constructed this thing:

Any resemblance to a well constructed bicycle is purely coincidental

It is a front driver that vaguely resembles a Crypto, only not as well made. He pressed me to try it out on the gravel track through the orchard behind his house, urged me quite hard as it turns out. He also contrived for his son to accompany me on a similar but three wheeled front driver. Knowing that I cannot resist a race, he had obviously instructed his son to increase the pace a little at a time until we were haring along at a very high cadence. Then out of nowhere he deftly threw a pothole right in front of me and I took a header straight over the bars and landed on top of myself in a bloodied heap. My legal team are sharpening their pencils...

As part compensation I forced Mr. Middleton to give me some well seasoned, quarter sawn, apple wood and use of his wood lathe. I've started to make the patterns for the neck and lever pivots. I'll finish these off after the head is complete.

More bits are to be added to these shapes - more later

This week, in my own shed, I've been fettling the stubs for the upper end of the fork legs. Once again pictures speak louder than words.

Marking Out

The fork legs are angled forward at 6 degrees,
this angle needs to be carefully  milled

The angle can be seen here in the side on shot. 

Hacksaw diet

Starting to hand file the elliptical profile

One leg complete

I'll try and get these finished orf next week and then carry on with the patterns for the castings.

In other news, Sunday was my birthday. It started well with opening presents in bed with the kids including my new cycling shoes

Disco Slippers

and ended very badly with locking the car keys inside the car and then subsequently very nearly running out of petrol on the way home. It was a comedy of errors, except that it's still a bit too soon to find it funny. Mr. Middleton was clearly feeling guilty when we departed as he furtively pressed some vintage Campagnolo items into my hand. I'll not be bought that cheaply sir.