Project Schism - another offbeat '23 Ford T

[toddshotrods]

Almost there on the steering wheel rim. I have some decisions to make on some of the finishing touches, but I have the critical stuff ready so the machining can proceed on a regular schedule. I had to know the shape of the landing areas for the spokes, as the block will be ready to start hogging out material between them soon. I also needed to figure out how I want the Black & White Ebony inlays as I assume it would be better to do that when there is as much material as possible. My designer/metal fabricator's method of doing an inlay will be to machine a pocket and a plug and stuff it in there!


I fattened the rim up a bit and ,obviously, pulled the spokes out to the other side of the rim. What I'm thinking is to trap the rim between the spokes and the aluminum rim. It will be snugly trapped, but never actually torqued down. I plan to use silicone rubber gaskets between the spoke and the wood, to give it a bit of wiggle room, without having a wiggly wheel. I modeled the gap in for that.

I airbrushed the worst offenders out, in Photoshop, but didn't get too carried away so you'll have to imagine continuity in the surfaces where it doesn't exist, here. There shouldn't be any abrupt changes in texture, except where the Maple burl and Ebony hardwoods meet. Where it's open on the back side of the landing will eventually be aluminum extending in from the aluminum rim section, with some type of fastener boss in it. I haven't decided what and how the fasteners will be yet.

I've been modeling almost non-stop since 10am...

[toddshotrods]

Posting the CAD rendering of the grille bar socket again, as some of the design cues are beginning to reverberate now. I waited a year to get to "my part" of this project - design; especially CAD. Eventually, I probably should contract a traditional automotive artist to visually bring all this stuff together and show what the "finished" vehicle will look like. I can do decent art, but prefer to spend my time actually developing actual parts and systems, and vehicles; and really just use it to communicate.


I can't wait to share the some of the details, like the grille shell, an artistic swipe on the winged "cap" and motor meter, and the textures and finishes that will ice this little cake...

[toddshotrods]

Gauge panel is ready to cut a mock-up unit. I need it to finish the layout of the steering, pedals, shifter, etc. One, I need to verify that it's going to fit where I am planning to put it. Two, I need to make sure I will be able to read it in a glance.



I think the front is going to be CAD/CNC, cut from aluminum or brass billet - depending on what final finish I decide to go with. The rear cover will probably be carbon fiber. If so, the foam core I cut for the mock-up might also serve as a plug for creating a mold.

The elliptical bubbled glass lenses on either side of the digital screen are for warning lights. They will be split into two or three sections, internally, and have the appropriate color LED bulb for the designated warning signal. Turn signals, high beam, probably an electric drive "powered-up" light, etc.



After couple butt sessions in the car, I have come to the conclusion that I don't like the shifter in its current location. I thought about simply moving it over, into the passenger space a bit, but don't like that idea. I decided to research doing paddle shifters, with an electronic control box that would signal stepper motors to push and pull the shifter cables. A quick discussion with a friend in the community workshop, who recommended one of two other members, and it started to feel like one of their typical design-by-committee situations, with all the requisite opinions and preferences, ready to happen.

No way. Not for me, on my car. So, I did more research and found a way to control stepper motors manually with an encoder and a small circuit board - the stepper motor follows the encoder. I am 75% sure I am going for it. My current thinking is that the paddle shifters (right side = upshift, left side - down shift) will turn two encoders, via a ratchet mechanism, controlling two stepper motors, one for each cable. A simple arm on each stepper motor to push or pull the cable. Mix, try, adjust as necessary.

The "paddle shifters" themselves will be shift levers with matching ball knobs. That assembly will mount to what appears to be a separate shaft, just above the steering shaft, for that really old school three-on-the-tree look; with two levers. If what I have in my head works out, that shift column will be the Honda steering column, and height adjuster. By mounting it over the steering column it should push the adjuster far enough above the clutch pedal to not interfere with it. Should.

[toddshotrods]

Yesterday I cut the foam housing core, and today, I cut the bezel. This is actually a test piece, cut from a couple glued-up pieces of .500" particle board, but it turned out so well, I may use it as a casting plug. There's an investment casting class spread over the next two Saturdays and the guy was going to take another shot at my bike's headlight for a demonstration piece. I am going to ask him about doing this piece instead of, or along with, the headlight housing. If that fails, I might just machine it from billet aluminum or brass.


The small gouge was my biggest error of the day. I have been fighting a huge migraine all day, and keeping my focus was challenging to say the least. I was trying to make sure the machine was still zeroed, after another dumb mistake, and somehow got the Z axis origin off. I was trying to sit the end mill over a hole, stop the machine, and manually lower the end mill into the hole to check the origin. It lowered and plowed straight in to the bezel before I could get my fuzzy head to hit the stop button. Good thing it was particle board or my 0.0625" end mill would have been toast! Easy fix...




It's going to mount to a custom little pedestal mount, based on what was going to be a gate plate for the electric drive system switches. Those levers are now destined to be part the column shifter, so I'll figure out something else for the electric drive switches. This will sit in a little cradle mount that swoops down off the dash bar. The dual pivots will allow me to point it at my eyes, and also towards a sexy little "navigator's" eyes, when I'm busy trying to keep the car aimed in the right direction. A new dash is in the works...

[toddshotrods]

I wanted more room inside the housing for the digital panel, so I cut a .500" ring today, and glued it on. It also eliminated the need for me to machine foam out to fit the two pieces together.



I showed the bezel to the casting guy today and he's up for trying an investment casting of it. His class is two sessions, so we'll make the plaster mold this Saturday. Over the next week it will air cure and then be fired in time for pouring the molten metal next Saturday.

Wait 'til you see the metal we pour...

Caveat - I hope it's a successful casting...

[GregWeld]

Phenomenal steering wheel! I have to say though -- that's a LOT of leverage to put on that one connection point.... I dunno about that... Looks awesome!

[GregWeld]

BTW -- I just went back and looked at the wheel with the three points of contact and I personally think it looks every bit as killer as the one point. It's a fantastic design.

[toddshotrods]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

Phenomenal steering wheel! I have to say though -- that's a LOT of leverage to put on that one connection point.... I dunno about that... Looks awesome!

Hey Greg! Thanks!

I had to go back and look at the rendering to see what you meant - it'll have three spokes. I'm modeling, so just do one at 12 o'clock, duplicate it two more times when it's done, and rotate 'em all into place.

Thanks again.

[GregWeld]

Ah ha -- well the post did say "spokes" but there was the earlier post showing three --- and then this one with just the one spoke and I thought -- oh man -- that's a beautiful design but that wood is going to crack big time!

[toddshotrods]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

BTW -- I just went back and looked at the wheel with the three points of contact and I personally think it looks every bit as killer as the one point. It's a fantastic design.

You made my night Greg, I need a beer now.