Project Schism - another offbeat '23 Ford T

[toddshotrods]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

...that's a beautiful design but that wood is going to crack big time!

It's still going to be fun to see if I can get the rim machined without it busting up into a hundred little pieces. I have a friend in England who has a degree in woodworking, used to teach it, and makes incredible formed, carved, and bent, furniture. He's guiding the process of whittling that rim out, but makes it clear every step of the way that there is simply no guarantee.

So far, so incredibly good though...

Only one way to find out, and I only get to ride this merry-go-round once.

[toddshotrods]

The electro-mechanical column shifter design is coming along quite well. I have the basics of how the mechanical system will ratchet, and turn the encoders to the proper degree for each gear, sorted out. As per my normal design process, I did all that in my head, with the assistance of a lot of chicken scratch sketching, and have now started modeling the ratchet and pawls, then the gears, then the housing - yes, I plan to design and make almost every piece (except for fasteners, etc)! It's going to mount right on top of the steering column, and have a clear cover, like a watch face, so you can see the mechanical commotion inside. Hmmm, I'd better make sure people can actually see it way down there, and under that impossibly low roof.

The goal is for it to feel sort of like cycling the bolt, or pulling the trigger, on a really expensive rifle when you pull the "paddles". Beside the mechanics to get the encoders to turn to the right positions, that's what all the design process has been about. Mostly all metal components inside, directly connected to your finger tips, and very smooth distinctive action, with well defined releases, catches, and stops. When you first pull, you'll feel it release the pawl for that direction, then feel yourself winding all the gears up to speed, then just as it begins to gain momentum, and inertia begins to take over, the pawl reconnects and brings it all to a dead stop - gear engaged! All that happens in about seven degrees of rotation for the shifter and ratchet/pawl, but there is a flurry of activity throughout the rest of the assembly.

I need to develop a feedback loop, to interrupt the encoder's signal to the steppers, if the transmission doesn't go in gear. My first thought is simply sensing the resistance - what happens when a CNC machine encounters something it can't move - the program crashes - but less code, and more simple electrical circuit. I think...

[toddshotrods]

With enough patience, one can machine aluminum with a CNC router. I re-cut the center of the old gate plate to create a mount for the gauge panel. This machine is still having issues (big gouge in the center of the side) but this piece will work. It broke my end mill though. I purposely left room to hand finish it, so I'll blend that out in the process. I'm going to make a little pedestal mount to fit in the center that the gauge panel will sit on.

[toddshotrods]

Preliminary round of finishing work on the mount. I can't really finish it until I get the pedestal piece designed, machined, and fabricated, but I needed it smoothed out a bit so I can think through what I want it to look like.



I think it' going to be a ball on a stick, that will protrude through round openings on the sides of the housing a little. I think this base is going to mount to a steel hemisphere, on a ridiculous steel bracket that swoops out from the dash bar of the cage. The clamping mechanism will be a lever under the bottom of the hemisphere. Simple.

In keeping with the 1913 Open Runabout theme, I am foregoing a regular dash (even that panel I made will be replaced with less "dash"), and concentrating on highlighting all the levers, and pedals, and switches, that consumed early Ferd interiors. The challenge is to make it all speak the same language, and communicate a specific message. In this case that message is something like "coach-built, antique, driver's car".

[toddshotrods]

To make good use of that massive-little curved I-beam armrest, since the shifter is moving up to the steering column (where I can actually reach it), I am fabricating a Todd style "big red button", emergency kill switch.


It turns out to be the perfect location, and a very natural action. It's main components are the recycled former shift knob and horn button. The big heavy knob should mean less chance of missing it, and have the ability to tolerate any excessive force exerted in an emergency situation. It will manually disconnect the high voltage traction pack for the electric drive, via a cable and rear mounted switch; and most likely simultaneously disconnect the 12volt source to the ICE ignition system.

The inset photochop is one possible finishing idea - dark red anodized knob, with a black anodized bezel.

[toddshotrods]

The pedestal design was quick and easy as it was just a quick sweep from the geometric cross pattern in the mount up into a spindle for the pivot ball. Now, I have to decide whether I want to machine it or cast it. Either way, there will be a machined mock-up or plug coming soon.




This little assembly is going to be a smorgasbord of textures and finishes. This isn't the final decision, just one of hundreds of possibilities. Here, I have a steel lower enclosure, aluminum base plate, nickel-plated pedestal, aluminum pivot-ball receptacles inside a carbon fiber housing, with a brushed aluminum-bronze bezel - whew! It's conditional, first, upon whether the aluminum-bronze casting works and/or possibly an aluminum-bronze cast plate for me to machine one. The carbon fiber housing is going to be produced with a special, proprietary, process/technique that I am working on. First tests were positive, and it's very unique.

Although I am going to great lengths to develop the aesthetic side of things, everything actually has a serious purpose. The main point, of course, is to benignly graft a digital gauge panel into an "antique" atmosphere. The elaborate pivot ball.pedestal mount will allow one-handed adjustment, to get that screen focused towards the driver's eyes. It can be angled, titled, and rotated, with one hand, and locked in place. The steel hemispherical lower enclosure will be a part of the clamping mechanism, and will also hide the plugs for connecting/syncing to the digital gauge panel.

[toddshotrods]

I planed another .250" off the block, and opened the center hole to 4.5" (actually about .125" over that, off the machine - same as the last time). So far, it has been remarkably stable. One more of these operations, and I begin routing the pockets out between the spokes. This was a great camera shot that really brings out the grain. I can use it to begin plotting what three sections I want capture in the spoke landings.

[toddshotrods]

This is my chicken scratch overview of the interior. I'm using it to sort out the layout. This is a critical step in the transformation of Schism, from a bunch of handcrafted parts to a functional vehicle. What good is a functional vehicle that is uninspiring or, at worst, unbearable, to experience? That's one of the things that people take for granted, and that a person customizing a preexisting vehicle doesn't have to put so much effort into. I am developing a totally unique driving experience, so I am putting a lot of work and thought into what it will be.


This isn't intended to be "proper" art, it's a tool to accomplish an end. I draw, design parts, sit in the car, imagine it in use, repeat, repeat.

It's all driver, like a race car. There's room for a small passenger, but no room for comfort. The little 10" steering wheel falls right into my "lap", and the gauge panel will be just within reach of my right hand, as all the switches will also be in that assembly. Everything, from the 1.5 turn lock-to-lock steering, to the short travel/close proximity pedals, to the sequential column shifters, to the "floating" little command/information center, must deliver maximum effectiveness with minimal effort. One, because there isn't enough room to move around; and two, because once I am cinched down in the 5-pt harnesses, I won't be able to move much anyway. It's also all designed with the ultimate goal of 1:1 power-to-weight in mind, so that when it, inevitably, gets out of control the atmosphere in the "cockpit" will be as serene as possible.

[toddshotrods]

Tomorrow the casting guy gives the gauge panel bezel a shot. As mentioned, he said the investment mold came out nice (I haven't seen it yet), so it's just a matter of getting the molten aluminum bronze to fill it completely...

In case he's really in the mood to pour lots of molten metal, I cut the pedestal today. It came out so nice it deserves to be investment cast too, but a simple sand cast would work because it's (purposely) a tiny bit over-sized so I can hand fit the two pieces together.

[toddshotrods]

No luck again with the casting session. The reason I have been trying to machine plugs and cast them in aluminum is to demonstrate the capabilities of the Columbus Idea Foundry (CIF). That's a part of my deal with Alex. I get unlimited use of the facilities and equipment, in exchange for demonstrating and marketing the services and capabilities of the place. I'm going to have to bypass metal casting for a while until they get some of the bugs worked out of their system. I could simply machine the parts, but they don't have a conventional CNC mill in house and, while technically possible, machining most of my parts, from aluminum, on the ShopBot CNC router table isn't exactly feasible. Even if I can manage to get the parts off the machine, it's probably not something a person paying for machine time could justify...

Anyway, the bezel plug survived the water-based clay investment mold process with minimal damage. I repaired that, and have begun coating it with multiple layers of acrylic paint. The plan is to really detail the external surface, in preparation for some type of casting process. I could actually do a metallic-powder-filled resin cast of that part, and meet all the technical and aesthetic requirements; so, I am finishing it with that process in mind, but still exploring options. That would be something that can be replicated in-house at CIF, using the ShopBot, and their little bell jar vacuum chamber to degas the silicone rubber mix, for a good mold...

I'm more inclined to just cut the pedestal on the ShopBot as it's a small part that I don't want to take a chance on. A resin casting of that part could get too warm and go limp or break in the middle of driving...




After spending some time in the seat, trying to imagine driving Schism - and especially with the type of power I'm seeking - the gauge panel has evolved into a command/information center. Since moving will be difficult, and nearly impossible in the 5pt harness, I need all switches and controls at my fingertips. The most logical location for the switches is in the gauge panel.

This CAD rough sketch: shows the recesses for the three main switches (there will be more, kind of hidden), with the engine start button recessed deeper and slightly behind the main ignition switch location. I didn't go into detail with the CAD model because this will be mostly hand fabrication. The model was just to develop a few hard numbers to guide that process.




First step was to attempt to seamlessly integrate a Honda S2000 engine start button into the antique panel. The ingredients:

The button is internally illuminated, though I'm not sure if the whole button glows red or just the text. If it doesn't, and if I don't like it as-is, I will eventually eventually cast a new button in red-tinted, clear, resin.


After a little manual mill work:



To accomplish this:



I didn't go for a super precise fit, as this is a chrome plated plastic switch in a steel housing. I hate buzzing and rattling, so I plan to mount it with black RTV, to keep it quiet. The steel is cut slightly oversize, and does not adhere rigidly to the shape of the button, for this reason; and to allow for final finishing (paint, powder coat, plating, etc). The two notches are the key, as they orient the switch, and a little bumper on the back engages the OEM spring.