Time for a Quick-Footed Ride

Today, we'll start out with an unusual subject: velocipedes!   Buzz has been hard at work restoring our velocipede, at Dave Diamond's request, so we can put it on display.   Whether we'll ever get to actually try it out on rails is an open question, I guess.  Here he shows us the metal parts being cleaned up and polished.

And many new wood parts, as seen here.  New and old.

I had asked about whether there were any left-hand velocipedes.  Buzz scoured the internet and found a couple of pictures of velocipedes in museums that he suspects may have been re-assembled wrong.  So we're still not sure.

But he also found this hilarious ad for the Sheffield company.  One man is pedaling the car along while the other is sitting side-saddle and smoking.  Nice work, if you can get it!

Now back to our regularly scheduled projects.  Ed proudly shows off the new ceiling panels being fitted inside the Electroliner.

Sorry, I guess I didn't get him into the picture.  But the panels look nice.

Pete is working on interior parts for the 160.

And two side windows need to be replaced.

Bill was stripping paint off parts for the Pennsy bobber.

I spent some time investigating the 309 bearing project again.  We'll have more to report shortly.  Meanwhile, another project we want to start on is making new drop sash windows for the 1218.  Most of the old wooden parts are badly rotted.  

As seen above, they're fairly simple, with no mortises or tenons.  The only difficult part is all the insets that have to be routed out for the drop sash handles.  So I gathered up some spare lumber and made a router guide that will hold the new wood firmly in place while a hand router is used.

Photo by Jon Fenlaciki

 It's not quite done; I took it home for finish adjustments.  Also, one seat cushion from the 309 needs to be recovered, so that went home also.  As well as the new bearings, so I can make a steel frame to hold them inside the big oven.