Antique Bicycle

Picture yourself riding one of these, and you will be the talk of the town.
Here I'll show you how to build your own antique bike like the Ordinary Bicycle,
also called a Penny-Farthing -- common in the 1880s which became an
iconic symbol for transportation history. 
With an old bike, a few tools and materials, and some patience, you can
build this bike and bring history to your front door.
Although replicas and originals can cost thousands of dollars, yours does not have to!
I'll also teach you how to ride it!
So get your tools out, find an old bike, and let's get started!
 

Step 1: Materials and Tools

Materials:
old bike with 26" rims
16" front wheel w/ tire from a child's bike
1" OD steel tube x 6'
1" wide x 1/4" thick steel plate
1 1/2" wide x 23" long x 1/4" thick steel plate
5/8" OD steel tube
6 lbs 3/32" #308 stainless steel welding rods
tricycle hub
2 pillow block ball bearings (shaft size determined by hub)
1" OD solid rubber tire
1/8" solid galvanized steel wire x 16'

Tools:
Craftsman  MIG Welder with Cart (wish I had it)

Tubing Roller

Craftsman 10" Compound Miter Saw (w/ metal cutting blade)

Craftsman 6" Bench Grinder

Craftsman 5" Bench Vise

Craftsman Hammer

Craftsman Wrench Set


Kobalt 27/64" drill bit, 1/2"-13 NC Tap, and 1/2" - 13 NC Die

Threading die 2-56

spoke wrench

drill set for metal

Spray Rust Oleum metal primer and paint

misc: pipe clamps, vise grips

Comments

[carlitos]

Building 12 gauge spokes out of galvanized 12 gauge rods is much easier than using stainless steel welding rods. Thanks to my home-made semi-automatic spoke threading machine..
http://www.instructables.com/id/Semi-automatic-spoke-threading-machine/

[russbuck100]

Hi, Carlitos

Just wanted to ask you how thick the wall of the 1" od steel tube that you used for the backbone was - I found some tubing, but the wall seems pretty thin, and the tube feels a little too 'flexible' for a bicycle frame! What are your thoughts on this?

Thanks in advance,

Russell

[carlitos]

Hi Russell, 13 gauge or heavier has worked for me. I measured 0.091" thickness on the last one I built.

[awesomecreations]

Old rim is made of some very stiff steel which acts more like cast iron, kinked it and think rolling a C-channel will be a much better way to achieve a strong, circular wheel. Did you (on the C-channel wheeled Pennys) measure make holes for the spokes on the rim before or after pipe-bending?

[carlitos]

I measured the holes after bending. I drew up the circle on a cardboard. Took a few tries to divide it up evenly for 60 spokes.
Not easy. Perhaps measuring before bending would be easier. Another idea is to use google sketchup since you can draw a circle and divide it radially by any number.

[awesomecreations]

Thanks. I would have visited a scrap yard to get some good steel, but every one I went to was closed for the holidays.

[awesomecreations]

I just bought a 6m long steel pole with a diameter of 32 mm. Now I have to make a C-channel somehow. Not sure how to make certain the cut will be straight. I also need to aquire a good tricycle hub to use now.

[carlitos]

Look to a steel yard instead and buy the C-channel.

[carlitos]

My 2 recent masterpieces.

[awesomecreations]

Nice work, did you make the back wheels aswell?

[carlitos]

No. Penny's rear wheel is the front wheel from a child's 16" bike.

[alqudwa]

I'm riding a wheel with a hub shimano v3. radial style. Not against the spokes 233mm. Then I thought of using the spokes own and make the thread size I need. spoke of using the 2mm diameter

[alqudwa]

hello can you help me?
which the diameter of the wire you used? 2mm?
#2-56 die
thnx!!!

[carlitos]

I had used 1/8" stainless steel welding rods which is why I had to grind them down to 2.0 mm. If you can find 2mm wire (probably galvanized steel), then you don't have to grind them.

[awesomecreations]

I've gotten to the point where the rim must be straightened in a vise, but when I remove the steel, it doesn't appear to be any different, ie. it springs back. What can I do to prevent this?

[awesomecreations]

How did you tighten the spokes?

[carlitos]

spoke wrench

[awesomecreations]

Also want to build one, not many in South Africa and I've got time these holidays. How could I avoid the two rims returning to their original curvature once removed from the wooden circular former?

[carlitos]

You will likely need to bend it to a larger curvature since it tends to flex back. Yes, it is a challenge to have a true circular rim. The preferred method is to use a steel C channel and use a "rolling" machine.  That's how I made the rims on the 3 bikes pictured below.

[awesomecreations]

Is it just me or is the wheel in the first picture slightly wobbly?

[iamcookie3000]

sweet build im making 1 at the moment, for the cranks i used a 16mm die steel rod and ground out a 10mm slot so i could use cottered cranks im guna upload them soon, were did you get the tubing from for the tire? im in the uk and cant seem to find it

[russbuck100]

I realise that your post is quite old, but just in case you're still stuck, or other people in the UK want to try this (I certainly do, and found the tyre was the sticking point.. until I found out about the following company) here is some iformation that might help.

There is a company who produce tyres suitable for this application, based in the UK, and it does NOT require a hollow tube and a wire, tensioned by the fitter, and brazed in place. The company produce puncture-proof tyres for wheelchairs, which fit using a coil embedded through the tyre itself. The company is called Lee Healey, and their website is http://www.lee-healey.com/ - unfortunately they don't have prices on the website, mainly because they offer different sizes and it also depends on the length.

I emailed using the details on the website and asked about penny farthing tyres, and I got a reply:

"We do sell tyring by the metre, We hold some over runs in certain sizes.

This is available in 15mm White & Black, 19mm Red, White & Black, 22mm Black & 25mm Black all dependant upon requirement. I normally supply 19 or 22mm for Penny Farthing Tyring.

The spiralling runs through the tyring and this is used to connect the ends as per the fitting instructions.

I hope this is useful and if you advise length and size required and were it to be sent I can advise costs."

and attached to the email reply was a word document containing (VERY simple) instructions for fitting of the tyres:

"Using a wet knife, cut the rubber down to the wire inside to length. [there was a table stating which length to cut the tyring to, but it only went up to 635mm/25" and suggested cutting it to 1918mm/75.5"]

Cut the wire with strong wire cutters or press the wire onto a piece of steel held in a vice and cut with a hammer and chisel.

The wire must be cleanly cut. Grind the end of the wire flush with the rubber.

Then cut a full 6.5mm (¼”) of rubber from each end using a wet knife. Hold the ends of the tyring and twist the right hand end in a backward direction exactly four complete revolutions.

Bring the two ends together. Let the reversed end screw forward until the ends of the rubber close up.

Place the joint in the rim first and then stretch the tyre on evenly all round making certain it is not twisted."

Hope this helps some of the UK residents looking at this wonderful Instructable - would be nice to see more of these on the roads - saw one just last week in Preston and it certainly raised smiles!

[carlitos]

That's great. Love to see pictures. Mexico, Spain, and UK -- can't find the tire. I wonder where master builder Mr. Edwin Knight from Chelmsford gets his.
A company in Ohio sells the tubing for the tire and for 20 feet shipped, it will be in the $100 range which is why I'm sure you can do better in the UK. I like his 5 Penny's at a pub video. Riding must have been fun after a pint or two.

[Jagster1998]

Hello carlitos,
I am intrested in building a penny farthing bike as soon as I can but I am confused on the type of hub I could use and how far spaced the disks are. So if you could lead me to a place where I could purchase one for realitively cheap (under 20 dollars) I would be very grateful.
Thanks

[carlitos]

The type of hub is that of a tricycle where the pedals get connected directly to it. I believe the faces being 140mm apart works well. I would look to a flea market or a bike shop that sells used bikes/parts.

[Jagster1998]

Thanks there's a bike shop up the road always. I'll have to check it out.

[Jagster1998]

I meant to say aways. :)

[Jagster1998]

I'm sorry if this is a stupid question but if I may ask how is the shaft connected to the hub tube?

[carlitos]

The shaft, where the pillow block ball bearings slide into, was already part of the hub. If the shaft is not the right width or length, you can always weld your own rod instead to it that accepts your ball bearings with room for the cranks. I cut the hub in half and welded a tube over it to extend its width.

[Jagster1998]

Thanks now I understand. I just didn't see the shaft in the picture on the preparing the hub step.

[freepenny]

Many thanks for your contributions.



How wide of a rim you used? I have a 26 X 1 3/8 .
Is that OK or should it be wider?

[27-ton Artillery Walker]

Where did you get the rubber for this? And do you know specifically what type of rubber? (Everything i find that has a 1" OD has a massive ID, so it would warp and all that jazz and the steel wire would swim in it...)

[carlitos]

Built another Penny. Used a steel C-channel for the rim and rolled it.
It's on sale at craigslist

[the_keiser]

Awesome instructions. I'm working on one right now. I was curious about the method you used for the c channel rolling. Did you use a machine like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke78PPtisF4&feature=related or like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjjIu9UdQmQ. My schools shop I think only has the first one. I assume that both machine can do the same thing. I also was thinking I could bend straight the old wheel rims and then turn it on the rig and get a bit better a shape than trying to do it by hand. Probably would be better to go with new straight channel but I figured I have the wheels all ready, so I could try that. Anyway. fantastic.

[carlitos]

Thanks. I used the one from harbor freight with dies for straight stock. Your school's should work well too. I rolled an extra 6" and let it hang out the sides as the ends crossed and then cut it at the marks I made for a precise radius.
I used 1"x1/2" C-channel. You'll get a truer wheel. Also discovered stranded steel wire works better (stronger) than solid.. once I figured out a trick to welding the ends even though I"ve read it can't be done.

[notingkool]

where you buy that die? because i can't find it anywhere. In several hardware stores the told that doesn't exist. (sorry for mi english, if i wrote something wrong, let me now)

¿donde compraste ese buje roscado? porque no lo pueod encontrar en ningun lado. En varias ferreterias me dijeron que no existia.

[carlitos]

I bought mine at a local RC Hobbies but you can buy online
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXR765

[fredellarby]

Cold riveting the ends should give enough of a stop to keep the spokes in place and you don't have to find anything else to do the job. It's a technique often used, I learned it on a blacksmithing course. We used bolts, cut to length and hammered down. I often do it over a tightened nut .It will never come loose.

[Mcschphail]

How does one acquire a 1"OD 3/16"ID rubber tube? Unfortunately, I do not have one just laying around...

[kenbrbkr]

"My welded rim measured approximately 48" in diameter...
I guess 26" rims are really smaller than 26".

You're not doubling the diameter.

You're doubling the circumference.