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I have always wanted to turn my bike into some sort of vehicle; the Battleship Halberd, X-Wing starfighter, and just about anything else. The game.life challenge gave me the persuasion to do it. And so, with much thought and work, I present...
The Arwing Bike!
This project took me about two weeks to build; most of it was built it the space of approximately 5-6 days (as in, a good 6 hours a day). Encountering minor problems with support and structure, it was a relatively easy build; it just took a while.
This Arwing is the one from Star Fox Assault (elaborated in the History and Design step), and I chose it because it looked much nicer than the other Arwing designs; I also believed that it would be easy to build because of lack of details. Now I look back and say, "WHAT THE HECK WAS I THINKING?!?!?!" Anyway, it turned out great in the end, so I don't regret my choice. :)
NOTE: As far as I can tell, this is the first and only how-to for anything Star Fox related; it's also the second project Star Fox related that has been released on the Internet (Here's the other one- http://arwinglanding.net/forum/index.php?topic=8128.0). GOT HERE FIRST! w00t!
A video of a test run on the Arwing:
Please vote for this Instructable in the MakerBot Challenge and the game.life Challenge! Thanks, and don't forget to rate this Instructable! Check out some of my other projects too!
The Arwing Bike!
This project took me about two weeks to build; most of it was built it the space of approximately 5-6 days (as in, a good 6 hours a day). Encountering minor problems with support and structure, it was a relatively easy build; it just took a while.
This Arwing is the one from Star Fox Assault (elaborated in the History and Design step), and I chose it because it looked much nicer than the other Arwing designs; I also believed that it would be easy to build because of lack of details. Now I look back and say, "WHAT THE HECK WAS I THINKING?!?!?!" Anyway, it turned out great in the end, so I don't regret my choice. :)
NOTE: As far as I can tell, this is the first and only how-to for anything Star Fox related; it's also the second project Star Fox related that has been released on the Internet (Here's the other one- http://arwinglanding.net/forum/index.php?topic=8128.0). GOT HERE FIRST! w00t!
A video of a test run on the Arwing:
Please vote for this Instructable in the MakerBot Challenge and the game.life Challenge! Thanks, and don't forget to rate this Instructable! Check out some of my other projects too!
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Signing UpStep 1History and Design
The Arwing has gone over many major changes throughout the Star Fox series. This step is dedicated to explaining a bit of it.
List of Star Fox Games (in order of release):
1. Star Fox (SNES)
2. Star Fox 64 (Nintendo 64)
3. Star Fox Adventures (GameCube)
4. Star Fox Assault (GameCube)
5. Star Fox Command (Nintendo DS)
A few things to note about the Arwings in the games:
The Arwing in the SNES Star Fox is the simplest, as it was basically a triangular shape with more triangles for wings and G-Diffusers, the blue engine pods that allow the Arwings to fly. It is not the Arwing many people recognize easily.
The Arwing in Star Fox 64 is the original that many know, and is also the one used in the Super Smash Bros. series. Also, Star Fox 64 is essentially the same as the SNES one, but it has better graphics n' stuff.
The Arwing design I am using is the one from Star Fox Assault, as it has the easiest design (not including details) to replicate freehand.
I think.
Canonical Arwing History
In the events of Star Fox 64 (or the SNES one) the Arwing was the craft that the Star Fox team used against Andross, the main antagonist, in the Lylat Wars (because, well, Star Fox exists in the Lylat System). After they defeated Andross in the Lylat Wars they pretty much ran out of a job, and they had a 80-year mortgage to pay off for their mothership, the Great Fox. Slippy, the mechanic of the team, cannibalized parts from the Arwings and added landing gears and a larger nose to hold more cargo. This happened in Star Fox Adventures, where the Arwing was used the least in all of the Star Fox games and the game took more of an action-RPG style game (and because of this design, I decided to avoid this when making my Arwing). As a side note Star Fox Adventures was actually a different game called Dinosaur Planet before they changed it into a Star Fox game. Star Fox Adventures had the Star Fox team rescue and restore order to Sauria, the dinosaur planet which is being controlled by a tyrant dinosuar who was being manipulated by a revived Andross. They defeated Andross and restored order to the dinosaur planet, and they were awarded a great deal of money for their duties. Then came Star Fox Assault. Using the money the Star Fox team upgraded their Arwings and the Great Fox, giving the Arwing a much sleeker design. They used these in the Aparoid Invasion, where mechanical beings called Aparoids were attacking and assimilating machines and people across the system. They defeated this new threat and in Star Fox Command it is revealed that after the Aparoid Invasion the team disbanded, each pilot taking a new craft for their own. Fox, the main character, was the only one to retain an Arwing craft; the only thing is it's a different design than the one in Star Fox Assault and is actually the Arwing II. Star Fox Command is very non-canonical so the Arwing II design and the other ships may not be what actually happened.
Also to note; the Great Fox in all the games up to Star Fox Command are the same; then Peppy crashed it into a shield and they had to buy a cheap replacement in Command.
As a side note Nintendo is releasing a remake of Star Fox 64 on the new 3DS. YAY! :D
List of Star Fox Games (in order of release):
1. Star Fox (SNES)
2. Star Fox 64 (Nintendo 64)
3. Star Fox Adventures (GameCube)
4. Star Fox Assault (GameCube)
5. Star Fox Command (Nintendo DS)
A few things to note about the Arwings in the games:
The Arwing in the SNES Star Fox is the simplest, as it was basically a triangular shape with more triangles for wings and G-Diffusers, the blue engine pods that allow the Arwings to fly. It is not the Arwing many people recognize easily.
The Arwing in Star Fox 64 is the original that many know, and is also the one used in the Super Smash Bros. series. Also, Star Fox 64 is essentially the same as the SNES one, but it has better graphics n' stuff.
The Arwing design I am using is the one from Star Fox Assault, as it has the easiest design (not including details) to replicate freehand.
I think.
Canonical Arwing History
In the events of Star Fox 64 (or the SNES one) the Arwing was the craft that the Star Fox team used against Andross, the main antagonist, in the Lylat Wars (because, well, Star Fox exists in the Lylat System). After they defeated Andross in the Lylat Wars they pretty much ran out of a job, and they had a 80-year mortgage to pay off for their mothership, the Great Fox. Slippy, the mechanic of the team, cannibalized parts from the Arwings and added landing gears and a larger nose to hold more cargo. This happened in Star Fox Adventures, where the Arwing was used the least in all of the Star Fox games and the game took more of an action-RPG style game (and because of this design, I decided to avoid this when making my Arwing). As a side note Star Fox Adventures was actually a different game called Dinosaur Planet before they changed it into a Star Fox game. Star Fox Adventures had the Star Fox team rescue and restore order to Sauria, the dinosaur planet which is being controlled by a tyrant dinosuar who was being manipulated by a revived Andross. They defeated Andross and restored order to the dinosaur planet, and they were awarded a great deal of money for their duties. Then came Star Fox Assault. Using the money the Star Fox team upgraded their Arwings and the Great Fox, giving the Arwing a much sleeker design. They used these in the Aparoid Invasion, where mechanical beings called Aparoids were attacking and assimilating machines and people across the system. They defeated this new threat and in Star Fox Command it is revealed that after the Aparoid Invasion the team disbanded, each pilot taking a new craft for their own. Fox, the main character, was the only one to retain an Arwing craft; the only thing is it's a different design than the one in Star Fox Assault and is actually the Arwing II. Star Fox Command is very non-canonical so the Arwing II design and the other ships may not be what actually happened.
Also to note; the Great Fox in all the games up to Star Fox Command are the same; then Peppy crashed it into a shield and they had to buy a cheap replacement in Command.
As a side note Nintendo is releasing a remake of Star Fox 64 on the new 3DS. YAY! :D
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If you're talking about an aileron, then I would say after I ride off a cliff. Possibly.
But then again, you could be the first human to do so...
Your next project should be one that fully encompasses the bike. Ive had a bit of troubly converting pacman so i can ride a bike with it, and the ghost ... I really dont want a big wheel sticking out of the front...
The only other option, of course, is to actually use PVC. That would make it much stronger, as cardboard can only go so far, but the balance, maneuverability, and vision would still be an issue. That and as someone had stated cardboard works as a great insulator. Good in the Alaska; bad in California.
The only reason I don't use PVC for ANYTHING is for multiple reasons. First, I don't have the tools to do it, or any guidance or experience. The other reason is that I'm still a minor and staying that way for a good 10-15 years. With parents like mine there is no way I'm playing with any sharp edge for a while. The closest I get is a box cutter. -_______-
It would be nice to use PVC though.
P.S. For something to fully encompass the bike it would have to be something that is pretty long... I'm tempted to do a Battleship Halberd, but I rarely do projects twice. Actually, I'm thinking of converting my ceiling into a battle ground (except in the air) so I could cross reference video game stuff. Think Battleship Halberd vs. Arwings vs. Raquaza. Oh yeah. :D
I almost cut off half of a fingertip once. Lesson learned...
By the way, if you do cut yourself, super glue is your best friend. Just sanitize before applying.
Anyway, yeah, just use common sense when using box cutters. It's like wood work; never put your fingers in the path of the blade.
And yes, for hand injuries, I recommend super glue. I went to the hospital for the bad cut on my finger I mentioned, and all they did was sanitize the wound and apply super glue on top. I guess fingertips dont stitch up well.
After that, I just started taking care of my own injuries, because it was MUCH cheaper. I think the hospital charged me about $50 for their special no-stitch solution that looked and felt like regular super glue.