Author Topic: APS/Ω Gas turbine bike build  (Read 931035 times)

0 Members and 4 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline Mobacken Racing

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 849
  • Turbine junkie
    • Mobacken Racing
Re: APS/Ω Gas turbine bike build
« Reply #795 on: December 30, 2014, 04:37:25 PM »
Thanks!

I started making the glass fiber fairing a couple of days ago, the plan was to make a negative mold on the styrofoam plug to cast the real fairing in but since I am a bit pressed on time with the race coming up in less than two months I decided to make the fairing directly on the plug instead.



To keep the polyester from melting the styrofoam I covered the plug in both tape and plastic foil, I was a bit nervous since I hadn´t done this before and on top of that had decided to cut some corners with the directly-on-plug casting.



After four layers of woven glass fiber put on two layers each day with time for it to cure in between it looked like this. I let it rest until today and after an 18km night run with a friend I decided to see how it turned out.



Not bad at all! Much better than I could possibly have guessed in fact. :-)



I have only trimmed the fairing sides with an angle grinder so the fit against the frame will be better later when I have spent some more work on it, it looks to have a very snug fit against the top of the tyre but there is >5cm clearance which is good since the spiked tyre will need some extra space.



I haven´t decided yet if I should leave the opening as it is or block it off with a sheet of aluminum, I would appreciate suggestions from someone who is into bike aerodynamics about this.



Anyway, I am very pleased with how it turned out. Some glass fiber putty, a bit of grinding and a layer of 2K paint and it will look even better. :-)

Cheers!
/Anders

Offline tauruck

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5126
Re: APS/Ω Gas turbine bike build
« Reply #796 on: December 30, 2014, 08:49:25 PM »
You did a nice job on the glass work. :cheers:

You're a natural, it looks great.

I'd leave the back open.

Offline Mobacken Racing

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 849
  • Turbine junkie
    • Mobacken Racing
Re: APS/Ω Gas turbine bike build
« Reply #797 on: December 31, 2014, 01:47:42 AM »
Thanks a lot Tauruck! :-)

It "looks right" to the eye to have an open rear end so with you confirming this I´ll leave it as it is, might be that I have to fit a strip of aluminum on the inside to hold the shape symmetrical.

A set of DZUS locks have been ordered from UK, should arrive in the middle of january.

Cheers!
/Anders

Offline MattGuzzetta

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 103
Re: APS/Ω Gas turbine bike build
« Reply #798 on: December 31, 2014, 11:55:01 AM »
Anders, I have enjoyed followiing your build, very impressive!  Your workmanship looks great and the work on the plug looks really nice. I have a suggestion for you to try next time you are doing some glass work.  I learned a trick about trimming the excess glass when doing a lay up.  You can trim the glass with a razor (blade or box cutter type tool) when the resin has kicked, but is not hard.  There is a "sweet spot" in time that allows you to just run the blade around the edge and cut the cloth and mat easily.  It makes for less grinding, the part of fiberglassing that is the least liked!
Keep the build info coming, you are an amazing guy! :-D
Matt Guzzetta

Offline JimL

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 799
Re: APS/Ω Gas turbine bike build
« Reply #799 on: December 31, 2014, 08:59:58 PM »
...and a roofers "hook knife" is really great because it is really easy to steer!  The extra grip and power buy you just a little more trimming time as the resin kicks off.

J

Offline tallguy

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 281
Re: APS/Ω Gas turbine bike build
« Reply #800 on: January 01, 2015, 01:39:07 AM »
Anders, that's a great-looking bit of fiberglass work.  Regarding airflow,
I have a concern about air from underneath trying to lift the fiberglass
section from the bike.  You might want to think about adding some
thickness for strength, and a generous amount of bracketry and
fasteners to hold it all attached.  Leaving the back end open should
help by giving air a place to exit.  Good luck.

Offline sofadriver

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 518
Re: APS/Ω Gas turbine bike build
« Reply #801 on: January 01, 2015, 03:34:13 AM »
Anders, the work looks fine but I think you can go one better. To reduce drag, the tail section should be the same size as your butt/hips and then taper back to your Kamm tail. As it is, it looks like you're going to get a lot of drag right behind your backside (and legs).
 Just sayin'.
Mike in Tacoma

"aww, what the hell - let's just do it".............

Bike #833
100cc A/G, A/F and APS/G (in 2019)

Offline Mobacken Racing

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 849
  • Turbine junkie
    • Mobacken Racing
Re: APS/Ω Gas turbine bike build
« Reply #802 on: January 01, 2015, 03:24:12 PM »
Matt & Jim: Thanks for the advise, I´ll try that the next time I do glass fiber work.

Tallguy: Good pointer about lift, I´ll make sure to clamp it down as good as I can. Perhaps a strip of stainless steel fixed to the inside of the fairing with a couple of layers of glass fiber mat?

Sofadriver: You are absolutely right, my behind will be a bit higher than the front of the fairing. Consider this a work in progress, with the fairing done I can later add styrofoam to get the right shape and make a mold for the MK2 fairings.

Right now I just need to get a fairing on the bike and get some seat time, later on I can start chasing down the causes of excessive drag.

Cheers guys!
/Anders

Offline tauruck

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5126
Re: APS/Ω Gas turbine bike build
« Reply #803 on: January 01, 2015, 05:47:07 PM »
Anders, I have enjoyed followiing your build, very impressive!  Your workmanship looks great and the work on the plug looks really nice. I have a suggestion for you to try next time you are doing some glass work.  I learned a trick about trimming the excess glass when doing a lay up.  You can trim the glass with a razor (blade or box cutter type tool) when the resin has kicked, but is not hard.  There is a "sweet spot" in time that allows you to just run the blade around the edge and cut the cloth and mat easily.  It makes for less grinding, the part of fiberglassing that is the least liked!
Keep the build info coming, you are an amazing guy! :-D
Matt Guzzetta

Matt, you've worked with glass. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

Offline sofadriver

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 518
Re: APS/Ω Gas turbine bike build
« Reply #804 on: January 01, 2015, 09:56:42 PM »
....... my behind will be a bit higher than the front of the fairing. Consider this a work in progress, with the fairing done I can later add styrofoam to get the right shape and make a mold for the MK2 fairings
/Anders

ya' know, Anders, that gives me an idea. I might just make my inner fender (required to keep the insides of my thighs off the tire) and the tail fairing as one (hollow) unit. It would be stronger, less prone to flexing and easier to mount.

love how this place gives me new ideas.

Mike in Tacoma

"aww, what the hell - let's just do it".............

Bike #833
100cc A/G, A/F and APS/G (in 2019)

Offline Mobacken Racing

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 849
  • Turbine junkie
    • Mobacken Racing
Re: APS/Ω Gas turbine bike build
« Reply #805 on: January 03, 2015, 11:21:53 AM »
These kind of forums never seizes to amaze me, there is always someone who helps out or gives a hint in the right direction for a problem that needs to be solved. :-)

Offline Mobacken Racing

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 849
  • Turbine junkie
    • Mobacken Racing
Re: APS/Ω Gas turbine bike build
« Reply #806 on: January 06, 2015, 05:00:47 PM »
Hi guys! After a long Christmas vacation it was time to pull the thumbs out and get some work done on the bike!



I made a template for the side covers on the rear frame, I will cut them out in sheet metal later this week. I also removed some material from the jet exhausts to get the exhaust angled more towards the rear than straight out.



After that I fixed some bits and pieces, changed the emergency stop to an NC instead of the NO I accidentally bought earlier, got all air out from the front brake system, started planning for a metal front fender for the spiked tyre, did some more planning on a fire extinguisher built from a Soda Streamer gas bottle and played some Slayer while cleaning up the workshop. :-)



I have made a long list of stuff I need to get for the bike so hopefully I can source all of it in a week or two, I will try to have the bike ready as soon as possible so I won´t have to work all night before hauling it to Speed Weekend.

Cheers!
/Anders

Offline 55chevr

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2444
Re: APS/Ω Gas turbine bike build
« Reply #807 on: January 06, 2015, 07:52:16 PM »
no matter how you do it there will be wrenching at midnight the day before.

Offline wobblywalrus

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5503
Re: APS/Ω Gas turbine bike build
« Reply #808 on: January 06, 2015, 09:43:32 PM »
Anders, it is not hard to split a fiberglas part down the middle and to add a section between the halves to make it wider.  It is a lot quicker than starting over from the beginning.  You can also trim the halves and splice them together to make the assembly narrower, if desired.

This is how I do fiberglass jobs 'cause I do not get too excited about working with the stuff.  It is to order something that looks reasonably good from aerotech and to cut and splice it to the final dimensions.

Offline Mobacken Racing

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 849
  • Turbine junkie
    • Mobacken Racing
Re: APS/Ω Gas turbine bike build
« Reply #809 on: January 07, 2015, 06:10:57 AM »
no matter how you do it there will be wrenching at midnight the day before.

Very true, we usually get more done the last week before the race than during the rest of the year. :-)

Wobblywalrus: Exactly, when I have this fairing in place I have something to work on. Later I will have to get serious with the aerodynamics since I won´t have an excess of power with this engine (150RWhp or slightly more) but first I need to make the drive line as bullet proof as possible.

Cheers!
/Anders