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It goes in here I'm going to be using a "piano hinge" for the side doors. I have one in the garage......... somewhere!

Switching back to the rear storage box, I finished the frame today. Welded in some hank bushes Which go here Then moved on to a fill in panel that goes between the seat post and the pannier It needs a bit of shaping in order for it to fit.

That's what I was aiming for, now using two needles. However I must be doing it wrong /differently because I'm not getting the "X". I don't mind though because I actually like the pattern I'm getting.

Well, in the cold (sober) light of day, I think it looks rubbish! So I'm redoing it. Different thread, different stitch and I've reprofiled the area where the foam finishes. I've made a start on it, but I've had to stop for now. I'll post photos when it's done.

Oh yeah, i missed a stage out. Before I started sewing I used some double sided tape to hold the leather in place on the bars. It also stops it twisting round in use.

In theory the other side should be easier, A, I'm more experienced at doing it and B, there's no brake cable. C, I'll not have been on the wine. Probably.

OK, so I carried on! I'm reasonably happy with that. The stitches could be neater where the foam finishes, but then I'm a metalworker, not a sewer!

Using my long gone grandfather's braddle I made holes every 5mm along the edges. Lots of holes As you can see, the wine is open, so that's all for tonight!

Then I made a template for the leather with some dodgy wallpaper! Unfortunately the piece of leather I have isn't big enough to do both sides. So, I've had to order some more. Hope it matches lol

So, handlebars. The chrome is no good, so I'm covering them in black leather. To make them a little more comfortable I'm fixing a layer of foam around the grip area. Which was painted black

The box needs to be that size and shape. However........ Remember, there is a long way to go with this design. What you are seeing here will not be seen once I'm finished.....

Moved on to the rear box support. A little trial and error was needed to get the position right. I don't want to catch the back of my leg on it as I pedal! I'd love to show you my fancy tube bender at this point. But alas I don't own one! I just use the end of my workbench! They only needed a...

So that's the inner structure we'll on its way. It's going somewhere round here The outer part of the box will have a little more "style"

The rear box is going to be made in sections. Firstly I need to make the inner box. The dimensions of this are quite specific. I want it to be just big enough to hold a laptop. Yes a laptop! I figure that this bike could be used as a city commuter bike and will aim to market it that way after...

I thought I'd better do a quite dry build before I go any further (and there is much further to go!) It also give me a better idea for the design of the storage area at the back. I do plan to paint the crank but I'm not sure if I will use this one. I think it's a bit modern, even though it's...

Once it's prepped there's no changing your mind! A good way to make sure you move on with the build instead of messing with details.

Moving on to the handlebars. Obviously they are an odd size! The chrome has rusted off in a few places so ideally I'd like to replace them. But none of the bars I have in stock fit. So I'm going to use the originals, but I'm not going to paint them....... Also, I would prefer to have no cables...

You should see the tiger nest I have in my loft!!!!

Oh yeah, doh, I'm ALWAYS mixing up bees with tigers.

And bees