The Plastic Machine

[Vonpotter]

Not a frequent poster here by any means, but here's my latest scratch build. I have been working at a plastic fabrication plant for a few years now. That time is nearing an end, so I decided to get something done that I've been kicking around the entire time I've worked there: A plastic bike. I have made tons of parts for my bikes in the time I've worked here (seats, forks, tank plates, baskets, handlebars, etc) But a full bike would take a ton of engineering.

I did it anyway

3/4" thick plates for rear triangle and fork

Machined Dropouts

A brief mockup with the two 1/2" thick frame panels

Welded in a 1/4" opaque plastic "tank"

Got some wheels: 3g 3speed with Kenda Kiniptions

Another mockup with the pipe that holds it all together

A rear view

A rough idea of the finished product

1/4" aluminum reinforcing plates hot off the CNC plas

Finished the fork:

Waiting on a few parts as of right now, but should be complete this week

 

[KJV]

This cycle, is way cool.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Very, very cool! I have thought of doing something similar with aluminium plate, but plastic, that is awesome!

How heavy will it end up, is plastic a heavy building material?

Luke.

 

[Vonpotter]

Im estimating around 50 lbs

 

[KJV]

That's heavy.

 

[Fv2]

Very cool concept

 

[Vonpotter]

Yeah it's heavy, but that's because the panels are 1/2" thick and 3/4" thick. The material is very flexible, so I had to use thicker material and box the frame to get rid of the flex.

I'm hoping for less than 50, but even if I don't, that's still only a couple pounds heavier than the Beast, and everyone seems to be obsessed with those

Sent from my E6782 using Tapatalk

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Yeah it's heavy, but that's because the panels are 1/2" thick and 3/4" thick. The material is very flexible, so I had to use thicker material and box the frame to get rid of the flex.

I'm hoping for less than 50, but even if I don't, that's still only a couple pounds heavier than the Beast, and everyone seems to be obsessed with those

Sent from my E6782 using Tapatalk

50lbs is not excessive for a stretch, they are not meant to be a race bike, in fact the heavier they are, quite often the better they ride...

Luke.

 

[kingfish254]

This is pretty slick!
Is that material similar to the Starboard material that is used for some boat accessory construction?

 

[Vonpotter]

We use starboard, which is a High Density Polyethylene. This material, however, is a copolymer polypropylene. The same stuff used on high pressure water tanks for fire trucks

Sent from my E6782 using Tapatalk

 

[Vonpotter]

Decided to axe the ugly trusshead hardware for some nice black socket heads:

And began to box in the frame.

 

[Fv2]

I'm wondering how this is gonna ride/handle. Can't wait to see the final product.

 

[deven_science]

Very different. Very cool.

 

[OneHorsePower]

awesome ideal and manufacturing!
that fork is welded? can you trust that ?

 

[Vonpotter]

Got most of the boxing done today:

 

[Vonpotter]

awesome ideal and manufacturing!
that fork is welded? can you trust that ?

Not the first fork I've made.

I trust it. This is tough stuff. Plastic welding is no different than any other form of welding. Two pieces are bonded using heat and a filler rod

 

[KJV]

Mockup is ,sweet
Good one for electric.

 

[user 135]

Nice build. I like the stance and proportions.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Loving it!

Luke.

 

[Fv2]

Will the handlebars be made of plastic as well?