Yesterday afternoon I was able to get the velocipede legs bored, a 3D printed bushing designed and made (that will be made in bronze), and the big cast wheel bored to the shaft size. I also made a "stand in/mock up" shaft that I could use to put things together. The bronze wheel is a hefty beast but the big diameter shaft supports it well. I think the big wheel should still be mounted on the rotary table on the Bridgeport and the outside trued slightly. I think it would just help the piece to function a bit more smoothly. I'd like to machine the small wheel this weekend if I can finalize the design.
It's interesting how an object like this requires so many different parts that have to come together for the object to function. For some reason, when I make things I need the piece to be capable of mock up stage, so I can see everything and then evaluate the design and "look" of things. I have the entire model in CAD, but my brain requires to be able to see the parts all fixed together to then make changes or additions to. This is the area where I think a piece gets better. This is why I just need to see the piece together regardless of everything being resolved. I also think this is why I like modifying existing objects so much. I'm not sure why, but I have had that desire from the time I was a kid. I always had this desire to stick an engine from one motorcycle into a different frame, or I wanted to combine different bicycle parts to build a completely unique bike. Where does that impulse come from? I need to think about this more...
It's like I need to see something as a complete unit so I can then modify it. This mock up stage is critical for me and I need to see this piece come together as a whole with all it's parts, regardless if they are going to be the final design or not. I just need to see this together as a whole as soon as possible. As I build things I feel like I get to a point where I have built all of these parts, I assemble them, and then I tear it all apart and restore it to final finish. This is the part of making that I enjoy and always have.
Why can't CAD suffice for this "mock up" stage and then I'm just building parts and assembling them? I hate having to figure out details in CAD I guess. I want to do that part in the physical world instead. Seeing something, touching it, handling it, having a visceral response feels necessary to me. I would love to be a fly on the wall when iconic things were being built to see how the ideas developed. Have all of these iconic things been built from engineering plans/drawings on paper and then just emerged as a direct one to one of that object or did people have a chance to respond to the physical parts and let the object evolve as more parts were created? It's probably not really all that important, but I think about the call and response to making a lot more these days. This piece is reminding me of how I like to work and that IS important...to me. It's not fast nor is it efficient, but it's just the time it takes for me to be happy with what I'm making.
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