The tank medallions are oak, matched to the woody panelling. The emblems were created in a 3D program, printed out in archival ink jet dyes on glossy photo paper, then had "2-Ton" epoxy flowed onto them. The high-viscosity epoxy adhesive allows the buildup of a high- meniscus domed surface in a single application. Dave Wilson |
Wizard Brothers: Dave's Woody |
Dave Wilson is what you'd call a master woodworker. He loves it as a consruction medium. He doesn't feel the same affinity for metals and composites, which are our principal bike construction media. After all, wood smells good while you're working it, and it looks really nice, even before you start improving it with tools and finishing. Therefore, when we set out to build a machine specifically for him, it was perfectly natural for him to incorporate as much wood into it as was practical. It's based, with variations, on our Z4 (Kandiru) frame design, in 4130 thinwall CrMo alloy, which means that the frame is both lightweight and strong, which is good if you're going to add non-functional full bodywork onto it. After painting with an epoxy basecoat, the frame was glassed to the bodywork formed over it, making for a smpler arrangement than the removable-shell system we used on Kandiru. The bodywork otherwise is of similar construction to Kandiru's: fiberglass-reinforced foamcore and shaped styrofoam with spandex fabric stretched over it. The body was formed with recesses worked into its surface for the fitting of oak plyood panels and trim, with a solid oak chain guard mounted to the drive-side panel. Dave designed the bodywork with a deliberately retro feel to it, to complement the woody embellishments. It isn't some sort of show-queen, either; it's his daily rider. He puts in several miles on it every evening. With its classic looks and majestic length (8 feet), Dave's a one-man parade as he cruises the streets of his neighborhood. It's a rare run which isn't interrupted by someone running out to stop him for a closer look. He always obliges. |
Above: Pilot's eye view. Although it has a long wheelbase, due to the frame design and extended fork, there's nothing weird about riding it, except its looks. It can make a U-turn on a 2-lane suburban street, although Dave's never tried it at speed. Its single-speed drivetrain and coaster brake work very well in the pancake-flat terrain of Baton Rouge. |
Above: The front fender is very light but rigid. The rocket hood ornament which surmounts the fender was found in a local O'Reilly auto-parts store, and it was love at first sight. A transparent red turbine fan inside it spins from the wind stream passing through. The mount is faired into the fender using epoxy putty. The ornament itself is removable. |
The headlight is extremely functional, having a powerful halogen lamp in a modified reflector assembly from a battery lantern. The housing is spandex/epoxy stretched over a truncated styrofoam egg form from a craft store. The chrome bezel is from the accessories section of a local truck stop. Truck stops are a tremendous resource for us. |
The tank medallions are oak, matched to the woody panelling. The emblems were created in a 3D program, printed out in archival ink jet dyes on glossy photo paper, then had "2-Ton" epoxy flowed onto them. The high-viscosity epoxy adhesive allows the buildup of a high- meniscus domed surface in a single application. Dave Wilson |
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