EcoRocket Build

News from the Econaut secret test flight facility!

Major Dude's brother-in-law, 'Scott Dawg', has signed on as the Econaut structural engineer - in charge of connecting the EcoRocket chassis to the cedar fairing. Special thanks to IBS Systems in Flamboro for the structural materials! All I can say is that it's looking good.

The fairing will be completely glassed out by Sunday.

Special thanks to Dr. Gray of Parry Sound for stitching up Major Dude's left index finger when it was ground down during a cedar sanding session today.

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Now...here's some photos [ at journey's end] of the EcoRocket design and construction....

The First thing to do was to place graph paper down the centre line of the trike chassis and measure the outside distances for the wood fairing that will surround it. Because the velomobile is the same shape on both sides, I only have to measure one side. At one foot intervals, I measured three-dimensional points in space of Captain Utopia while sitting in both back and front seats. I wanted to make sure everything but his head would fit inside the EcoRocket.

Once all of the measurements are written down, we take a large sheet of graph paper to draw the full scale sections around the EcoRocket will be built at one foot intervals. This is pretty difficult stuff to do. The bendable ruler from Lee Valley made this design stage possible.

With the paper drawings completed, cardboard cutouts are made with a jigsaw from the paper templates. These cardboard pieces are used as a first guess at the shape of the velomobile. Now the three-dimensional shape can start to be adjusted by eye. Getting the 'lines' just right as the cedar strips will bend to make the fairing shape must be done here. Imagine it as a solid shape.

The adjusted cardboard pieces are traced onto the OSB sheet to cut out wood stations.

Bundles of clear cedar strips have been cut from 3/4" thick planks on a table saw. The edges will be routered (no photo) with one bead and one cove edge so they fit together snugly. In front of the cedar strips is the plywood strongback onto which the wooden stations will be secured.

Here I am taking a moment to contemplate the huge step of cutting out the all important wood stations that will decide the EcoRocket's shape. I've never done this before. If I'm wrong about the shape and the trike does not fit inside, it will be too late to fix it and the expedition will fail to launch in time. No pressure....

Bite the bullet and cut...

...then burn the leftovers.

It was essential to have a daily 'to-do' list and a calendar in the shop. This would record the day's progress. If we didn't stick to the tight schedule we would not finish in time. At this point four days have passed in the 28 day schedule.

The wood stations are cut, set on the strongback, and clamped to wood saw horses. I think it looks like a Star Wars Imperial Walker. I use the yellow hand grinder with a sanding pad to carefully refine the shape of the form.

Say 'cheese'. Major Dude wears his Canada toque.

My nephew Troy helps out. He's laying duct tape on the sanded station edges so the wood glue used to connect all of the cedar strips won't stick to the station form during separation.

Scott Dawg builds the router table.

Behind Scott Dawg you can see the bike trailer we'll use to carry our cargo.
I call it the EcoPod, of course.

Here's a side view with all wood stations on the strongback.

Scott Dawg and Troy the photographer take the trike chassis out for a spin.

The first strips are stapled and glued to the form! You start with a single strip on
either side of the form at its widest point on each station.
Then you build up both sides until they meet at the top.

A close-up view of the stacked cedar strips. Lots of staples and white glue.

It's best to build strips up on both sides of the form at the same time.

Scott Dawg gives me some good fabrication advice.
The curvy end corners were the hardest to figure out.

The excess cedar strips which go past the centre line will be cut off
and the ends capped with cherry hardwood.

You can never have enough clamps to hold the wood in place as the glue dries.

A bit messy, I know. We did the bottom half of the fairing first so if we made mistakes it wouldn't be too obvious. I planned to paint the bottom yellow for road visibility anyhoo.

For inspiration, I went into Ma Pocock's crawlspace to take a look at her cedar strip canoe.

The bottom half is stapled and the glue drying. Now the form is carefully turned over and set into a cradle. I made the cradle out of two wood station cut off pieces with cold water pipe foam insulation around the edge to protect the cedar strips.

Here's a very clean work table with some of the cedar strip phase tools.

Voila! The top half is completed with the front end capped with laminated strips of cherry. The glue needs to dry for 24 hours before the staples (some 3000) are pulled out with pliers.

The two sections of the back end will also be capped with cherry.

The final cedar strip - the middle dark piece - had to be perfectly carved and set gently into place without staples. Captain Utopia and I, for fun, had a little race to see who could carve one to fit first. It had to be perfect. Major Dude won the honour and set his into place.

The bottom half of the fairing was hand planed and sanded with both fairing boards and an electric sander. Now brown paper is taped down to protect the top half underneath.

A full sheet of 6 ounce fibreglass cloth is set over the smooth cedar strips.

The first 'wet out' coat of epoxy is applied to the fibreglass cloth. We used West System epoxy and hardener. It was great to work with.

The epoxy really brings out the cedar strip colour.

Time to plane, then sand the top half.

With the bottom half complete Scott Dawg returns to the Econaut Secret Test Flight Facility. His mission is to build the frame attaching the wood fairing to the trike chassis. Here he cleverly suspends the trike from above the fairing below to design his important frame.

Scott Dawg solved a problem which gave me no peace for months. How am I gonna attach the fairing to the chassis? Carbon fibre rods??? Scott Dawg realized it could be done with light metal pipe used by electricians. He was right. He saved the expedition with this idea.

With Scott Dawg on the scene, I took the opportunity to have my accident. I was sanding the top fairing when the hand grinder caught an edge and the sanding disk cut deep into my index finger. Ma Pocock took me off to the Parry Sound Hospital for some stitches.

Scott Dawg measures some pipe to cut and weld together.
It was so nice to have him in the shop.
I just knew it would get done very well and in record time.

The first section is cut, bent and welded. Notice the slight curve in the vertical pipe?
It's hard to believe this is the first time Scott Dawg has bent pipe.

Watch the coole metal grinding video!

Scott Dawg's metal frame is finished. It only weighs 5 lbs.

Meanwhile, Ma Pocock is busy upstairs making
the Econaut test pilot jackets. Thanks Ma!

She said the hardest part was hand sewing the fake zebra fur lining.

No rest for Scott Dawg. He attaches the metal pipe frame to the chassis.

Scott Dawg takes a break to help put the first coat of epoxy on the top.

The surface is rough with only one epoxy coat.
We added three more layers of epoxy about 4 hours apart
so the layers form a strong chemical bond.

After Scott Dawg attaches the chassis to the bottom fairing,
I put on the front wheel and mark the section to be cut out with a jigsaw.

The openings are cut and wheels on. Scott Dawg's work here is done.
Time to kick back and bask in the glory of a job well done.

Darth Dude.

On schedule!

The fins are attached! Red tape protects the turn signals from epoxy.

The station form is set aside and later disassembled. Thanks, buddy.
So glad the chassis fit inside the fairing as planned.

My finger is starting to heal. No time off.

Some badges are silkscreened and hung to dry for the Econaut jackets.

I decided to use the carbon fibre rods, originally intended to connect the fairing to the chassis, for another purpose. Splitting the rods, I applied epoxy glue and stapled them to the bottom of the fairing for added structural support.
Later, much of the floor was covered with a sheet of carbon fibre cloth.

The EcoPod trailer was perfect to place some red flags with the
Econaut symbol for improved road visibility.

The Doctor is in da haus! Doc came up to the Secret Test Flight Facility
to install the Bessy electronic turn signal system. Pesky wires!

After much fine work, Bessy is installed beside the pilot seat.

I like this photo.
Unfortunately, big holes have to be cut in the top.

Tail section with The Doctor's tail light attached.

Under the top fairing, the left and right turn signal switches
and light indicators are installed.

Look, my finger's getting better.

The Doctor bravely volunteers to be the first EcoRocket test pilot.
All systems go!

I pull a late night session and paint the Canadian flag
on the side of the EcoRocket.

Major Dude's 3 am fish impression.

The bottom section of the fairing is painted yellow
for better visibility on the road.

Paper stencils for 'Kids Can 2007" are taped to the side of the fairing.

An old power tool case is stripped down (to reduce weight).
The empty case will be attached to the floor of the EcoPod trailer
and used as a repair tool and supply case.

Yellow cushions and clear plastic tubing are attached
to the open hatches for safety.

Still on schedule!

Major Dude's expedition shoes are old golf shoes with real car tire tread attached to the bottom for better grip. Emergency brakes. Dig?

View of EcoRocket underside.

The holes in the bottom of the fairing are a bit funky, off-centre, I admit. The purpose of the holes in the bottom of the fairing is so the person's heels don't hit the bottom of the fairing.
You also need to put your feet through the bottom in case you want to push the velomobile backwards - or in case you need to put your feet to the road for emergency braking.

We planned to use these battery-powered fans to cool the interior of the EcoRocket during a hot summer. The fan covers were attached to either side of the front and back seats, but never actually used - it was a cold summer in 2007.

Scott Dawg returns to take the completed EcoRocket out for its final test flight. Everything A-OK.

Well,...might have to fix a broken trailer flagpole.

Scott Dawg designs and builds a crafty custom EcoRocket carrier rack for the trip to British Columbia.

At every important point along the way, Scott Dawg arrived on the scene with the perfect answer. Scott Dawg, you da man!

We rented a one-way minivan to transport the EcoRocket and ourselves to Victoria, BC for the launch. Here it is, tail first, ready to go.

Ma Pocock christens the EcoRocket with a bottle of Ontario white wine before departure. She made it all possible. She put up with 14 hours of loud noise, toxic fumes, and my frustration for 28 days solid. She provided us all with tailored jackets, meals, tea and cookies and good humour. Without her, the expedition would have remained only a dream.

Cheers, Mom!

-- Major Dude