John Doe wrote:
"Steve W." wrote:

John Doe wrote:

I like these skates a lot, planning to make slight variations.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27532210@N04/2565924423/

The aluminum flat bar is 1/16" thick from McMaster. Seems
springier than Lowe's aluminum and apparently harder so it
doesn't clog my tools.

Looking at the picture I would toss the aluminum your using. Get
some wider material and make a longer piece that can go along the
sides of the current frame and catch at least one of the existing
wheel bolts. Maybe even use sheet stock and bend it so that it can
use the toe area on the shoe as a brace.

Yup yup, good thoughts IMO.

Then on the nose area that you have one screw I would add a
second. One closer to the top and bottom to spread the clamping
across the part. That would give you three total hard connection
points. Screw wise I would use stainless 10-32 and short rivnuts.


I would toss the Super Glue. Get some GOOD epoxy and use that.

Like what, specifically?

Maybe some Devcon or one of the 3M family. NOT a 5 minute type, you want
a longer stronger cure. You would need to look over some of them for
bonding abilities. I use a few different types but don't bond aluminum much.
I would also do a dry sanding to remove the coatings, then use a finer
grit wet paper, whetted with the epoxy just prior to assembly. That
would give you the best bond.



With
the understanding that the failures you will likely see at the
bonded areas will likely be from aluminum oxide forming under the
glue.



I'm very familiar with those and other off-road in-line skates. The
Coyotes were a chore to push with, the pneumatic wheels made them
very slow for anything but going downhill. There are others, but
nothing that resembles the function of mine for rough street
skating. I've used 100mm wheel speed skates. Mine are for speed
(hard wheels), stability (low profile), and handling bumps (big
front wheel). I'm still working on putting a stopgap between at
least the first and second wheels, that's what my earlier question
about Delrin was for.

Problem with the stopgap is that it needs to absorb shock without
moving into the wheels. That's a really tough qualification. I think
it's going to be a breakaway type, so that if I hit an extremely hard
object with lots of force, it will absorb some of the shock by
shattering, then it will be replaced. It would need to be replaced
periodically anyway.


carbon fiber reinforced resin? Or maybe some light aluminum with molded
delrin material over it? How about machining them out of the molded
rubber they make hockey pucks from?


--
Steve W.