Curbside Lefroy Mini

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Curbside
Curbside
WA
2 posts
WA, 2 posts
21 Jul 2009 3:56pm
Hey guys,

Thought i'd put a thread up on our attempt at a Lefroy Mini. We've just started on it today & i'll chuck some photos up as we go... Love to here your comments good or bad. Tell me if i'm crazy or not So the idea again is to spend as little as possible and use as much recycled or curbside material as we can. Also we want to be a heck of a lot lighter than the whale. We're aiming for the 30kg minus sail mark.

Starting off with the seat, we have gone for a fibreglass bathtub (curbside)



The we shaped it up, not quite finished with the shape yet.



Then got the rear wheels from the tip today. Nice alloy wheels


I was wondering what would be the best way to go with the bearings in these wheels if anyone has any suggestions.

Will update this as we go.
Gizmo
Gizmo
SA
2865 posts
SA, 2865 posts
21 Jul 2009 6:26pm
Well done guys...
When you build the frame for the LLMini try and stay as true as you can to the plans especially the main spine frame as just about everything else you can change if and when you want later.
The wheels look good but get rid of the 8 ply tyres and use 4 ply ribbed ones, you will be amazed at the difference.
Now the bearings the rim has taped roller cones in it you will need to press those out or crack them out. then get some bearings that have a small lip on the edge I use 2" OD with a 1" ID deep groove cheepo ones BUT they are noisy and need replacing often, most other guys like a more precission bearing.
Buy the look of the work shop in the background you might have a lathe that could be used to true up the bearing housing in the rim, then with a light sand / bead blast you will have the best looking wheels around.

Keep up the good work !!!
Hiko
Hiko
1229 posts
1229 posts
21 Jul 2009 6:22pm
Great stuff guys Love the bathtub seat!
Re the wheels as Gismo has said Looks like tapered cups in there which will need to be knocked out This can be done with a punch and hammer with the wheel centre
placed over a suitable short piece of tube or pipe socket on the ground to concentrate the energy where it is needed
Measuring the recess diameter and depth and the diameter of the stub axle you intend to use will give you a start point in the search for suitable bearings
If the wheel recess is a metric size you will have more choices of bearings and usually a lot cheaper also due to the greater volume made
No you are not crazy you are creative and will get a lot of fun out of the project
The lefroy Mini is a great little yacht go for it!
landyacht
landyacht
WA
5921 posts
WA, 5921 posts
21 Jul 2009 8:25pm
Youve been awarded 7 points already for that seat!!!!
The velox rims are quite heavy tho . If you do have access to a lathe you can machine off nearly 20% of the metal since they are no longer going to be carrying a load on the road. when you knock out the old tapercone parts chek the ID of the hole . It will probaly be close to 50mm. your bearing choices will probably be gizmos crappy2" x1" wheelbarrow bearings, 50mm or 2"precision bearings which will have a 25mm or1" centre or you could machine out to 52mm to take a 6304 bearing which gets you back to a 20mm centre ( my prefered centre).
the highway tyres are way too heavy and give a crap ride, so try some 4ply light ribbed from Mullins wheels in Vic park (about $15.00 tyre and tube , take cash), unless you get some from the Kerbside supermarket. Sail bits are usually best found in the coastal suburbs. One day we got 2 almost complete windsurfing rigs in Warnbro( thnks again)
Top effort!
Hiko
Hiko
1229 posts
1229 posts
22 Jul 2009 6:20am
I know the terminology is different in OZ
I got laughed at for calling a hose clamp a hose clip but I always thought the
outer bit of a taper bearing was called a cup and the inner bit that goes on the axle is the cone Is that different too?
hills
hills
SA
1622 posts
SA, 1622 posts
22 Jul 2009 8:50pm
Haha, that bathtub seat is a great idea!! Is the plug hole in the right place for the mast? Great job, keep us updated!

Didn't someone make a landyacht out of a bathtub years ago... or was that a coffin?
landyacht
landyacht
WA
5921 posts
WA, 5921 posts
22 Jul 2009 8:05pm
both
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