Measure, refine, test

There are times when this project seems to make one step forward and two back. It's just that it is important to be sure you have things in order before you start cutting . . . or aligning . . . or even something as simple as purchasing hardware. Today's ongoing effort centers on a clear understanding of how this trailer will finally come together and what effects the various parts and sequence of construction will have on the outcome.

For example, I thought today would be devoted to simply mounting the wheel brackets on the frame members. A careful, or at least second, look at the jigs I created for the wheel brackets showed them misaligned. Nothing significant, but a potential problem as the trailer is assembled. One centimeter of misalignment at the beginning could result in a great deal of problems when the trailer is rolling down the road.



We tend to forget that a bike frame is usually very well aligned and the wheels roll in the same plane. When you have two wheels opposite one another being pulled by two wheels in line with one another, it becomes obvious that you need some good alignment in at least two planes. Now, I realize this thing will roll pretty well even if a laser alignment tool shows it out of whack. But, it's worth taking care now so that it works the way I expect. And, that expectation is that the trailer will haul stuff efficiently without creating a drag on the overall ride.

The schematic, initially sketched on the back of scrap paper, was created to make sure I could visualize the actual trailer material in the assembled form. And, to put all in one place a visual of the materials that would need to be cut. Of course, it might be that I just miss those days as a kid when I took the tracing paper out and traced schematics of locomotives and such.