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.

Read the plans carefully, then diverge

I have read and re-read Carry Freedom's plans and they are quite good and thorough. A bike trailer is a fairly simple device-two wheels inside a frame with a connecting arm. But, getting to something that works well and tracks straight is not so simple, so thank you Carry Freedom.

However, given my materials, my lack of a really good machine shop and the conditions as I confront them, I'm making some modifications.

Fabrication, round one

I finally got my building feet wet today. And, just as I suspected, there's more to this than meets the eye. When you look at the design and directions and the simple line drawings of the tools, all look straightforward. Then, you actually have to get the tools out and go to work. Or, in my case, create some tools to do the work.

Because the sheet of 14 ga. mild steel is much taller than my vice, I needed to create a sort of jig to make the sawing stable. I cut two lengths of scrap bead board and used them to stabilize the metal.

Measure twice

I finally got down to determining how many beams I would need and whether or not the ones I had would do the trick. It's not always obvious. At first glance, I thought I did not have enough lumber for the job. But, as I evaluated the various parts, I realized that I could make the entire trailer out of the four beams that I have. So it is.

Tomorrow, I start the actual fabrication. I'll be cutting out the metal bits. And, I will be adjusting the dimensions provided by Carry Freedom so that the metal parts fit more closely with the wood. You'll see it more clearly as I post pictures.

The spirit of the project, II

Another dimension to the project, consistent with what I hope the results will achieve, is a light environmental footprint. The most direct way to achieve that is to make sure that the acquisition of materials and the construction activity are accomplished without excessive driving, waste or fuel use. To that end, here are some additional constraints:

• Walk, ride a bike or use mass transit to acquire any materials.
• When possible, use hand tools during construction.
• Work during and in daylight to reduce power consumption.
• When building, make the most efficient use possible of the materials.

The spirit of the project

This project, and perhaps others like it that use Carry Freedom's plans, has some guiding principles. In developed countries and in projects where the builder has means like me, there are conditions that should be considered. For example, where do you get your materials? Do you purchase new or used recycled goods? Can you simply "find" the materials you want in the garage or basement or dumpster? Should you rely upon found objects?

The project's purpose

Transportation by bicycle is an old concept, but is only now gaining traction in the United States. In the developing world and in many European countries, bicycles are an essential component of getting to work, to school, buying groceries and carrying goods. (Image from Carry Freedom)

The utility of a bicycle is enhanced by cargo carrying components. For example, racks and saddle bags allow one to carry a limited amount of goods. A trailer, however, greatly expands what might be carried.

With a growing interest in this form of transport, I began investigating bike trailers designed for cargo hauling. Living in Portland, Oregon, exposed me to a number of organizations and individuals using trailers or other modifications to bicycles to transport goods. I finally landed on the Bamboo Bicycle Trailer from Carry Freedom. I was impressed not only with the simple DIY concept, but also the designer's desire to enhance the lives of folks with limited means. He was inspired by a customer using one of his trailers who left it in a Nepalese village where it was used heavily.

The more I thought about the trailer, the more I wanted to build one. I enjoy creating things, though I'm not particularly handy. I do know how to use basic tools and was exposed as a kid to my father's mechanical capabilities. As a car mechanic, he was well versed in the use of tools and understanding how things worked. With that limited background, I downloaded the plans for the Bamboo Bike Trailer.

The longer I thought about the trailer, the more purposeful was my interest. At the risk of being too philosophical, the following sums up my reasons for building the trailer.

• To expand our family's ability to do more on our bicycles including grocery shopping
• To satisfy my interests in building a useful object
• To explore ways in which the bike trailer might be used by others
• To connect with the Portland, Oregon area's growing bicycle community
• To have some fun