Q-Factor as narrow as practical with and without a lathe :-)

So am am creating a low Q-Factor BB for my Quad build.[ This is the non lathe version ]
For 2 reasons :-
a) it will allow the chassis to be narrower at the front which for a given front track should allow a tighter turning circle ?
b) in turn a) allows for narrower body work at the front

This combined with short cranks as low as possible should help to reduce the shear size of the quad , especially compared to the current pedal car :D

First thing you need to do is start with a one piece cartridge BB with the narrowest axle you can find , as the extra length is outside the 2 bearings mine was 110mm the easiest to buy although some places list a 107mm one. No one I found had it in stock [ cheap ;) ]

Taking it apart we get this :-

cut-parts-DSCF9749.jpg


Top row we have the 2 cartridge retainers and the 2 bearings now removed , the lone item is 10mm cut from between the inner bearing stops [ you could try for more [ if brave ]] next we have the 2 drive stubs and below a fairly thick wall piece of tube to join the axle back together.

during-welding-DSCF9756.jpg


I had two relatively straight steel crank arms [ helps dissipate the heat ], a substantial clamp at the BB axle end and some M12 threaded rod at the bottom.
So the fight now it to get both axle stubs in the tube with the gaps looking even all the way around both [ in this version don't expect it to be easy ! ]

DSCF9761.jpg


So it is now down to around 100mm +- it was very hard to weld there was a very bright yellow ball sat over the weld pool stopping you seeing it properly and one/both of the metals to be welded were providing a firework display of molten steel balls most intimidating.
Oddly I was able to weld around both ends and put a weld in a M6 hole I cut into the tubing without needing to sharpen or clean the Tungsten ?

The pedal car measures 4" between the outer crank pedal face and the centre of the chassis.
This one measures 2.5" between the outer crank pedal face and the centre of the chassis.

Next up we need a modified BB shell to mount this in .......
shortened-outer-DSCF9763.jpg


The left threaded end has a large flange so could weld to the shell easily so the shell was cut at that end , I afterwards found out the threads did not need grinding off as it fit without. This has made it less positively located at that end , will it work ?

So I have done my best to get the cut end square and using a socket and the tool for screwing these ends in and out we are clamped up for welding.

However we do not look well as holding one bearing there appears to be a visible wobble on tother one ?

All we can do is press on ....

DannyC will be along shortly to show you how to make the lathe boy version with undreamt accuracy I am sure.

Paul
 
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DannyC will be along shortly to show you how to make the lathe boy version with undreamt accuracy I am sure.
Already did. :)
I hope yours works well for you.
BB's are made to pretty fine tolerances (for good reasons as the forces on them can be pretty extreme).
But there is nothing to lose at all by trying.
I can make them just a pocketed bearings in counterbores, but there is a risk of the bearings "walking out" L-R over time.
The best approach would be to cut and shut (as above) and do a similar operation on a BB Shell and re-thread the RH thread end to suit.
The pocketed bearing approach can be augmented with sleeves between the inside face of the crank arms and the inner race of the bearing on each side, or just glued them in with red or green loctite (bearing glue).
 
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A common practice is to cool welds slowly, when needed. While I worked at Manthorpe Engineering, the fabrication shop had a 'bath' of vermiculite. So that welded fabrications could be plunged into the bath to cool slowly. https://manthorpeengineering.co.uk/
This was to prevent welds from cracking.
I don't expect bike builders to do this, but be aware that welds can crack. If you are welding alloy steel, chromoly, there may be a better welding rod to help. A32 Chrome Moly TIG Welding Rods. I carry some in stock! Also, don't grind back the weld, it may help. (Unless you are doing a crack detect at any time. No-OK!)
Good luck.

Hope you read this.
https://weldguru.com/welding-cracks/

The 1,2,3..

1. Choose the Correct Filler Material​

2. Preheat The Metal​

3. Slow the Cooling Rate​

and more....

 
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Already did. :)
and the thread is ?
I hope yours works well for you.
BB's are made to pretty fine tolerances (for good reasons as the forces on them can be pretty extreme).
You are talking to the man who rode his Python trike for 2 weeks before he spotted one crank arm was 155mm and the other 170mm
But there is nothing to lose at all by trying.
I hope
The best approach would be to cut and shut (as above) and do a similar operation on a BB Shell and re-thread the RH thread end to suit.
Lathe boy job ...

Damn be shown the ' honey do list ' , hope I can slip away this afternoon for an hour

Paul
 
The fireworks could have been rust or impurities coming back up from the inside of the sleeve tube into the molten puddle ?

Thanks for the info on weld cracks.
 
I welded one, with mig, with no problems, mayby the tig effects the steel differently or there is a variation of steel in bottom brackets
 
I welded one, with mig, with no problems, mayby the tig effects the steel differently or there is a variation of steel in bottom brackets
You started all this with your disassembled BB !

Looking the yellow ball problem up on Google it seems I may have had to much current and was actually vapourising the steel :D so that may also been generation the ball spitting ?

Also the quality of the tube sleeve is definitely suspect.

Hows the Python tandem coming along ?

Paul
 
You DID have the Argon turned on, right ?
In mitigation I had just swapped the gas bottle and when it was all set up I tried a weld and yes no gas. Turns out in swapping the bottle I must have moved the regulator and the gas was not coming through in any where near the volume required , however it was puzzling because gas could be heard just not at the volume needed.......

Paul
 
Here's the one that "Lathe Boy" I made that actually seems to work! :)
Clearly there's something to be said for having a lathe of some sort to true up the ends and also a big vise to hold it all together for welding and prevent distortion.
image.png
 
it does not seal well and it was a touch windy
One of the nicer things I acquired for my TIG set up was a set of "gas lens" cups.
Gas lenses are a set of little screen type diffusers, and different, shorter cups, that smooth out the gas flow.

I've seen a "smoke test" view of the gas stream with and without the lenses,
and it showed that with the lens, there was a relatively straight column of flow, down on to the weld surface.
Without the lens, the gas flow was much more swirly and uneven - I think it helped a bit, at least for me.
 
Because I am a real awkward/pedantic/idiot stickler for trying to get things right I spent 2 hours of my time today making another of those narrow Bottom Bracket affairs. This one will be the same as the one above in post #13 above, but without the 2° error in the relative positioning between the 2 crank arms. A paying customer had requested one of these units so I think it would be unfair to try to foist an imperfect one on him.

The process is very simple:
  • Remove the centre material and square-up the ends.
  • Make a very close-fitting piece of tubing (lathe again) as the over-sleeve with the side-holes for the puddle-welds. The tighter-fit you make the sleeve the better it is.
  • When welding it all up, if you over-subscribe the puddle welds you then just pop the whole thing back in the lathe and skim the excess off and make it all neat and tidy.
The whole process is really made easy by the fact that the cartridge manufacturer has kindly placed bearing mounts on either side of the axle that are perfectly aligned with the axis of the axle.

So the cost?
1 off cheap BB cartridge (<£10)
1 custom sleeve made from 20mm round bar (notionally £2).
2 hours of fun for "lathe-boy" at his going rate (typically just a beer or two aka "mates-rates" c.£10).
1 Welding wire and gas/electric free as it's a bit of "fun".

Hopefully, everyone's happy.. :)
 
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