My second electric bike

https://www.flickr.com/photos/27532210@N04/

Scroll down and you will see the "bottom bracket to drill connection". A
standard cartridge was used, but the tightening is the same into the
socket. Being a bolt instead of a nut doesn't change the method.

That's the most difficult part when designing a cordless drill powered
electric bike. The next most difficult part is the bracket for holding
and aligning the drill with the bottom bracket connector. This iteration
is light years better, assuming it's sturdy enough. It can't be any
easier and simpler, using two sturdy pieces of aluminum flatbar with
eight holes drilled through it for 1/4 inch bolts. Also, a long mountain
bike seat post was used that is 2/10 of a millimeter wider in diameter
than the stock seatpost, so that it's a deep and snug fit. That to
reinforce the seat tube in case much pressure is needed.

Besides the ultra simplicity, aligning the drill with the bottom bracket
is miraculously easy compared to my first underpowered bike that's been
running well for ten months. I do expect some wrenching since it's a
powerful drill (Dewalt DCD995), and there is a plan B, but time will
tell.

The trigger controller also turned out very well. A cheap Shimano
shifter can be converted into a simple no-click spooler by taking it
apart and removing a plastic piece. The wire connection to the drill
triggeris easy. Just connect the sheath to the trigger button and
connect the wire to the side of the drill using a lot of hot melt glue.
When the shifter is rotated and the wire is pulled into the sheath, the
sheath moves the trigger button inwards.

The only difficult part is cutting a 1/2 inch square hole through the
3/8 inch-thick aluminum disk. That for holding the front sprocket to the
bottom bracket. I consulted lots of metalworkers for advice on the
issue. It's a difficult task without an expensive tool(s). The back of
the socket (drill to bottom bracket connector) presses against that 3/8
inch thick aluminum disk, giving it stability. A tool (called a
"broach") for cutting a square hole through aluminum cost $200+ (US).
Appropriately sized square files are in order. Perhaps they can be used
similar to that expensive dedicated tool, or just the way they are
normally used to square a hole. This time I used a cheap 1/4 inch square
file that crudely got the job done.

I might put this on my YouTube channel (pqxxedf). if so, then I will
post any progress reports and answer any questions.

Impressive. But where do you put your foot?

On 30/04/16 15:39, Andre Jute wrote:
Impressive. But where do you put your foot?


Waste of a good cordless drill!


--
JS

On Saturday, April 30, 2016 at 9:07:39 AM UTC+1, James wrote:
On 30/04/16 15:39, Andre Jute wrote:
Impressive. But where do you put your foot?


Waste of a good cordless drill!


--
JS

A good bottom bracket motor and a hefty battery (36V, 13 or 14AH) together doesn't leave a lot of change out of a thousand American dollars, so I can understand why people want to cook up a DIY version before they splash out, or merely from curiosity. In parts of the American cycling world which does not refresh RBT, there is considerable excitement about electric bicycles.. Check out this newsgroup in particular: https://endless-sphere.com/forums/se...198883f1ccfac7 -- the link should show you a bunch of questions I asked, at least one of them carelessly dumb (It turned out later I have the required tool in my toolbox but hadn't required it since 2002...), to all of which I got constructive, helpful, polite answers. More relevant to my sort of electrification, which is not intended to turn my bike into an electric motorbike but just to provide a smidgen of assistance near the top of hills I would otherwise have to give a miss, is this more restrained British newsgroup, which I suspect is operated by commercial interests but is nonetheless both expert and welcoming: http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/foru...rsion-kits.42/

Andre Jute
Shocking!

On Sat, 30 Apr 2016 01:52:35 -0000 (UTC), John Doe
wrote:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/27532210@N04/

Scroll down and you will see the "bottom bracket to drill connection". A
standard cartridge was used, but the tightening is the same into the
socket. Being a bolt instead of a nut doesn't change the method.

That's the most difficult part when designing a cordless drill powered
electric bike. The next most difficult part is the bracket for holding
and aligning the drill with the bottom bracket connector. This iteration
is light years better, assuming it's sturdy enough. It can't be any
easier and simpler, using two sturdy pieces of aluminum flatbar with
eight holes drilled through it for 1/4 inch bolts. Also, a long mountain
bike seat post was used that is 2/10 of a millimeter wider in diameter
than the stock seatpost, so that it's a deep and snug fit. That to
reinforce the seat tube in case much pressure is needed.

Besides the ultra simplicity, aligning the drill with the bottom bracket
is miraculously easy compared to my first underpowered bike that's been
running well for ten months. I do expect some wrenching since it's a
powerful drill (Dewalt DCD995), and there is a plan B, but time will
tell.

The trigger controller also turned out very well. A cheap Shimano
shifter can be converted into a simple no-click spooler by taking it
apart and removing a plastic piece. The wire connection to the drill
triggeris easy. Just connect the sheath to the trigger button and
connect the wire to the side of the drill using a lot of hot melt glue.
When the shifter is rotated and the wire is pulled into the sheath, the
sheath moves the trigger button inwards.

The only difficult part is cutting a 1/2 inch square hole through the
3/8 inch-thick aluminum disk. That for holding the front sprocket to the
bottom bracket. I consulted lots of metalworkers for advice on the
issue. It's a difficult task without an expensive tool(s). The back of
the socket (drill to bottom bracket connector) presses against that 3/8
inch thick aluminum disk, giving it stability. A tool (called a
"broach") for cutting a square hole through aluminum cost $200+ (US).
Appropriately sized square files are in order. Perhaps they can be used
similar to that expensive dedicated tool, or just the way they are
normally used to square a hole. This time I used a cheap 1/4 inch square
file that crudely got the job done.

I read your posts on the metal working site :-) A guy gave you good
advise - drill a hole and file it square.

It might be interesting to read a bit about Purdy shotguns. One of
their major points was that the action and barrels were "hand fitted".
In other words filed and scrapped, by hand, to perfect fits.

--

Cheers,

John B.

On 30/04/16 20:38, Andre Jute wrote:
On Saturday, April 30, 2016 at 9:07:39 AM UTC+1, James wrote:
On 30/04/16 15:39, Andre Jute wrote:
Impressive. But where do you put your foot?


Waste of a good cordless drill!



A good bottom bracket motor and a hefty battery (36V, 13 or 14AH)
together doesn't leave a lot of change out of a thousand American
dollars, so I can understand why people want to cook up a DIY version
before they splash out, or merely from curiosity. In parts of the
American cycling world which does not refresh RBT, there is
considerable excitement about electric bicycles. Check out this
newsgroup in particular:
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/se...198883f1ccfac7
-- the link should show you a bunch of questions I asked, at least
one of them carelessly dumb (It turned out later I have the required
tool in my toolbox but hadn't required it since 2002...), to all of
which I got constructive, helpful, polite answers. More relevant to
my sort of electrification, which is not intended to turn my bike
into an electric motorbike but just to provide a smidgen of
assistance near the top of hills I would otherwise have to give a
miss, is this more restrained British newsgroup, which I suspect is
operated by commercial interests but is nonetheless both expert and
welcoming:
http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/foru...rsion-kits.42/


Thanks. I'll keep that in mind. One never knows when one may suffer
mobility issues.

--
JS

John B. wrote:

John Doe
wrote:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/27532210@N04/

Scroll down and you will see the "bottom bracket to drill connection". A
standard cartridge was used, but the tightening is the same into the
socket. Being a bolt instead of a nut doesn't change the method.

That's the most difficult part when designing a cordless drill powered
electric bike. The next most difficult part is the bracket for holding
and aligning the drill with the bottom bracket connector. This iteration
is light years better, assuming it's sturdy enough. It can't be any
easier and simpler, using two sturdy pieces of aluminum flatbar with
eight holes drilled through it for 1/4 inch bolts. Also, a long mountain
bike seat post was used that is 2/10 of a millimeter wider in diameter
than the stock seatpost, so that it's a deep and snug fit. That to
reinforce the seat tube in case much pressure is needed.

Besides the ultra simplicity, aligning the drill with the bottom bracket
is miraculously easy compared to my first underpowered bike that's been
running well for ten months. I do expect some wrenching since it's a
powerful drill (Dewalt DCD995), and there is a plan B, but time will
tell.

The trigger controller also turned out very well. A cheap Shimano
shifter can be converted into a simple no-click spooler by taking it
apart and removing a plastic piece. The wire connection to the drill
triggeris easy. Just connect the sheath to the trigger button and
connect the wire to the side of the drill using a lot of hot melt glue.
When the shifter is rotated and the wire is pulled into the sheath, the
sheath moves the trigger button inwards.

The only difficult part is cutting a 1/2 inch square hole through the
3/8 inch-thick aluminum disk. That for holding the front sprocket to the
bottom bracket. I consulted lots of metalworkers for advice on the
issue. It's a difficult task without an expensive tool(s). The back of
the socket (drill to bottom bracket connector) presses against that 3/8
inch thick aluminum disk, giving it stability. A tool (called a
"broach") for cutting a square hole through aluminum cost $200+ (US).
Appropriately sized square files are in order. Perhaps they can be used
similar to that expensive dedicated tool, or just the way they are
normally used to square a hole. This time I used a cheap 1/4 inch square
file that crudely got the job done.

I read your posts on the metal working site :-) A guy gave you good
advise - drill a hole and file it square.

It might be interesting to read a bit about Purdy shotguns. One of
their major points was that the action and barrels were "hand fitted".
In other words filed and scrapped, by hand, to perfect fits.

Sounds great, I'm sure the talk is precise. Living in a tepee sounds fun,
too.

Andre Jute wrote:

Impressive. But where do you put your foot?

On the ground. I will be wearing rollerblades.

Andre Jute wrote:

A good bottom bracket motor and a hefty battery (36V, 13 or 14AH)
together doesn't leave a lot of change out of a thousand American
dollars, so I can understand why people want to cook up a DIY version
before they splash out, or merely from curiosity.

Mine is for the long haul. My current underpowered (Dewalt DCD780) bike
has been running well for 10 months. The wooden front sprocket holder
failed but that was very easy to fix/reinforce.

If you already have powerful cordless tools, making a cordless drill
powered bike is dirt cheap. My new bike uses a Dewalt DCD995 for $90
(US). That's $90 for the gearing, the brushless motor, the controller,
the battery holder, and the rugged case that holds it all together. The
rugged batteries are from your tools and effortlessly removable.

On Sunday, May 1, 2016 at 6:50:05 PM UTC+1, John Doe wrote:

If you already have powerful cordless tools, making a cordless drill
powered bike is dirt cheap. My new bike uses a Dewalt DCD995 for $90
(US). That's $90 for the gearing, the brushless motor, the controller,
the battery holder, and the rugged case that holds it all together. The
rugged batteries are from your tools and effortlessly removable.

Next you want to add two right angle drill gears so you can get the drill under the frame and snugged up to the tubes of the frame instead of sticking out vulnerably like that.

Andre Jute
Wouldn't have lasted a day in Joerg's hands, of course