Vintage tracker Frankenbike tribute build

I can’t believe I’ve missed this thread, luckily for me I could binge it all at once. Excellent work and I agree totally with the missing fastener, weld it on approach. A farmer friend of mine uses this technique, with a mig welder and argon bottle. If the fastener doesn’t need a high torque, don’t use the argon. If it’s a critical component that needs a particular high torque then use the gas.
Coming from the UK, where you aren’t allowed to use a step ladder without a safety harness, hard hat, goggles and a respirator, I will follow this thread and every new instalment will fill me full of, “thank god , he’s still alive”.
 
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I built the front wheel. I got bacterial pneumonia December 17 and ended out in the hospital for 11 days. I’m living with my daughter and son-in-law for a few months as I recover. That’s why there have been no posts for awhile. There are almost no tools here. I finally found a slotted screwdriver so I could snug up the nipples a little. I calculated the ERD by using wire. The hub hole to hole diameter was calculated using a school compass and a ruler. The OLD was found by eyeballing a perpendicular ruler drop from each side onto cardboard and measuring between pencil marks. I can’t true it as my truing stand is at our house 200km away round trip. IMG_0046.jpeg
 
I’m experimenting with different ways to measure a hub. I want to calculate spoke length so I thought I’d look to see how close different ways are. First, I used a compass. It didn’t quite clear the face plate so I eyeballed it. IMG_0051.jpeg
Then I used machinists mechanical calipers. There cleared the drum brake face plat so I didn’t have to eyeball it. IMG_0052.jpeg
Next I compared both the compass and caliper gap using a ruler. IMG_0057.jpeg IMG_0053.jpeg IMG_0055.jpeg
I then used electric calipers and the results were consistent. The electronic caliper wouldn’t fit around the axle so I couldn’t use it. IMG_0059.jpeg
So, non drive side flange diameter is 103mm. Then I measured the OLD. I used the ruler and electronic caliper. The distance could only be reached by using machinists calipers. Before I went home and got my tools I eyeballed the front hub OLD by dropping a ruler from both the locknuts to cardboard and measured that distance with a ruler. IMG_0061.jpeg
I measured the OLD with a ruler and electronic caliper and got the same distance, 117mm. IMG_0062.jpeg IMG_0065.jpeg
I love being retired.
 

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Oh boy, this always happens with spoke length calculators. The real simple ones are gone from the net. I always use two to see if they’re real close. If they’re not close I try a third or 4th one. Then what, average them? toss out the one or two that’s furtherest off? round the numbers that remain after the toss and use an average? Dah! IMG_0278.jpeg IMG_0279.jpeg IMG_0280.jpeg IMG_0281.jpeg
 
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