You're right; that would be a fairly easy way to build a frame with whatever curves you want. With modern adhesives this would be super strong. Cut a buck out of a laminated beam that has the up-and-down shape you want. Cut long strips of whatever wood, say 1/4" thick. Glue and clamp to the former. Not as easy to create one, though, that also tucks in and out horizontally (coke bottle shape).
am I the only one amazed at this car or am I the only one who just saw it for the first time?? this is my new favorite car.
I wonder how springy that frame is. From the firewall forward the frame rails are only a wee bit high. Perhaps the frame rails should be more of a 2x8 than a 2x4.
MSR "machine stress rated" most expensive grade of construction lumber on the market similar to speed rating tires. The lumber is placed in a device that imparts a specified metric of loading and the wood either fails or passes. If it breaks, cracks, or gives... it fails. If it comers right back with zero damage it passes and is then classified as msr rated for the tested load rating. It's possible that early car builders would have had their own MSR procedure for wooden member selection. if they didn't they should have ( ahhhh huh huh ...he said wooden member) P.S. this car is epic!!!
I always thought if I was not totally posessed by vintage autos I would have been some sort of woodworker.... well.. at least I'd have a bunch of cool tools and several 1/2 finished projects. I could get a much smaller shop.
I have no idea how the car is actually set up, but if it were me building it I'd look at using the engine/gearbox as a stressed member to stiffen the forward section.
I know what you mean. I have just about everything needed to build something different and old, along the lines of a speedster or doodlebug (a doodlebug is just a shorter-wheelbase, slower speedster) EXCEPT for a vintage frame. So you get to wondering....................
I usually make my curved laminations 1/8 to 5/32 thick. The tighter the radius, the thinner the laminations. Much easier than steam bending. For high stress applications, you could use many layers of veneer, perhaps with a composite core. Birch or Maple veneer should work well. A wooden frame that curves in 2 directions is entirely possible, just needs a LOT more planning. And if you make a mistake machining, you might waste a bunch of material.
Yes you can build a car with wood. Check out car on this website. Not sure I would do it but this car is neat. http://www.joeharmondesign.com/
A laminated frame would be stonger, have more flexability than a solid piece of wood. Look at some laminated beam consruction in some buildings, usually in roofs . It will give you a good idea how strong lamination is, and more likely will not break under stress. i.e. place a 2x4 on blocks at each end and start bouncing off it it will break at a certain point/weight now try it with a laminated beam of the same thickness...oak, maple, ash are probably easiest to find in a sawmill.
Unkl Ian and InPrimer: I agree that a laminated frame could be as strong as you want it to be. For a Doodlebug or very simple Speedster, I would probably use a straight timber as that should be plenty strong enough.
One thing to keep in mind is that cars deal with shock loads that airplanes, houses, furniture etc. don't see. The strength/stiffness of wood varies a lot from piece to piece. Someone would have to do some serious engineering or it might be drive-drive-SNAP!-o shit! BTW, Marcos made a plywood framed sports car that raced at LeMans in the '60's I think.
Wooden boats see all kinds of stresses and manage to withstand them. One thing about wood frames is the drilling of holes, as even sleeved holes represent an interruption of the grain and a potential breaking point. Better to have a wooden frame with steel fittings around the outside and not through-bolted. It might take some blacksmithing.
That is a hell of a cool engine with the exposed rockers and all,,,cool looks for the road,,noisey as hell too I bet! Judging by the markings I assume the rod is English? What kind of engine is it though,,,old British plane engine? Or an old industrial engine? Tommy
Looks like a pre WW1 V-8 air cooled aircraft engine. Doesn't look like an early Curtiss,must be European?
Plans for this wooden car appeared in an issue of Mechanix Illustrated back in the day. Have about 40 other pictures of this built one plus the plans, if anyone is interested: -James
Wood frames with metal panels were used around 1900-1910. In later years, the nodes were reinforced with steel to reduce stress, like the 'armored wood' frame of the 1911 Hupmobile.
If some ya-hoo came on the hamb talking about "I'll just weld some steel together to make a frame. It's flexible and forgiving. I'm sure it'll be strong enough", we would probably all laugh him right out the door. On the same note, how do you guys think an expirenced wood worker would react to you guys saying things like "I'll just glue some laminated plywood together to make a frame. It's flexible and forgiving, and I'm sure it'll be strong enough"......... Think about it. I'm not trying to poo-poo your party here. Just saying that understanding wood is an art. No different than steel. There is a magazine out there called "Wooden Boat", and over the past couple years, thay have had some AMAZINGLY good articles on understanding the strengths and weaknesses of different species of wood... Worth looking into if y'all are the least bit serious about this. I'm not a wood expert in any sense of the word, but I know enough to know that what you guys are proposing would not be a very good idea without doing a LOT of homework and consulting with a professional. My .02 cents. [steping down off the soapbox]
I hear you Pir8Darryl. I come from a woodworking family, make guitars and cabinets for a living and love wood boats and early aircraft and automobiles. The only time I ever thought of using wood on cars, is for restoring early chevys and when I did the wood interior of my coupe. Especially on a frame for a frequently driven car, I would rather not want to put all the effort and time into it, to get something reliable that lasts. However I would never discourage others from doing so. That famous JAP with the aircraft engine is also one of my all-time favorite cars and I am glad somebody made this. Personally, with the same amount of time and effort and cost for certain woods, I rather make another unique guitar that lasts for centuries and produces beautiful sounds. If I want to make a wooden vehicle for the road, I rather make or restore a traditional horse carriage and enjoy the hell out of it.
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