Author Topic: CushMan Eagle Scooter clones  (Read 10535 times)

Offline Dawai

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 124
  • Country: us
CushMan Eagle Scooter clones
« on: September 22, 2014, 09:12:30 AM »
So, as I get older, more feeble, dawdle more, fall over more? (the peeing in my pants has not happened yet, has been close a time or two thou) Ain't been that long since I could jump and kick a door jam over my head.. (not today thou)

I find Wrestling with my Harley Davidson Roadking is not as much fun as it once was, riding across the wet grass here in the yard it almost whipped my ass the other day.. and being older these days, getting my ass whipped lasts longer than it used to. I mean I used to roll up off the ground in seconds. now I just roll around.

A local buddy wanted me to make him a cushman eagle frame. I found one in a museum and copied the bends and turns. ORdered the tubing from a local supply @ $21 a 20 foot length.. It takes 12 feet to make the main loops of a Cushman frame. I got the 3 axis tube bender out of retirement, hung it up in the ceiling. NOW manual, since my Canuck buddy took the PLC off it back to Moose-land.

I can share the measurements if anyone wants them to do it themselves. This is the Eagle fabrication tips video I made, it leaves a lot out I guess. 

     


  THEN, I posted one on ebay for "u weld it" since I can't see very good to weld anymore either.. it sold, hundreds of people watching it. (thinking the same way as me?)  Looking online, people are putting Briggs and Stratton Vtwin engines, Comet Torque Convertor drives, and these things "would do 100mph".. Not that I'd want to do 100mph on 10" tires.. (I am getting older not more stupid)  FUNNY THING, (I guess you need a laugh) My much younger wife had to put the bender on the marks, I'd then stoop over with my reading glasses on, check them to be on the end of the bender shoe, then have her rotate the tube, lock it in and bend it.  THEN, she asked me to teach her to weld. if I can talk her through it, possibly.  I taught a redheaded girl to tattoo like that. (also much younger)

I think I can wrestle a smaller scooter a few more years, as long as my balance holds out.  I'll be the 300lb rotund guy on the "step through" Cushman clone with a "$400 harley springer, 21" wheel and car rear tire", $1300 Briggs motor, $700 six speed Harley clone transmission and ($300) clutch-modified primary case.  Those have Skirted rear ends, (flamed out?) swoopy Man.. And I kinda remember starting out on a "push scooter" kicking on one foot.  Reducing from a 800lb machine to a 350 would make sense to me as long as I can ride a bit longer.  As long as I am looking at that big wheel and front end, what is behind me really does not matter.. I mean, this roadking does not sound like my old Panhead did, it does not "thump" and rattle setting off car alarms with the intensity from the fishtail muffler. I also have not had to wrench on it weekly as I tore it up weekly.

  I have the plans drew up for the tubing bends for the Cushman Roadking clone for me, step through in the front. they too can ship, so I may sell them on ebay too as a u weld it kit, maybe. Or maybe not, it is frustrating dealing online with people who don't listen, maybe don't understand, buy a tool or thing to never use it, just possess it and talk about it??   But there are some "real mad modders still out there building things for their own amusement and entertainment".

If it is okay I will post pictures here as this evolves.
« Last Edit: September 22, 2014, 12:40:27 PM by dsquire »
I Hung a 24 foot Ibeam this morning in the ceiling by myself, programmed a Arduino this afternoon for a solar project, Helped a buddy out with a electrical motor connection issue on the phone, then cut up a chicken for Hotwings. I'd say it has been a "blessed day" for myself and all those around me.

Offline Sid_Vicious

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 103
  • Country: no
Re: CushMan Eagle Scooter clones
« Reply #1 on: September 22, 2014, 11:29:23 AM »
I like your jig, simple but effective.
Nothing is impossible, it just take more time to figure out.

Offline Dawai

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 124
  • Country: us
Re: CushMan Eagle Scooter clones
« Reply #2 on: September 22, 2014, 06:00:29 PM »
Hey, Check out this bobber frame, note that the turns, go all the way around the bike..

THE rear end has no immediate welding, just put a lap plate in the curve. (saw a drag bike like that once) it reinforces the rear end.  BUT then it turns up to the seat mount, turns inside narrow to go under the gas tank.. all two pieces of tubing. Does away with all the jigging, just clamp it together there under the tank and tig weld.

Simple. But it had no bids on ebay. None.. too unconventional. I may put a harley front end, wheels, and a 150cc engine on it to just mess with people. Or that Quad4 Pontiac engine for a inline Indian clone?? tubing is kinda small for several hundred hp thou.

Not a cushman thou. Have to hike your leg up like a dog peeing on a fire hydrant.
I Hung a 24 foot Ibeam this morning in the ceiling by myself, programmed a Arduino this afternoon for a solar project, Helped a buddy out with a electrical motor connection issue on the phone, then cut up a chicken for Hotwings. I'd say it has been a "blessed day" for myself and all those around me.

Offline Brass_Machine

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5504
  • Country: us
Re: CushMan Eagle Scooter clones
« Reply #3 on: September 23, 2014, 11:07:24 AM »
Being a guy who dreams of building his own bike frame, I will be following this with extreme interest. Please let us know how this gets on!
Science is fun.

We're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.

Offline Dawai

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 124
  • Country: us
Re: CushMan Eagle Scooter clones
« Reply #4 on: September 23, 2014, 11:37:14 AM »
Make your dream come true there bub, we are all getting older.  My dreams are slipping away. Even my dog is getting grey around the nose. I know I am going to squall when he finally kicks off.

Can you see to tig weld?? I can't anymore.. I tried this morning, then got out the mig-splatter gun.. FOR structure I hate mig, the first one of them I got way back then. I built a bike trailer, then took a hammer and broke half the welds. it was a simple transformer type.. this one sets up the same.. click to change coils inside the mig for different power.. the CC CV ones  are much better.(and more expensive) the big wire feeder that goes on a tig, much better.

Anyways.. if you can see and weld.. get into your car, let me know when, rent a motel locally and show up at daylight after we coordinate the tubing arrives at the same time.. YOUR COST = Actual Expenses. Leave with a frame made on my frame jig.. which I am still modifying daily.. am fixing to put a plumb bob top rail on it I think..   

Otherwise I have this lovely bobber frame, or another cushman?   it can ship.. I tripped over it twice today, will soon be hanging it in the ceiling so I can quit doing that.  A couple years ago I was hanging up a Santee frame, front end, wheels, fenders and I fell when my "flip flop" got sideways on my foot, as I fell.. the bike frame on my chest impacting me, drove a 3 prong welding plug into the back of my leg, after I got the bike rolled off me?? I could not stand up till I unplugged it from the back of my calf.. I still have a scar like a strange symbol, a half round, big and little flat blades.. (Nema 50??)

Bucket list: I WANT TO BEFORE I CHECK OUT, cast my own engine.. redo a "Board racer" design with a single VW cylinder, build a crankcase, cast it, use a Briggs lawnmower crank, use a Briggs Vanguard head, cast my own valve cover to hide that fact.. and possibly a softail tranny, primary.. alternator.. etc.. Single loop frame, Springer front end, real light, and fast enough.   Wheels?? I guess I need to cast some hubs to re-purpose the $30 26" wheels from northern tool..  Let the cnc bridgeport drill them.

I still have a lot to learn before all that happens.
I Hung a 24 foot Ibeam this morning in the ceiling by myself, programmed a Arduino this afternoon for a solar project, Helped a buddy out with a electrical motor connection issue on the phone, then cut up a chicken for Hotwings. I'd say it has been a "blessed day" for myself and all those around me.

Offline Dawai

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 124
  • Country: us
Re: CushMan Eagle Scooter clones
« Reply #5 on: October 03, 2014, 01:22:26 PM »
Well, the wife did say she did not want me to have a Hayabusa after one smoked my drawers going down the interstate.

That's a early Quad4 bought years ago and stored under a bench. all forged internals, the newer ones are cast crank, rods, pistons, it costs a grand to rering one of these properly. Coupled to a six speed it should be just about right. Indian inline-4 copy.. big swoopy fenders.. sounds like fun to me.
I Hung a 24 foot Ibeam this morning in the ceiling by myself, programmed a Arduino this afternoon for a solar project, Helped a buddy out with a electrical motor connection issue on the phone, then cut up a chicken for Hotwings. I'd say it has been a "blessed day" for myself and all those around me.

Offline Dawai

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 124
  • Country: us
Re: CushMan Eagle Scooter clones
« Reply #6 on: October 05, 2014, 01:22:04 AM »
USING THE Model3 tube Bender$ HOW TO construct a motorcycle frame:

  My bendtech SE software by 2020 Software solutions was sold to me in early 2000's by Cris. Obselete now. WHen you use the software you shoot at targets like a gun, measure a "thing" you want to copy bend to bend, take a protractor and measure the bends and check them against your results.  It generates Distances, Rotation, and Degrees of bend.

  "distances which you mark on the tube" You slide the tube into the bender and locate at each mark for each bend, read the rotation off the protractor clamped to the end of the tube (which in this case is incremental with a reset at each bend) then bend to the degrees called for on the bender shoe plus spring-back of tube, Release, advance to next mark, do it all over again.. I have to keep a bend sheet to keep track of where I am.

   The software is user calibrated for a mandrel shoe, in the normal MC frame here I use mostly a 4.5 CLR (centerline radius) shoe. It normally calculates for this and hits it pretty well.. most of the time.  IF the nose clamp is not tight, the tube will slip in the shoe as it bends, messing it all up.. unpredictable. 

  One of the cool features is you can check a "reverse" bends box and it will.. do it all in reverse order.. having a long uptube sweep hit the bender, of the floor is a good reason to do this.. I used my bender in the vertical mode for years, now it is laid back down and rotates clockwise parallel to the floor. (easier to swap out dies)

Preparing to WELD: just like paint, the end result is in the preparation, fish mouthing tube in the shape of the connecting joining tube, making tight accurrate joints to weld, on real thick tube, you bevel the ends to get a deep penetration and build the Vee up with good weld.  They make some great new tools, which I don't have, one is a pin template you wrap around the tube, slide the pins up to the ajoining tube, set them, then index it upon the tube to fishmouth, mark and transfer the pattern, cut and weld joint.

Welding, I prefer Tig when I can see.. I suggest tig or oxygen acetylene cause it is more flexible, less brittle, less slag in the weld.  I learned to tig from a Alaskan Pipe welder on a buzz box.. REAL HOT, you use the filler rod, dipping in the puddle to cool the puddle and run like hell.. because I learned this method I have a hell of a time welding thin stuff.. I want to press the go-amps pedal and run like hell.. OLD habits, and old dogs I guess.   I try to use a new self taught method these days.. Doo Doo Dah.. dip dip, heat puddle, dip dip, heat puddle, feather pedal, keep it wet..  Like Jim Spradley "Henrob Jim" (henrob, Dillon 2000 gas torch) said.. it is all about the puddle, the wet spot. No reason to worry about the whole weld, just the lil spot you are on and molten, as you complete that puddle there, move on.

Disclaimer, I am not the best, do not know it all.. This is just how I do it. If you have something to teach me, I am willing to listen. If you want to call names and argue, I don't have time. I grew up in a neighborhood populated by Sociopaths and psychopaths, proving one of them out to be a bragging liar is just dangerous as they follow a vendetta of revenge.  I moved on and away.  No matter what, i am going to have fun.
I Hung a 24 foot Ibeam this morning in the ceiling by myself, programmed a Arduino this afternoon for a solar project, Helped a buddy out with a electrical motor connection issue on the phone, then cut up a chicken for Hotwings. I'd say it has been a "blessed day" for myself and all those around me.