Sketching around the wheel
As many designers will tell you, prototyping is half of the fun of designing. Depending on what a designer's creating, the prototype process can be quite easy and straightforward or completely INSANE. I think the Guilin Bike Stand was closer to the former, but that's also because I had a lot of help from the great guys behind TiGr lock, who first gave me the idea to use 1/4"-diameter copper tubing for prototyping (I mentioned this in Update #6).
The great thing about copper is that it's bendable by hand and yet it retains its shape without being too wobbly. Of course, if you bend it too many times, then it starts to lose strength and you'll get a very crooked tube that you can't fix (like trying to unbend folded paper--it's never as smooth as the original).
After I took some general measurements of the front fork spacing and the diameter of the wheel, I got a large piece of wooden board to use as a platform and removed my bike's front wheel to lay out a pseudo-engineering sketch [PIC 1]. Although I was just trying to get a "feel" for what the stand is going to look like in size and shape, I still wanted to make sure I was in the general ballpark in dimensions. I also thought it'd be fun to draw on a wooden board--mainly because I was never allowed to draw on anything besides paper when I was a child.
I put the wheel on top of the board and propped it up with two stacks of magazines to make it level [PIC2]. (Yes, that's the world-famous Brad Pitt's face propping up my lowly wheel. Sorry, Brad.) Once the wheel was nice and centered, I started sketching a skeleton of the frame around it. By the way, I like doing this type of sketching because it gives me a real-world sense of size, which is difficult to do with a scaled-down drawing. After many back-and-forth erasing and redrawing and moving the wheel out of the way and back again, I got to a very basic framework, which I will later start tracing with the copper tube [PIC 3].
But before that, I went on a little spree taking my sweet time in drawing dimension arrows...perhaps some remnants of my engineering days [PIC 4]. It was very therapeutic.
More to come...
39
Backers
$9,051
pledged of $75,000 goal
Funding Canceled Funding for this project was canceled by the project creator on July 28, 2012.
Funding period
Jun 20, 2012 -
Jul 28, 2012
- First created · 10 backed
- Has not connected Facebook
- Website: huyuwen.com
Pledge $10 or more
4 backers
IT ALL STARTS WITH AN ANT HILL...Get these BACKER-ONLY goodies: regular updates and behind-the-scene looks into the project, including concept sketches, production photos, and the chance to chime in on final design tweaks. Of course, a big Thank You for helping make this project a reality!
Estimated delivery: Jul 2012Pledge $15 or more
10 backers
ARRIVAL AT THE BASE CAMP! All of the backer-only goodies above PLUS a personalized, 100% cotton thank-you card with an exclusive photo of the production Guilin Bike Stand! Canada and international backers please add USD$2.
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $150 or more
8 backers
MOUNTAIN TOP! How easy was that? You will receive one (1) Guilin Bike Stand finished in Monkey King Cloud White, along with all the backer-only goodies. Shipping: Canada +$15, international +$30.
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $170 or more
3 backers Limited (96 of 99 left)
FIRE MOUNTAIN! You wouldn't climb on this mountain, per se, but you can still OWN it. You will receive one (1) Guilin Bike Stand with a base finished in limited-edition, campaign-only Fire Mountain Red, along with all the backer-only goodies. (This will follow the first production so please allow an additional 3~4 weeks for production.) Shipping: Canada +$15, international +$30.
Estimated delivery: Sep 2012Pledge $170 or more
3 backers Limited (146 of 149 left)
KING OF THE FIRE MOUNTAIN! Claim what's yours and let the world know. You will receive one (1) Guilin Bike Stand with a base finished in a limited-edition, campaign-only "Bull Demon King Black". This is going to be the darkest, angriest black I can get my hands on. If the Bull Demon King had a bike, he would have wanted it this way. But he rides a cloud and you don't. Enjoy sitting atop your Fire Mountain with all the backer-only goodies. (This will follow the first production so please allow an additional 3~4 weeks for production.) Shipping: Canada +$15, international +$30.
Estimated delivery: Sep 2012Pledge $250 or more
1 backer Limited (19 of 20 left)
THE POWER OF TEN SUNS. You will receive one (1) SUPER RARE Guilin Bike Stand completely finished in eye-burning gold, a tribute to the Chinese folklore of Houyi and the Ten Suns. This is not for the faint of heart...nor a place with REALLY bright lights. Of course, this comes with all the backer-only goodies. (This will follow the first production so please allow an additional 3~4 weeks for production.) Shipping: Canada +$15, international +$30. (Disclosure: just in case anyone asks...this is NOT coated in actual gold the metal).
Estimated delivery: Sep 2012Pledge $250 or more
1 backer Limited (19 of 20 left)
MOON GODDESS. Because your bike is not just beautiful; it's HEAVENLY like Chang'e, the Chinese moon goddess. You will receive one (1) SUPER RARE Guilin Bike Stand completely finished in chrome. Need I mention that this comes with all the backer-only goodies? (This will follow the first production so please allow an additional 3~4 weeks for production.) Shipping: Canada +$15, international +$30.
Estimated delivery: Sep 2012Pledge $275 or more
2 backers
TWIN PEAKS! Because one mountain conquered is simply not enough. You will receive two (2) Guilin Bike Stands finished in Monkey King Cloud White, along with all the backer-only goodies. Shipping: Canada +$25, international +$50.
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $1,000 or more
1 backer
SPIRIT OF THE MOUNTAIN. You are becoming ONE with your bike (or you run a nice bike shop or office with a need for many bike stands), and that kind of dedication deserves a special place in history. You will receive ten (10) Guilin Bike Stands finished in Monkey King Cloud White and one (1) Guilin Bike Stand finished in a complementary (that is, a nice match to the white version) Flowing-Sand River Gray, EXCLUSIVE to this reward level. (This will follow the first production so please allow an additional 3~4 weeks for production.) Shipping: Canada +$150, International +$300.
Estimated delivery: Sep 2012
Comments