New BLOG Site

 I have a new blog site now active, with all the original content found here transferred to it.

The address is: http://www.stclairtech.tech/grassrootsmechanicmovement

Or simply click the link below.

New Blog

Thank you for following along on this little journey!

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Page 20, Prepping for Road Testing

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May 9, 2020, Prepping for Road Testing Preparations are under way to be ready and able to perform the next phase of operations, which is road testing. Since this will be tested in an open-air pick-up truck bed, several issues come to mind. First, unattended operation. Nobody will be in the back with it due to state laws prohibiting riding in the back of a truck. If timing does slip, or there is a mechanical failure there will be a significant time lag between the failure point and human intervention. (Note: Most testing facilities also prohibit open-air riders without expensive safety harnesses and specialized equipment) Second, the weather. The PIE needs to have some protection from inclement weather and from any debris that the wind could potentially deposit in the open gear mechanics of the PIE. Third, nosy people. This is potentially the trickiest part of the testing. At this early stage of testing, a bit of privacy would be advantageous. The public is invited to ...
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Vol 2, Page 13, Ground Testing

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  Post vehicle, wheeled, ground-testing. After a short pause caused by things in life that have required my undivided attention, I’m back & ready to get busy.   So, the on-road testing would be considered a success, and the “hybrid-assist” effect is undeniable. The “failures” encountered within that round of testing were due to the prototype building methods and materials. It is hard to justify the cost in time and materials for a more durable build when it is being taken apart and changed multiple times. Total cost of materials for a single planet gear, without the weight, is around $8 US. The cost of a machined, straight toothed, drilled hole center, spur gear of the same size is around $200 to $300 US. In that light, the component failures are an acceptable offset to the cost differential. Now we move forward with further testing of the PIE 2.0 while still getting ready to build a next version.  **************************************************************...
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Intro:

Date Written: April 3, 2020 Welcome to the Grassroots Mechanic Movement Blog:  All other posts (not this intro) follow the project's timeline. Most of the contents here are my personal notes & pictures, placed here as a record of my journey. It is not a written for anyone in particular.  Comments are encouraged, even if only to say that you were here. Thoughts, notes, or suggestions are welcome.  Some visitors will undoubtedly wish to tell me how foolish and impossible this is, please do not bother, as flaming and/or  non-constructive  criticism will not be well received here. I am B. I am a professional Auto Tech with more than 35 years in the automotive mechanical industry. I am currently a garage manager responsible for the maintenance & repair of more than 20 vehicles in the Northeastern U.S. "Rust Belt" and I am looking forward to retirement. I can be a grumpy old fart with little patience for closed-mindedness, so no apologies are of...
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