The suspension is almost
done. We're actually a little surprised by that, or more than a little, because it was beginning to
seem like a never-ending job. Actually, that's not true, it always seemed like a never-ending job.
But we've finished all the parts for both lower control arms, and they really look good, based
as usual on our own definition of good. With both of the upper A-arms completed and all of the suspension
brackets finished and just one more shock support plate to make, we're starting think about what
comes next.
Safety goggles where they won't get lost
We learned our lesson last Friday about wearing eye protection. Our old safety goggles were
getting a little foggy, and we'd been going with only the protection afforded by regular eyeglasses. We spent
the day grinding sheet metal, and while I don’t remember anything in particular happening, my left
eye was really sore Friday evening and Saturday. It’s better today (Monday), but I can still feel
it. We didn’t work on the Locost Saturday, but we did take a trip to the local Ace hardware store for a new
pair of safety goggles.
Shop safety is something we think is important, but not something we get too worked up about.
Maybe we've just been lucky. Do unsafe things long enough, though, and the odds are probably going
to catch up with you. So we're taking precautions. We don't like gloves but we wear them now when
we know the job we're doing is going to hurt if we don't. We also try to remember to wear a dust
mask when sparks of burning steel are flying through the air. And the goggles are always close
by.
Safety may be as much or more about how you do your work as it is about what steps you take
beforehand. Some of it's instinctive, like standing to the side when you flip on the grinder, or
checking that everything is away from the sander before firing it up. Some of it unfortunately is
experience, which is not usually good in this case. We don't know anybody who built a Locost without at least a few
injuries. We've heard of everything from singed eyebrows to getting run over by a rolling chassis.
So minor stuff. But we want to avoid anything more serious.
So this long side trip into the world of suspension parts has given us a lot of perspective on
the whole Locost project. Building the suspension components really seems to be one of the major
tasks, if only because it requires so much engineering and fabrication. Nothing is really
off-the-shelf. We can imagine a couple of other tasks like that, most notably the bodywork and the
exhaust. And the interior. Right now we're looking forward to more simplified jobs like welding
the frame and attaching parts to it. I think we'll start on the nose of the frame next. It needs a
jig.
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