Today I started a project for one of my brother in laws. He wants a set of adjustable height handlebars. Initially I was concerned about safety but after seeing the design I felt happier.

Basically the project consists of two brackets that clamp on the front forks. Through these the handle bars fit and slide up or down to the desired height. Once there the clamps are tightened up.

The handlebars themselves consist of three main parts. The upright, that goes through the bracket on the forks. Then the joint block which allows the handlebars themselves to attach to the upright and finally the handlebars themselves. No doubt it will make more sense when you can see the parts.

The first parts I will be making are the 2 brackets. Fortunately I have a large block of aluminum that will allow the two brackets to be made but it does seem a shame that the greatest majority will end up as swarf!

The first stage of cutting two blanks has been completed but broken bandsaw blades meant the last part of one of the blanks had to be finished using a Black and Decker power tool. Once two edges were cleaned up on each piece it was time to get out my granite surface table and height gauge to mark up the outline and centre punch the 4 holes. Two will be drilled and reamed ½” for the clamping mechanism, the others will be drilled ½” initially before being bored out to 45mm for the forks and 7/8” for the handle bar uprights.

When laying out the shape of the bracket it really is a bonus using a digital height gauge because some of the dimensions are metric and others imperial. Changing between the two couldn’t be simpler. Once the positions for the four holes were located I used the optical centre punch to mark their positions.

Once the marking out was completed on both blanks it was over to the milling machine to start the machining. Unfortunately the brackets will be 35mm deep and the lump; sorry the blank, is 2” or 50.4mm. Now that’s a lot of metal and I had to decide how to remove it best. I really wish I had a power feed for the milling machine, since all the winding is no good for my back. I have a suitable motor but if I get diverted now onto designing then making the power feed, that will put back this project which knocks on to all the others!

After several cuts there seems little progress but tons of swarf! I make have a rethink on whether this is the best methodology. If you know different leave a message.