The Red Panther - Build photos Bicycle Caravan - Black bisonyl tarp and a finished bicycle cart
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The Red Panther

Build photos Bicycle Caravan - Black bisonyl tarp and a finished bicycle cart

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The black tarp (folded) that will become the cover of the bicycle cart when I'm riding, and will function as the roof when I'm camping and the bicycle caravan is deployed.
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One side is shiny, the other side is more matte and has some dots in it.
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Hanging the tarp on the frame, to get some feel for dimensions and positions.
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The tarp (2 x 3 meters) and the frame take up some space in my living room.
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The two short sides (2 meters) of the tarp are parallel to each other. Using my new plates (which are square) to get the long sides also straight and square.
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Using some painting tape to mark a straight line. None of my pens and pencils leave a visible line on this material.
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Hardly visible, but after I marked a complete square, I checked it a second time by comparing the two diagonals. If they are the same length, the thing is square. I used my rope for this, held in place by the law.
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To handle the big tarp from all sides, I leave the current workspace open and the rest of the tarp I fold double.
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Making some curves halfway. Measure twice, tape once, cut once.
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How's it hanging? The tarp is made from PVC bisonyl. It's what they use on truck trailers. Heavy duty stuff.
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Testing the eyelets on the material first. No mistakes on my final tarp.
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I had the tarp hanging on the frame for some time, I looked at it for some time, and I decided to cut 4 centimeters off from both long sides.
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After making some rounded corners, I decided how to fold the tarp on the frame, and where to position all the eyelets.
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I used the hole in my test piece as a handy mask to draw the position of the eyelets on the tarp. Around a center point which sits at two centimeters from the sides everywhere.
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All holes are punched. The tarp is ready for the eyelets now. Notice the four pieces of painting tape, they constantly came in handy with positioning the tarp on the frame.
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Always count your stuff, no surprises.
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Folding the tarp to get the holes outside on the concrete.
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There's a sequence in putting this tarp on the frame. If the front side is loosely in place, I can tighten everything up at the back side, with the ropes pulling on the tubes.
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Back side didn't work out immediately. Have to get rid of these curled pieces.
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This is what the cart looks like now. Everything works as intended, and the looks are okayish. I already see some points to improve upon.
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The moment I finished the black tarp and had it snugly covering the frame, a rainbow shined inside, on the balls of the panther. #truestory Maybe this is a sign from above, who knows.
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Fixed the curls on the back side by rerouting and readjusting the ropes.
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The new drawbar now sits underneath the frame. No ugly cutouts in the tarp necessary, only a gentle curved cutout like this. The front side is fully protected against rain.
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The cutout was done to prevent the tarp from curving and wrinkling all over the new drawbar.
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Night rider.
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I have some spare materials, I might sell them as bookmarks.
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I'm happy with the folds on the front. I also figured out a way to quickly open up the front part of the tarp, in case I quickly need some stuff from the cart.
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The front part wrinkles a bit because of the drawbar. I already fixed this with a gentle cutout.
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The crossbar underneath the tarp gives the cart some body. Even though there are some wrinkles all around and the tarp is slightly skewed because of the shape of the frame, I'm pretty happy with the result.
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Playing with the tail lights a little.
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Tarp now as the roof.
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I can start selling ice cream now. Or burritos. Or coffee and pancakes. Or burgers and beers.
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Only the side walls are missing now. I want to go outside with this.
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My new plates function as the decoration of an event stand.
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Jerrycan for five liters of water. That weight is best placed behind the wheel axle.

More photos in Part Five of this series.

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