Build your own boards for the 22 F3S

[AndysF3S]

After shopping around and trying to order the F3 boards from Canam I decided to build my own:

1) Visualize, build a cardboard pattern for both sides and try to make them symmetrical: about 2 hours
2) Decide on thickness of material and easiest way to fabricate the boards: about 1 hour
3) Order 3/16" steel, 10"Wx4' long and have the metal place bend the metal to an L shape 4"H x 6" wide. 2 days and $100 Cdn.
4) Cut the L shaped steel into 2 x 24" pieces, one for the right board and one for the left. 10 minutes using a circular hand held grinder with a slim cutting disc.
5) Decided that the board will be about 12" x 12", so the next step was to cut out the 12"x 4" wedge (out of the 4" vertical piece) which will be angle of the taper upwards for the front of each board.
6) Bend the front part of the board up towards the side piece (on each side) by heating, mechanical power and a good size hammer. No metal break at home. I tack welded the side to the bottom piece where they meet for support and reduce vibration: about 1 1/2 hours
7) Trial fit both sides and decide where the side hole should be for up/down and forward location.
8) Cut off excess metal on the side piece to reduce weight and streamline the shape. about a half hour.
9) Use the bench grinder to round off the 3 corners on each board. about an hour
10) Round off all the edges with the hand held grinder and a sanding disc. about a half hour.
11) Drill a 1/2" hole on the vertical side where the board bolts to the side of the machine. about 15 min.
12) Remove the rubber pads off the foot pegs and shape each side board to fit the foot peg with the grinder. The pegs are not parallel to the mounting bracket and have to be fitted separately by grinding. about 1 hour per side.
13) Cut some rubberized matt to fit under the board on each foot board and against the side of the machine. This is to try and reduce any unwanted vibration etc. about 1/2 hour.
14) Bolt the sidebolt through the board to the machine and carefully mark the position of the holes on the pegs to match the boards. Drill 4 x 1/4" holes through the floor boards and after trial fitting countersink the four holes for the bolts. about 1 hour
15) Clean and prime both boards with flat black primer, 1 can. about 1 hour and let dry overnight.
16) Spray on a can of EZ liner bedliner coating on the edges, bottom, side and underneath, multiple coats 1 1/2 hours and let dry overnight.
17) Install the finished product on both sides. about 10 min.
18) Total cost for parts about $150 cdn. no charge for labor since I am retired.

Pros:
Very sturdy, decent looking, inexpensive and hopefully reduce some spray when wet and rock chips etc. from the belt area and the legs of the rider.

Cons:
I don't like the protruding side bolt but wasn't able to find a different bolt so it will work for now. I was able to buy longer side bolts 10x50 in black stainless and an Allen head.

Overall a nice project. 3/16" doesn't bend when you step on it to get on the trike, 1/8" might work but I didn't want to have to use bracing to reduce the chance of bending.
I didn't wait long enough for the bedliner spray to dry so I had to repair the spot where I touched it, not perfect but it will do.

[Isopedella]

AHHHHHWWWWAAAAHHHH Ya gone done it now.

Good job and thanks very much for sharing.

I toyed mentally with that but pussied out bought the 3rd peg option ( which works well ) , but that is the whole nine yards.

Any chance of running a tape over those templates and recording the measurements?

I may ( read almost most certinally ) revisit my options.


edit
Ok re -reading the instructions. .