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The dummy bike has landed! Finally, the dummy bike is here. I jumped right into disassembly, and everything went smoothly… until I hit the bottom bracket. Turns out, I’ll need some special tools for that job. So: I ordered a bottom bracket removal tool, a crank puller, and—just in case the old bottom bracket refuses to budge—a dirt-cheap Shimano BB-UN300 crankshaft as backup. The headset bearings were press-fit, so I knocked them out. Hopefully, I didn’t ruin them, but the good news is: I can now measure them easily and maybe even reuse them on the new build. ...

I put together a small Python app that lets us manage Autodesk Inventor iProperties without opening the parts in Inventor itself. It reads metadata, shows it in a simple table, allows inline editing, and writes changes back to the files. This is very handy to structure the model library from in an early stage. Core features Reads key iProperties (Part Number, Description, Comments, Date Checked). Inline editing in a Dear PyGui table. Pushes updates back to the files through Inventor’s COM interface. Exports everything to a clean Markdown overview. Falls back to file modification time when “Date Checked” is missing. Basic material assignment support for part files (.ipt). How it works Runs Inventor in the background via a dedicated COM worker thread. Handles metadata safely: open → edit → save → close. Table supports quick navigation with Tab / Shift+Tab / Enter. Status bar provides feedback on edits and actions. Why it’s useful This removes the need to open Inventor just to tweak iProperties. Instead, you can adjust metadata across multiple files in one go, faster and with less friction. ...

TL;DR This Python app gives you a fast, point-and-click way to view and edit Autodesk Inventor file metadata (.ipt, .iam, .idw, .dwg) in bulk. It: Scans a folder for Inventor files Reads key properties (Part Number, Title, Subject, Comments, Revision, Date Checked) Lets you edit most fields inline in a table UI (Dear PyGui) Writes updates back to the native Inventor files via COM Auto-updates Date Checked when anything changes Exports a Markdown “Part Registry” table for your notes/wiki It keeps Inventor automation safely tucked in a dedicated COM thread, so the UI stays snappy and doesn’t deadlock. ...

Crunch time! If all goes well, we might actually be riding a working bike by the end of this week. But first, a few critical steps need to fall into place. Step one: the dummy frame is on its way. And trust me, that’s a big deal. Without those parts, I can’t take measurements, and without measurements, there are no finished lug designs. The bottom bracket and seat lug are basically done, but the head lug is trickier. From the photos, the headset looks semi-integrated, and that’s a minefield: there are so many variants out there that I need exact measurements before I risk ordering the wrong one. ...

Friday already?! Can’t believe how fast the past three weeks have flown by – felt like riding a bullet train. Not every day was equally productive, but that’s all part of the ride. In my so-called “free” time, I mostly did research: hunting down the right resin, finding a dummy bike, checking out parts… And yeah, there’s still a mountain of market research waiting for me. But top priority is crystal clear: get this MVP bike rolling! ...

Big progress today: the epoxy glue finally arrived, and I picked up a budget-friendly table saw from the local hardware store. The old method did the job, but hey, a little extra comfort never hurts. Since I can’t resist inventing little tricks to make life easier, I also designed a small jig. The jig’s mission: to taper the 40 mm bamboo tubes at their ends. It works in neat 2.5 mm steps, shaving off just enough material at a time. That way I can use both hands while working—more control, more safety. Right now, the printer is busy cranking it out. Fingers crossed that everything fits perfectly. With a bit of luck, I’ll have something to show tomorrow! 🔧✨ ...

Today felt like a real kickstart. 🚀 I ordered some epoxy to firmly bond the lugs to the bamboo. This is the backbone of the project—without solid joints, there’s no bike. I’ll probably need to dive deeper into the world of resins—there must be tougher ones out there to make the frame even stiffer and stronger. To be continued! Another milestone: the first draft of the bottom bracket is drawn. It doesn’t look like much yet—basically a skeleton version with just the bare minimum material needed. But it exists now, and it’s ready to be printed. That’s already a win. ...

Today was all about getting organized. We ordered a sample bike (arriving next week) and a bottom bracket adapter (arriving tomorrow). Which means: perfect moment to set up a proper task list. And since there’s nothing secret about it, why not make the task list public? Fun for whoever happens to be lurking. 😏 So I figured: let’s publish the list straight from Obsidian to Hugo, Kanban-style. To do that, I built a shortcode that converts Obsidian markdown into Hugo-ready HTML with Kanban formatting. Not sure if someone already did this, but just in case, here’s the gist of how: ...

Not every day can be a productivity marathon, and that’s perfectly fine. Today I had to take care of some other things. Still, I managed to squeeze in a project task: adding a protective coat to the sample I printed over the weekend. This lug — printed with 100% infill — is seriously tough. Pretty promising, right? Reflection Not every day has to be a productivity sprint. Taking it slow can be just as important. As the saying goes: “Rest is also progress.” ...

The past two weeks went by faster than a sprint finish! Time for a pit stop: plenty of progress has been made, though the ultimate goal — a 3D-printed frame with bamboo tubes — is still on the horizon. First up: a design sprint where I drew all the lugs. The first print? A flop. But honestly, that failure was the best teacher. It pushed me to try a new approach: milling the tubes so they slot neatly into the lugs. That way, the bamboo’s outer diameter lines up nicely with the 3D-printed parts. Will it be strong enough? We’ll find out soon. ...