Already bored of his Formula 1 wheel-equipped hoverboard and walking bicycle, YouTube creator The Q’s newest vehicular project is a monowheel made entirely out of wood. I’ll be honest… I want to build one.
In his latest video, he shows us just how he managed to create a driveable wheel which can hold a single person without toppling over:
Let’s go through the step and learn what it takes to build one.
1. Construct The Wheel Body
Arguably the most important part of the monowheel is… well, the wheel. To make it, The Q cuts out two circular pieces of wood and hollows their insides to make room for the driver.
He connects these two pieces together by gluing wooden blocks on them before drilling two pairs of screws on either side of the wood pieces.
2. Add A Rolling Mechanism And Counterweights
The seat, which runs inside the monowheel, is held up by two metal guide wheels found beneath the seat base.
These wheels, combined with a custom rolling mechanism and counterweights (two large planks of wood which protrude from the monowheel) ensure you won’t go tumbling out of the vehicle while it’s in motion.
3. Constructing The Driving Cog And Pedals
In order to get the vehicle rolling, The Q crafts a wooden cog which fits into the grooves of the monowheel. He spray paints the cog black and affixes bicycle pedals onto it before adding this new piece inside the monowheel.
4. Finish With The Driver’s Seat
With the mechanism and counterweights in place, all that’s left to do is add a simple wooden seat to the front of the rolling mechanism. To ensure the seat is stable, The Q also adds an extra metal bar in the front which attaches to the driving cog.
5. Time to Get Rolling!
It isn’t the fastest thing on the street, but the monowheel will get you where you need to go (provided you aren’t in a hurry).
While the counterweights prevent the whole thing from toppling over, the lack of a steering wheel makes it hard to drive this baby anywhere but in a park. Still, it’s a fun way to get around and folks passing by will surely admire your unique mode of transportation. Now, to double the size and add some steering. Hmmm.
As always, you can find more of The Q’s DIY projects on his YouTube channel.
