Some time ago I started a topic about trying to make tires in the Heritage Lane forum.
http://www.motoredbikes.com/showthread.php?t=23988
I have elected to continue it here instead, since it is really about just tires.
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It has taken a while for me to get this far, but it is moving along.
http://www.norcom2000.com/users/dcimper/assorted/inanities/recumbent/tire_making/test04.html
The page above has two links, with the initial newsgroup posts about each--I usually talked most about this on rec.bicycles.tech.
The first (casing test page) is the machine that makes the casing fabric, and that machine is pretty much finished at this point.
The second link (bead machine page) is the start of the bead-setting machine. That is still in progress, but looks to be going as planned.
The next machine needed is one to put thread on the tires. That is not yet begun at all.
This project started out as a desire for better vintage-style bicycle tires than what could be purchased. That is part of the plan but since then I have realized that there's other interesting possibilities also. I don't want to go into them too much but I will say two things now:
1) there will be "standard" models with set color schemes (casing and treads were often different colors) but one obvious possibility is allowing customized colors: a customer would send paint samples with the order, and the tires would be colored the same colors they want. This wouldn't just be something painted on the outside; the rubber would be colored all the way through.
2) another I'll say now is that custom colors or not, they're not going to be cheap. China can make a bicycle tire for less than $1 and wholesale it for under $5, and somebody else can retail it on Amazon for under $10. There's no way I could do that, or even approach it. I dunno how much they'll end up priced at, but they're not likely to be bargain purchases.
http://www.motoredbikes.com/showthread.php?t=23988
I have elected to continue it here instead, since it is really about just tires.
------------
It has taken a while for me to get this far, but it is moving along.
http://www.norcom2000.com/users/dcimper/assorted/inanities/recumbent/tire_making/test04.html
The page above has two links, with the initial newsgroup posts about each--I usually talked most about this on rec.bicycles.tech.
The first (casing test page) is the machine that makes the casing fabric, and that machine is pretty much finished at this point.
The second link (bead machine page) is the start of the bead-setting machine. That is still in progress, but looks to be going as planned.
The next machine needed is one to put thread on the tires. That is not yet begun at all.
This project started out as a desire for better vintage-style bicycle tires than what could be purchased. That is part of the plan but since then I have realized that there's other interesting possibilities also. I don't want to go into them too much but I will say two things now:
1) there will be "standard" models with set color schemes (casing and treads were often different colors) but one obvious possibility is allowing customized colors: a customer would send paint samples with the order, and the tires would be colored the same colors they want. This wouldn't just be something painted on the outside; the rubber would be colored all the way through.
2) another I'll say now is that custom colors or not, they're not going to be cheap. China can make a bicycle tire for less than $1 and wholesale it for under $5, and somebody else can retail it on Amazon for under $10. There's no way I could do that, or even approach it. I dunno how much they'll end up priced at, but they're not likely to be bargain purchases.