Power Kite Forum

3 Buggies in 4 Days ...

van - 20-3-2011 at 10:40 PM

I've been in my garage 15 hours / day for 4 days straight now. The garage is a disaster. Look like drop a bomb on it. Cut my self twice, burned 3 times , and because I was wearing a short sleeve t-shirt, also got sunburned from welding.







To finally produce THIS!!

3 sets of side rails , axles, and forks all ready for powder coating.

cheezycheese - 20-3-2011 at 10:45 PM

You are definitely the man....

DAKITEZ - 20-3-2011 at 11:01 PM

3 different designs?

popeyethewelder - 21-3-2011 at 02:15 AM

wow...thats some going Van....dont burn yourself out

WIllardTheGrey - 21-3-2011 at 02:22 AM

Looks all the same but two standard forks/downtubes and one bigfoot fork/downtube. Can't wait to see em assembled.

rocfighter - 21-3-2011 at 05:43 AM

Very cool Van. Wish I could stay focused long enough to do this type of work. But some say I have AD but I think I just get distracted by the voices.

snowspider - 21-3-2011 at 08:32 AM

Do I count 4 hand grinders on the floor and an upside down gas can. Van take a break , do a health and safety assesment , you want to be around to enjoy the fruits of your labor!

van - 21-3-2011 at 08:51 AM

haha... yeah.. it's a health hazard in my garage right now. The gas can is empty .. I need to get some gas and mow the lawn. I was trying to get some extra buggies built so I can loan some out at NABX to those that need a buggy. The rails are different length and widths. The forks are for wide and bigfoot tires compare to my second one where it was for the standard narrow tires. All the axles are the same 5 feet width. I was trying different dimensions so I can test out performance. Took all the parts to the powder coater this morning hopefully to have it all back by friday morning when I leave for NABX.


NABX here I come!!!!

BeamerBob - 21-3-2011 at 09:12 AM

Van, I look forward to meeting you and seeing your work! I'll be there Thursday around lunchtime.

mdntdncr - 21-3-2011 at 09:40 AM

Quote:
wow...thats some going Van....dont burn yourself out


no pun intended, eh?


Hey, Van . . . since I got laid off, I've got some time that I can come help.
If you want, just let me know. I know mow or help clean up the garage for you.
Give me a holler.

shehatesmyhobbies - 21-3-2011 at 11:21 AM

Van, you are definitely a busy man!

van - 21-3-2011 at 11:24 AM

Hey james, I could have really used your help in the last 3 days .. lots of grinding. My plasma cutter leaves alot of crap on the edge of the cut that I still had to grind off. I'll have to call you next time I cut more parts. Hopefully I don't have to cut anymore though. Planning on sending all parts out to waterjet once I work out the kinks.

kiteboyza - 21-3-2011 at 11:56 AM

I could do with a loaner buddy, my rails are still missing...

van - 21-3-2011 at 03:59 PM

Kiteboyza .. you'll be first on the list.

kiteboyza - 21-3-2011 at 05:02 PM

I'm hoping they show soon, failing that a loaner would be brilliant. 6ft and 250 lbs...lol

van - 21-3-2011 at 05:44 PM

You can help stress test the buggy :smilegrin:

jellis - 21-3-2011 at 06:10 PM

Gee Van thats a lot of work in such a short time. Looking forward to seeing these works of art in the desert. Sorry to hear the plasma cutter is causing a lot of work as I had high hopes of building one like yours and using my cutter. Keep up the works of art and I will see you soon.

van - 21-3-2011 at 06:35 PM

Jon, thanks for the complements but they are not work of art yet .. not yet ... :lol: Keep in mind these are one of the first buggies I've ever built. They are designed with around 26-27 degree rake so should be stable. Now, I am gonna have a disclaimer for those that would like a loaner. I am a beginner welder so please check my weld carefully before you go over 40mph ...hahaa.... I'm still learning to make sure the welds penetrate all the way through. I have not cut the buggy up to check yet. Will have to do that on the next few. I hope to have them well stressed test to find the weak points. I'm sure I will have to redo a few things.

The plasma cutter is good. It's just that I took a CNC router and attached a hand torch to it. I took all but 10 minutes to make the holder so it's not the best. The flame is off sometimes and there are a lot of slag. The slag is mostly my fault because I don't have any experience cutting parts with a plasma gun using CNC. You have to get the cutting height, cutting speed, current , etc.. correct to get a clean cut. I got a few pieces that somehow came out perfect while other pieces was full of slag. The other problem is I am using a cheap harbor freight plasma cutter. You really need a high quality plasma machine for precision cutting. The machine cuts 1/8" beautifully .. just not 1/4" thick. I probably to get a larger machine around 50A or higher.

flexiblade - 21-3-2011 at 07:16 PM

Excellent work - that would have killed a normal man. That definitely gets me motivated to do some redesign work on my bug. Keep up the good work Van.

AviN - 21-3-2011 at 07:22 PM

Van, wish I was there to help......I love those home made 'workshop' and 'do it yourself' attitude :thumbup:

kitemaker4 - 22-3-2011 at 09:56 AM

Hey Van

I am assuming you will be assembling the buggys when you get there. I am bringing a tarp so drop off your trailer by me and I can set the tarp out and help assemble the buggys.

I will be leaving on Thurs. late and should get to Ivanpah on Sat.

See you on the playa and have a safe trip.

Susan (npw goddess)

van - 22-3-2011 at 10:22 AM

Since I'm going alone ( family not coming) , I have plenty of room in my SUV so everything will be in pieces inside. I will assemble when I get there. I probably won't head to Ivanpah until monday. I was planning on heading straight to Pomona and hang with my cousins on saturday and sunday when I arrive.

van - 6-4-2011 at 05:50 PM

Here's some pics of the buggy at NABX .. plenty of playa dust on them now.

Thanks, Brian, for helping me test the buggies.




rocfighter - 7-4-2011 at 04:58 AM

Very cool Van. They look great with the dust on them. Can't wait till next week to see them in person. I'm saving my couch change for tickets!!

van - 7-4-2011 at 06:36 AM

They're cleaned up and am making a new seat for winner of the raffle. I was gonna leave the dust on there and have Rich raise the price of the raffle ... ;)

snowspider - 7-4-2011 at 10:25 AM

Van bring the dusty seat I for one would love to see and feel some playa dust.

mougl - 12-4-2011 at 06:41 PM

Makes me wish I had learned to weld! Good looking buggies :)