Hi i'm working on getting parts together to build my go cart. I just bought some parts off craigslist for the drive terrain and steering so all i have left to do is get metal for the frame. I would like to do an angle iron frame so i can bolt it together. I have been looking around to find angle iron. I got the catalog from my steel dealer but i don't quite know what size to use. Does anyone know what is a good size that is light enough that it won't drag but heavy enough that it wont bend when i sit on it. I don't weigh more that 150 lbs but i sill want it to be able to support weight enough that i wont be worrying that i might bend it.
Building my angle iron frame.
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Swabbster
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i would not recommend using angle iron, use tubeing or square tubing, 1 inch or 1x1 would work great, .095 thick should be decent, what motor are you going to use, are you going to build it as you go or go from some plans? off road, street, or cross? what i mean by cross, high enough to go over curbs, and rocks, not just street use back alleys and fields,
I would like to stick with angle iron so i can just bolt it together but if i really needed to i could do square. I have a bran new 5 hp birggs. I would call it a cross because it will just be around the yard and maybe in fields or gravel roads. I wouldn't take it off jumps or anything like that. Which is more cost effective square or angle. I will probalby build an the fly.
Angle iron bolted together won't cut it without a lot of reinforcement because the frame will rack.
Angle iron that is strong enough to handle the load of you sitting in the middle without deflecting is going to be too heavy and expensive.
Or, you can double (by inverting the second piece) the angle iron to make it stronger. Guess what? You have just invented square tubing the hard way. Plus, it would be twice the cost for material and fasteners.
Could you cobble something together from an old bed frame and wood? If you are good, you can. But you'd better be really good if you want something that will do what you want it to without failure.
The advice you have already been given is good advice. There is a reason you do not see bolted together angle iron frames.
You will save a lot of work by buying a used cart and starting from there. But if you are determined to build it yourself, build it from square or round steel as suggested. Cut it all out, pin it together with bolts and clamps, and pay a welder a few bucks to weld it up in one sitting.
Angle iron that is strong enough to handle the load of you sitting in the middle without deflecting is going to be too heavy and expensive.
Or, you can double (by inverting the second piece) the angle iron to make it stronger. Guess what? You have just invented square tubing the hard way. Plus, it would be twice the cost for material and fasteners.
Could you cobble something together from an old bed frame and wood? If you are good, you can. But you'd better be really good if you want something that will do what you want it to without failure.
The advice you have already been given is good advice. There is a reason you do not see bolted together angle iron frames.
You will save a lot of work by buying a used cart and starting from there. But if you are determined to build it yourself, build it from square or round steel as suggested. Cut it all out, pin it together with bolts and clamps, and pay a welder a few bucks to weld it up in one sitting.
r97
Measure twice cut once
Describe your frame more. Number of seats? Suspension? Space frame? Roll cage? A few pictures of what you have in mind, and some rough measurements would give us a good idea. As already mentioned, welded tubing is the way to go. I believe that bolt together tubing would have a good chance of working, but to do it right you would still need a welder...
OzFab
Well-known member
You could go as thin as 0.065...
What he said...How long is a piece of string?
Without having any idea of your design, we have no idea how to estimate how much steel you will need: for a standard, no frills kart you may even get away with 20', a small mini buggy with a roll cage could use up to 60' or more.
Before asking us unanswerable questions, help yourself, do some math & see what you can figure out
1 seat no supention just a simple frame i have not decided on a legth yet but long enough for the seat petals up front and engine in back. some thing like this but not quite as long
http://fargo.craigslist.org/cto/3259057757.html
http://fargo.craigslist.org/cto/3259057757.html
r97
Measure twice cut once
My local place sells 20ft sections of tube, so if I were building that I would just get 40ft. Metal like this is pretty cheap, and you can always find something else to make with the extra.
When i was looking through the catalog it says they sell it in 20 or 40 and in different gauges. I was ganna get 1x1 inch but what gauge 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, or 11. 16 is the lightest and 11 is the heavyest. I'm ganna call for prices tomarrow but about how much does it cost for 40 feet for you.
r97
Measure twice cut once
If you are sticking with a ladder style frame I think 14-12ga would be good. If you can get 1 1/4" tube 16ga might be enough.
OzFab
Well-known member
16 guage will do fine. 16ga = 1.6mm = 0.063" = 1/16".
A 20' length costs me around $25 but, that doesn't help you much...
A 20' length costs me around $25 but, that doesn't help you much...
mysteryboy28
New member
prices vary everywhere. retail steel shop charges $8 a foot here, or i can get some slightly rusted stuff that polishes right up for 40 cents a pound at the steel salvage yard. the salvage yard here also sells new 1x1 square tube for $1.30 per foot (1/8" wall).
GregMartin
I like fast cars
I assume you wanted to bolt the frame together because you are apprehensive about welding. My advice would be to give it a go. If you don’t have an arc welder our old friends at HF have a 70Amp one for $79.99 although the 225Amp one would be better. (70Amp one will do the job) Welding is not that hard in fact automatic welding helmets have made it a lot easier. I one welded a job I was working on to the bench when I was an apprentice (dam you non-automatic helmets
). Also with an arc (stick) welder they work much better when the welding rod is hot. I always clamp a piece of scrap steel under the neutral clamp and strike an arc on it first before I put the rod anywhere near the project I’m working on. This heats up the rod allowing it to arc more easily on the job and hopefully not stick. When you strike an arc on the scrap, do it like your striking a match. Remember a gokart project is the perfect opportunity to learn to weld and practice makes perfect.
). Also with an arc (stick) welder they work much better when the welding rod is hot. I always clamp a piece of scrap steel under the neutral clamp and strike an arc on it first before I put the rod anywhere near the project I’m working on. This heats up the rod allowing it to arc more easily on the job and hopefully not stick. When you strike an arc on the scrap, do it like your striking a match. Remember a gokart project is the perfect opportunity to learn to weld and practice makes perfect.
OzFab
Well-known member
Dunno how much it will cost but I know it will weigh a ton. If you're worried about strength, don't. 16ga is fine.
It's better to use larger, thin wall material than smaller, thick wall but, in this case, you won't need it. My daughters kart is made using 16ga & it's not gonna bend any time soon. it's already hit a pole & come out unscathed
I one welded a job I was working on to the bench when I was an apprentice (dam you non-automatic helmets
This is VERY good advice. I bought a stick welder about a year and a half ago now, and all the info that GregMartin has given you is spot-on. The trick of striking on a piece of scrap is really handy. If you don't get that tip warm, it is harder to start your arc. I also find if the tip is cold my rod will stick easier
Instead of stricking like a match, I just drag my rod over the piece of scrap.
You have to practice practice practice though
Nodroz
New member
Sorry to go off-topic, but I do this too. Just a great way to weld with sticks.
Ontopic: I used 16ga wall square tubing also. It's strong enough and won't bend anytime soon. As Fabroman already stated.
My dad has an arc welder that I have used a bit but i am not that great at welding neatly. I hear that it is a lot easyer to weld with a mig welder (wire welder). My neighbor has one that i could use its just i would have to learn how to use a wire fed welder.
A good place to start figuring out how much tubing you'll need is by drawing out a frame shape on a flat concrete surface with chalk. Set your engine on the ground, and sit down with it. Then you can draw out the shape of your frame to specifically fit you and your motor, and draw in the crossmembers you'll need. Then you just have to measure this out, and round the lengths if you need to.
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