Channel iron gokart
- Thread starter dana
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ezcome-ezgo
G'me sumthin to write on
If you are clever and make good welds it would probably be ok. Would be heavy, sure, but you can fix that with horsepower.
Master Hack
Well-known member
Well unless you have a bunch of it or somehow acquired a bunch for free, why? It is not stronger than tubing of equal size. Most channel is crap steel unless you go with one of the structural types. There are several grades avalable As with a lot of steel. You gonna bend it or cut everything at angles? It might get purdy ugly all angle cuts. there is a reason you see tubing used in off road buggies, race cars etc. Channel is strong in one direction and tubing is strong in all directions. but then if you have a plan go for it, thats a far better idea than some we’ve seen.
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panchothedog
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Listen to what Master Hack is telling you. Angle Iron is for making bed frames,
not motorized vehicles. It will be WAY too heavy and not necessarily strong.
there is a REASON ALL manufactured karts are built from tube steel. It is the correct material.
not motorized vehicles. It will be WAY too heavy and not necessarily strong.
there is a REASON ALL manufactured karts are built from tube steel. It is the correct material.
Master Hack
Well-known member
Pancho, Just had a great idea! in the spirit of advancing this hobby to another level. Tubular balsa wood! I'm giving you this idea free! you're welcome!
panchothedog
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I don't know if dana would catch on to your idea unless he were to review the building a kart from a wooden pallet thread. But tubular balsa wood, WOW now there's an idea. Pretty exotic, pricey to manufacture, but I 'm sure the reduced weight factor would make it worth every dollar. Might be almost as strong as the solid balsa planks depending on wall thickness.
How would it be held together, with gorilla glue?
,
BaconBitRacing
Well-known member
Saw-Glu, Made For You.
madprofessor
"Loose Cannon Creations"
I saw an ironworker walk out on a bar joist and fall off (too much distance 5' to next joist to grab it) 15' to the concrete slab because another young nutjob welded the joist tail to a length of channel iron that couldn't keep from twisting, and that joist twisted over because the channel iron can't prevent a twist of any reasonable force. If you use enough channel iron for the required rigid structure, fine, just dramatically increase the horsepower to carry it, say, 13 hp. intead of 6.5 hp., and wear a helmet. And pads. And a 5-point harness (with a rollbar NOT made of channel iron).
ezcome-ezgo
G'me sumthin to write on
The Mad man is making my point with more effort. If you are "creative" it can work, but in order to eliminate longitudinal flex, you'll just have to use more material. Tubes solve this without the effort.