Hey, Im new to this and i am planning on building a go kart with a square frame but I dont know how to weld and i dont know anyone that does. So i was wondering if mixing wood and metal for the frame would be a good idea? I need to make sure though that the kart is strong enough. I dont have that much money though to a buy a frame either... any help or ideas would be appreciated!
Framing questions!!!
- Thread starter matt12192
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Hmmm. It's probably "do-able", but I'd get a proper frame. At the least, you need metal, and hacksaw, some time, and a ride to take all the pieces to a welding shop where they'll weld it up for you. Do some research on welding shops in your town and see what they're willing to do.
Motors_R_Us
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Framing
You need to be careful in the application of wood. What do you intend to make out of the wood? Low gage steel tubing should be used as the main go kart frame components for all the major "stress" points- the heaviest load carrying members. Especially off road, you will need the flexural strength and durability of the steel for rough/bumpy conditions. Wood is no where near as good in tension or compression as steel. Technically, the strength of a structural member depends on alot of nerdy equations relating to area moment of inertia, resistance to bending and shear ("modulus"), and load concentrations. But suffice it to say, stick with tubing. How much do the riders weigh? If you are building the cart for a small rider or child, you might think about converting a hand truck (dolly). The tubing is quite strong, and provides a good basic frame shape to start with. It even has wheels you can use. Further, if you cut off the nose extension, that can be made into a motor mounting plate and mounts for a decent set of pillow blocks (axle bearings). An industrial hand truck will cost anywhere from $40-$60, and you will get the wheels, tube frame, and axle. Not bad!!
As far as welding, check with a local high school shop class or community college that offers fabrication and welding. Probably for a small fee, or for 'class credit', maybe they can make a class project out of your go kart frame.
You need to be careful in the application of wood. What do you intend to make out of the wood? Low gage steel tubing should be used as the main go kart frame components for all the major "stress" points- the heaviest load carrying members. Especially off road, you will need the flexural strength and durability of the steel for rough/bumpy conditions. Wood is no where near as good in tension or compression as steel. Technically, the strength of a structural member depends on alot of nerdy equations relating to area moment of inertia, resistance to bending and shear ("modulus"), and load concentrations. But suffice it to say, stick with tubing. How much do the riders weigh? If you are building the cart for a small rider or child, you might think about converting a hand truck (dolly). The tubing is quite strong, and provides a good basic frame shape to start with. It even has wheels you can use. Further, if you cut off the nose extension, that can be made into a motor mounting plate and mounts for a decent set of pillow blocks (axle bearings). An industrial hand truck will cost anywhere from $40-$60, and you will get the wheels, tube frame, and axle. Not bad!!
As far as welding, check with a local high school shop class or community college that offers fabrication and welding. Probably for a small fee, or for 'class credit', maybe they can make a class project out of your go kart frame.
robin
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do u live in the uk if u live close to me u can have the start of my frame its a basic rectangle made of steel and had a roll bar
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