scorpion go kart

[r97]

to me 13 seems like a longgggggg time, enjoy it!

 

[r97]

okay i got some more work today. first i went to home depot and picked up a bunch of stuff, i bought some rustoleum clean-metal primer, then some hammered finish black paint, i was also surprised to find some kleen-strip phosphoric prep and etch, that only cost about 2 bucks more than 2 bottles of denatured alcohol. i also picked up some 1/4 " flat bar to practice welding, well I know how to weld, i got it because Ive seen many flux core welders with the same voltage and amperes, so i figured why is my welder only rated for 1/8" which it easily burns holes through. i turned my wfs from 9 to 4 which was the minimum i could get and keep an arc going, so i went at it!. after that i took it to the vice and took out the mini sledge-hammer(steel headed mallet), after about 50 good whacks that were often making sparks and bending the metal 90 degrees one way then 90 the other way, all that did was bend the steel! bot to mention my weld was still hot and i had not even beveled the edges. so I'm now OK to weld my 1/4" weldments my self!!!!!!! i also picked up some welding wire after running out yesterday. i also purchased some brand new welding gloves because i burnt a nice crispy hole through the first layer and could feel the heat! another new toy is my 6 dollar pop-rivet gun that i will use to attach my diamond plate floor-pan to the kart, in one of my pics you will see a very small bike hat is all chrome and says Dino on it, I'm thinking it would be awesome to put a motor on it!

EDIT: i also got a valve stem remover for my tubeless tires, also do any of you racing guys know if there is a way to get around making a tire band, or whatever its called?

 

[r97]

hay guys does this prep and etch stuff remove grease and slag thats on the metal? because thats all i really wanted to do with it

 

[redsox985]

I've always just used a big jug of some kind of degreaser and a chisel in my hand to chip off those little slag bumps that go flying.

 

[r97]

parts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

got my bmi order today, its Christmas morning in august!

 

[r97]

I've always just used a big jug of some kind of degreaser and a chisel in my hand to chip off those little slag bumps that go flying.

well thanks for the tip but I'm currently just interested if i need to get some different stuff to clean for paint, i saw this stuff suggested on a thread about painting but the instructions said something along the lines of "remove grease ten apply solvent", but thanks any way good tips and info are always welcome!

 

[fowler]

i think it should get grease off.
it should say on the bottle what it can remove.
see if it say if u can use it on mechanical parts.
the slag will require a chisel or the grinder

 

[r97]

http://kleanstrip.com/
http://www.diygokarts.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6653 , russ suggests this prep and etch stuff to completely put the sanding out of the question, the sanding is said to remove grease and oils, and rust ect, but on the kleen strip website the prep and etch instructions say to first de-grease the metal then mix 3 parts product with 1 part water, so all i want to know is someone making a mistake here, are we using this product in a way not intended, or can i just not read the directions properly?

EDIT: also because i'm running flux core i already go-over my welds with a wire brush

 

[fowler]

i dont see it saying anything about grease so maybe not.
but it does say it treats metal sufaces and surly it means it can remove stuff like coolant from a saw, with is basically the same method to remove both.
get some acotone that will get anything off, it also gets u seeing fairys and dragons

but basically the best way to tell if it is any good is from experience

 

[r97]

i'm just sorta annoyed now i gotta go back to home depot and return this stuff, where is russ? does he have any experience on this stuff, i got it mainly from his suggestion.

 

[fowler]

id just try it.
how much was it?
i mean brake cleaner or acotone i know will get the grease off but maybe the slag or rust.

 

[r97]

15 bucks, not a big hit but i'm really trying to stay on budget here cause if i use it and it don't work, then i will have to buy 15 bucks of something else ill be down 30 bucks, thats almost a week of work for me!

 

[r97]

ok, i tried the prep and etch and it doesn't remove grease, so later today i went to the store and got some acetone. mostly the work i did today was mounting the tires....... yup there tubeless slicks on non split rims, it was a pain, i did what this guy did except i used soap instead of "tire snot" and was never gonna pay 60 bucks for a bead-master, so i used some tie-down webbing stuff wrapped around the tire and then latched-off, i also don't own a compressor so for the big tire i spent about 10min with a bike pump, twice! the first tire was a painful learning curve, it takes a bit of a trick and alot of force to mount those tires, then you need to inflate them to twice there normal psi for the beads to pop in, second tire was easy, then the big tire was just a pain! but they look all nice and shiny now!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dS8flfX4jC4
i may go and take all the measurements for the bolts and stuff later today. i have now realized that my plans give you good instructions on cutting the pieces of metal and some of the stuff to buy but then for assembly they give you a couple pics and cut you loose, i think spider carts should put on there website that you need a welder that can handle 1/4" steel, thats how i ended up with a 1/8" max welder that i have had to tweak for it to just barely manage 1//4", i hope to finish by the end of the weekend.

 

[Silvergrizz]

ok, i tried the prep and etch and it doesn't remove grease, so later today i went to the store and got some acetone.

If your going to use acetone for cleaning, make sure you wear the proper gloves. Do not use with your bare hands. Heavy latex gloves are probably your best bet.

Here is a link to glove selection and chemical resistance.

http://amo-csd.lbl.gov/downloads/Chemical Resistance of Gloves.pdf

Also, ventilate, ventilate, ventilate. Use outside if you can, if not, run a couple of fans to keep the air moving.

 

[fowler]

like i said itll make u start seeing dragons and fairys.
wear a mask.
i used it for 5 min outside and i was already light headed

 

[r97]

i don't have a mask but i will use outside with fans and maybe a bandana wrapped around my mouth and nose, and silver i will use rubber gloves (just to let you know you forgot to post link). a couple hours ago i took the steering wheel and clamped it onto a small razor scooter...... bad idea, handling isn't good

 

[redsox985]

I prefer to get my moneys worth and do this in a small, non-ventilated room. JUST KIDDING. I have actually never used it. Only some kind of degreaser my school has and gas. I love gas for cleaning. It's fantastic and cheap.

 

[r97]

gas, It's cheap.

a bit of editing and its something people would've loved to here in a commercial a few years ago, lol

 

[fowler]

i assume u mean petrol

 

[Silvergrizz]

and silver i will use rubber gloves (just to let you know you forgot to post link).

Looks like I was adding it as you were writing your message. Thought I might have got in added before anyone noticed, but this place is far too active for that.

Next time, after this acetone is gone, try TSP, I get it here in Canada at Home Depot, you may be able to get it there. Should be in the paint department in with the cleaning stuff. I mix 4 oz (its a crystal powder) in a gallon of water and use it with a brass brush, followed by pressure washing. Then I power sand the steel. No sense grinding all that oil into the metal.

The secret to a great paint job is the preparation. You can use $200 a gallon paint and get lousy results if not prepped properly, or you can prep properly and get away with $50 gallon paint.