[Kartbuilding] Thank You!

[Stephen Burke]

Hi Adam,

I have added Michael's name and details to the two night shot photos of 
your kart. See:
http://www.kartbuilding.net/gallery/v/OtherPeoplesKarts/Adam-J-Kiesel_Racing_Kart/Michael_Eliopoulos_1.jpg.html
http://www.kartbuilding.net/gallery/v/OtherPeoplesKarts/Adam-J-Kiesel_Racing_Kart/Michael_Eliopoulos_2.jpg.html

I hope to redo the kartbuilding website in the new year, and I will have a 
case studies section, where I can put one of Michaels images and I can 
have a more visual credit for him there also. I'm only too happy to give 
whatever exposure a person needs, as long as its on the topic of karts.

As for taking the kart out on a proper test run, I know what you mean 
about not having the place and space to test it fully. I always had 
issues, having to transport the kart via car and trailer to a suitable 
quite location in industrial estates etc., where I would meet learner car 
drivers!
I hope the tyres won't get too cut up for you on the oval dirt track - 
it'd be some fun to open it up and give it full throttle. Make sure you 
take some repair tools with you for on the spot repairs. I found that when 
I was testing my karts, whenever I forgot to bring the toolbox, some part 
would break and give way. Typical.

As for your system of coming up with a custom system of adjusting the 
camber angle on a kart - there are a few solutions already available. As 
the camber and castor angles are quite tricky, it is rare that it works 
perfectly first time.
See:
http://www.kartbuilding.net/PlAnS/Types_of_Yokes_Adjustable_Camber_Castor_Angle.pdf

If you could write a brief paragraph on your kart, that would be great and 
of course I can put your email on the article. Perhaps someone might want 
to buy your kart off you!

As for a bio on myself, again when I revamp the kartbuilding website, I'll 
write a spiel/piece about myself. I suppose as a summary, I have been into 
karts since I was 12. I started out making simple wooden ones (the plans 
for which on the kartbuilding.net website). From there I came across a 
neighbour who was throwing our their old petrol lawnmower. I had to fix up 
the engine firstly and then try and get it hooked up to a wooden kart. I 
managed it using some brilliant ideas about pulley and belt drives from my 
second-level woodwork teacher. From there my love of karts started. At 
first it was wooden karts, and going to a local training facility 
(www.fas.ie) to get them to weld axles and small pieces of steel together 
for me. They were very helpful and even made a turned rear axle for me and 
all. My Uncle then bought be a second hand welder, and my other Uncle got 
me someone to show me how to weld correctly! After that I was off - metal 
based karts. I done a lot of messing with old scrap engines and gearboxes. 
When I had some money, I bought a motorbike engine and it was much much 
better. A little money spent can go a long way. Then when I went to 
college I was away from home, so I started drawing up CAD drawings of 
karts and doing website stuff. Im from Ireland also.

Best of luck with the kart and testing. Forward on any more info when you 
get a chance.

Best of Luck,
-steve


On Tue, 11 Nov 2008, Kiesel, Adam wrote:
> Steve,
>
> Thanks for your comments......I'm really glad you like it.
>
> I will definitely take some more detailed photos of all the components.
> I would be proud to have them used as a reference for our fellow kart
> builders that may utilize your site.  I will get started on those this
> weekend and hopefully email them to you by the middle of next week.
>
> Michael also took some additional shots of the kart in the back alley
> yesterday evening.  He's going to touch them up a bit in Photoshop and
> then send them my way.  Would it be possible for you to credit Michael
> on the website for those night shots of the kart?  He may soon start
> doing some freelance photography and graphic design, and it would be
> nice for him to be able to use your site as a reference for his
> portfolio.  I didn't consider this before, but I guess a bonus of doing
> so would be more exposure for your website in the process.  Again his
> name is Michael Eliopoulos of Chicago.
>
> As far as speed and handling, I have not really been able to test that
> out as of yet.  I live in the city, so it's hard to find a good place to
> get it out and open it up.  All I've done to date is a couple of slow
> laps around the block.  I'm headed to my grandmother's home in rural
> southern Indiana over Thanksgiving and I plan to bring the kart down
> there with me.  There's a large high school parking lot near her home as
> well as a dirt oval race track in the area.  It's unlikely that the oval
> track will be accessible, but I'll try.  I'll report back once I've
> really had a chance to open it up and see how it handles.  I may hit you
> with some questions/suggestions on camber and other steering geometry
> questions in the coming months.  I would like to come up with a custom
> built system for achieving adjustable camber on this kart.
>
> I will definitely throw a little paragraph together (in time) explaining
> my experiences while building the kart.  I appreciate your interest, and
> I would also be happy to provide an email address (other than this one)
> if anyone wanted to reach me with questions about my kart.
>
> Thanks again Steve, this has been a great experience and all the better
> based on the plans you've provided.
>
> Do you have a bio about yourself on the site somewhere?  I'm curious to
> know your background (Engineer? Machinist?) and where you're located.
>
> I'll be back in touch soon with more photos.
>
> Thanks,
>
>
> Adam