[Kartbuilding] Child kart.

[Stephen Burke]

Hi Louis-Charles,

1 - The straight metal strip. Well it looked like it had some purpose :-)

2 - I thought they were pipe connectors. That was a good idea. Did you use 
any "loctite" on the threads? Loctite is a paste you can put on thread 
before pieces screw together. It prevents parts from becoming loose. I 
suppose you wont have this problem as the steering arm won't be able to 
rotate.
If you have any more photos/videos do send them on. I would be interested 
in writing an article/set of plans based on your completed kart. Basically 
I'd just need photos/video of each area, and some text can be added. I 
hope that some day I'll be able to get back into making karts, and I can 
document the process to help people.

3 - Good idea about having the engine mounted on a sliding base. I never 
thought of that as an idea. You could use a lever and a 3rd pulley wheel. 
See how it goes.
If you've any questions, just ask.

Feel free to send on any photos/videos of your progress and I can put them 
on the www.kartbuilding.net website to help others.

Best of luck,
-steve


On Wed, 27 May 2009, Louis-Charles Bourassa wrote:

> Hi Stephen,
>
>  Thanks for your comments.  Here is a couple of answers to your questions,
> i hope... :
>
> 1- The straight metal strip on the top of the main middle chassis member,
> where the steering column is. Is this to prevent a split in the timber?  The
> metal strip isn't screw and has no utility ( i forgot to remove it when i
> took the picture ).
>
> 2- For the angle iron for the "drop-arm" controlling the side to side
> movement of the track rod. How does it seem strength-wise? Oh ! Theses
> pieces are galvanized steel plumbing pipes.  Specifically, the angle iron is
> a T pipe connector.  Each T pipe is well screw and the pipe can move whithin
> the U piece ( i don't know the real name for this piece ) witch is screw to
> each of the wood front end.  Since my english isn't perfect, i can send you
> more pictures and even a video if you want ( i got one already ) !  Just ask
> ;-)
>
> I really appreciate your feedbacks !  Don't hésitate ;-)
>
> For the clutch, i thing the problem with the third pouley will be to add
> tension to the belt while it is already been swith from horital ( engine )
> to vertial ( rear axel ).  Are you sure this will work ?
> My actual strategy for the clutch was to put the engine on a
> "rolling/moving" platform on the back and control the belt tension with the
> position of the engine with a rear-front levier.  This strategy seems
> complicated to me .... ;-)
>
> Louis-Charles
>
>
>
>
> On Tue, May 26, 2009 at 6:37 PM, Stephen Burke wrote:
>
>> Hi Louis-Charles,
>>
>> Thanks very much for the two photos. Well done in getting this far. I
>> especially like how you done the steering, in getting the various components
>> with threaded ends!
>>
>> I like the design a lot. The front end looks well. Two quick questions:
>> 1. The straight metal strip on the top of the main middle chassis member,
>> where the steering column is. Is this to prevent a split in the timber?
>> 2. For the angle iron for the "drop-arm" controlling the side to side
>> movement of the track rod. How does it seem strength-wise?
>>
>> I commend you on your objective not to use welding :-) I too had that
>> objective for quite a while when I started. It involved lots of box-iron,
>> flat steel, drilling and bolts.
>>
>> The brakes will be an interesting exercise. I'm sure you have something in
>> mind. I'd see two main options. 1 would be to have a piece of timber mounted
>> in a lever fashion which would push in against the rear tyre. You could
>> perhaps work it so that a lever would operate and push something which would
>> move in against both tyres together. Something similar to what is done on a
>> pedal-go-kart. You could try and get a cable operated disc brake from a
>> bycycle ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_brake_systems#Disc_brakes). This would work well as you could attach a brake lever to the steering
>> arm/bar.
>>
>> As for the clutch, I have a few ideas there too. They depend mainly on the
>> engine you have, and whether it might have a small centrifugal clutch
>> built-in already. My method would involve going down the drive belt route,
>> and having a 3rd pulley wheel operated on a lever which would move in
>> against the belt, thus tensioning it and transferring the drive.
>>
>> If you could send on any more photos I would be most grateful. When I
>> started making wooden karts, I was quite young, and had no camera. Little
>> did I realise how popular making wooden karts is by people all around the
>> world.
>> How did you manage to get the rear axle fitted and working?
>> It would be great also to find out where you got your parts, from a local
>> DIY store etc? and how much time/money this took.
>>
>> Anyways, best of luck with it. Let us know how it goes.
>>
>> -steve
>>
>>
>>
>> On Mon, 25 May 2009, Louis-Charles Bourassa wrote:
>>
>> Hi Stephen,
>>>  Here is a picture of our kart.  As you can see it's steel in progress.
>>> We had a great time with the steering ;-)  Our objective is to not use
>>> welding.  Steel on target ;-)
>>>
>>> Next to come :
>>>
>>> - Clutch
>>> - Brakes
>>>
>>> Hummm.... lot of fun to come....
>>>
>>> I'll keep you post ;-)
>>>
>>> Louis-Charles
>>>
>>>
>>>  On Mon, May 4, 2009 at 1:55 PM, Stephen Burke wrote:
>>>
>>> Hi Louis-Charles,
>>>>
>>>> Yes, you will be able to reduce the speed of the kart using that
>>>> lawnmower
>>>> engine. You'll need a small pulley wheel to go onto the engine shaft.
>>>> You'll
>>>> need a very large pulley (5 times bigger than the one on the engine) on
>>>> the
>>>> rear axle. You can connect the two using a belt (v-belt pulley). There
>>>> won't
>>>> be any shifting/gears. It'll be a direct connection from the engine to
>>>> the
>>>> rear wheels. Once you start the engine the kart will take off. (You can
>>>> add
>>>> a third pulley wheel after the kart is made, and you can use this 3rd
>>>> pulley
>>>> wheel to act as a clutch).
>>>>
>>>> Best of luck,
>>>> -steve
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Thu, 30 Apr 2009, Louis-Charles Bourassa wrote:
>>>>
>>>>  Hi Stephen,
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks for your quick response.  I found this engine for the kart.
>>>>> Will i be able to reduce the speed even if there is no shift ?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks in avance for your time !
>>>>>
>>>>> Louis-Charles.
>>>>>
>>>>> On Tue, Apr 28, 2009 at 3:02 PM, Stephen Burke wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>  Hi Louis-Charles,
>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Yes, you can put a small motor/engine on the wooden kart. The basic
>>>>>> wooden
>>>>>> kart will be the same.
>>>>>> On your motor/engine the drive shaft may be horizontal based. Therefore
>>>>>> things would be easier, just connect up the two pulley wheels using a V
>>>>>> belt
>>>>>> (see image at bottom of:
>>>>>> http://www.kartbuilding.net/woodenkart/chassis_explained.htm )
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Its safer and easier to use pulley wheels and drive belts. You can get
>>>>>> these from an old car (or a car service garage). Chains are noisy and
>>>>>> come
>>>>>> off a lot.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> If you have any other questions, just drop me an email. If you get the
>>>>>> kart
>>>>>> made, feel free to foward on a photo for the kartbuilding.net/gallery
>>>>>> It will be a great fun activity for yourself and your son.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Best of luck,
>>>>>> -steve
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Tue, 28 Apr 2009, Louis-Charles Bourassa wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Hi,
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>  First of all, the site http://www.kartbuilding.net is really nice !
>>>>>>> Second, excuse my english... ;-)  Third, i want to construct a kart
>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>> i
>>>>>>> don't know anything about engine.  My objective is to learn how it
>>>>>>> works
>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>> take quality time with my 7 years old boy.  Since he's 7, i want him
>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>> participate and that's why i'm focussing on a wood kart.  Did the kart
>>>>>>> design here
>>>>>>> http://www.kartbuilding.net/woodenkart/chassis_explained.htmcan
>>>>>>> be run with an old 49cc motor ( small pocket bike one ) ?  I don't
>>>>>>> want
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>> kart to go very fast but i want it to be functionnal....  Using a 49cc
>>>>>>> pocket bike, i think i could use all the peaces ( chain, engine,
>>>>>>> breaks,
>>>>>>> shift.... ) to construct the kart.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Thanks in avance for your time...
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Louis-Charles.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>
>