Thread: G'day

Hi all,
I'm a teenager learning to weld as a hobby, and I'm going to build a go kart. In the future I'd like to do some model engineering and machining.
Cheers,
Ben.

Gidday Ben. Welcome to the forums!


People here love photos, so when you start welding up your kart's frame,
create a new thread in METALWORK PROJECTS, and share some pics?

Hi Ben
Welcome to our MetalWork Forums

To help you find you way about the forums go to the FORUM box up in the top LH side
Click on that and select Forum Home from the list
The resulting page will show the TOUs The rules at the top.Please read them

Scroll on down for the rest. Some pages have stickies on top with guides pertaining to advertising and similar.Good to read the sticky in those cases before ya post.

Any questions about the forum workings and procedures just contact yours truly. I am looking forward to seeing your go kart build.

Again welcome

Grahame

Thanks for the kind welcome Grahame, I've already read the rules. I'm very excited to build the go kart, hopefully I can start it in a month or two. Cheers.

Welcome to the forum Ben.

Ross

Thanks Nigel,
I'm looking forward to building it and will upload some photos to the forum.
Cheers,
Ben.

Welcome Ben. My start in metalworking was building a go kart frame over 40 years ago. I put a chainsaw motor on it. It was 18mm round seemless tubing brazed together with an oxy-LPG torch. All straight pieces- no bending. What sort of welding setup do you have?

Consider changing your forum location to the nearest big city to you. That way other forum members near to you might be able to help you out occasionally. Having access to a lathe and milling machine can be very handy if you're building a go kart.

Ben,

If you are learning to weld, please consider using our Welding sub Forum as an ideal support area to ask your welding/fabrication questions.

We have experienced and knowledgeable members who can provide information and help on most welding processes.

Do you already own a welder, or are you about to buy one?

Our welding forum is a great place for asking about the performance of welding machines they may have used or owned.

Do not be shy in asking questions and pick peoples brains to get the help you need.
You may wish to post photos of practice weld beads. Members who view the pics can advise on adjustment and technique

Having the base theory knowledge of your chosen process is as important as the inevitable practice.

If you do post any welding queries you might want to provide details such as wire or electrode size, amperage used ,gas ,gas flow rate, steel section- ie pipe ,SHS & RHS tube ,width,breadth and wall thickness. It all helps.

Quite often our blokes can look at a welding beads and advise on fine tuning the machine adjustments.



Grahame

Cool! I'm thinking of putting a Briggs and Stratton 5hp engine on it, and making the chassis of maybe 25 or 30mm circular hollow section. I'll probably get a local engineering business to do the tube bending. I have a little 140A DC inverter stick welder that only weighs 2kg! I think it was around $250. I originally got an old Goodwell Australian made 140A stick welder that I was planning to clean up/restore, but the cables were damaged and I was told it would probably be insulated with asbestos. I went to buy replacement leads, and the welding supply store said it'd make more sense to just buy a new one that definitely will work.
Cheers,
Ben.

Hi Graham,
Thanks for the idea, I am learning to stick weld, and the welding sub forum should be very helpful. I've been practicing welding on practice pads in the flat position to try and get uniform and good looking beads. I'll upload a photo of some there. I have a little 140A DC inverter stick welder that weighs 2kg! I'm going to build a welding table soon so I will ask some questions on the design and welding of that as well.
Thanks,
Ben.

Originally Posted by Ben LB

Thanks for the kind welcome Grahame, I've already read the rules. I'm very excited to build the go kart, hopefully I can start it in a month or two. Cheers.

Ben,
When you are ready to start your kart project could you ask any welding questions in the welding forums, please?

Theres a bit to be considered if you are going to attempt stick welding on thin walled circular section pipe/tube. See you over there.

Grahame