Power Kite Forum - Green with Envy, the transformation continues

Green with Envy, the transformation continues

riffclown - 7-2-2014 at 03:31 PM

So WELDNGOD was kind enough to sell me his First Aluminum buggy pictured here. Great ride and built like a tank. Now it's time for me to add my personal touches to it. My priorities are economical and practical.

First thing, Wheels: It came with single standard barrows and the "knobby" pictured on the front. Axles are all 5/8" so "kite buggy" options might not be the easiest choices or I might even consider new axles. I'd be hard pressed to find anything that would "bolt right on" so exploring options here. 3Shot gifted me his ABS rims when he got his bling ones for the VTT Black Widow (Awesome work by the way. That is a good looking ride.) Found the Kenda Multirib 18x8.50-8 tires at Northern Tool for closeout cheap. Picked up a set of three. I have the 16x6.5-8 in case the fork is too small for the bigger tire. He did redo the front fork after the picture above was taken so there's more clearance and options. I still need to work out the axle and would prefer to be able to move wheels back and forth from my PL buggy. Maybe the 20mm to 15mm PL adapters and have them drilled out to 15.8125mm. Suggestions welcomed on this front.

Next, Seat: The web seat WELDNGOD made on the buggy was practical, functional and strong. I also want stylish and being a custom built ride, the standard PL Seat doesn't seem to be an option. I don't want to remove the webbing before I have a replacement because it looks to be a one way process. WELDNGOD suggested a race car window web but I want some padding and back support. I know a few folks here could produce something spectacular and I might just go that route eventually.

I have a lumbar cushion from an office chair that just might be the ticket for some added back support but I still need to address the main seat. I also need to decide on the theme for my ride so I can tailor the seat colors appropriately..

I like the original green but I'm starting to lean a few different directions.

-The Green Machine would be an option and still a frontrunner.
-Air Force theme with the an Air Force Blue and Grey color scheme and decals would be good for me.
-Yellow would also be an option for me since I am a clown and those primary colors just,,,,,fit
-Neon shock (Green, Yellow Orange... could be interesting and would stand out..way out)
-Yellow/Black Bumblebee just sounds coool
-Green/Black Venom or Green Hornet also come to mind. Could capitalize on the current Green. (could be an easy route here)
-All Black. Seems to be a trend these days but it really doesn't fit my style.
would entertain suggestions/ideas .

I would like to pay homage to the builder in some fashion on the buggy.

Not a serious pro sports fan so those color schemes have zero attraction to me. Any similarity would be merely coincidental.

And so it begins....

ssayre - 7-2-2014 at 07:04 PM

I'm a big fan of the green on it. I hadn't seen it until now, but I like the green/black idea IMO. Susan comes to mind on the seat. Did you see the picture of the last seat she posted? It was cool. Oh, by the way you could never go wrong with an Air Force theme.

rtz - 7-2-2014 at 07:40 PM

The 5/8" axle holes in the fork could be enlarged to 3/4" or 20mm depending on which size bearings you get.

What is the method of attachment for the rear axle?

For the seat options; Van and Susan can make a seat. Also this is an expensive option: http://www.buggybags.co.uk/

Or consider the various size PL seats or the Flexifoil seat.

http://www.awindofchange.com/product/plbuggyseats.html

3shot - 7-2-2014 at 07:58 PM

Solid black= :evil:
Green+black wheels+black seat= :cool:

20mm sounds good on the green buggy.

York Bolt just down the street has 20mm bolts in stock too.

soliver - 7-2-2014 at 09:13 PM

Excited to see what you do with the little green monster :thumbup:

Van does great seats BTW

3shot - 8-2-2014 at 06:38 AM

A black VTT seat with matching green stripes would be great too!

riffclown - 8-2-2014 at 07:11 AM

Green Yellow and Black Attack..

riffclown - 8-2-2014 at 12:53 PM

Quote: Originally posted by rtz

The 5/8" axle holes in the fork could be enlarged to 3/4" or 20mm depending on which size bearings you get.

What is the method of attachment for the rear axle?

For the seat options; Van and Susan can make a seat. Also this is an expensive option: http://www.buggybags.co.uk/

Or consider the various size PL seats or the Flexifoil seat.

http://www.awindofchange.com/product/plbuggyseats.html

The Rear Axle(s) are basically spindles bolted through a reinforced flange on each side.

I'm currently very heavily considering the PL Axle Adapters for 20mm down to 15mm and just having them milled out to 15.875. Wouldn't need to change the axles, and everything would easily go back and forth.. May be a very practical path of least resistance..

riffclown - 8-2-2014 at 07:24 PM

SO I had canvas type material from an old beanbag chair and a coat liner that was a reasonable template to mock up a seat idea. Nothing is stitched yet. It's just pinned and taped. It's using the original web seat for support. This is by no means final but I wanted to explore at least one option..

The padded rest is an old lumbar support from an office chair. It has about 1 1/2" of vertical adjustment..It's way too low to be a neck rest but it does add a level of comfort in my opinion.

rtz - 8-2-2014 at 07:25 PM

Looks good. You can stop by any sewing or sewing repair place and they will sew that right up for you for a low price.

riffclown - 8-2-2014 at 07:39 PM

I should be able to sew it once I finalize the plan. I've had a machine for years. Not sure about the yellow though.. May have to see which other materials I have handy..

Still planning on doing everything I can myself.

Still trying to find the axle solution though..

3shot - 8-2-2014 at 07:44 PM

Riff, that's a stout buggy. Twice as heavy as the PL. I would recommend 20mm bolts over the 15mm for beach/field chuckholes. All you would need to do is keep the adaptors with you when you want to swap the rims around.

20mm bolts for the green machine
15mm bolts on the PL
Adaptors between the two

In the future you could also upgrade the rear axle of the PL to the 20mm size. Or, if you wanted a wider axle on the PL, that would be the time to do it.

Like the seat idea too :thumbup:

A black and desert tan buggy would be pretty sweet too. The buggy already has the "rugged tank" style lines to it.

riffclown - 8-2-2014 at 08:03 PM

My issue is, not too many places have Metric to English adapters. If I could find 5/8" bearings that would fit the PL wheels, I'd probably just switch the bearings and leave the 18x8.50-8 wheels on the big buggy. Otherwise, I'm still leaning towards the PL adapters and having a set milled to 15.785mm. As for weight, it's a lot lighter than you'd think.

I'd have to get a new fork for the 18's to go on the PL buggy anyway AND it would raise the CG on that quite a bit. I will end up getting a 20mm axle for the PL but it will probably be as part of one of Van's Rail Kits. It will end up with the 16x6.50-8's on it 99% of the time.

rtz - 8-2-2014 at 08:09 PM

Scroll down here and browse over the bearing numbers if you're not familiar with them already: http://popeyethewelder.com/informational/buggy-wheels-and-be...

It turns out they do make a 6204 bearing with a 5/8" inner dimension.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/6204-2RS-5-8-Double-Sealed-Bearing-5...

Be sure to check what size bearings are in your wheels first. Here is 6002 in a 5/8" ID if that is the size you have:

http://www.amazon.com/6002-5-8-2RS-Single-Ball-Bearing/dp/B0...

I'm sure they can be found cheaper; that was just the first search result.

riffclown - 9-2-2014 at 07:13 AM

Thanks for the info. I have resolved the axle issue. Found a top hat type flange that fits almost perfectly. They looks a lot like the PL ones and fits snugly on the axle and snugly in the bearing.

Wheels are switched out but now the back axle with the wheels will no longer fit under my truck cover.. Time for a receiver and hitch type carrier I guess.

Still outstanding is the color decision and seat.. Still no sewing done but I think I have my design like I want it once I decide on color..

After taking the rail pads off, it looks like I'll be disassembling everything, sanding, priming and painting everything. The old paint will not make a good basecoat.. OR I may just go with touchup and stay with green..

Once I finish a tacked mockup on the seat, I'll re-assemble and take a few pics..

riffclown - 10-2-2014 at 03:53 PM

So now for paint options: Since it's aluminum I have slightly different choices.. I'll probably farm out the work regardless of my choice.

Paint - Priming will be critical. Probably the easiest route. (and least expensive)
Powdercoat - Popular for Steel, Is it needed or even viable for Aluminum?
Anodize - Seems to be a front-runner on corrosion control as well as a good primer for->
Anodize & Paint - Find a friend good with an Airbrush, give them a palette, theme and freedom to enjoy..

Not sure of the expense or local availability of these options.. Anyone care to share some aluminum experiences?

Still trying to decide on color/theme..

rtz - 10-2-2014 at 04:07 PM

Paint is okay; but it's delicate and not real durable. Powdercoat might run about $100-$150. Getting large items anodized isn't real common. I wouldn't bother with anodize + paint.

What about polished aluminum? Or look into Alodine: http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cspages/alodine1001.ph...

You can get alodine in clear and a couple other colors(gold and brown I think).

3shot - 10-2-2014 at 04:39 PM

I'd vote just regular paint.

soliver - 10-2-2014 at 06:16 PM

Van was telling me last time I talked to him that powder coat is actually more fragile than paint... It's mostly just for looking cool but isn't very durable at all... Probably not worth the expense.

I'm a fan of the rattle can... It's very inexpensive and can look very good if you take your time with it. There are a lot more options with spray paint these days too as far as finish goes. Easy to "repair" too.

I can't speak to anodizing or anything else as I'm not familiar with the process.

riffclown - 10-2-2014 at 06:18 PM

Quote: Originally posted by soliver

Van was telling me last time I talked to him that powder coat is actually more fragile than paint... It's mostly just for looking cool but isn't very durable at all... Probably not worth the expense.

I'm a fan of the rattle can... It's very inexpensive and can look very good if you take your time with it. ...

My only concern for paint is properly priming and preparing the surface. It's said to be even more critical with aluminum.

So I have the seat portion of the buggy in the house while I'm working on a viable seat pattern/design. My Dog thinks it's comfortable enough to suffice for a nap. Couldn't resist taking a picture of it.. The red/black thing is his bed..

3shot - 11-2-2014 at 02:37 PM

Hey riff. Just a quick thought. Have you considered one of those padded folding kayak seats? That would be another suggestion. BassPro has quite a few nice ones to choose from. You would need to fashion it to the buggy though. They come with attachment straps already to an extent. You might have to taylor it just a bit. Shouldn't be too difficult to mod a sling support for the seat to attach to.

As far as the paint goes, my VTT has a few dings in the paint already. Not much you can do with paint on a buggy other than touching it up here and there. It is going to get scuffed, bumped, and banged. I even have three coats clear satin on it. Only other option is a stainless buggy and that is $$$$$

riffclown - 11-2-2014 at 04:28 PM

So I think I've decided on a black seat. No matter what color scheme I go with for the buggy. Black won't clash..I also have the old beanbag chair canvas so the material is already on hand.. The padded interior or the seat is sized and sewn. I just need to do the cover for it and the support for the whole thing. I'll use the original seat as the support until i decide on the buggy color scheme.. Quick mockup. Center seam is stitched but nothing else yet.. Once I decide on a color. I may put a stripe of that color down the middle..

soliver - 12-2-2014 at 08:01 AM

Looks good!

riffclown - 14-2-2014 at 02:08 PM

Updated pics. Still need to decide on the color.. Pic with PL shown for size comparison..

riffclown - 14-2-2014 at 03:03 PM

And some color mockups using the hue shift

3shot - 14-2-2014 at 04:36 PM

Nice pics bro!!

soliver - 14-2-2014 at 10:10 PM

I actually kinda like the Orange

riffclown - 15-2-2014 at 01:48 PM

It's kind of growing on me as well..

soliver - 15-2-2014 at 04:04 PM

Hey Riff, where'd you get those tires and what are they?

riffclown - 15-2-2014 at 04:31 PM

Quote: Originally posted by soliver

Hey Riff, where'd you get those tires and what are they?

Quote: Originally posted by riffclown

.. Found the Kenda Multirib 18x8.50-8 tires at Northern Tool for closeout cheap. Picked up a set of three.

These are the one's I mentioned in the original post.
They are on Northern's site for more but a lot of stores are dropping the multirib so you might be able to find them locally

3shot - 15-2-2014 at 04:47 PM

I'm just trying to figure out when you had enough sun for those pics? It has rained/snowed every weekend for like 8 weeks now....
LOL

riffclown - 15-2-2014 at 04:51 PM

The buggy just brightens any day. :D

Bringing the latest picks to the second page..

And the Color mockups

soliver - 15-2-2014 at 06:13 PM

Thanks riff, I though I saw that above, .... S'pose I shoulda just gone back and read... Duh! :lol:

riffclown - 15-2-2014 at 06:59 PM

I haven't had a chance to get them out to actually ride test them yet but I think I'm really going to like them..

WELDNGOD - 17-2-2014 at 12:19 PM

Nice Riff ! I hope she serves you well. I always knew bigger tires would look good on her. :cool:

Now I wish I had painted it that blue in your pics. :thumbup:

riffclown - 18-2-2014 at 01:53 PM

Thanks :D That means a lot to me..

riffclown - 30-3-2014 at 04:00 PM

Quote: Originally posted by soliver

What's the latest on the Weldngod bug?

Still picking a color. I live in an apartment so finding a place to paint as well as the time to do so becomes the challenge..

soliver - 30-3-2014 at 05:18 PM

Thanks for the update... I easily forget how fortunate I am to have the great shop space where I can play with all my big boy toys and work on my bug...

Hope you find a spot to get him all painted up soon!!

3shot - 30-3-2014 at 05:47 PM

Bro, me casa su casa!! Bring her on over anytime. I have a 1500 square foot garage :evil:

riffclown - 30-3-2014 at 05:51 PM

Quote: Originally posted by 3shot

Bro, me casa su casa!! Bring her on over anytime. I have a 1500 square foot garage :evil:

We need to talk...

WELDNGOD - 30-3-2014 at 07:22 PM

Quote: Originally posted by 3shot

I have a 1500 square foot garage :evil:

:o:o:o:o

soliver - 30-3-2014 at 08:18 PM

Quote: Originally posted by WELDNGOD

Quote: Originally posted by 3shot

I have a 1500 square foot garage :evil:

:o:o:o:o

Ditto :o:o:o

3shot - 4-8-2014 at 05:28 PM

Hey riff, Any more advances on the seat?

riffclown - 4-8-2014 at 06:04 PM

Still haven't done the paint..

I finished the seat construction but I have to attach the webbing to mount the seat..

I'd like to finish before any of tyhe possible fall events so it's already getting to be crunch time..

WELDNGOD - 4-8-2014 at 06:06 PM

Wildwood?????

3shot - 4-8-2014 at 06:58 PM

Are you attaching your new seat material to the old webbing, or did you make a whole new getup? Thought you were keeping it green?

riffclown - 4-8-2014 at 07:21 PM

Whole new setup.. It will look the same but the structure underneath is a web mesh that will be sewn.. allows the seat to be washed... It's probably going to stay green..

I also eventually want to convert the axles to 20mm natively so I don't have to use adapters..

The powdercoater I go an estimate from wanted $400 to powdercoat it.. I'm definitely taking the Krylon route...

indigo_wolf - 4-8-2014 at 07:43 PM

Quote: Originally posted by riffclown

I'm definitely taking the Krylon route...

Rhino Coat it (now available in colors). :wee: :lol:

ATB,
Sam

3shot - 5-8-2014 at 04:11 AM

Mine was rattle canned as well. Ceramic Enamel, but still canned. Of course I do have a sprayer in case you really want to sport the Chromalusion. :evil:

DialedN_07 - 5-9-2016 at 06:42 PM

Riff - What are the total dimensions on this thing, and how do you transport it?

With it being much heavier than the PL, do you see that as an advantage or disadvantage?

riffclown - 5-9-2016 at 07:26 PM

It comes apart into 3 sections and I just put it in my truck. I see it as a very stable base. Even though it's heavier, it is also wider and longer. I have never weighed it and I would need to measure it to give you dimension. It is not cramped like a PL buggy at all. I will try to measure it this week.