So, if a person wanted a buggy, and wasn't too picky I made one and used it several times.:wee:


It is alright. You can laugh at it. :embarrased: I won't add any more than the pic unless someone really is interested in it.


I made a wooden buggy cause I can't weld for nothing. It is nothing fancy but it did work. If you want I can tell you how I made it.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h205/gusims/woodbuggy.jpg

:ticking:
It didn't cost much or take much time to make. It is a little heavy and would make it slightly different If I didn't have another one.

Looks nice,
but how fast would you go with this?

I never used a gps but I would say I never got over 10mph. It would have gone faster but I was underpowered and just learning. I used it mainly on grass. I am sure it would have gone faster but I wouldn't try to go too fast on it. It rolls about as well as my Rockville buggy.

I did get pulled sideways out of it a couple of times though:roll:

thanks for posting, mate... :bigok:

what did you end up using for axles and bearings?

something like this might work for me on the tiny beaches I fly on in HK, wouldn't want something fast there as I just don't have the room to really let it go fast! And wouldn't want to spend $$$ on something that I couldn't get up to its real speeds....

from my one time in a buggy I remember the real challenge was simply figuring out how to hold a line across the wind while trying not to look at the kite so much!

I bought the wheels from harbor freight and they had bearings inside them. The interior diameter of the bearings is 5/8inch so I bought 5/8in all thread in 36". It is the wood board that supports the weight attached to the all thread in several points.

Quote:

Originally posted by furbowski I just don't have the room to really let it go fast! And wouldn't want to spend $$$ on something that I couldn't get up to its real speeds....

Yo, furb... I fly on a field thats about 300m wide, and I have a blast. My top verifiable speed is 22.4mph in that 300m stretch. Plenty fast for that field. I'm sure I have gone a little faster, but cant be sure.

Surely you can find 150 to 200 m of land??? Not that I know Hong Kong well, or anything

By the way, my girlfriend made me a kite shirt, too... interesting coincidence. Dont tell her, but I think I like yours better by design.

@ DJ: thanks, I'll tell my niece the compliments are still coming! It's the thought that counts, tho, if your GF is making you a tee you're way ahead of some of the others on this forum as far as SO support of their passion goes!!!!

I just don't want to spend much on a buggy if I don't have the room to let her go!!! But need to start moving around, static flying is fun but the thrill is fading.... my biggest beach is about 50 by 150 at low tide, and I'm without a vehicle, so I'd have to take it to the best beach and hide it behind a tree or something!!! :evil:

thanks for the info, stetson -- sounds dead simple indeed! I'll try a bamboo version when I get back to HK!

Furbs, you gotta make a bamboo buggy dude! When you get to HK,build one and take some pics. That would be funny as hell!! Hey they have been using that stuff for everything ,for 1000s of years.

end of hijack

if it does indeed get built, the pictures will come -- guaranteed to make folks laugh! It will likely feature a few lashings as well, truly zero prestige stuff!!!

stetson, thanks again for posting, lowers the bar nicely for the totally cash-poor wannabees like me!!! :Ange09: :wee:

I think Furb' is right about him gaining valuable experience even with a rig like this.

Did you have much trouble keeping upwind with it ?

Quote:

Originally posted by Bladerunner Did you have much trouble keeping upwind with it ?

good question, that....

The only improvement I could see would be adding some bars for side support in the seat - other than that it's a good design.

I never did get upwind but I think it is pilot error. I thought it was the buggy but the more I have read and tried it was me. I usually fly underpowered because I am the only one around. I have only twice flown with someone else with more experience. I thought when I got a better buggy it would be better going upwind. I have had just as much difficulty going upwind in my rockville buggy because of my skill I am sure.

Flexi
The seat is by the way is the cheapest boat seat at Walmart. I wondered if I got one with arm rests that was more money if that would have helped me stay in.

Most likely the armrests would help, especially if they are well padded - the side pull which is mandatory for movement requires something for the pilot to be stabilized with in order to use that side pull into forward momentum. Your upwind problem is, as you mentioned, the under powering issue and also your terrain - grass. Grass has a tendency to slow any momentum for even a straight line run perpendicular to the wind, let alone trying to get upwind. So don't count your piloting skills too low - it's not your fault. It's all about comfort with your skills and the kite your flying to be able to get the power you need. Now I wouldn't suggest taking out a 5m kite in 25mph winds to compensate for this - rather pick a kite you know really well and that is stable and push it (slightly higher winds) while static flying on your but - safer than standing - get used to that power before getting in the buggy. It's patience and practice.

I think it's an awesome buggy for a start. It's a better project for a dad and a son to do together. What a great idea. I have forwarded it to someone I know that has a creative child that will take this idea and run with it!! It's awesome!!

I hope they can enjoy it. If they have any questions, just ask.

learned a couple things -- one: go for it and make a buggy that will roll and turn, don't be too intimidated by the skills of flexi / weldngod / not to mention PTW!

two: make sure there is something to brace against the sideways pull!!!

sorry- 1 more bamboo buggy hijack. Furbowski, if you can pull that off you need to get video of it and put the Gilligan's island theme song on it.:tumble:

Stetson, I really dig the KISS buggy. Looks like it would break down nicely for those who drive small cars.

yep, gilligan sounds about right.... :P

absolute end of hijacks, time to go fly!!!

Furbs, Thanks for the encouragement.

Bamboo is an awesome material, light and strong. If you can make one it would be awesome to see.

Thanks to several requests I will try to post several pics to help people build one.

Good Luck

Quote:

Originally posted by stetson05 Furbs, Thanks for the encouragement.

my pleasure, stetson...

I'll try to build something to get the comic gallery going, i lurk on the darkside might post it there too and see what the yobs think....:frog:

but will be a month or so yet...

get those extra pics up, not all of us need to build something perfect! remember Xerotti and the kitewing??? :o

Quote:

Originally posted by stetson05 So, if a person wanted a buggy, and wasn't too picky I made one and used it several times.:wee: It is alright. You can laugh at it. :embarrased: I won't add any more than the pic unless someone really is interested in it. I made a wooden buggy cause I can't weld for nothing. It is nothing fancy but it did work. If you want I can tell you how I made it. http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h205/gusims/woodbuggy.jpg :ticking: It didn't cost much or take much time to make. It is a little heavy and would make it slightly different If I didn't have another one.

Well done Stetson05....you got off your back side and had a go, and you have made a kite buggy, steel, ally, composite, wood, it doesn't matter as long as it does what you want it to, the main point is you made a buggy with the resources and skills you have there...

Quite a few others have made wooden buggies, so you have company too


Wooden Buggies

Thanks PTW, Most of those buggies look beyond my skills too. The flintstones buggy and Kate are pretty impressive.

I am sorry about the pics, I have lost the cord to my camera and will be getting a card reader. Some info on what I did. I used nylon lock washers on the outside of the all thread. I used 2 nuts with a lock washer inbetween them on the inside. To attach the allthread to the board I used Eye bolts that had an inside diameter of approx 5/8. I had to spread them just a little with a screw driver and then thread them on. I learned I should have used a longer center piece to connect the front and back. I was worried about weight but after reading about PTW's and Weldengods buggies weight is not a problem. Probably more of an issue on grass but not on beach sand or parkinglots. Good luck building.

yeah, I'm trying to work out a three-wheeler design, front wheel on a fat old bicycle fork like the setup mentioned in a related thread, fork welded to a bracket accepting the end of a swan's neck (3'' diameter, 1/2" walls, solid) leading down to a triangle framework, two thinner (2") bamboo on each side and crosspeices all bolted, lashed, and glued together, a big fat joint! (ahem, so to speak) and leading back to an axle cross peice that holds an axle pretty much like yours. Barrow wheels (literally, from a shop in the village).

seat and siderails later.

weight? probably between 30-40 pounds

I'll start a thread when I have a design to put up, see what folks think... :dunno:

Stetson05

I passed on the picture of your buggy to my stepson in MO. He just finished and had me post the pictures

Thanks for the picture and encouragement. I started one earlier but haven't finished and not as nice.
http://s594.photobucket.com/albums/tt24/fogg62/

nice one, one step up on the finish front, looks really good!

idk how the seat will work when flying the kite to the side, might have a bit of trouble staying in the seat!

the axle set-up looks a bit different? no through axle, just a short bearing bit bolted through on the end, would be nice to see a detail / close-up shot plus a report on how well it holds up???

thanks for sharing! I reckon PTW would like copies of the shots as well for his wooden buggy page?

@ stetson: hey dude look what you started, eh? :frog:

I added more pictures to show details. He just finished it and it still is cold and too wet in MO to get out. I am also waiting for a report on the seat. http://s594.photobucket.com/albums/tt24/fogg62/

perfect, thanks... so it is a fully threaded through axle, then... looks like he is using the nuts to act as spacers around the bushings, can you ask how he locked those nuts in place?

That really looks great! I didn't make the center board long enough on mine but I like how his turned out. That is definitely enough to get him rolling. I am impressed, and curious how much he thinks he spent? I like the nuts on both sides of the bolt that holds the boards on. I hope he doesn't get 2 weeks of the no wind curse for his bug. Let us know how it rolls.

The double nut between the eye-bolt and the wheel lock on themself and a nut with a nylon insert and a washer are on the outside.