How to Make a Wood Go Kart V2 | No Welding Required +Free Plans!
For More Information about this Project (Plans, Cutting Templates, SketchUp Models, etc.): woodworkingnut.com/2023/09/17...
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Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
01:16 Milling Lumber
03:10 Cutting Wood
07:18 Preparing Wood for Assembly (Drilling Holes)
09:46 Fabricating Metal Pieces (Drilling Holes/Painting)
13:36 Transferring the Holes from the Metal Pieces to Wood
16:35 Preparing the Steering Column for Assembly
17:42 Assembling the Steering Column/Frame
24:36 Final Prep before Applying Finish
27:33 Applying Finish
28:30 Installing the Plywood, Seat and Steering Column
30:18 Installing the Steering Components
37:00 Installing the Live Axle and Components
43:16 Drilling Hole for Brake Bar/Installing Bolt
43:54 Putting the Engine in Place/Cutting the Chain
46:02 Installing the Pedals
49:27 Installing the Brake Linkage
52:23 Installing the Throttle Linkage
52:55 Final Installation of the Chain/Torquing Engine
54:06 Test Drive
55:36 Outro
When I was a little kid in the early seventies, my neighbor had 3 teenage boys and they built a wooden go cart… it took all three to run it ! One was steering with 2 ropes, one was applying the throttle at the motor, and the last boy was pretty much hanging on and helping to stop with his feet😂 like Flintstone style!!! These guys were my heroes growing up…
Ohh the 1970’s were a glorious time to be alive!
@@SirLeDoux Yep, we built a 'gambo' (gravity push cart with 'pram' = 'baby buggy' wheels) using a bicycle crank with pedal and chain for steering. (seemed like a good idea) Only thing was, with our 10-11 yr old 'engineering', we didn't realise it steered backwards (left was right and right was left), until, Andrew ended up under the front of an MG (luckily, driver saw what was going on and stopped, even though Andrew couldn't) no damage to anyone but we did go somewhere 'safer' as driver was really pissed at us about what 'could' have happened
@@SirLeDoux I regret being born in 1976. I just missed it... dangit!!!
@@jowah you regret it?? hahahah
W Skkw Emma Mmeme Nrnrn3 Rjrj Jensen Hanna 😊
What a quality build. The accuracy and neatness as well as the calmness while doing the work is worth a praise. Great job!
Thank you very much!
@@EricLindberg motor ?
@@PeetNutit’s from a lawn mower
@@ThatonesapphireguyI don’t think it is because lawnmowers use horizontal engines
Eric. You're a very talented woodworker for one of such young years. Only matched by your generosity in providing the fruits of your efforts to the community for free. Thank you.
Thank you!
@@EricLindberg❤❤
As a grandpa I can't begin to tell you how impressed I am of not only your build but of your video production as well! Please do a video of the stage I/II engine upgrade!
Hey Eric! My dad and I are currently building this wooden go kart. We came across your video and that inspired us to build it! We will send you a picture when its finished!
Erick, I was very impressed with the build. Your work area is also clean and neat, as were your tools. Good job man. Have fun with that cart.
Thank you!
Nice work, Eric! My dad made me a go cart back in the ‘60s and all we had for steering was a set of vice grips in the steering rod! It had an old Clinton engine driven by a rubber accessory belt. Engine was started by wrapping a rope with a handle wrapped around the flywheel pulley (the older folks will know!). Subscribed!
😊
Lol. Ours didn’t have brakes. We slowed down and dad caught us. Lol. Fun times!
When my brother and I broke the throttle cable on our go cart one of us stood/rode on the back and gave it gas while the other drove it down the street WOT
my friend john had one it was awesome and it was old and a piece of poop but fun we took it to a school playground once thinking we could make some money and the first idiot that drove it slammed into a wall and knocked himself out, it was hilarious we gave him is money back and got the hell out of there. you could not get away with that kinda of stuff these days god i miss those days. the thing is that the first thing we did was all laughed at the guy then made sure he was ok and not try to sue us. i mean he was our age we told him how he was ok but at the last minute after the 3 laps he biffed it.
That sound interesting. How long until it crashed?
Erik…. That was impressive!!! I like how you present and explain what and how to do the build… you keep it up …!!!! You’re parents raised you well!!!!
Yep, I remember back in the 70's making one of these. Great Fun!
What would you say the approximate cost of this build was? (without including price for additional tools)
I also desire this information
I grew up in a small town in the 1960s. We built go-carts.. That is nothing but a good time and learning experience for kids. Congrats on your build. better than anything we built.
Haha thank you and I couldn’t agree more, it’s a fun learning experience.
@@EricLindberg .. I am in Lakewood CA, but I grew up in Beulah MI and lived there 1960 to 1986. Great place to grow up. First time seeing your channel.. good stuff.
Thank you!
Just outstanding,You did a great job on this.I loved watching you build this unit.Have a great day.
Eric, for your own safety and the safety of the people that will follow along, ALWAYS clamp your material to the table when using a drill press. At the very least, tighten a nut and bolt in one of the table slots to be used as a stop/bumper for the part. If the drill grabs that plate and turns it into a helicopter, kiss a finger tip or two Bye-Bye.
That's how I lost a bit of the top of my finger. Was using the meat pliers to hold a piece of sheet metal and it caught. Now I make sure to use regular pliers.
learnt it the hard way after I had my palm sliced open!!
One of the best videos I have seen. Excellent narration and camera work. Thank You!!
Absolutely outstanding craftsmanship! Great job on the build.
Great craftsmanship Eric! You have something to be proud of!
Old school, nice! Back in the 1950's and 1960's this is what more young kids did for fun, more wholesome activities.
Young Man, totally astonished at your pursuit of excellence, I imagine there is a good teacher/ mentor in the wings and, probably a set of very proud parents. 👍👍
Great work Eric! You are and awesome engineer and craftsman!
Fun to watch you build this project. It brought back memories. I built minibikes and a gocart when I was a youth.
Nice work, man!! Its cool you make the project plans available for folks who may like to create someting like this with their family members, or just plain tinkering. You juice it up, you might want to consider adding some safety gear. Nice to see a young man like yourself doing something with his talents. Good luck to you, Eric!
Wow Eric! What a fantastic build! Takes me back to being a kid and working on my mini-bike with my dad. Looks like a really fun ride!
Thank you Steve! Hope you’re doing well. I’ve had a lot of fun riding it so far!
Jesus loves you! He did die on the cross for us and he did come back to life in 3 days by God! Trust in him + Repent of sins✝️❤️ John 3:16
can get that in africa uganda if possible
Thank you Eric. Great job and apprciate your sharing and explaining everything.
Nice looking project, but you still have a lot to learn "grasshopper". LOL At least for anything load bearing you should make sure you are using gr_8 bolts. EG: front "king pins", any bolts in the front steer assembly, bolts securing the pillow blocks for the rear axle. A catastrophic failure at any of those points could/would cause a hard crash. 40 mph may not sound fast, but tossing you off would give you new perspective on that. Nice job, good luck!! --gary
New sub because I looked back into your video content. I have been a lifelong woodworker. You inspire me to build a go art of my own. You also give me hope for your generation. We hear a lot of negative, you prove it ain’t so.
Thank you very much!
My dad and I built my wood go kart in 1980, it was based on my dad's wood go kart that he and his dad built in the 50's. We did the entire steering with angle iron and u-bolts, amazed to this day that it held up. We even built the "clutch" out of pulleys, angle iron and a tension belt. Engine was free off of an old piece of farm equipment, it had dried corn in the flywheel. It taught how me to not be afraid to work on cars or anything technical.
Sounds like you guys had a fun time working on it together. Thank you for sharing!
@@EricLindberg We did, it was probably my best childhood memory. Hoping lots of kids get inspired by your video, it's a great design.
Speechless, outstanding job. Hope and wish you all the success that you can handle.
That build is super gorgeous!!! Serious skill went into this.
wow, great work, this go-kart is great! Congratulations, Eric!👍👍👏 Thanks for the plan!
Thank you and no problem!
No thank you penny for jumping on your son's ass
You should market this in kit form. All pre drilled holes numbered for assembly, with step by step instructions. You have a winning idea. Good luck
Excellent 👍
Once he sells it it becomes a lawsuit when a kid gets hurt on it. Nothing with a motor should be made of wood. Not everyone that would buy it can build it like he did which wi cause issues
@@mikecolwell5387 he could make one identical but electric !!!
Great project. I loved the video and the editing, thank you.
Wow this is amazing. You sir are very talented! Thank you for sharing.
Great job,you took a lot of pride in this build.Fantastic
Thank you!
Jesus loves you! He did die on the cross for us and he did come back to life in 3 days by God! Trust in him + Repent of sins✝️❤️ John 3:16 Jesus loves you! He did die on the cross for us and he did come back to life in 3 days by God! Trust in him + Repent of sins✝️❤️ John 3:16
Excellent project Eric. Brings back memories of my first wood go-kart when I was 12 years old - don't laugh - over 60 years ago.
Haha thank you!
This thing is so cool!! Thanks for the video and keep em coming.
AMAZING skills you a fine job from a quality young man . i very proud of you and your folks they have done a great job with you .
What an amazing person you are Eric to produce these excellent plans for free. I don't doubt though that people would want to pay you something if you have a Paypal or Patreon account.
Great tradesmen are artist, yet so many look down on it....GREAT WORK!
Great project that looks like it was built with “intent” not just slapped together. Nice build and equally impressive video work!
Super Nice Build Erick Very Well Done 😍 I am a Tomboy and when We Were going to JR High The Kids would Take a 20" Sting Ray Bicycle and take a front rim and take out the spokes from it and smash it thinner and weld it to the rear rim for a pulley we would remove the Pedal's and the center support and bolt on a 3/4" Birch plywood for the engine mount . we would use a 2hp Briggs and Stratton engine with a variable belt clutch I still remember that we used a GATES 64" Green Stripe V Belt we used a handle grip 3 speed shifter for the twist throttle and we only had front brakes and soul brakes from your shoes 😦 LOL I Put a Bicycle Speedometer on it and it would go 40 MPH level - Up Hill - Down Hill - 40 MPH 😊 The COPS would Always Chase me But They Could Not Catch Me 😝 Because I Knew which yards I could Cut Through and Get Away From Them 🤪 Retired Female Equipment Mechanic of over 50 Years Keep up the Great Work Chellie
Haha it sounds like you used to have a lot of fun growing up! Thank you for the kind words.
My father made me a wooden go-kart in the 1960s.. I still remember watching him build it... the Sheep was made out of a wooden milk crate the two-by-fours was the chassis and to steer the go-kart a clothesline was mounted to the front axle.. my father drilled a hole to put a carriage Bolt so you can steer the go-kart and the wheels were from baby carriages.. and that was it and that my father used to push me up and down the block..
Well done, keep learning, im proud of your accomplishments
Great job Eric! That thing moves!
Really nice work, and very well done video. Did you apply threads lock to those barrel nuts and the grub screws on the collars?
Absolutely not...if he had...he would have been sure to include it.Probably won't need it anyway,but it is a good idea.
It’s great to see a disciplined energetic young man with constructive interests and an all American work ethic. You provide hope for our future! Keep it up.
CB .............I can't believe he did it outside and an unairconditioned garage ........this old man sees an outdoor kid ????
lmfao i do that working in the sun and outside is calming
🎓💯
Excellent job
Beautiful
Nice work !! outstanding job Thank You!!
Amazing video, really good fun, start to finish.
Nice project with assisted welding to the steering tie rod and engine riser plate. With that said, drilling metal pieces on the drill press and holding those pieces with your fingers without using a drill vise is going to get you in big trouble. You have tons of expensive nice tools, jointer/plainer, that the average person will not have so spend a few bucks at Harbor Freight and purchase a simple drill vise. It will save you an expensive trip to the ER!!!
Great job Eric on the go cart. Very cool. Will you add any fabrication to the go cart like making it look like a race car or something similar? 😃 Really like the camera angles on showing off the finished product. Professional looking video.
Thank you Uncle Pat! I probably won’t add anything else to the go kart because I like showing off the wood. I’ll have to show you the stabilizer I got to film some of the shots. It’s got a lot of cool features.
That was fun to watch. Really nice build.
looks like fun and probably fairly light and easy to load up!
54:20 I would strongly advise moving the top suspension location bar rearwards to provide some castor angle, which will greatly help steering stability as this geometry will add a self-centering force.
I mean, is stability really something one is looking for in something like this? Definitely a concern with a car whose mass could EASILY rip the wheel out of your hands with bad geometry, but I can't imagine this managing to apply that much force to the driver outside of already being in the middle of crashing.
@@Nevir202 What are you talking about? All cars have positive caster angle. Think of force feedback steering wheel in a game constantly trying to move it to the center. This is positive caster angle and it also adds stability. An example of negative caster angle is a shopping cart. Positive caster angle makes it so we don't have to recenter the steering wheel and hold it there. The angle makes it self centering among other perks.
@@bluecar5556 And your argument here is what? You aren't supposed to have your hands off the wheel anyway, especially when driving the way one drives a go kart so self centering is irrelevant when you are going to be manually pointing it where you want it to go. You might need to worry about wobble if it was something fast, but it's not.
@@Nevir202 Okay
Record the neighbors reactions, you wood be more popular than a first amendment auditor. Would a woodchuck chuck?
who gives a fuk karen?
Well done Eric great work. 👍🏆🇬🇧
That's a nice Kart! Especially the steering post. Not only do you posses great woodworking skills, your presentation and narration were perfect. Congrats!
Beautiful build!! The only issue I have is the lack of washers under the wheel nuts.. Othwise Kudos on a Way Cool Project !!!
Thanks!
Dad walks by like "this boy is not moving out anytime soon"
😂😂😂
This is so awesome. I don't know anything about welding. Thanks for sharing the plans.
This exactly what i am searching for, thank you so much.
Excellent build and video. However, I think you'll find that wooden vehicles can have failures in the joints unless certain care is taken to prevent joint flexing. God knows Glued and Screwed is time-proven joinery, but such joints can fail in tension. Be careful and be aware of your joints over time, especially where fasteners go into the end grain. This is why early wooden aircraft are all heavily cable braced and triangulated.
Pocket hole screws would probably be a step up for the members fastened into end grain.
@@evanmarshall597, for a fixed piece like a cabinet or furniture I would completely agree. But the downside is that the screws would then be going the opposite direction and you'd be limited in the length you could use to the thickness of the receiving piece. Of the few actual wooden vehicles I've seen, besides aircraft where weight is a concern, the preferred fastener system seemed to be carriage bolts into captive nuts, _or_ through bolts/rods going all the way through a cross member to the other side. The latter being used in heavy cargo wagons.
I'm curious as to whether or not you incorporated the ackerman angle into your steering setup. And yes, go all in with Stage 3 kit!
I’ll have to do some research because I’ve never heard of the Ackerman angle.
@@EricLindberg ...Ackerman speaks to the different turn radius of the outside tire vs the inside tire when making a turn. Ideally, the angle of each wheel should "turn" a different amount to account for the different turn radii of the 2 wheels.
Wonderful job with excellent documentation. You are truly a remarkable craftsman and very accurate. Thank you for sharing.
Great to see you back at it.
Nice! Looks like you pay a lot of attention to every detail... just one suggestion; maybe consider a piece of diamond plate under your heals t0 protect the wood (over time). Over all Great Job!!!
Thank you! I was considering adding grip tape down, but kind of forgot about it after I got caught up riding it lol I like the idea of diamond plate too though.
Jesus loves you! He did die on the cross for us and he did come back to life in 3 days by God! Trust in him + Repent of sins✝️❤️ John 3:16 Jesus loves you! He did die on the cross for us and he did come back to life in 3 days by God! Trust in him + Repent of sins✝️❤️ John 3:16
What is the advantage of using two-by-fours versus all steel is it weight saving, because instead of welding you can bolt it altogether too with steel ❓👍
I think steel go karts are always going to be better than wood, but I like to make out of the box projects like this for fun. When I made my first one I did it because I didn’t have a welder, but you could definitely make one out of steel and bolt it together too. I’d have to guess the wood one is going to be lighter though.
well fit will float, eg., make shift boat, your steel ones not going to do that is it? 🙂
I made a go kart long ago and bolted it together. I do not recommend
Great job Eric !!!!! I have a feeling you'll be successful in life !!!!
Nice job young man. Had many thoughts from my foot steered, dumpster sourced machine before I could drive ('77) that put my sister into the blackberry patch, then later as the SAE Baja lead at Oregon State ('86) that the team drove around campus before heading to SanLuis, and onto design work on the original 777. Thank you for sharing your work. May God use you for his glory and your parents praised.
'Don't need many tools, '' says he with industry sized workshop.
you dont "need" them you idiot
Where are your SAFETY GLASSES ?????
Bit rude, but you got a serious point
great vid and instructions!!! more power!!!
Sensacional. Parabéns pelo projeto, pela execução e por compartilhar os seus conhecimentos. Obrigado.
I would advise you to copyright these plans. Also take special orders where you build them for buyers as orders come in.
@@rinkydinkfretboard8737 You mean like opening the borders?
Great job great video thanks for sharing ✌️
You are a wonderful, believable, presenter, and I loke your shop.
Great job on your go-cart. You will make a fine craftsman someday if that is your goal. A bit of advice if you don't mind. When you drill thru steel, there is a good possibility of the bit binding at the time it cuts thru the opposite side and your part will spin and can break a finger or even take it off. The other bit of advice, when you drill thru wood, drill in a little then back it out to clear shavings. As you saw using the long bit and burning it up. It's even faster drilling than doing it in one shot. Heat destroys tools. But you deserve many complements on this project.
Thank you for the advice!
It would also help if he used a wood bit as well
A Vice grip would work to hold the piece to the drill press!
What an excellent build with equally esteemed workmanship and using the first, natural and original composite material, wood...It's a real treat watching people work with wood and metal in this fashion. I noticed your use of ryobi tools and in particular the cordless impact driver with what I can assume to be a 1Ah battery. I first started using Ryobi when I bought the 18v line trimmer which came with a 5Ah battery and not too long after bought the impact driver, but I need to get the smaller battery because after wielding that thing with the bigger battery for even just a couple of minutes becomes quite tiring. Anyway, cheers from Australia
Very impressive! Obviously you have strong support from your parents and great tools. Almost looked like Meccano but with a real working Go Kart 😉Wish you all the best in your future projects.
Nice project! Great to do with my son. Thanks!
Nice to see you back at it. Keep the content coming.
Thank you and will do!
This is pretty cool, I enjoyed your build.
VERY NICE! Really Great Job! Love the Maple Hardwood!
What a great kid. Love seeing this
Seu trabalho ficou perfeito. Parabéns! Your work was perfect. Congratulations!
I love how clean it all look, so nice.
Thank you!
Great job Eric! Very impressive!
You're an inspiration young man. Keep up the good work
Beautiful job, well done!
Amazing job well done, what a lovely good young man you are , Great work on the go cart Thanks for sharing the video with us! 😎👍
Thank you!
Excellent!! you are a genius!!
Awesome Job . Excellent project .
Superb build. Really enjoyed this video. Thanks
Great work! Thank you.
1st time I saw this...BEAUTIFUL...u d man...very nice .god bless .
This is next level! I had mine in the late 70s. It was wooden, with "Big Wheel" wheels in the back, shopping cart wheels in the front, steered by a rope, and a wooden stick on the side for the brake. The motor was a friend pushing. LOL
Keep it up, buddy you are a wonderful man
Excellent skills and workmanship
What a great project for Dad & son.
Thank you Great job!🤞✌🤟
❤nice build Beo thanks for sharing
You have mad skills Eric Great job man
Great video! Congrats on your build!