Mini Buggy Fixture Table

[Tut]

Ok so I have been needing to build this for some time now and I am finally building it. The table will fixture my frames true and straight. It will also help speed up the building time as I can only fit something in one way and don't have to re-figure things ten times, measure 10 times etc. I will now be able to build the same car with several options evertime.

As the frame is being built so is the table. The table is being built around the frame and being made into one giant fixture and probably several small fixtures at the same time. So when done I will have one mini buggy built and one fixture table.
For here on all frames will be the same and be able to drop off say at my body guy and have bodies made for them, a arms standard for them and rear trailing arms all standard.

Fixture table is made from 2x2 inch by 1/8th inch square steel, so it will hold my frames in place so I can clamp them to the fixture table and not get any warping or bending. All frames will match and be the same so for example you can buy a frame and later order say a body I can then have a body built off of one of my frames and shipped out to you for your car.

Here is where I am at so far.
The table is square, true and level to my shops floor... (no levelers yet that will be an upgrade later.. but it is square and level for where it is at.)

The center tubes are now held in place and can be clamped down and welded.
Tabs hold the center straight and true and the taller front tabs keep the tubes straight after I put the up rake on the two center tubes.


Picture of what I have so far.


You can see all the tabs I have already started adding. I will keep adding these as I build the car and as each piece of metal is bent and added to the frame I will add them to the fixture table and so next time I build the frame it will be true and can only be built within those tabs. So if I bend wrong or get off somewhere then I will know. Pretty cool.
Also if it is possible I am going to try to tie in a single seater frame into this table so it will have its own tabs etc.

Also why I am at it I talked about a arms and rear arms.
Well I have a fixture table set up so I can make different size arms and parts.
The table is a thick sheet of aluminum with 1,500+ water jetted holes in it so I can move around parts and pieces to make up new arm sizes and what not.
Here take a look at this little fixture table I will be setting up and using soon.




Well just thought I would share as I have not posted to much on mini buggies lately. But I just want everyone to know I am working on them I am just working behind the scenes getting all my shop and parts etc. built and set up so I can build and do mini buggies. Mostly so they work awesome and are fun but also so they look good of course.

[Tut]

Well I did some more work on the table.
I set up one sides outer bottom floor bar.. then tabed it with the taller stronger tabs.
Now to do the other side I simply flip this tube over and mount the same tabs onto that side.
Now you can cut one floor section for example and it will match both sides. The car will be mirrored left and right. Nice. plus seat bars are exactly the same etc.

Here take a look at some pics.



Heres the bigger fixture tabs. (I add 4 tac welds that are pretty strong but not over kill. Then I can cut the tacs and move it if I need to change anything.)



Here is how the table ligns your tubes up for you or your doing it wrong.. ha ha.



Last pic is of the front angle. It is set at a certain angle so to make sure I make them the same each time I put a piece of metal under it and back at the cross bar on the table I have the other tabs to keep my tubes running straight so they do not turn or twist. (after you bend your tubes they can lay one way or another. This way they can not.) I then clamp the tubes down back at the square table and the front of the tubes will rest on the tab sticking up. When everthing touches perfectly with no gaps then I have the correct bend. Cool.



Well that's it for today thanks for looking.

[pepper]

Im so glad you have this going babe...I have wanted you to have this for a long time....

It is looking great! keep up the good work!

[Tut]

Thanks babe very nice of you to post and say.

It is mostly just to make my lifer easier really.
It can be done the old way but this is just so much nicer to have a large table to set everything on and build it all at one time instead of using a bunch of little fixtures and a ton of work I used to do.

Well cool.
Here is my first full pan all done.
I mirrored the other side and set up all the tabs.
Then I bent and installed all my tubes. I then clamped everything down and started to tac weld everything together. Oh looks like I am going to need even more C-clamps because 8 just is not going to be enough.. ha ha..


And here is a fully built pan all tac welded and ready to be fully welded.



Thanks for looking.

[mike]

The jig looks good are you going to build a complete jig from bottom to top frount to back? this I want to see when we tryed are's we couldnt get the car out with out destroying the jig. GOOD LUCK 925

[SICKSAND]

I'm glad that you are doing this to Tut,I have been waiting to see what you come out with.I know how talented you are with this and how fast you build so I can't wait to see your creation.

[Tut]

Thanks guys.
Yes I will build a complete fixture table.
My next step is to make tubes that attach to the sides and back of this table.
Probably 6 of them to be square and used to mount my frames mid rail exactly in place each time. The supports will use a large piece of tube that a smaller piece slides into.
Then I will drill probably several holes in the smaller piece that slides into the bigger tube. First hole say at 18 inches and then so on every 2 inches until 22 inches tall.
Ok I then raise these tubes up to the height that a person would want their side of their car to be. Sand car and kids car can be lower at say 18 inches and a desert car, adult car etc. as tall as the 22. I raise and pin these legs up into place.
Then I have a smaller fixture I made to build my mid rails like a bath tub.
The mid frame or bath tub then just sets onto these legs and get clamped on.
I then add in my side main bars attaching the pan to the mid rail bars and maybe some webbing and then just un pin and drop the legs down and out of the way. Frame can be lifted off. Pretty simple and ya it took me several tries and all day to figure this out. Pics coming soon.

The roof will not get attached to the main table. I will buld an independent fixuture for making roofs. I don't want it attached as roofs are going to be able to be made per car per person. For example a tall person will want more head room and the kids car or shorter person will not need all that head room a 6+ foot tall person needs.

Back motor and cage section also going to go onto it's own fixture and not on the table as they can be built for different size motors, trannies etc. So will be built off the table and then added to the car.

Front end will get more built and added to the table so it will be attached to the table and will become a permanent part of the table making the front ends easier to set up etc. also and will get added onto the table soon.

Thanks for the questions and Sicksand basically you have seen these buggies no difference just making the table so I can produce them thats all.

I hope to have everything moving into production soon.
Frames can already be ordered and I hope by the beginning of next year to have the a arms and rear trailing arms done. I of course will post and let everyone see my work and that way everyone will know when I have them built.

Thank you very much for all your support.

[Tut]

Ok I have set up the mid rails fixtures. So far pretty simple and straight forward. They are heavy duty tubes that drop into larger tubes attached to the table. Then those have L metal holders on them to hold my mid section in the spot I need it. It is pretty simple and I am sure I will add to it etc. but for now seems simple is working. Here is what I am talking about...
hard to get any good pics but here it is with them.


And with out them in place


They just slide down into the larger pieces holding everything perfect. Clamp and add your down braces. Pull out and remove. Done. Finish adding bracing and your all set.
I will be making it work with different size riser sections I can add or remove to make my midrails different heights. So for example kids can be 16 high on sides and adults can be 20 or 24 inch tall sides for racing etc.
This frame is max at 24 as it will be my Dual Sport Mini Buggy.. ha ha a first maybe??

Now to fixture up the front nose and finish the hood section. Fixture that up and I am getting close to having the cab all fixtured.

Next the roof and then the back motor seperate fixture.

Thanks again for looking.

[SICKSAND]

Any new updated pics Tut?

[Tut]

I have a couple things more done. I placed a big order for 16 heims, missalignments, bungs and all the jam nuts. Just need the hardware and
I will have the front end parts I need to make mock up front a arms and start
setting those up. Then once happy copy and build full chromoly arms.

other than that I just have some fun stuff going on like heading out to the Salt N Sea to play with the buggy with a big group of guys from online who are meeting up.
This is their third meet and I have said over and over I would go and haven't made it yet. So this year we are going. We go this weekend.
I have to finish a frame I started next week and then thanksgiving out with family.
Then the next week I hope to be back on it.

Way to much information as usual but I think you got it.
I have more square tubing to build the front section and the back motor section still to come.
Not sure how I want to do those yet. Work in progress more then likely per each design until I build each design and have them saved and fixtured up.

Thanks for asking and sorry about your friends wife.
Hope she recovers quickly.

[SICKSAND]

Tut have you seen the new pics of the Extreme baja karts yet,,,,very nice..

[Tut]

How new are we talking? I was on their site last week?
I saw the mini Gootjr uses as an avatar with bfg tires.. that was awesome!

I am waiting to see a two seater.



I have 2 projects going now.. so I have to put my buggy off a little more again.
Ah it's all right those projects are what help me build pay for my racing so I can not complain. Anyways my car will get done one day at least it is officially under way and being built. That is a good start.

My heims and special miss alignments are being machined and I should see those in a week or so.
Anyways all is moving forward just slower than, you know, I would like.
But good things come to those who wait and I have been waiting over a year now to get it built so I can not wait to eventually get it done.


Cool I will check out their site and see if any new pics are up thanks.

[SICKSAND]

Ya let me know if you see the new orange buggy?I really like the way that it has turned out....

[Tut]

Ya ya, that is the buggy I was talking about.. Super cool!
But I want to see it in a two seater. Dang. Ya very cool.

That is a bigger car then their little guys and looks even better.
Very awesome. Now where is their two seater?
I want to see what they build so bad.


I will finish building my two seater first and then work backwards into my
single seater. I am going to do the single seater only if racing calls for it.
Other wise two seaters are the way to go in my opinion.

[SICKSAND]

I agree with the two seater as far as my kids go.I have been looking for a new single seater that I can still fit in the pilot redline class,I have been also looking for a motor that would work?I like the redlines but think the suspension is set up wrong,to top heavy and way to much body roll.They cant hang with the 20 year old honda pilot in the cornering.Its funny that the pilot seems to be on top winning all the races still.I think the Redline is a very good buggy just new and may just need the fine tuning.I wanted to go out and measure my pilot to see how much different the measurements are from Bobs buggy.I will be waiting to se what you come out with also Tut,keep us informed,,,,,

[Tut]

Bajakarts has been racing how do you think their new car will do?
It is based off of all their racing and experience so should be a great little buggy.
It looks amazing. I think you can't go wrong for you with one of them.
I love that it has a ton of upgrades like sway bars, limit straps etc.
Very cool and nicely done.

Well cool you know me if I have something I will post it.

[SICKSAND]

One thing I have learned is that jusy because they look good doesn't mean that they handle as good.The guy I race with probally has the ugliest pilot but hasn't been beat in the last 40 races he attended.I will be curious to see how it does but there is alot of factors,motor suspension,etc..I'm still looking and saving money so that I can get something new but with 4 daughters it keeps my racing fund short,lol..I'm getting there though.I won't buy anything until i see how it performs,handles,durability,parts etc..You know....I do like that you guys build for the average guy that can still get into racing.Like I said before I want to see what you come up with also,I really need to take care of my daughters and get them something.I thought alot about the trophy karts but any kind of hill just drains them,thats from the last race I saw at Prarie City..So your two seater has got my interest...