Printable Version | Subscribe | Add to Favourites
New Topic New Reply
Author: Subject: Chassis - how long?
Puk

posted on 4/4/08 at 07:25 AM Reply With Quote
Chassis - how long?

For those who have welded up a chassis can I ask: How many hours did it take from pile of tubes to completed chassis ready for paint/coating?

I've read somewhere to allow 1 hour per tube for preparation, but I don't think that covers tacking, welding and finishing.

Cheers
James





Before you judge a guy, walk a mile in his shoes. Then when you judge him, you're a mile a way and you've nicked his shoes.

View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
Mr Whippy

posted on 4/4/08 at 07:40 AM Reply With Quote
You’re expecting to spend an hour cutting a tube to size?





Fame is when your old car is plastered all over the internet

View User's Profile E-Mail User Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
tegwin

posted on 4/4/08 at 09:51 AM Reply With Quote
I recon you could cut, file, prep and weld a tube into place in less than 30 mins.





------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Would the last person who leaves the country please switch off the lights and close the door!

www.verticalhorizonsmedia.tv

View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
Puk

posted on 4/4/08 at 11:07 AM Reply With Quote
Hi Mr. Whippy - yup the 1 hour figure was for tube cut and prep. I'd read it somewhere on here or the yank site. But I can't find it now, and guess that I could well have misunderstood it.

Tegwin - is 30mins for cut, prep and weld what you are seeing in practice?

Cheers,
James





Before you judge a guy, walk a mile in his shoes. Then when you judge him, you're a mile a way and you've nicked his shoes.

View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
Alan B

posted on 4/4/08 at 11:32 AM Reply With Quote
I think the one hour figure was for one-off chassis....it seems about right I'd say if you are ignoring brackets etc using number of tubes in the whole frame as rule of thumb......

How many tubes are in the Locost chassis?.....around 100?...if so I'd say 100 hours for a complete frame was about right.

Anyone disagree significantly?

Alan

View User's Profile E-Mail User Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
Puk

posted on 4/4/08 at 11:36 AM Reply With Quote
Is that 100 hours from pile of tubes to trusty chassis?





Before you judge a guy, walk a mile in his shoes. Then when you judge him, you're a mile a way and you've nicked his shoes.

View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
kb58

posted on 4/4/08 at 01:41 PM Reply With Quote
That may have come from me, which came from a machinist/fabricator who's built many tube frame chassis. I found his rule-of-thumb about right when I built mine, so passed it on in my book.

Don't forget to figure in if TIG is used, which is much slower than MIG.

[Edited on 4/4/08 by kb58]





Mid-engine Locost - http://www.midlana.com
And the book - http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/midlana/paperback/product-21330662.html
Kimini - a tube-frame, carbon shell, Honda Prelude VTEC mid-engine Mini: http://www.kimini.com
And its book - http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/kimini-how-to-design-and-build-a-mid-engine-sports-car-from-scratch/paperback/product-4858803.html

View User's Profile E-Mail User Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
RichieW

posted on 4/4/08 at 01:58 PM Reply With Quote
I reckon if you spent a long time on the first few tubes that you cut it would be a good investment.

You will improve and get quicker over time but the first few cut tubes create the square which is the base for the whole car on Ron's Locost design. If that is out of square then everything attached to it will be off too. I have read that some people on here have created a whole chassis in a weekend but if you're not used to metal work its worth taking stuff at your own pace. If you rush you will only regret it at your leisure later.

Take all the time you need.

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
C10CoryM

posted on 4/4/08 at 02:06 PM Reply With Quote
As a beginner of metal work and somewhat picky I am averaging about 30-45 min to get my tubes cut and fit the way I want. The only thing book about my chassis is the width though. Depending on how square you want things, and how many compound angles you have I wouldn't be suprised to see 1hr per tube is accurate.





"Our watchword evermore shall be: The Maple Leaf Forever!"

View User's Profile E-Mail User Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
kb58

posted on 4/4/08 at 03:45 PM Reply With Quote
Besides, it's not a race. The journey is supposed to be fun, too.





Mid-engine Locost - http://www.midlana.com
And the book - http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/midlana/paperback/product-21330662.html
Kimini - a tube-frame, carbon shell, Honda Prelude VTEC mid-engine Mini: http://www.kimini.com
And its book - http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/kimini-how-to-design-and-build-a-mid-engine-sports-car-from-scratch/paperback/product-4858803.html

View User's Profile E-Mail User Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
David Jenkins

posted on 4/4/08 at 03:47 PM Reply With Quote
Took me about 4 or 5 years...






View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
Mark Allanson

posted on 4/4/08 at 06:03 PM Reply With Quote
I had the basic frame up and running in 42 hours, but that is without the steering rack supports, pedal box, and rear panel tubes, so I think I could do another in about 65 hours complete.

Having said that I am a time served welder fabricator, so none of the above counts

I reckon that Alan B has hit the nail on the head as usual.





If you can keep you head, whilst all others around you are losing theirs, you are not fully aware of the situation

View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
dogwood

posted on 4/4/08 at 08:34 PM Reply With Quote
Hi
I'm building my own chassis at the moment.
So far I have been on it for 3 days, so about 25 hrs.
I recon I am about half way through, so realisticly I think it will take about 50 hrs.
plus an extra day just to check everything over before painting.


David

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
907

posted on 4/4/08 at 11:02 PM Reply With Quote
^^^^^^^^

I see you are using the Clarke "Light weight" welder.

Paul G






View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
iank

posted on 4/4/08 at 11:13 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by 907
^^^^^^^^

I see you are using the Clarke "Light weight" welder.

Paul G


Using new helium transformer technology





--
Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.
Anonymous

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
Doug68

posted on 5/4/08 at 01:56 AM Reply With Quote
For me about an hour a tube is about right, looking at it from the point of view of going from a pile of tube to a fully welded frame.

Some took a lot less, some took a lot more, some had to be thrown in the bin.





Doug. 1TG
Sports Car Builders WA

View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
dogwood

posted on 5/4/08 at 07:02 AM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by iank
quote:
Originally posted by 907
^^^^^^^^

I see you are using the Clarke "Light weight" welder.

Paul G


Using new helium transformer technology



Yea...
Seems no mater where I put it it was in the wrong place.
So now got it strapped to a sky hook

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
Angel Acevedo

posted on 11/4/08 at 03:19 AM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
Took me about 4 or 5 years...


4 YEARS!!!
So I`m doing fine???
I have 1 year so far and not even close to finished





Beware of what you wish.. for it may come true....

View User's Profile E-Mail User Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member

New Topic New Reply


go to top






Website design and SEO by Studio Montage

All content © 2001-16 LocostBuilders. Reproduction prohibited
Opinions expressed in public posts are those of the author and do not necessarily represent
the views of other users or any member of the LocostBuilders team.
Running XMB 1.8 Partagium [© 2002 XMB Group] on Apache under CentOS Linux
Founded, built and operated by ChrisW.