Week 1
The plan was to pull the quad out and prepare it to be taken apart. In order to do this I received permission from the landlord who was also the owner of both the quad and the blown old go-cart. Apart from this, I also received permission to have my own space in the yard without having to pay rent. Thankfully everything worked out and I got the green light to begin as well as a toolbox I could use. This week I learned how to use the grinder properly, and used it to cut unneeded parts off the go-cart frame. The most difficult thing to do was to get the rusted panel off the bottom of the frame. I'm not sure why, but it took a full day to hammer this out. I did not cut it using the grinder because i did not have access to it at this time. I was not planing to cut the bars where the previous rear wheels were, but after seeing how the new rear axle and engine would fit, I concluded it was a good idea so I proceeded. A personal low was having to take the heavy quad out of the box-truck on my own. A high was the fact that I had kicked off the project and was able to get permission and access to all I needed.
The plan was to pull the quad out and prepare it to be taken apart. In order to do this I received permission from the landlord who was also the owner of both the quad and the blown old go-cart. Apart from this, I also received permission to have my own space in the yard without having to pay rent. Thankfully everything worked out and I got the green light to begin as well as a toolbox I could use. This week I learned how to use the grinder properly, and used it to cut unneeded parts off the go-cart frame. The most difficult thing to do was to get the rusted panel off the bottom of the frame. I'm not sure why, but it took a full day to hammer this out. I did not cut it using the grinder because i did not have access to it at this time. I was not planing to cut the bars where the previous rear wheels were, but after seeing how the new rear axle and engine would fit, I concluded it was a good idea so I proceeded. A personal low was having to take the heavy quad out of the box-truck on my own. A high was the fact that I had kicked off the project and was able to get permission and access to all I needed.
Once the original engine was off, I needed to take the bottom panel off of the frame. I did this because it was rusted through and was ultimately useless considering that I was going to weld a new panel in its replacement once the wheels and new engine was mounted on. I did this using a hammer and flat-bladed screwdriver
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Learning how to use this tool was not difficult, but it is dangerous because if not done right, the blade could easily cut through clothes and flesh. While cutting the blade would also heat up, which is an important factor in the efficiency of the cut. Both hands must be used at all times as well as safety glasses to prevent pieces of metal from hitting your eyes. The frame was held down using bricks to prevent excessive movement.
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week 2
This week was fully dedicated to taking apart the quad. I knew this process would be tedious and time consuming but it was more so than anticipated. the plastics came off easily with screwdrivers and a impact gun. As soon as those were off and had the naked bike, the variety of sizes of bolts used to keep this bike together was frustrating. I used wrenches and an impact gun mainly but the adaptive pieces used with these tools were all sorts of sizes. most of this project was me learning as I went. Now I know how some quads are put together as well as how the suspension works for these types of vehicles. The main struggle was keeping things in order and staying persistent through the weather and limited water as well as removing the rear break from the bike. Nothing really changed other than the amount of people I had helping me. They all had more mechanical experience than I did so I always welcomed that aid. as soon as that was taken care of, I was ready to continue. A low was the amount of time it took me and how tedious this was as well as being hungry and thirsty often. A high was the help I received and the people who surrounded me as well as the progress I saw throughout the week.
This week was fully dedicated to taking apart the quad. I knew this process would be tedious and time consuming but it was more so than anticipated. the plastics came off easily with screwdrivers and a impact gun. As soon as those were off and had the naked bike, the variety of sizes of bolts used to keep this bike together was frustrating. I used wrenches and an impact gun mainly but the adaptive pieces used with these tools were all sorts of sizes. most of this project was me learning as I went. Now I know how some quads are put together as well as how the suspension works for these types of vehicles. The main struggle was keeping things in order and staying persistent through the weather and limited water as well as removing the rear break from the bike. Nothing really changed other than the amount of people I had helping me. They all had more mechanical experience than I did so I always welcomed that aid. as soon as that was taken care of, I was ready to continue. A low was the amount of time it took me and how tedious this was as well as being hungry and thirsty often. A high was the help I received and the people who surrounded me as well as the progress I saw throughout the week.
taking the rear breaking system off was a pain because it was wired along the bike up to a lever at the handlebars. I had to take it apart because the lever would not go through parts of the bike which were unnecessary to take apart. Once the wire was ran back, and the bolts holding the axle and suspension were out, the bike was pulled to two.
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Week 3
Now it was time to measure and cut a tube in order to extend the frame. I went to the landlord's friend's shop in order to acquire the metal sheet and tube I needed. They helped me transport it back to my workspace using a forklift and fortunately I didn't have to pay the $80.00 I'd have to for these materials. Once that was taken care of, I mapped everything out how the build was going to look and measured how long the tubes i would cut have to be. As soon as the tubes were ready, the welder was ready to show me how it's done. so I used a saw and heavy duty lube in order to carry this out. Previous to this, I had never cut metal using this type of blade and was taught to do it correctly as well as how and why to use lube. The main struggle here was making sure the measurements were correct and keeping things clean and in order. there wasn't much that changed except the budget. A low was waiting a couple days in order to transport the materials to my workspace because I didn't have a truck. A high was the opportunity to use the saw which made things a lot easier and flow smoother in the long run.
Now it was time to measure and cut a tube in order to extend the frame. I went to the landlord's friend's shop in order to acquire the metal sheet and tube I needed. They helped me transport it back to my workspace using a forklift and fortunately I didn't have to pay the $80.00 I'd have to for these materials. Once that was taken care of, I mapped everything out how the build was going to look and measured how long the tubes i would cut have to be. As soon as the tubes were ready, the welder was ready to show me how it's done. so I used a saw and heavy duty lube in order to carry this out. Previous to this, I had never cut metal using this type of blade and was taught to do it correctly as well as how and why to use lube. The main struggle here was making sure the measurements were correct and keeping things clean and in order. there wasn't much that changed except the budget. A low was waiting a couple days in order to transport the materials to my workspace because I didn't have a truck. A high was the opportunity to use the saw which made things a lot easier and flow smoother in the long run.
now it was time to cut. I used a fixed saw in order to cut the tube the proper length in order to extend the frame. I cut two tubes using one long pipe, both about 15in long. To do this correctly, I used extreme duty lube in order to cut metal smoothly and not shoot small pieces of metal off. Previous to this, I did not know that lube was used while cutting metal. now I do.
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Week 4
Now that I had cut the pipes, It was time to weld them onto the back of the frame to extend it. Along with that, the sheet was also to be cut and welded onto the rear section of the frame. That sheet is where the engine would sit and behind it where the axle would be mounted on. The actual process of welding and cutting was done after about 30 minutes. this is something that has to be done quickly and precisely because you are dealing with very hot, melted metal to bind two separate pieces of metal. I learned how welding is done as well as how to use a plasma cutter to cut through metal. The main struggle here was the actual welding and cutting. the tip of this gun shoots a flame at the metals melting point, so hear is felt even past the gloves. after the cutting and welding was done, we put the engine on the new panel and saw how much space was needed in order to mount the axle comfortably. Instead of welding the engine block onto the sheet, we decided to weld brackets on which the engine would be mounted on. So the plan from here is to weld the brackets onto the panel as well as mount the rear axle onto it as well. A low was the fact that the welder wasn't there all the time I was able to be, but it was alright because in the end we got it done. A high was the progress we made as well as the opportunities to network because of the people I've met while working on this project.
Now that I had cut the pipes, It was time to weld them onto the back of the frame to extend it. Along with that, the sheet was also to be cut and welded onto the rear section of the frame. That sheet is where the engine would sit and behind it where the axle would be mounted on. The actual process of welding and cutting was done after about 30 minutes. this is something that has to be done quickly and precisely because you are dealing with very hot, melted metal to bind two separate pieces of metal. I learned how welding is done as well as how to use a plasma cutter to cut through metal. The main struggle here was the actual welding and cutting. the tip of this gun shoots a flame at the metals melting point, so hear is felt even past the gloves. after the cutting and welding was done, we put the engine on the new panel and saw how much space was needed in order to mount the axle comfortably. Instead of welding the engine block onto the sheet, we decided to weld brackets on which the engine would be mounted on. So the plan from here is to weld the brackets onto the panel as well as mount the rear axle onto it as well. A low was the fact that the welder wasn't there all the time I was able to be, but it was alright because in the end we got it done. A high was the progress we made as well as the opportunities to network because of the people I've met while working on this project.
Throughout this project, I was focused on learning skills that those around me had. I wanted to do this in order to be able to help out more than I was before once I was done with high school. These skills are ones that I'll carry and use through my whole career so this is why I decided that this focus was good for me. There were many times during this project when I felt a sort of a relief of stress because of the progress I would make. As an example, once I had the frame, engine, and rear axle with wheels mapped out on the floor, and I was able go really picture this cart coming together. I felt exponentially confident in what I was doing. Truthfully, in the beginning I was very skeptical about this being a good idea to commit to. The reason why I decided to do so is because i knew this is something I am passionate about and really enjoy learning about. I have always been curious about how things work mechanically, so I knew that it would be something I would push through with and would be happy with while dedicating my time to. Ultimately I knew that because I was really interested in this, that my work would be of good quality. The main struggle for me was learning as I went. I did not know how I was going to cut the metal nor how the quad was going to be taken apart. I didn't know if there were parts I would need nor if my budget was enough for me to avoid getting stuck financially. I went through with this in good faith and worked on networking in order pull this through without repercussion. I would like to think that my work is of good quality although some of the materials I used were rusted and old. I am proud of the progress I made as well as what I learned and the people I made a connection with thanks to me pushing forward with this build. Although it is not done yet, I defiantly have a plan in action in order to carry this out. As a matter of fact, I found a buyer and, depending on the final build, I'll be payed for my product once finished. the only thing I would change is how I would mount the engine and rear axle to the frame of the cart. I would have left the quad as it was and would have simply cut the front part of the bike, leaving the engine already connected to the rear axle as well as having its own independent suspension. the only thing I would have to do if I would have done it that was is weld the frame onto the rear section of the cart (behind the driver) and rewire the gas, break, and shifter. Although we were in trying times due to the pandemic, I felt like this independent work did me good because it was much more like the adult world. I felt comfortable being able to choose my own hours to work as well as what to focus on. Because I always had the option to drop what I was doing, I was constantly re-centering and reminding myself why I was doing what I was doing as well as what motivated me to persist. As a student, this was just another project so I had to do it to get a good grade. As a person, I knew I was doing what I wanted to, so I felt motivated to continue because I was content on how I was using my time. I believe I deserve a passing grade because even though I didn't turn in all work logs on time and sometimes lagged when it came to the academic side of this project, I stuck to it and learned new skills which will be useful for my career.
Cutting sheet metal (bottom right) is different. In order to do this we use a plasma cutter. this is a torch-like tool which shoots a flame at 1200 degrees F (melting point of the metal used.) It is used like a knife and cuts through the metal smoothly and slowly. PPE, like gloves, glasses, and face shields must be used while using these tools in order to prevent injury.
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Using the jigsaw (middle right) was more difficult than anticipated, mainly because I learned to use it while under a car which was lifted up using jack stands. This tool works very much like the grinder, except it is just a sharp blade which moves back and forward extremely fast. This tool can also be used to cut wood and other materials similar to that. while cutting, the correct amount of pressure must be applied in order to prevent the tool from shaking too much and/or shooting back at, or pulling from, you. The blade's temperature must also be kept in mind because of the constant back and forth of the blade, it heats up and reaches a point where the red hot metal turns potentially dangerous if shot at the user.
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I learned how to operate a forklift (top left) which was fairly easy. There are three levers to your right. One tilts the forks forward and backwards, another raises and lowers them, and the last one shifts them left and right. Then you have the gas and break as well as a gear shift knob to go from revers to neutral to drive. This vehicle belongs to the Landlord/Owner of the company, and I only operated it within his property and with his permission and supervision.
I learned how to use a grinder (top right) during the project and found it a little more challenging than expected. The blade spins, and while cutting, you must apply the correct amount of pressure in order to cut effectively. Too much pressure and the tool will shoot back at, or away from, you depending on the spin. Not enough pressure and you'll just be dulling out the blade and ineffectively cutting. According to my mentors, this is something that you just need practice in order to do it properly. Learning how to weld (middle left) was fairly straightforward. While welding, we use this gun that dispenses a string of metal every time there is pressure applied to the tip. This is because the tip of the metal dispensed is melted and then cooled quickly in order to bind both metals together. It works very much like a hot glue gun but not exactly. PPE, like gloves, glasses, and face shields must be used while using these tools in order to prevent injury. |