Mini Buggy Fixture Table 4th day

[TutTech]

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.

[N8ball]

Cool Tut, top notch as always.

[K-fab]

That holy sheet () is killer.

I'm wanting to do something similar on my build table as I make the new pre-runner. Right now the top of it is covered with 1/8" thick plate - should have been 1/4. Has not holes either.

I need to get another sheet and tack that down to the top.

I have access to a magnetic drill press and will probably spend the better part of a day with it and a setup to drill and tap 3/8" holes all over it. I want to be able to put jigs on the table like you're talking about too.

[UkraineTrain]

Looks like a sweet setup! I want to make one too but I'm working out of a two car garage so I don't know where I'm going to store it...

K-fab, instead of drilling every hole with a drill, look at getting it lasered. Sure it'll cost more than a few drill bits but it will be much more accurate (hole shape and hole spacing) and it'll save you a ton of work and back ache. 1/8" sheet for a laser is like butter.

[TutTech]

Ya I traded some work for some work and had my entire sheet made for me and it was all water jetted. It is made out of 3/8 holes exactly. Each is 1/2 inch appart so I can move things half inch if I already have a fixture or can move it any amount by just making another bracket to mount to the fixture. (not sure if that made since but it did in my head.. ha ha)

I have some nice 3/3 arms I am going to bolt to that baby here real soon and make brackets to bolt and hang the trailing arm onto.
Then I am going to scale it down for minis and make the new arm out of 1 inch chromoly and 1 1/4 bung at the end to take probably a 5/8 heim to mount to the outer part of the heim to adjust toe.
I will be able to mount up different outer flanges so I can set it up for vw cvs and 930 or micros etc.
But I can adjust and make them wider or longer all I want.. this is where the table comes in.
So now I can take a 3x3 and if I mount my motor in front and put my drive sprocket and hubs in back I can measure back to what I need and simply add to the arm and then build it to fit.
Sweet!

Talk about custom.



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.

[nutz4sand]

Originally Posted by TutTech

Well that's it for today thanks for looking.

I think Thanking YOU for showing is far more appropriate! Good stuff!

[furtelli]

Nice job, Tut.

[sicksand]

Keep them coming Tut,we have been waiting to see what you come up with?

[louis]

Wow, that aluminum sheet looks sweet, how thick is it? I have a 3x4 table with a 1/2" thick steel top that I would love to have a bunch of holes in it.

Louis

[TutTech]

It is 1/4 inch thick 6061 aluminum. Super tough and strong.
Should be able to bolt up and hang parts on that to fixture up a arms etc. and keep everything held in place pretty good.
I don't think I will do my welding on it. Tac and some small welds here and there but for my welding I might pull it off and bolt it to steel? We will see mostly I don't want a bunch of welding getting all over it, its to nice!!

But so the holes don't get messed up from weld spatter etc.
I want to make sure it stays working for a while.
Time will tell. I need to set up a table for it to bolt or clamp on to also that is one of my next projects for it. I was thinking a motor stand that can rotate? Bolt this to the motor stand then I can spin and rotate the part I am working on to be able to tac weld get to and set everything up.