Older Projects

This page has a lot of my older projects, mainly from high school. These have less detail, but show different things I have done.

I got into engineering through RC planes. The image on the right shows the first non RC plane project I did. It used a brushless outrunner and sensor-less control, like RC powertrains.

First Go Kart Rework

Mounting an Engine

This time I welded a steel engine mount, much stronger than before. The gas engine was taken off a lawn edger and was rebuilt without a governor to better suit a go kart. I then came up with a system to use a bike brake cable to manipulate the throttle plate.

Front End Upgrades

I also did several things to update the front end for all this new power. I fixed the steering geometry so it would no longer lock by turning new aluminum extensions and brass bushings.

Working on Engines

Once I started getting more familiar with engines I started to learn more in depth. I learned about compression, carburetors and injectors, timing and many other things about engines. This gave me the confidence to start taking apart and modifying the engines I had. I learned to change the compression ratios, modify carbs, adjust mixtures, and so much more. This was especially fun because it gave me a way to apply what I was learning in auto shop class at school.

First Minibikes

Once I got comfortable with gas engines I started making minibikes, these were the first.

First Bike

I used a 3hp engine from another edger for this minibike. To get it running I had to clean the compression chamber, replace the gaskets, and clean the muffler internals.

Second Bike

A friend got this bike and I got it running for him. The previous owner had rebuilt the engine with incorrect timing so it wouldn’t run. After fixing that, I reworked the jackshaft so he would get proper gearing.

First Bike, Upgraded

After a while, I upgraded my original bike. It received a new 7hp engine modified with electric start, custom exhaust, a reinforced fork, and new brakes.

Electric Scooter

This is an electric scooter I made. I rode it to high school every day for about a year. It used a brushed motor, meaning it didn’t have the jitter issues of my previous electric go kart. I made several iterations of battery packs for it. Starting with Hoverboard packs, then soldering my own 18650 packs, then spot welding them.

Wiring Harness

While building different EV’s I needed a system to organize my wiring harnesses before making them. This is the harness of my first go kart. I didn’t have access to or the knowhow to use harness software, so they were designed in Google Drawings.