So, if I make the plug a two-piece item I was thinking of having it split along the thin blue line. Anyone see this not working? Or better to go from the top of the 'windshield'?

 

I'll be speaking to my carbon mate tonight Luke. I'll show him the photos and see what he thinks. Thinking I should harass him to see what carbon off-cuts he has at work too!

Sweet, cheers Stu! :y:

 

Thinking of making the pastic forming work first, then make a mould from it. Got an AusPost note this afternoon, seems my new transmitter's arrived. :)

Wow! Just saw this thread.

We do a whole lot of vac forming, etc at uni (currently doing industrial design) using Styrene sheeting.

Make sure whatever you're doing hasn't got undercuts and has plenty of draft angle to get it in and out of the vac form.

 

Those blue lines.. I don't think they'll work.

You need to either vac form straight over the top (and remove the spoiler so it doesn't get stuck in the mould) or vac form from side on and have the split line down the centre.

but then you'll have a join down it.

 

I love vac forming! But have had some annoying experiences with it -_-

Wow! Just saw this thread.

We do a whole lot of vac forming, etc at uni (currently doing industrial design) using Styrene sheeting.

Make sure whatever you're doing hasn't got undercuts and has plenty of draft angle to get it in and out of the vac form.

 

Those blue lines.. I don't think they'll work.

You need to either vac form straight over the top (and remove the spoiler so it doesn't get stuck in the mould) or vac form from side on and have the split line down the centre.

but then you'll have a join down it.

 

I love vac forming! But have had some annoying experiences with it -_-

 

Cheers for the feedback man, much appreciated. :y:

 

Random question: have you been using a wax or a release agent of some kind to prevent the styrene sheeting from sticking to the object you're forming? Or not required?

 

The spoiler I could delete, make seperately & glue on to get around that problem. But removing the undercut from the bumpers.....not liking the look. :no2: Which is how the two-piece plug with alignment pins idea came about. I haven't cut it yet, was thinking of taking the cut line from the base of the windshield to the very rear of the plug. The thought process there is: vac-form from the top, remove the pins & have a shallower angle to be able to slide the lower/front piece out & then remove the upper/rear piece. This styrene stuff has a little bit of flexibility in it right?

 

I'm sorry if I sound like a small child who's had their toy taken away/stubborn little turd, I just know what I want it to look like & am not quite sure on how to achieve that. :blush:

 

Knocked up a box with a heap of 6mm holes in a grid pattern on the top & a side port for the vacuum hose. Could work out the volume but cbf, seems to flow alright, hopefully it does the job. Transmitter & receiver have arrived, so I hooked it up to the motor to test it... You know how the rear tyres on a top fuel drag-car change shape when they give it a bootful? All four were kind of doing an R/C version of that! :blinks:

 

New servos for the steering are in the mail, CHANGE ALL OF THE THINGS!!! :laff:

Got all of my overnight-parts-from-Hong-Kong & assembled it all. A bit of experimenting with the steering servo to get it right & it buzzes around my bedroom floor quite nicely despite the wiring being quite agricultural. :D

 

 

Need to make the friggin shell now. :doh:

Upon testing of the new setup, I discovered just how hot the motor could get, the ESC heatsink was fine :o

 

Heatsink with cooling fan to suit my motor ordered. :D

 

The (hopefully) last little bit of shaping bog is curing, have revised the cut line further back to the mid-point of the rear wheelarches. Time will tell if it works or I completely f**k it up. ;)

Upon testing of the new setup, I discovered just how hot the motor could get, the ESC heatsink was fine :o

 

Heatsink with cooling fan to suit my motor ordered. :D

 

The (hopefully) last little bit of shaping bog is curing, have revised the cut line further back to the mid-point of the rear wheelarches. Time will tell if it works or I completely f**k it up. ;)

 

It's all about the mods Luke!!! R&D mate all it takes.

 

Does it really matter if you ʞ©$ɟ it up? It's just your time. Can always do it again with some mods after you've learnt where the issues are. Don't forget if it was going to be easy everyone would do it.

R&D & a burnt finger! :laff: The receiver I ordered has a spare channel to power the cooling fan & might help even up the weight balance due to heavy(ish) battery.

 

Finished shaping/smoothing, bit the bullet, cut it in half. Touched up the edges to neaten up the join.

 

 

Not before I'd drilled alignment holes & made pins to suit, from some old 4AGE head studs I had laying around. :D (screws will be removed during vacuum process)

 

 

Previously mentioned box & a frame to suit, needs more holes I think.

 

Just hurry up and do it already!

Just hurry up and do it already!

 

*Waiting for bog to cure* :P Sorry, been sidetracked by a f**kton of trade school theory work.

 

Also, just realised the frame isn't going to fit into the oven, so thinking of acquiring a heatgun as well as holding it over a heater on full blast. This may help me avoid having to explain to my female housemate/landlord why I am semi-melting plastic in her oven.

 

Will probably give it a crack Wednesday, have night school after work tomorrow. :(

Upon testing of the new setup, I discovered just how hot the motor could get, the ESC heatsink was fine

 

Having played with RC cars a bit, motors heat up if working to hard.

Yes a heat sink will help but lowering the gearing will help a lot more.

And a lower geared car accelerates a lot harder to.

If I read correctly you are new to RC.

You don't want a fast car till you can handle a slow one.

Jumping from 30kph to 50kph is huge.

Then moving to 60, 90 and now one of mine is pushing 110kph and a stone in the road is enough to get it 6 foot off the ground now.

I have cars at each of those speeds and it is amasing how tough the vacuformed shells are.

Just paint the inside as that way you don't see the scratches as easily.

 

So, a heatsink is more of a bandaid solution/motor longevity thing? It's currently running a 12 tooth cog on the motor (no clue on the number on drive gear), I have an 18 tooth I could fit if that would help at all? I've noticed that this accelerates a LOT quicker than the original item as it is, even with all the settings on the ESC dialled back. Will play with it a bit before cranking it back up, learn, crash, learn some more. :)

 

Very new to RC! Bought the orginal just to have some fun, the ad claimed 'up to 30km/h', I'd say 25km/h maximum. Was good fun when I took it on the local track rather than just annoying cars up & down my street. Compared to some of the equipment out there, this is literally just a toy. If it is lucky enough to reach 50km/h, that'll do me. You're right about stones, the tiny rocks that get in & jam the drive gears are a PITA too. Hitting the reflector squares on the road isn't a good idea either... :lol:

 

Before someone mentions it............I will do it when I get time! :D

You should see if Toy-yoda can get you some mini Rollaclub stickers made up.

You should see if Toy-yoda can get you some mini Rollaclub stickers made up.

Would look cool if you could..

 

And a rule of thumb if after 5 mins of hard driving you can't touch the motor it's wotking too hard.

If after 10 your getting closer and after 15mins you can just, your on the money.

I ran one for 10 mins to hot and the motor died. Then the wait for the replacement.

The more teeth on the motor the slower, the less the faster it goes.

 

Yes, the reflectors are bad news.

Try hitting one at 100K all i can say is duck.

the kid across the road looks funny with his feet above his head when you hit him too.

 

that one should be only used at the track

 

mind you the truck at around 70Km is a lot of fun.

Edited June 16, 201214 yr by Gizzys25