Thanks man. Yes... I can't have chunks taken out of my hands... because I play guitar in a band on the weekends. For MONEY. So... I can't be getting hurt!

It just seems strange to have to work upside down like that. I would spend more time worrying about what areas I wasn't getting to, flipping and checking, and maybe wasting time. But over time, I'm sure it will be easier. I have a variable speed DREMEL, but no router/table. I may have one my father in law will give me though, so that will be nice. I have checked Craigslist... and you can get a nice set up for $200. But don't I have to find a router that has a 1/4" or less chuck on it?? Some of them have bigger ones. But then again... that's max size, not minimum size. I'll just use my dremel collet to use the 1/8" bit.

Next question... where do you guys like to buy your CF from? I'm sure that there is good CF and crap CF right?? And the suggested thickness is 2.5 - 3mm right?

graphite-girl on eBay is where I buy ALL of my CF. They lay their own and create their own panels, and they are awesome! 3k-weave is the best for RC use, and thickness depends on what you are going to use it for.

I bought CF from Graphite girl also and it was good. But I prefer Full Force RC and Penguin RC. I got the 3 mm thick CF from Full Force and the 2.5 mm CF from Penguin RC for this project.

I have pdf files of the top chassis plate, the middle skid and the front skid doubler I made if anyone wants them. You just print them out and use them as templates. The drawings are pretty accurate and everything should line up nicely.

PM me your email if you want them.

Ok.. so just because they don't have a 3k weave that is 3mm thick listed, doesn't mean they don't have any right? I should email them I guess.

Looks like Ray did use 2.5 and 3mm on his project. I thought it was 2.5 all around. Now I need to go back and look at the thread to see what thickness he used on what.

They have some cool blue CF there, but it is like 4mm thick, and hard as a brick! Apparently, if it's too stiff.. that can be a bad thing. And I don't know what the rule of thumb is. You'd probl want a little bit of flex in the chassis. Do the towers and plates need a bit of flex too?

My guess is... 2.5mm or 3mm of any variety from that Ebay Store would be just fine. You could probl get by with 2mm if using that Texalium stuff.

So... how do you implement using these as templates? Cut them out of whatever and attach your CF to it for routing like in your vid? Or can you actually trace over a CF sheet and rout it out that way? Seems like doing it that way would be LESS accurate, but I don't know.

If I need to trace a paper or cardboard shape, I lay wide masking tape on the CF, covering it completely in the area I will be working, and trace onto the tape...then cut it out in my various methods.

Also, every custom CF part on my Revo that I made is made out of 2mm 3k weave.

Yes, just because graphite-girl doesn't have it listed, that doesn't mean they don't have it, and calling them is a good idea (I do it all the time...tell the Chadworkz sent ya). Like I said, they manufacture ALL of their sheets, so they have a huge stock.

1k weave will work fine, as long as the part doesn't have to sustain or support a load, but 3k weave is perfect for structural parts. Anything higher than 3k weave is expensive and overkill, really, so...

The larger the mesh looks, the lower the weave number. If the weave is very tiny, and you can barely see the fibers, that's a high-number weave.

Here's how I did it. I will explain what is shown in my video. Let's take the top plate for example. I would take the original aluminum top plate from the LST XXL and stick it on the sheet of CF like shown in the video. Then I would use this original stock aluminum plate as a template to make these holes in the CF. The holes that are in red in the pic are the holes that I will use to secure the new CF top plate and by using the original top plate from the LST XXL, you can be sure the holes will be perfect.

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w...p_plate001.jpg

Once those holes are done, you can use screws and nuts to secure the stock aluminum top plate to the CF sheet using the holes you just made to run the thing against your bit to cut the CF exactly in the same shape as the original top plate. Like it is shown in the vid.

Then you can use the pdf file that you printed to serve as a guide to make the extra holes needed to make the truck like I did it. The holes and openings in red in this pic.

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w...p_plate002.jpg

If those are the PDF's I gave you, I have updated ones now. The LST2 length chassis plates were good, but the XXL files were off a bit, both on hole locations, and length of chassis.

JT the pdf files I have are the ones of the parts I made for my LST XXL so they are not the ones I got from you. But your files helped me make my own though and I thank you. If you have updated files of the stock XXL chassis and you'd like to share them then please do so and thanks again.

So, i need to just drill holes based off whatever sized screws I want to use, and worry about countersinking them later. I'm not sure that I have enough matching screws and nuts in metric size (I like to use Revo screws for my Losi's and tap whatever holes I need to). Specifically on the shock towers. I retap them to accept 4mm screws.

Thanks Ray!

You know... when I first joined RCM... I had it in my head that you guys were elitist snobs. But the only way for me to take what I knew about RC to the next level, I had to join and start asking questions. Even though I knew that I would come off like a total noob. I had to just swallow my pride and take my chances. The only way to grow and learn, is by surrounding yourself with people who know more than you do! That's why I have such a wide range of friends. I learn something from all of them!

But my reaction to you guys being elitist snobs was more based in my own insecurities. And even still, I have to ask questions that are so obvious to many of you. I'm really grateful that you all have been so kind and patient. I can assure you that I'm not nearly as worrisome and nervous as I come across. I just can't immediately tackle projects like some of you can, and I sometimes have to ask the same questions over and over until it sinks in. But you all have been really cool and nice, and I have learned a TON!! Heck, even Neil is nice these days :lol: And I got him banned (again) from the Traxxas forum about a year ago, cuz he was being a grumpy arse, and the mods weren't havin' it. :intello: Funny.

Anywho... Chad... for some reason I am not "gettin" what yer saying here. Like I said, I'm a visual learner. And I just can't visualize what yer trying to say:

Are you saying that you lay the CF on the sticky side up? Then you trace around the edges with a pencil, directly onto the sticky part of the tape? Man... I just DO NOT GET IT! HA! Sorry. I don't get where tape needs to come into to this? I could see you taping the CF to whatever yer tracing so it doesn't move... then tracing the part yer duplicating over the CF. I'm assuming that you can write on CF with a pencil and it will wipe off?

The info you gave regarding CF weave was great. I needed that. So thanks!

Jason

I think he means you just cover the CF with tape on one side, lay the part your are copying onto the tap, then trace around the part onto the tape. Then you use your dremel/ router / files etc to cut the CF to match what you've drawn- making sure to accurately mark the hole locations.

Im still not nice though- you should see me in action on BYT; them noobs be thoroughly cooked.... :lol:

Neil nailed it.

Cool. Thanks guys. Neil... you have a typo.. you said to "lay the part you are copying on to the tap". Tap? Omg... a TAP is involved now? LOL!

I visit BYT sometimes, but I don't spend much time there. I hang out here and no where else really. I'll have to check out some of the beat downs you've been handing out. I like to think of it as "conditioning". :diablo: