Pass it on... Post a tip or a trick you know about for what ever it is.
 

I had started a thread in the buggy forum to post some tips and tricks about buggies and thier setups. There doesn't seem to be a lot of sharing in the forum. It all take take take. JK. Well I realized not everyone goes to the buggy forum so I am starting one in the general forum in the form of a pass it on.

Most of the threads already contain a tip on how to do something. It's great when you stumble onto it and think that was great idea. So if you found a new way to do something during your build or a break down you can put it in here.

Usually when I find an easier way to do something I will post it in the build thread. I don't always have a build thread and there some the may not either.

At one time someone gave me a tip on how to remove the permanent ink from a sharpie. Now if it was in a thread like this I would be able to find the answer. Now I need to go search a couple forums to find it.

So if you got a trick on how you glue tires, cut body posts, clean you rc, tie your shoe, get out of class, reove the smell from the garbage disposal, uses for wd40 (grease stain remover from carpet) or how to get your kids to brush thier teeth. Pass it on to the rest of us.

I know this is RCM but a little reminder doesn't hurt. If you think you have a better way or idea. Post it up as "Another tip to accomplish the same thing" but don't use this thread to argue which way is the best or only way to do it. If someones tip works leave it at that. Don't need a bunch of post with "I do it this way..... This isn't a poll to see if you brush up and down or side to side thread. Leave that outside the door. Just because 7 out of 10 dentist were paid to say that. Doesn't mean it is the best for me. There is no one correct way if the same results are produced. We are all here to enjoy ourselves. There some great people here at RCM and I bet there some great tips to be passed on. Take a tip and make it better. But if you take one, leave one.

You new guys get in here and share some with us. We know you are out there looking in. We all were at one time. No worries there's no open flames here at RCM. They do it with PMs.

Here's the buggy thread that hasn't gotten a lot of input. I thought the buggy guys had to have some good tricks. If they do they aren't sharing them.
http://www.rc-monster.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17073

Oh, yeah it okay to "steal" a tip from another forum or you read in extreme rc and put it here. We'll make sure it used for the good of the people.

Man this is getting long. One more idea.

How about jigs, something you created to help you do something. I bet there are some good one's thought up.

Here's a tip to start us off.

Reuse your Rite Dye.

When using the packets of Rite Dye. When you are done dying your parts. Just leave the dye in the pan and let the water evoporate. The dye return s to a crystal form again. When you are ready to do some more parts just add water and boil. I bought a large pan form the thrift store for only a couple bucks to do this with.

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/c...emp/DyeTip.jpg

Just to clarify that this is not purple. It is plum-black at 2mins. It gets darker, but it's not purple. :)

I love these kind of threads. They're so helpful...

I don't really know many tips, but make sure to have all the proper tools/supplies. Always try to use sockets over pliers, Invest on a quality charger, Always have CA glue on hand, and get yourself a dremel. You better have a drill too.:wink:

Wish I had thought of this before the bash in Sept but when racing in muddy conditions....spray your truck down with wd-40 BEFORE the race, a lot less mud sticks! I realized this when I got home and tore my truck apart to clean it and then sprayed it down to keep screws from rusting. Hindsight is always 20/20

Use shoegoo on the inside of your bodies to make them last the whole season, just get a popcicle stick or use a piece of lexan to smooth a nice coat over the entire inside except for the windows and besure to put it a little thicker around where anything can rub such as the bodymount holes, mudguards, shocktowers on some, and around wheel well lips to keep them from cracking and keep your paint looking nice.

The wheels/tires effect gearing. If you put on bigger tires and don't change anything else, it will make the car faster. It is like adding teeth to the pinion gear. Same thing is true for smaller tires. Using this tip is especially important if you are running a direct drive outrunner setup.

Next time you tell her it's 12mm. Tell her with some confidence. Measure it first by creating this handy little jig. Just drop the bad boy in the right spot and now you know for sure.

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/c...easuremnt4.jpg

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/c...measuremnt.jpg

Just take a ruler make a photo copy or two to cut out. A short piece of corner molding. I put an indent in it where you put the head to measure it from. I had some extra time LOL so I also drilled a couple holes and put a screw in the size I was sure or then added the photocopy of the ruler to it. All the measurements start the bottom of the head. She will feel so much better knowing that when she asks for a 12mm cap head. That is exactly what you are going to be giving her.

Warning side effects range from hot dog finger to severe vomiting. Use at your own risk. Vitalis.....

When using a LVC or a similar device, they have lights on them to tell you if the battery is low, but with a body on, it is hard to see. Take some acetone (Nail polish) and put it on a cotton pad, then rub off the paint on the body on the section next to the light. So when you are in a run, you can still see the light.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...g?t=1229896587

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...g?t=1229896964

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...g?t=1229896989

I couldn't ask for it to work any better.

1. Always have a spare battery for just testing things and fooling around. I use a 4AA rx pack with the plastic part of the JST plug taken off. The JST plug can easily go back on.

2. Gell cell or lead acid batteries are great for charging batteries away from power. Your charger can probably hook up to them with alligator clips. I have two from an old electric scooter. These batteries have tons of uses.

3. chairs or stools are good for sitting on, but also make a good PVC dremeling location.

A small addition to the shoe goo on the body idea. Use some aluminum duct tape (most hardware stores will have this) around the body post locations under the body. This will stop the posts or body clips under the body from rubbing the paint off. Plus you can use this anywhere else anything touches the body. Can also be used as a heat sheild for the tuned pipe (not that anyone here runs nitro:tongue:) It is like 5-8 bucks a roll and will last forever for our uses. Also makes good headlight buckets for leds. Many other uses too.

More useful supplies - threadlock, dremel cutting wheels, foam tape, heat shrink, lubricant, electric motor cleaner, a TV, a TV remote, and something to shrink your heatshrink with.

The tools you should have - multimeter, razor blade/utility knife, Ruler/tape measure, various hex wrenches, various screwdrivers, a drill, a dremel, various clamps, vice grips, a vice, drill bits, a socket set, scissors, and a drill. I wish I had a drill press too.

AND if you happen to be into spud guns, your workspace should always have teflon tape, PVC cleaner/primer/cement, a PVC stockpile, cans of propane (7), masking tape, and an air compressor.:yipi:

When you're taking something apart that has lots of small hardware, put a large white towel underneath it. This makes it really easy to find the small bits, and they stay where you put them.

Another tip for the small hardware, especially when assembling a kit, is to use an egg carton or a box that assorted Jelly Beans come in. It allows you to quickly separate all the pieces in their own little compartments.

Also, if your keys ever fall into a pit of molten lava, just let 'em go ... cause man, they're gone. (Jack Handey)

When your brushed motor bites the dust save the can and use it to magnitize the tips of your hex wrenches. This helps from getting that screw that dropped into the little spaces of your rig and for keeeping the screw on the hex tip when your lowering it into position when you are putting the screw back into its place.

This is why I have kept the Novak HV rotor that I snapped the shaft on! Very strong magnet. I have the tube that the replacement came in and thats what I store it in. With it in the tube I set it on my workbench when I'm working with small parts, such as 1/18 scale ball diffs. If I drop any of the pieces there's a good chance of the magnet pulling them in and it's easy to get them off with the tube covering the magnet.

That would be a Neodymium magnet. It is probably something around N32 grade. You can get neodymium magnets at www.kjmagnetics.com. They're surprisingly cheap.... I have a 130lb magnet that is a beast.

The hardest tip in the world for most people - Keep your workbench clean. I know I can't do that...:lol:

IF you bite your fingernails, make sure all your parts storage bins and parts storage cases have 1 curved edge on them so you can slide the washer or nut out easily, instead of licking your finger and poking it over and over or figting it with a small screwdriver. :intello: