Need ideas for a desert buggy mod

[What's_nitro?]

There will certainly be some trial-and-error involved. Hopefully more trial than error.

[kraegar]

Yeah, I'm really not sure how I want to actually form it - overall shape / size, where it'll be best to put the joints, etc. Should be interesting! I've also been looking around on google for more RL pics of buggies for design ideas. I have no clue how well all of this is going to work out - never done anything like it before!

[kraegar]

Got my plastic today, going to go grab some thin metal rod to form a prototype out of, and some wood to form molds out of. Made some good plans for how to do that.

Got the slash stripped down to where I want.

Doing some rough designs on paper already, I think this will work out nicely.

Did a test run with the plastic, bending the abs rod is simple enough. Going with the .250" abs (also got .375, that's a bit too thick) and some delrin (test bends on that aren't done yet, but I don't see it working as well).

Got a few different thicknesses of plastic sheet, too, for the body.

Tony

cool! cant wait to see what you come up with!--josh

[kraegar]

Here's the first mock-up (using electrical wire and painter's tape).

[redshift]

I think the cage could be at least the diameter of the front bumper, and still look scale.

Also if you get thicker material, you can heat it up and flatten it, then drill it. Would simplify end mounts and intersections for the cage...

Edit: I see you got 1/4".. that or 5/16" would be fine

[kraegar]

Yeah, I'm going to start experimenting with the abs next - the above photos are just a first run mock-up. Got a long way to go! I may need to order some more abs, too.

The big questions I'm hitting are where to put the joints/welds as I build in order to get the toughest structure for rollovers. Though I think the body panels will add a lot of stability to it as well. The plan is to attach them with zip ties.

Tony

[kraegar]

Got the first two pieces bent, bought wing mounts & a wing. (Not positive I want a wing, but trying it out for now) Testing out different methods of gluing the abs to see which gives the best result (plastix weld, epoxy, gorilla glue, and some other superglue like plastic bonder)

Need to find some tires & rims. Want sand paddles in the back, and smaller thin razors (I think they're called that?) for the front. Hopefully with some good stagger in size. I hate trying to find the right tires & rims to fit rc's, lol.

The bending went really well - they're not identical, but they don't look bad to me! (Bent the outer two rollcage pieces that would go around a driver, used the .375 abs). Going to do the rollcage out of the thick stuff, and the rest of the cage out of the .250" abs. Should give a good look, and a solid build.

Biggest questions are how to do the joints, and how to attach it to the chassis. I'm playing with a few different options on both.

Tony

[What's_nitro?]

For ABS I believe normal plastic model glue will work. It basically welds it together so I doubt it would break apart in a crash. This is the stuff. Once it hardens it's like one piece of plastic.

[kraegar]

I'll give that a shot - none of the ones I've tested so far worked... at all.

[kraegar]

Finding things online that say you can use acetone to melt the abs together into one solid piece, going to experiment with that.

[What's_nitro?]

I think that's the active ingredient in the plastic model cement...

[kraegar]

Looks like a couple of their cements will work for ABS. http://www.testors.com/search?q=abs&x=0&y=0

More experimenting to do! Thanks!

[What's_nitro?]

Good luck!

[kraegar]

Got the model cement & a plastic solvent / welder applied & set, and gonna let them go overnight.... be interesting to tell which bonds better. Both look to be doing great so far!