Custom Carbon Fiber Brushless RC8T Pics - RC-Monster Forums

Spencer! · 02:05 PM

im not sure if anyone has mentioned this before about the kickup on the front section of the chassis but carbonfiber can be heated and bent the trick is rapidly cooling it off to maintain strength and shape. Just remember to much heat can hurt you where as not enough heat will not ruin anything.

I also made a carbon fiber chassis (4mm) except mine was for my 8ight buggy...
here is a picture from way back when it was still in building/planning stages and investment in a neu motor

Ryu James · 12.29.2008, 04:19 PM

so i tried the idea of heating up the carbon to bend it and it worked but it also ruined the integrity of the carbon as i suspected. its still pretty tough but i dont think it will hold up off a big jump. its actually really strong if i push on the nose upward but if i push against it downward i can hear it cracking. i could probably break it with my hands. however, most of the force put on the kickup is in an upward motion so it might hold. this chassis has become just a test/throw away chassis so i am not too worried about it. i am going to order some 3 and 4mm pieces to find the best mix of strength and flex. this 5mm piece is just too stiff.

you can see in the pics that the layers of carbon have slightly separated and the outer layer has bubbled away from the others. also, this produced a large wrinkle on the surface that i tried to dremel down but it still may affect how the front diff case mounts up. might not sit real flush.

i think with some practice this could be done without ruining the piece at all. i didnt think to try it a few times on some other scraps before doing it on the chassis. oh well. thanks for the tip.

pb4ugo · 12.29.2008, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spencer!

im not sure if anyone has mentioned this before about the kickup on the front section of the chassis but carbonfiber can be heated and bent the trick is rapidly cooling it off to maintain strength and shape. Just remember to much heat can hurt you where as not enough heat will not ruin anything.

I also made a carbon fiber chassis (4mm) except mine was for my 8ight buggy...
here is a picture from way back when it was still in building/planning stages and investment in a neu motor

The epoxies used in CF are not thermoformable. The only way to have a structurally sound bend in it is to mold it there.

pb4ugo · 12.29.2008, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryu James

this is completely true and apparent after trying this out. i do have a source now that is going to make a custom matched tool so that i can get some carbon sheets with the kickup angle molded in. these will be absolutely awesome and should be available for retail purchase. i will know more soon.

Didn't you buy this piece from Dave Inkel (D.A. Graphite)? He used to do chassis back in the day with the kick up molded in. I spoke with him about doing it for me a couple years ago and he said he could if I sent him the form. I never did because I decided it would be cheaper and more fun to do it myself.

Spencer! · 12.30.2008, 01:31 AM

yes molding it that way from the start in the initial mold process is going to better and more structurally sound. However slighty heating and bending it 6-7 degrees should not hurt unless to much heat is added and the epoxy begins to bubble or distort.

Ryu James · 12.30.2008, 01:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spencer!

yes molding it that way from the start in the initial mold process is going to better and more structurally sound. However slighty heating and bending it 6-7 degrees should not hurt unless to much heat is added and the epoxy begins to bubble or distort.

i dont know, for the few attempts i might go through to get this right i might as well just pay the cash for a mold. i think it could work but the bend causes the cloth to wrinkle, ruining the smooth surface.

Ryu James · 12.30.2008, 01:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pb4ugo

Didn't you buy this piece from Dave Inkel (D.A. Graphite)? He used to do chassis back in the day with the kick up molded in. I spoke with him about doing it for me a couple years ago and he said he could if I sent him the form. I never did because I decided it would be cheaper and more fun to do it myself.

dagraphite is who i bought my 5mm plate from but at the time they said they had no way of doing a piece with the kickup molded in. thats weird. either they just wanted to make money off me by having me pay for a custom mold or they have other molds patented by clients and wasnt able to use them for other jobs. all i know is, their work is impeccable and their carbon is Formula 1 quality.

how much did he quote you to do a custom piece? what do you mean "send him the form"? you mean the stock alum. chassis? which chassis' was he making with the kickup already molded in? have any pics or links to those chassis? more info would be appreciated. thanks.

pb4ugo · 12.30.2008, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryu James

dagraphite is who i bought my 5mm plate from but at the time they said they had no way of doing a piece with the kickup molded in. thats weird. either they just wanted to make money off me by having me pay for a custom mold or they have other molds patented by clients and wasnt able to use them for other jobs. all i know is, their work is impeccable and their carbon is Formula 1 quality.

how much did he quote you to do a custom piece? what do you mean "send him the form"? you mean the stock alum. chassis? which chassis' was he making with the kickup already molded in? have any pics or links to those chassis? more info would be appreciated. thanks.

By form I meant the tool with the angle. It would have been a chunk of aluminum with the 7deg angle milled into it. If you talk to Robin (his wife) you will not get anywhere regarding custom work. Almost all e-mails are handled by Robin.

Back twenty years ago he was doing chassis for the RC-10, Ultima, and so on. He was forming them with the 30deg kick up those cars had (well, actually 20 on the Ultima). Many of the other brand aftermarket carbon fiber components were produced by D.A. Graphite. I don't remember specifics of the quote. I think he was just pricing it like his normal plates, just laid up on my tool instead.

Have you considered doing it yourself? Save you a ton of money.

Ryu James · 12.30.2008, 01:28 PM

pb4ugo,
well you are exactly right. i have been dealing working with Robin on everything i do with them. she just gave me daves number to day though so i plan to call him.

as far as those old designs that explains why when i asked them to make me a sheet with 7* kickup for my RC8T Robin said they could only do sheets with 20* or 30* angles on them. i considered going with the 20* but i bent an alum plate to see if it would work and it was way too steep to work with the RC8T.

i would actually like to talk to you a little more on this. i will pm you my number if you dont mind giving me a call.