Body shape help!
- Thread starter Quicktimederby
- Start date
Is there other reasons to notch or shave off the DFW side besides rail touching? With the front wheel canted in and the back canted out the back wheel shoud not touch unless you're not steering hard enough to the other side.
No there is no other real reason I know of except for design. Its funny you can build cars the same way and for whatever reason they will track differently than on another.
pony express said:
Draw on the car body 1/2" axles using a straight edge across the width of the car. Mark the width of the nose and tail of the car on the top of the car. Place a bowl or plate so that it touches two points on the lines. One point on the nose. One point on the front axle and draw an arc. Repeat for the others side. Also repeat for the back. Although the back is likely straight anyways... But maybe not...
Then shape between the axles. I like to draw two lines down the length of the car that represent the narrowest point on the body between the axles. once you have these lines on the car then the bowls become easier to use to make curves.
My son and I are building a car soon and i will take pictures along the way.
Then shape between the axles. I like to draw two lines down the length of the car that represent the narrowest point on the body between the axles. once you have these lines on the car then the bowls become easier to use to make curves.
My son and I are building a car soon and i will take pictures along the way.
Never thought of doing it that way. I like it, I like it a lot. Guess it's time to build another.
W racing said:
QT, I have a suggestion on what might help you quite a bit. " let your kid cut the bodys out for you from now on"
Very nice DF, But I didn't say I wanted them to look like your cars. Miss ya man!!
derby freak said:QT, I have a suggestion on what might help you quite a bit. " let your kid cut the bodys out for you from now on"
I know this is kind of an old thread but what I found that works for having curved sided cars match equally is,use a piece of thin flexible cutting board like one of these http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=13615004
Cut a piece with scissors 7" x 1 3/4" and just cut one edge/side for your profile.Use dbl.sided tape and place on your block and trace the curved side with a mechanical/drafting pencil,mark a reference point on the pattern and the block...then just flip the pattern over and trace the other side.
I'm also working on making a tracing jig for one of my routers,so I can just have one master pattern then be able to make multiple duplicate body's just using a router to cut out the basic shape....
cuz I hate to do a lot of sanding!
Cut a piece with scissors 7" x 1 3/4" and just cut one edge/side for your profile.Use dbl.sided tape and place on your block and trace the curved side with a mechanical/drafting pencil,mark a reference point on the pattern and the block...then just flip the pattern over and trace the other side.
I'm also working on making a tracing jig for one of my routers,so I can just have one master pattern then be able to make multiple duplicate body's just using a router to cut out the basic shape....
cuz I hate to do a lot of sanding!
I want to jump in on this for a sec, I finished cutting out another car last night ( I am cutting cars practicing on extra wood left from other car cut outs.) It is a plank 3/8 thick extended wheel base and I cut a huge weight pocket under the car, with a dummy set of wheels and axles out of the box it weighed in at 1.05 ounces. How light do some of these cars get before you add weight?
For a BSA wheel car you can easily have 4 oz. weight, 1/2 oz. wheels & axles and 1/2 oz. body. I don't think you need to go much lighter than that for a fast car. If you add fenders you will have a little less weight.
G
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For me 12 to 20 grams usually. However lean towards a strong base . With no flex in your plank , to be on the safe side !!!! Usually 4 oz. plus or minus a bit on most of my cars. . 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 oz is just fine to get fast however......SPIRIT......
One of my recent builds weighed 12 grams with fenders. Light bodies are great but you can have a lot of flex if your not careful.
G
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Guest
My current record is 8 grams for a plank style car. That is just the body, nothing else!
Now to expand on the 8 gram build..............it was built for a class called featherlight. The whole car could only weigh 2 ounces. After I ran it in 2 races I set it on the shelf for over a year. I pulled the axles (I had needles in it) and put a set of big axles in the car and ran it as a Breast Cancer Awarness car at PWDR in Oct. That car took first place in that race. I have since re-invented that car and it is still pretty fast. I usually build mine like Spirit.........12 to 15 grams is good for me. A lot depends on the wood.
Now to expand on the 8 gram build..............it was built for a class called featherlight. The whole car could only weigh 2 ounces. After I ran it in 2 races I set it on the shelf for over a year. I pulled the axles (I had needles in it) and put a set of big axles in the car and ran it as a Breast Cancer Awarness car at PWDR in Oct. That car took first place in that race. I have since re-invented that car and it is still pretty fast. I usually build mine like Spirit.........12 to 15 grams is good for me. A lot depends on the wood.
Is there a good side to side balance point? I got my 1/4 inch tungston cubes in today. I have several bodies cut out and am wanting to mock several of them up. I gather from reading up on things that perfect down the middle is not always what you want. Do you want a 60/40, 75/25, 70/30 split with the heavy side being the DFW side? Just wondering. Last woudl be best way to secure the weights int he pockets but also be able to remove them and reuse them. I do not want to destroy cars.
I have been told that it is a good idea to move the weight around and test the car...every car will be different so your weight placement will change from car to car. I use the aluminum duct tape from home depot to hold in the weights...sticky stuff works great!
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