Best way to make a tube chassis?
 

What is the best way (and cheapest) to make a tube chassis?

Re: Best way to make a tube chassis?
 

WITH TUBE!! :flipoff:

Re: Best way to make a tube chassis?
 

I think the bigest pain in the ass and most expensive is getting the right tools.....I know it has been for me.....

thinkfully I have everything nearby here in town,, 8O :flipoff: 8O

Re: Best way to make a tube chassis?
 

i have about $55-65 in my tube chassis.. and since i moved, i only had limited tools to work with, since everything else was in storage..i used a 110 welder( flux core),a 4.5" grinder w/ 5" cutoff wheels and flap discs, a brakeline bender from Autozone that had the degree marks on it, drill w/ various drill bits and that's about it besides screwdrivers,loctite, and a ton of nuts and bolts. it would help tremendously to have a dremel with tools because that way you can fit in tight areas to grind stuff off( that will be my next tool i buy :D ) and it's alot better if you used gas wire instead of flux core.the flux likes to leave alot of slag.. on my next project, im finnaly gonna learn to braze the right way. then maybe i can have my joints look as good as Jay K. has his

but besides the tools, you should draw up an idea on paper to what you want. then go out and buy a bag of straws w/ the bends in them. then just cut the straws and tape them together. it helped me out alot when doing my 1st project.i had more of a better idea of what it was gonna look like. then after that, just jump right in on it.. i have built 1:1 crawlers from the ground up but never did anything like the RC thing before and i just jumped in with both feet. it could look alot better, but for the 1st project, it didn't turn out too bad


good luck if ya build one :D

BTW- your using a Maxx i take it for the base truck? are you planning on going hybrid SA's?

Re: Best way to make a tube chassis?
 

Hey toyo i finaly finished testing out my first brazes and there not bad but when I drop them kinda hard they break apart the braze.even thou they look like one solid piece....

so do you or anyone else have some brazing tips....
I tried using that Harris Silver brazing alloy but it pops like hell....
:flipoff:

Re: Best way to make a tube chassis?
 

i found that it seemed like the brazing joints, well when i tryed with my 50 doller equipment didnt hold together to well... but solder and a mini torch seem to work pretty well!

Re: Best way to make a tube chassis?
 

nope, have no tips as of now, i have just now actually figured out what my tuber will look like. so now its on to trying to learn the braze. i went out and tried the soldering stuff and it didn't hold at all.

for you guys that did braze, what size rods were you using? im thinking mine is 1/16" rod. i tried before on the last project, but i had to thick of a rod. i just need to find a good flux.. jay says that Safety Silv 56 crap is pretty good, but you say it pops alot? when it pops, does it make a mess all over?

isnt solder a bit week fo the punishment of anything rc (execpt for electrical joints)?

safety silv 56
 

Safety siv 56 is more of a brazing/welding material rather than a solder. This stuff is tuff .I use it and I love it. It is expensive , but it's worth it! Thanks. Bob

I use Harris Safety Silv 45 with Harris flux, it works awesome. I have tried to break apart joints and they held while the metal bent around it. Yes it isn't cheap but well worth the investment, it is easy to use and produces a clean strong joint.

With a clean surface, the correct flux and proper amount of heat I haven't had a "pop"

This was my first project using Safety Silv 45, I may try #56 eventually but I will stick with Safety Silv, not one complaint with it.
http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x...392_edited.jpg

would a propane torch be sufficient or should i use oxy/acetylene? and this would be with safety silv 45

what size tube are you using in ur frames is it solid stock and size thanks

i have a honcho body on my creeper and it doesnt quit fit as well as i would like.i need to get off my @ss and build one of these,what did you use for the frame rails?

Hey ,jmz6, if you don't mind could you tellme what the rear bumper is made of, and did it take solder well?

Silver solder is a good tipe rod but again it is expensive. Silver solder takes less heat to melt and less heat means a stronger weld as the metal does not strech as much. For making a good weld clean the tubing (brake line) if you are using it with sand paper because it has a zink or galvinized coating. try and clean the inside too they are normally coated with a anti rust coating like oil or a thin grease. You do get a stainless steel brake line in various sizes and those are stiff as hell and can be silver soldered too. Heat the tubing firs to the piont as it begins to change colour and then apply solder, it will flow if surfaces is clean and oil free. Good luck.

I've built quite a few chassis now and I just prefer to weld them to make sure they can take massive punishment.
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/f.../Ginanew13.jpg
Solder seems to leave a nice clean connection but for the weight of a maxx truck or summit, I dont know..
I know clean up on some of the welds can but a bit of a pain after welding but the strength is unparalleled..

Thin wall box channel, cleaned up well, it takes the brazing alloy just fine.

Re: Best way to make a tube chassis?
 

So if your welding,tig or mig? Surly not stick ?

Re: Best way to make a tube chassis?
 

Excuse me if I sound stupid but what kind of tubing do you all use and what's the best place to buy it is something that the local stores would carry. I'm new to this and wanted to build a truggy like member jmz6 built but don't know where to start. Does it come in different thickness and does it come in a roll or as long rods.

Re: Best way to make a tube chassis?
 

I have a welder so I'll probably start with that since I have a little experience with welding but if that doesn't work out I might look into learning how to do brazing.