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04-06-2008, 09:37 PM
| #1 |
| RCC Addict Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Scalers are more fun
Posts: 1,175
|  Alternative skid plate material I kinda got this idea from a local guy who's been using high density polyethylene skidplates, so I started doing some research on wikipedia, and found an article about ultra high molecular weight polyethylene According to this article, UHMWPE has a coefficient of friction comparable to teflon, better abrasion resistance than carbon steel, and the highest impact strength of any thermoplastic currently available. Sounds perfect right? I picked some up (3/8") at the local plastics supply house, and it's cheaper than delrin too! I finally got around to making a skid out of it yesterday, and I did some critical durability testing today  and I am pleased. It definitely slides over rock better than delrin. It holds threads pretty well, though not quite as well as delrin. I used somewhat longer screws than I would with a delrin skid, so I'm not worried. I cut the skid out with a plywood blade on a table saw, and rounded the ends off with a router and had no gummy mess like with cutting board. I am fully confident this will be my new skid material of choice. While I was at the plastics shop, I checked out UHMWPE rod for links. It's not going to work for that, it's just too flexible. The guy there said he'd never seen UHMWPE tubing, and I don't have the resources to drill rod out all the way, so I will continue using delrin for links. |
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08-05-2009, 01:28 AM
| #2 |
| Rock Stacker Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Rocky Mtn High
Posts: 64
| I came to RCC this evening to ask why no one seems to be using this material (search pays off, kids). I have a little experience with plastics from some jobs I did back in the day, and U.H.M.W.P.E. is a pretty amazing material. It has a "self healing" property that I would think should make it hold threads BETTER than Delrin over time. Do you still feel it doesn't hold as well? When the time comes*, I'm making my skid out of it. I wondered if it would be too flexy for links... Looks like you are thinking it is. Any new developments on that front? So what's the deal? Why aren't you's guys rockin' the P.E. skids? \oo/_  _\oo/n. *what am I talking about?! i don't even have a rig yet! Last edited by nathanotis; 08-05-2009 at 01:37 AM. Reason: OCD punctuation |
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08-05-2009, 09:34 AM
| #3 |
| Quarry Creeper Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Harbor City, CA
Posts: 470
| Use a courser thread if you can. |
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08-05-2009, 11:04 AM
| #4 |
| Newbie Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Southern Ontario
Posts: 45
| I believe they use this stuff in joint replacement and joint resurfacing surgery due to its very low coefficient of friction. Less friction means less wear so less wear particles floating around your joint to bugger it up in the long term. But yeah, try a coarser thread like Sydwaiz said...less chance of pulling out. |
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08-05-2009, 11:48 AM
| #5 |
| Quarry Creeper Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: peoria
Posts: 208
| any body have a link of where to buy this |
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08-05-2009, 12:01 PM
| #6 |
| Newbie Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Southern Ontario
Posts: 45
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08-05-2009, 01:28 PM
| #7 |
| Quarry Creeper   Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: on the edge
Posts: 322
| Rid out plastics.. And plastifab ... Both are in San Diego. Tryin out 3/8 version skids out of the same. The 1/8 has not proven too well for side plate material. |
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08-05-2009, 02:02 PM
| #8 |
| Rock Stacker Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Rocky Mtn High
Posts: 64
| That's what I'm talkin' about! Good to see that some folks are trying this stuff out. \oo/_ _\oo/n. |
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08-05-2009, 02:16 PM
| #9 |
| I'm Dracula, Bitch.   Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 12,288
| UHMWPE is commonly used on 1:1 crawlers as skid material. There are a few builds on Pirate that show the skids... http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showt...highlight=hdpe Last edited by JeremyH; 08-05-2009 at 02:18 PM. |
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08-05-2009, 03:21 PM
| #10 | |
| Rock Stacker Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Rocky Mtn High
Posts: 64
| Quote:
\oo/_ _\oo/n. | |
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08-05-2009, 03:37 PM
| #11 |
| No idea what I'm doing   Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Underground, CO
Posts: 2,891
| It's used a lot in woodworking fixtures as well. I've tried machining it, and I'm not real crazy about it. That "self healing" feature that was talked about makes it tough to machine on a small scale. Delrin machines really nice which is probably why it's so popular. UHMW is super slick though. |
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08-05-2009, 07:37 PM
| #12 |
| Rock Crawler Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: I hope you SHUT UP!!!
Posts: 718
| actually chaotic crawlers was using this material for his el nino chassis's at first! it's way slicker than delrin, but I found it wore down faster over time compared to delrin. it is also more flexible too! I would run it again if he made me one in a 50mm width!  |
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08-05-2009, 07:46 PM
| #13 |
| RCC Addict Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Scalers are more fun
Posts: 1,175
| I haven't used it in a while because I'm too lazy to make my own skid plates and I change chassis too often to ever wear out a skid plate  I still have a bunch left and I may do something with it someday. I'd still say it's too flexy for side plates or links, but if I were still making my own skids I'd use UHMW over delrin.BTW, dig up stupid old theads much nathan?  |
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08-05-2009, 08:55 PM
| #14 | |
| Rock Stacker Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Rocky Mtn High
Posts: 64
| Quote:
 \oo/_ _\oo/n. | |
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08-05-2009, 09:07 PM
| #15 | ||
| TEAM MODERATOR   Join Date: May 2004 Location: Tennessee
Posts: 10,770
| Quote:
We have piles of the stuff at work I could use....much easier to just buy my own delrin.Quote:
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