chassis material???

[asian195]

I got some scrap 1/8" polycarbonate sheet today. Would it be ok to used as a comp chassis and cab? Or do you think its to flimsy? I've never built one before and am curious if it will hold up or flex to much.
Also got 1/4" delrin sheet for the lower links and skid plate also.
And will 1/4" delrin rod work as the chassis braces? thanks...

I did post this in tools and procedures but deleted it, cause i felt i probably put it in the wrong section. sorry..

[Hoosierdady]

You can also use the plastic cutting boards. I made a chassis for my FOFF out of it. It's strong, cheep and easy to work with.

[asian195]

Isn't that a bit too thick?

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[SMR 510RR]

I think you will be fine using the polycarb.

That stuff actually isnt as flexible as you think, it may seem like it is in a big sheet but once you cut out your smaller pieces then it will be quite strong.

[Charlie-III]

Originally Posted by SMR 510RR

I think you will be fine using the polycarb.

That stuff actually isnt as flexible as you think, it may seem like it is in a big sheet but once you cut out your smaller pieces then it will be quite strong.

General polycarbonate, or specifically Lexan??

Polycarb is "OK" but can be brittle.
Lexan, which is within the polycarb family, is a MUCH better choice of material for crawler chassis and/or cabs.

I use 0.080" to 0.125" (1/8") Lexan for chassis & cabs in 2.2 comp rigs. Easy to cut & finish, rather durable.
You can find it in many Home Depot locations, usually by the window section.

[asian195]

i believe its regular polycarb. was thinking about lexan. being this will be my first chassis i think i will just use what i got. It will help me figure out how to cut it easily/properly. thanks guys.

Any tips on what to use to cut it? was thinking dremel to rough cut, then sand it for finished. if i get one really nice i believe my dad has a router and table. then i can use the first as a template. Ive read people using router on Delrin, how about on Lexan/polycarb?

[soutthpaw]

you also may try high desity or ultra high density polyethylene. the higher the density the stiffer the material is.

[crawl-o-matic]

My experience:

A hand held router and an end mill router/cnc bit works great on Delrin and lex but tends to melt low density polyethylene (aka cutting board material) leaving behind chunked edges.

What makes Delrin (or generic acetal) really shine is the fact that it is very slow to fatigue compared to other plastics. It's also very high density which allows it to slide past most rocks with ease.

[opek]

Originally Posted by crawl-o-matic

My experience:

A hand held router and an end mill router/cnc bit works great on Delrin and lex but tends to melt low density polyethylene (aka cutting board material) leaving behind chunked edges.

What makes Delrin (or generic acetal) really shine is the fact that it is very slow to fatigue compared to other plastics. It's also very high density which allows it to slide past most rocks with ease.

But my low density cutting board skidplate is so slippery! There must be more to this madness than density.

[jetboat]

polycarb and lexan works fine for a proto chassis that will be used once or twice. After that it will start developing cracks around the attachment points etc. Ive built a few show chassis out of it and some proto's.

I prefer 1/8" delrin or g10 fiberglass for my chassis/cab. The delrin is definatly my first prefence. Its easy to mill and springs back from huge crashes. For my highspeed stuff, I usually run g10. I have a g10 TTR chassis on my slash that has survived prolly 100 40mph crashes and a few bad jumps in excess of 25' high.

1/4" delrin is a great choice for skidplates. Cutting board is the way we used to make our cutting boards before we found that Mcmaster carried cheap acetal and delrin.

Delrin rod will make good crossmembers or for links though I prefer 1/4" delrin rod. It drills easy and can be used over all thread for the ultimate links.

Stay away from delrin sheet for making links. Though it can be done, you will need allot of practice/experimenting before you get a link that wont break. Dont get me wrong, some people have made it work. I just wouldnt use it for my lowers.

[hotwheels000]

Joe, I have a small bandsaw at my place also. You are more than welcome to use it to shape your chassis.

[JKMotorsports]

I had use 1/8 and 3/16 polycarb in a few different grades and some is so hard it's brittle. I have now found a good cutting board that I make a wood template and then use a router it a guide bearing.

[crawl-o-matic]

I think you're right. Both high density and very low density plastics work but for different reasons.
The high density plastics resist gouging and grabbing hold of the rock. The very low density plastics gouge very easily but allow the rock to freely pass by not grabbing hold.
At the end of the day, I'm not sure which is actually better, but I think the high density of Delrin makes it very very easy to work with.

Originally Posted by opek

But my low density cutting board skidplate is so slippery! There must be more to this madness than density.

[Charlie-III]

I put a year of comps & heavy practice on my Lexan 2.2 topper. I finally have some cracks and will replace it this winter while I do a redesign.

To rough it out, I use a hand held scroll saw and a wood cutting blade. Belt sander and handfiles to final shape it.

[asian195]

My dad has a router and router table i can use. Been doing alot of research to know the best way of cutting this stuff. This thread has been real helpful.

Tomy's Custom Chassis XR10

I honestly feel the polycarb i have is too flimsy, but since i got it for cheap, ill use it for a good test run while learning how to fabricate with this stuff.
For the links i plan on routering the shape i want, not bending it. then ill go back and round off the edges with a file and sandpaper. Thanks for all the input.

[asian195]

Been playing around on my paint program and came up with this. What are some good programs to use that are cheap?
Its 8.25" long and 3.75" tall

[asian195]

Don't mind the light lines. I drew them out on paper then scanned it. On thing I found out with the paint program, I used the ruler and grid lines, but when I printed it out it came it an inch shorter.

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[SMR 510RR]

Check out google sketchup...Its free for the basic version

[asian195]

i actually just found that and have been playing with it for about an hour. pretty nice. still got to play with it more.

[jetboat]

I use solidedge 2d, its free and a real cad program