"Scale" chassis frames

[utieh]

Not really a grievance here but it's like the trend among comp scalers is to go carbon fibre with some very unscale shapes.

I understand the need of lighter rigs, lower CG and better geometry/articulation. As I'm about to build a scaler around Y-Town chassis plates, I miss nowadays the scale appeal of a Bruiser chassis for example.
RC3WD made an amazing chassis for the FJ40 too.

For example the Axial JK body is very popular, why is there any manufacturer making a frame that mimic the full size one. The transmission would seat maybe a 1/4 inch higher but wouldn't it look cool?

What about powdercoating carbon fibre? Did anyone try that?

Any opinion? Am I too nerdy about a part people barely see when the body is mounted?

[StomperCrawler]

I agree. I love the appeal of a scale ladder chassis. I was even thinking of trying to make my own out of square steel tubing bent and then cut in half. Realism is cool stuff!

[Gula]

Can't powder coat non metal items. CF would burn or char during the process

[utieh]

Originally Posted by Gula

Can't powder coat non metal items. CF would burn or char during the process

I've tried in the past to paint G10 frame with a TS spray can, didn't work well.

[THX_138]

Originally Posted by Gula

Can't powder coat non metal items. CF would burn or char during the process

Actually you can if the medium will take the heat. I've never personally tried it, but I believe carbon fiber will take the heat just fine.

Most powder coating is done electrostacially which requires the medium to conduct electricity to correctly apply the powder before baking.
I've been told carbon fiber conducts electricity very well, but I've never put it to the test.


However..... If for whatever reason if it doesn't conduct electricity.....There is a process when powder coating called "Hot Flocking" and doesn't involve any electric charge at all to accept the coating as normal.

It's the process of warming the medium to be coated up a little to approx. 200-210 degrees.
Just warm enough to when the powder is sprayed at the warm medium it sticks just enough to produce a thin layer because when it hits the warmed medium, it melts just the tiniest bit enough to stick.... vs. powder sticking due to the normal electrostatic charge process.

After the fine layer is applied, a second and normal thickness layer is applied and baked as usual.
Fresh dry powder coating will stick to other unbaked powder with no issues, electric charge or not.

Hot Flocking can be used to bake powder coated surface on anything from wood, to glass, to basically anything that will take 20-25 minutes of 400 degree heat, if it can bake at 400 degrees...it can be powder coated.
Granted just clamping some charged electrodes to some bare steel is the easiest way, but anything can be powder coated with a little additional care and effort by the hot flocking process.

As for carbon fiber burning, charring or melting,.... I have ZERO experience or knowledge applying powder coat to it.
The only knowledge of carbon fiber I have is having been told it begins to melt at around 6,300 degrees Fahrenheit.
I've had disc brake rotors on a car of mine in the past made of carbon fiber without issue. As we all know, brake rotors get HOT HOT HOT

I have in the past worked with some carbon fiber on one of my AK47s (home fabricated scope mount) and remember by the instructions of the glue to bond the parts I made, I baked the glued pieces in the oven at 500 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 mins to cure the bonding agent/glue I used to glue the stuff together with.

I know it's not supposed to melt until after 6,300 degrees... I'd imagine it would begin to melt long before it started to char or burn?


In a nutshell.... I see no reason why a person couldn't easily powder coat carbon fiber if they wanted to.

`

[Deerhurst]

Carbon conducts very well. Found this out when welding an RC tube chassis that had a carbon pan. Little custom stuff I did at school. Needless to say it conducted from the tig gun through the carbon burning off all the resin and then to the table/ground.

Sent from my C6603 using Tapatalk

[Robbob]

Its not so much the electro static part of powder coating you have to worry about, its the baking stage.

You will melt the bonding resins and probably warp the carbon fiber when you heat it up in the oven.

[Gula]

Originally Posted by THX_138

Actually you can if the medium will take the heat. I've never personally tried it, but I believe carbon fiber will take the heat just fine.

Most powder coating is done electrostacially which requires the medium to conduct electricity to correctly apply the powder before baking.
I've been told carbon fiber conducts electricity very well, but I've never put it to the test.


However..... If for whatever reason if it doesn't conduct electricity.....There is a process when powder coating called "Hot Flocking" and doesn't involve any electric charge at all to accept the coating as normal.

It's the process of warming the medium to be coated up a little to approx. 200-210 degrees.
Just warm enough to when the powder is sprayed at the warm medium it sticks just enough to produce a thin layer because when it hits the warmed medium, it melts just the tiniest bit enough to stick.... vs. powder sticking due to the normal electrostatic charge process.

After the fine layer is applied, a second and normal thickness layer is applied and baked as usual.
Fresh dry powder coating will stick to other unbaked powder with no issues, electric charge or not.

Hot Flocking can be used to bake powder coated surface on anything from wood, to glass, to basically anything that will take 20-25 minutes of 400 degree heat, if it can bake at 400 degrees...it can be powder coated.
Granted just clamping some charged electrodes to some bare steel is the easiest way, but anything can be powder coated with a little additional care and effort by the hot flocking process.

As for carbon fiber burning, charring or melting,.... I have ZERO experience or knowledge applying powder coat to it.
The only knowledge of carbon fiber I have is having been told it begins to melt at around 6,300 degrees Fahrenheit.
I've had disc brake rotors on a car of mine in the past made of carbon fiber without issue. As we all know, brake rotors get HOT HOT HOT

I have in the past worked with some carbon fiber on one of my AK47s (home fabricated scope mount) and remember by the instructions of the glue to bond the parts I made, I baked the glued pieces in the oven at 500 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 mins to cure the bonding agent/glue I used to glue the stuff together with.

I know it's not supposed to melt until after 6,300 degrees... I'd imagine it would begin to melt long before it started to char or burn?


In a nutshell.... I see no reason why a person couldn't easily powder coat carbon fiber if they wanted to.

`

Learn something new every day

[dubyas1989]

When I looked at high temp carbon fiber sheets they say it can only withstand 400 degrees and that's with high temp epoxy resin.Carbon Fiber High Temp Panels | Carbon Fiber Ultra Strength Panels

[BigSki]

Originally Posted by THX_138

...
I've been told carbon fiber conducts electricity very well, but I've never put it to the test.

When I was actively working in aerospace, almost off the CF panels had a bronze "pathway" embedded into the outer CF layers, in order to help channel the static electricity buildup to a "proper" ground path. The CF itself is highly conductive, the resins that bind it together help with the insulation properties.

[moondaddy]

The powder paint we use at work can cure between 300 and 600 degrees, temp mostly determines cure time.

[Ditchrat]

Originally Posted by moondaddy

The powder paint we use at work can cure between 300 and 600 degrees, temp mostly determines cure time.

i have stuff that goes down to 240, and like you said temp mostly determines cure time. At 240 it has to bake for 45mins, at 300 its only 20 mins.