Plastic molds?

[PastryLikeDood]

I keep breaking axle tubes and im tired of spending money on buying new ones (i'd rather spend my cash on other stuff, dont we all). After some consideration i was thinking of making my own mold for the axle tubes, but i dont know what their made out of (plastic only? i'd like to mix the plastic with carbon fiber or fiberglass, SOMETHING to strengthen it up a little). Is there a site out there that can help me out with making molds/castings WITHOUT spending some major cash for a high tech machine?

P.S. Just spent $200+ on a new turbo engine for my sedan cuz i broke the crankshaft straight off the motor, for the second time within a month , so i mustn't spend too much on a "machine" if one is necassary!

[moonbuggy]

Originally Posted by PastryLikeDood

i'd like to mix the plastic with carbon fiber or fiberglass, SOMETHING to strengthen it up a little

That isn't going to happen, I've worked with carbon fiber and fiberglass a lot. When molding plastic you heat it up and pour it into a mold. when working with the cloth you drape it over the mold apply the resin and vaccum bag it.

[JohnRobHolmes]

some moulded kevlar axle housings would be sweet, although the bearing surfaces would have to be machined back out.

[PastryLikeDood]

what should I make a mold out of? Should i just carve one out of wax and then encase it in silicone, then once it dries take the silicone mold apart and use that?

[Madkoifish]

Not exactly sure wahts ment by axle tubes but most of the sliders and other plastic parts on rc cars are "injection moulded" IE the molds are steel and they hoot the gunk in at high pressure. You can mix lose fibers in, how else does losi and others make graphite molded parts?? Its not a woven material but a "fluf" If possible id look into getting something milled outta metal.

[moonbuggy]

Originally Posted by Madkoifish

You can mix lose fibers in, how else does losi and others make graphite molded parts?? Its not a woven material but a "fluf" If possible id look into getting something milled outta metal.

graphite is powder oh and you have to vacuum bag cf, fg, and kevlar

[Madkoifish]

Originally Posted by moonbuggy

graphite is powder oh and you have to vacuum bag cf, fg, and kevlar

ah stuff I have seen is like cut hair. there is pouder but I dunno if that would lend any strength to the plastics. Either way I dont thing its something some one can bodge easily and on the cheap.

[JohnRobHolmes]

it depends on your source. carbon fiber is graphite that was taken to a higher temp in the creation stage. it makes it stiffer and more prone to shattering. any carbon raw material you can buy can be found in graphite material as well.

for some good online sources for materials http://www.arts-hobby.com/store/item...pid=1&pcatid=0 is good.

i cant find my other links, but arts hobby does small quantity stuff so you dont have to buy 500 yards of carbon fiber.

[slugzracing]

For a clod? Isn't there an aluminum axle tube C-hub assembly available? I thought there was :?

[JohnRobHolmes]

i wasnt thinking clod, i was thinking for a shafty. there are plenty of aluminum axle casings to be found, but nobody does composite cases. nobody does composite bodies. i have never seen a composite crawler chassis either. well, i made one from CF plates, but im thinking a moulded chassis would be trick.

[moonbuggy]

maybe we should bombard vantage to start making molded cf chassis for crawers as well as the revo

[PastryLikeDood]

I made a wax part for one of my touring cars, ill post a pic if i can find that peice of wax... its not half bad either...

[romeo26]

how does fiberglass work?
is it just fiber with epoxy?
if so couldent you just get cloth and put epoxy on it?

[moonbuggy]

Originally Posted by romeo26

how does fiberglass work?
is it just fiber with epoxy?
if so couldent you just get cloth and put epoxy on it?

yes, it can work this way, but if you don't know how ot stack it or vacuum bag it, it won't be strong enough to be used on a car.

[egdinger]

What if you just wrapped a part in fiberglass to reinforce it?

[TwistedXT]

This looks like it would work great !!!


Making molds for replicating anything


Making molds for replicating anything


Im going to try it this weekend... i gotta make something to copy first

[ILoveRCRockCrawlin]

if you ask me i think it would be easier to just buy the parts

[Davkin]

This looks like it would work great !!!

I doubt urethane plastic parts would be strong enough to make structural components in 1/10 R/C. Urethane isn't nearly as strong as the molded plastic parts than come in R/C kits. Give a try though if you want and see if you can make something worthwhile.

I get my urethane casting supplies from these guys;

http://www.alumilite.com

David

[romeo26]

tell us how it goes!!