planning to make a frame/chassis

[kurt2938]

Hey, I'm looking to make a sandrail frame and chassis for a 1/8 scale nitro. It will be 2wd. I'm looking for some tips on building frames by brazing and what materials/ tools would be good to use. Thanks

[stelerzman]

Look through my build thread and you'll see what I've brazed up with 3/16" steel break line and a oxy/mapp gas torch. It's not difficult at all, you only have to figure out the gas settings, which is slightly open the mapp, light the gas then open oxy enough to get a good flame.

[1tonscout]

Clean, clean, clean! The prep work is the most important.

Completely remove all the coating/plating/paint/rust/oil/dirt/slag off of all the material before starting the first cut or bend.

Make sure all the joints are tight with no gaps.

Apply a liberal amount of flux paste to the whole area where the heat from the torch is applied.

heat the joint until the flux melts smooth like glass, then flow the solder

Use high content silver solder. I like 45%

keep a wet rag, spray bottle full of water to quench the hot flux. this helps remove the flux easily


For the tubing, there's several options ranging from 3/16 & 1/4" brakline to 1/8"-1/4" cold rolled steel to DOM (drawn over mandrel) steel tubing

The Smith "little torch" is awesome for rc chassis brazing and they thread onto standard oxy/acetylene torch regulators

Use the search function! there are tons of threads that go over this same subject

[stelerzman]

Nice info from 1tonscout, use it and you'll be successful.

[kurt2938]

I kinda make a rollcage with a soldering iron and steel brake line. I found some 3/16 solid steel that I thought would make a good frame as well. Thoughts on steel rod ?
And I gotta say, you know your stuff scout. Thanks for the tips

[stelerzman]

Steel rod is heavier and needs more heat to braze while tubing is lighter and easier to braze. The solid rod will also add weight on the top side of the chassis,.which would raise your cog(center of gravity) the lower the cog is the more stable the rig will ne.