156 replies to this topic

[Martin]

Looking great Rick 

Have you ever used a jeweler's saw ? No dust and once mastered you can get really close to the line.

 

 

 

Your craftsmanship just made think about other tools and techniques to do the same thing. Don't mind me. 

[Mark Onofri]

Martin, YOU can get close to the line. I can get stitches.

[dc-65x]

Hi Martin, I'm sure as a skilled craftsman you do outstanding work with a jewelers saw and there's sure nothing wrong with that.     

 

I've read everything slot car related I could get my hands. Now I might be very wrong about this, but I have a feeling that the Pros used their Dremel tools with a cut off wheel for almost everything. Following that possibility I've devoted myself to trying to master the Dremel cut off disc.

 

And, because I'm no Pro builder, I've tried to get some advantage over using a hand held Dremel tool by using a Foredom flex shaft motor with a separate hand piece and variable speed foot pedal operation.  

 

At first I was just rough cutting staying well clear of the scribe line and finishing with files. But now I can kind of gently glide the side and a bit of the tip of the wheel along and feather tiny amounts of material away right up the the scribe line.

 

Wow, that's a bunch of babbling!  

[Bill from NH]

I bought an Eclipse fret saw in the '60s for opening up doors & trunk lids on my plastic model cars. I still have it but I don't recall ever using for chassis building. I also have a motorized RBI Hawk scroll saw. I have cut 1/16" brass with it at times but mostly it cuts wood. Jim Honeycut in San Antonio once posted a place on eBay to economically get cutoff discs for the Dremel arbors. If I can find my box, I'll post the name.

[Martin]

Funny you should mention this,

 

Ricks quote,

"I've tried to get some advantage over using a hand held Dremel tool by using a Foredom flex shaft motor with a separate hand piece and variable speed foot pedal operation "

 

I am helping my friend clear out his basement, I found 4 Foredoms complete with handpiece and variable foot control. 

If anybody is interested, just P.M. me. 

My long time friend (Peter) is now in a memory care facility, the proceeds will go to his wife. Makes you (me) appreciate every day of clarity doesn't it ?

[dc-65x]

Now the pans need a little but important detail................

 

 

............a chamfer to allow room for the .032" piano wire pan hinge:

 

 

The the end of the hinge that attaches to the pan gets a little kink to allow it to sit flat:

 

 

 

My jig setup to attach the pan hinge tubes to the plumber rails. Note the Kapton tape to prevent me from accidently soldering the plumber to the main rail:

 

 

Plumber rails ready to attach the pans:

 

[John Luongo]

love that set up rig. very slick! wonderful work!

[Mark Onofri]

That spell check can play tricks on you. I could have sworn it said your not a pro builder. Obviously a typo

[dc-65x]

Thanks John.

I appreciate the thought Mark but I'm more of a Persistent builder than a Pro builder. I keep plugging away and eventually it seems to work out. 

 

I like to solder the pan hinge wire lightly on only the one side where the body mount pin tube will go:

 

 

The pin tube is held in place by soldering to the end of the long hinge wire. Now I can run the soldering iron tip on top of the hinge and pin tube instead of on the pan itself:

 

 

That make cleanup much easier:

 

 

 

Time to tie the two plumber rails together:

 

[Larry Horner]

Just love the look of all the rails and pans spooning together! As for the final step, when I copied your King Cobra chassis, that was the most stressful part of the build for me. As I mentioned before, I used strips of aluminum foil to keep solder off the main rails but I was so worried something would slip. To paraphrase Jurassic Park, solder finds a way.

[dc-65x]

Thanks Larry. Using Kapton tape eliminates the worry of the aluminum foil slipping out of position. I used it here to solder the gizmos that tie the 2 plumber rails together:

 

 

 

All soldered up and acid flux splattered everywhere:

 

 

A quick wash with Dawn, high pressure air blow dry and into the WD-40 soak:

 

[Brian Czeiner]

I think I know, but what is the WD-40 soak for?

[Jaeger Team]

I think I know, but what is the WD-40 soak for?

...so it can penetrate and break down and prevent rust, grime and others contaminants...

[dc-65x]

Yes, I'm trying to keep the hinges from rusting shut. After washing and blowing the chassis dry I use Stoner's Gust and blow out all the water and crap-O-la I can out of the hinges:

 

 

I also drilled a "blow hole" in the blind drop arm hinge to help clean it out and get oil in:

 

[TSR]

Rick, glad to see that you are still building those beauties. Warms my old heart...

[Mark Onofri]

Water displacement #40. It took 40 trys to get it right. A byproduct of the atlas(?)rocket program. Mostly fish oil.

[Tex]

Yes, I'm trying to keep the hinges from rusting shut. After washing and blowing the chassis dry I use Stoner's Gust and blow out all the water and crap-O-la I can out of the hinges:

 

51OI22Bo pL.jpg

 

I also drilled a "blow hole" in the blind drop arm hinge to help clean it out and get oil in:

 

FSCN5864 - Copy.JPG

I used to heat up the tubing with my soldering iron to evaporate the water in the tubing...... and, yes, I DID inadvertantly unsolder a piece of tubing or two.... LOL..... had to watch the water bubble out of the tubing and then came a little steam..... keep the heat on too long and I'd create more re-work for myself...

[dc-65x]

I've also put the chassis in my toaster oven to heat it up and get the water out of the hinges.
 

Rick, glad to see that you are still building those beauties. Warms my old heart...

 
Thanks Philippe. Inspiration from you and the other great period Pros keeps me going.  

[Martin]

My method is I dry the chassis off with my heat gun to the point it's too hot to hold. Then on occasion I put it in a spot where the heating vent blows on it. 

 

If that does not dry it I don't know what will. 

 

Mr P, glad your old heart is still ticking.     

[Jaeger Team]

Rick, glad to see that you are still building those beauties. Warms my old heart...

Philippe it's nice to read comments coming from you

[Brian Czeiner]

   Little ideas and multiple solutions like this are why I am so glad there is something like Slotblog.  No one person can think of everything and the sharing of this knowledge is so important to the continued existence of our hobby. I just wish there was more of it at the local levels. I can't even guess how many conversations I have with my customers where they say local racers won't help them.

 

For the record, I was only half correct on my suspicion of the WD-40

[Mark Onofri]

I apologize for yet another drift but, WD-40 is supposedly good for arthritis. Apply liberaly to affected areas. If nothing else, you'll repell water.

[Don Weaver]

...If nothing else, you'll repell water.

 

Not to mention your sweetie...

[Dave Crevie]

Tried WD-40 on my arthritis. Total B.S. But when every joint in your body hurts 24/7, you'll try anything. 

[Martin]