77 replies to this topic

[Randy Tragni]

Mr HP. Awesome modeling job. Great graphic photos as well.
Mike, You might wish to talk to a company in SoCal named Forecast (http://www.forecast-3d.com/). Ask for Kyle the PM. They do a lot of 3D models and have some very clever low volume solutions that are a step above the SLA chassis that you have. They do a lot of other similar stuff as well.
Good luck. I can tell I'm going to want one of these.
Randy

[Mr. HP]

Thanks guys!

Here's the detail drawing of the chassis I threw together. Again, it was done for added "wow factor" with the local racers (not trying to be a show-off).

Attached Files

•  HP001E Detail.PDF   443.22KB   101 downloads

[Mr. HP]

Mr HP. Awesome modeling job. Great graphic photos as well.
Mike, You might wish to talk to a company in SoCal named Forecast (http://www.forecast-3d.com/). Ask for Kyle the PM. They do a lot of 3D models and have some very clever low volume solutions that are a step above the SLA chassis that you have. They do a lot of other similar stuff as well.
Good luck. I can tell I'm going to want one of these.
Randy

Thanks Randy,

Before buying the Objet machine I relied on several outside model/prototype shops, I wouldn't doubt my company has done work with them in the past. BTW, it’s not an SLA. Similar, but it’s technically a “PolyJet”, higher resolution and multiple material options.

[911GT3]

Nice chassis. Rapid protoyping has come a long way since the late 90s. Solidworks really makes the model look good.

Must have taken quite a bit of time to get the body, motor, guide flag and nut in the drawing.

At least you could test fit everything before building it.

[Rick]

Steve, you are VERY talented at what you do. I just finished a short course in ACAD to learn how to make my own 2d drawings. To see you create this is just amazing to me. How long did it take you to draw all that up? Every tiny detail is there..................

[Alchemist]

Wow - that's really fantastic Steve.

So, how much and when may we purchase these chassis's please - please please?! LOL!!

Ernie

I don't know if you saw Jay Leno's video of a 3D scanner:

http://www.jaylenosg...scanner/944641/

[MSwiss]

Ernie,
The first post sort of explains it.

So far, as he's refining the design, Steve has been nice enough to give the various Hot Rod racers at C/R
a chassis for free to try out. It works out great for me because they then have to buy $50-60 worth of parts
to get it on the track.

More importantly, it just adds to the atmosphere I'm trying to promote at C/R,
"a bunch of guys screwin' around, makin' stuff".

Whether any make it out for sale, and for how much, it's anybody's guess.
This stuff is in it's infancy.

I will say, there's another project I nudged him into, that might make the Hot Rod chassis
pale in comparison. I gave Steve some broad idea's and I can't wait to see what he comes up with.

[Mr. HP]

Steve, you are VERY talented at what you do. I just finished a short course in ACAD to learn how to make my own 2d drawings. To see you create this is just amazing to me. How long did it take you to draw all that up? Every tiny detail is there..................

Rick,

Thanks for the compliment! Doing this kind of work has been my lively hood for almost twenty years. The initial design took about 3-4 hours to do the 3d CAD (not including motor, tires, flag… ect), and less than an hour to do the detail drawing. Though I’ve probably spent more time on critiquing and making revisions, it’s now up to revision F.

[Rick]

Rick,

Thanks for the compliment! Doing this kind of work has been my lively hood for almost twenty years. Initially the chassis took about 3-4 hours to do the 3d CAD (not including motor, tires, flag… ect), and less an hour to do the detail drawing. Though I’ve probably spent more time on critiquing and making revisions, it’s now up to revision F.

Steve,

This is exactly what the slor car industry needs. I plastic chassis of this sort that is very durable and easily maintianed and actually work. Pair this up with a cheap FK motor and .020 durable body and you would have an instant hit! I slot car that could be marketed for about $30-35 would attract new people to get involved, and of course once the hook is set, then chum the pond with all the other stuff. LOL The toughest thing owning a slot car track is selling a new car and the kid wads it up in 15 minutes and well you know the rest. LOL Everyone is geared towards performance and forgettng the selling the fun factor.

You really should look into having something of this nature injection molded from a print of your origin.

[John Miller]

Well, that's pretty enough print out on our KIP machine!

[MSwiss]

Rick,
IMHO you are expecting a little too much.

Big volume 1/32 cars don't sell for $30-35 and they hop around a commercial track like a rabbit.

I think it's amazing Parma & JK sell cars that go for $45-59.
But they are even compromises with soft press-on pinions that spin or wear poorly
and cause issues for the customer.

[Phil Irvin]

GO FOR IT.START RACIN IT.IT HANDLES AND LOVES TO COME BACK FOR MORE


OLPHRT
PHIL I.

[Alchemist]

It's a Chicagoland Raceway exclusive, but at the moment, they are not for sale.

The first post sort of explains it.

Hi Mike,

I did take note of that - - - But that "moment" was "yesterday"!! _ LOL!!

Just wishing Mike! Can't wait to see this new project you just mentioned! You're such a teaser Mike - LOL!!!

Thanks Mike!

Ernie

[MSwiss]

You're such a teaser Mike - LOL!!!

Guilty as charged.

I should be ashamed of myself.
Believe me, it's not something, if I divulge, someone will try
to beat Steve to the punch with it.

If Steve sees this and want's to mention what it is, he certainly can.
He's the brains and doing the work.
I just gave him a few rough idea's to shoot for.

[Mike Patterson]

Mike and Steve,

If you're looking for ideas, I'd like to see a "real" 1/24 aero chassis, with actual ground effect tunnels on the bottom. I don't know if they would work, but it would sure look neat!!

Steve,

Nice drawings! Is that software PC only?

[68Caddy]

I think his chassis would sell well but the price needs to be right, then remember there are so many more 1:32 racers out there then 1:24. Volume would make more money then custom price for a few selected group of people in 1:24, they are cheap anyway.



Nesta

[MSwiss]

Mike and Steve,

If you're looking for ideas, I'd like to see a "real" 1/24 aero chassis, with actual ground effect tunnels on the bottom. I don't know if they would work, but it would sure look neat!!

Steve,

Nice drawings! Is that software PC only?

I built a G7 slot car like that in about 1983.

It was before I worked for Koford but Stu explained how there wasn't enough
surface area or speed to make that type of aerodynamics do much of anything,
especially compared to what was already going on with side dams and big rear spoiler.
I used a body with a flat top surface to to go with the airfoil I built in the chassis.
It ran poorly.

With this type of chassis,the type of motors and speed we're shooting for,
getting (metal) weight down low is more important.
IMHO,if the car doesn't handle at least reasonably well, guys will eventually get tired of
running the car, regardless of how cool it is.

[Alchemist]

Guilty as charged.
I should be ashamed of myself.
Believe me, it's not something, if I divulge, someone will try
to beat Steve to the punch with it.

Mike,

I'm sure glad you told us about it! I would say if you hadn't mentioned it and we found out that you knew and didn't divulge - THEN you should be ashamed!! LOL!! You're "awesome" Mike!! So, after saying that - may I have your chassis now - hahahaha!!!

Seriously, thank you so much for sharing the exciting news. As i already mentioned, I'm impatiently waiting to see the next project!!

My wife can't understand why I've been staring and drooling (she brought me a bib thinking I had been eating something messy - LOL!) over the same photos for the past hours! What type of body is that sitting on the chassis without windows please? Looks awesome! Prototype?

Cheers Mike/Steve! (rah rah)

Ernie

[MSwiss]

I'm 99% sure that is just Steve's Solidworks rendering of the WRP 34 Ford Bonneville Racer
that is popular in our Hot Rod class (and Steve designed the chassis around)

The real body is shown in both posts #11 & #23.

[Rotorranch]

That's a neat piece... I'll be glad to test any prototype chassis for y'all!

Is that thing retro legal?

Rotor

[GearBear]

IMHO,if the car doesn't handle at least reasonably well, guys will eventually get tired of
running the car, regardless of how cool it is.

I couldn't agree more Mike. It has to work well or you won't sell very many.

As I stated on the other board, I think this project is just super neat. Being a programmer AND a mechanic, this is right up my alley! I would so love to have time/money to invest in one of these printers!

Having said that, I too would love to be able to see/play with the chassis at some point. Please let me know when they are actually available.

Steve, your CAD skills are amazing! That design is very well thought out and very nicely done. The fact that the chassis is two pieces and can't be done in a mold is probably a drawback for manufacturing, but very cool on the aesthetic side of things!

[MSwiss]

Gary,
Steve E-mailed mentioning he's having a hard time logging on to respond to any more questions.
In the meantime, I throw out a few more things.

Along with his CAD skills, Steve, if not the best racer at C/R, certainly is one of 4 or 5.
Despite limited track time the last few years, with a new baby and traveling for work,
at this past year's Sano, he TQ'ed GT Coupe, won the B-Main in Can-Am and finished 3rd in A-Main
behind Jay Kisling and "Howiewood".

His latest project on the 3D printer is to come up with a slot car mimicking
the Fred Carrillo Model T Modified Roadster. Fred Carrillo Roadster

The plan is for it to be an integral body/chassis like some the early slot cars of the 60's,
but using the technology of the 3D printer to have body movement and the ability to easily tune it
with removable weights so, as mentioned above, it handles well and is fun to drive.

Attached Images

• 
• 

[Tom Thumb Hobbies]

I built a G7 slot car like that in about 1983.

It was before I worked for Koford but Stu explained how there wasn't enough
surface area or speed to make that type of aerodynamics do much of anything,
especially compared to what was already going on with side dams and big rear spoiler.
I used a body with a flat top surface to to go with the airfoil I built in the chassis.
It ran poorly.

With this type of chassis,the type of motors and speed we're shooting for,
getting (metal) weight down low is more important.
IMHO,if the car doesn't handle at least reasonably well, guys will eventually get tired of
running the car, regardless of how cool it is.

Actually I was told that there was too much speed. Back in the '80's when the Indy team Tasman (Truesports) were running the March chassis their aerodynamicist spent most all of his free time in my shop. He was a slot racer from NZ and liked to tinker. We designed a chassis that he made out of Boron and worked at tunneling for most of a summer. I don't pretend to understand most of what he said but, in his words, the biggest problem was the back of the car was too "clutered" with motor and very wide ( in proportion) tires. He thought that if that area could be opened up then ground effects were a very real possibility. However, after doing some modeling and calculating he determined that another problem would be the danger of overloading the car with aero. Unfortunately the Indy season ended and he went home before we could try any of our ideas. When he told me the price of the materials we used I figured that it was probably the most expensive slot chassis in existence at that time Good thing it was budgeted on their development account

[Rick]

I made a plug for Hershman about 10-12 years ago, remember when there were still King tracks that had to be blipped 5 times? He pulled me a couple of samples and I put one on a Boxstock car. The car was so planted it overheated rather fast. The thing never made production but I would imagine he still has the plug, somewhere?

I would susupect there would be a bigger advantage to make the openings on the top of the body and use a vacuum type air effects than trying to channel inside the body or with a chassis. I thought we wanted to try and keep air out of that area?

[MSwiss]

This is of minor amusement but mostly as a reference that might help Steve at his real job.


Steve ran a chassis out of a softer material a few days ago.
He got it to Jimmi Bostrom who assembled it and brought it by today.
It has a pretty cool translucent look to it.
It ran surprising well at an unheard of light 99G's.
It went a competitive 6.49.
With various pcs. of 1/4" & 1/2" wide .032 thick brass strip, doublestuck on the bottom, it went a hot 5.92.
I did notice the guide angle seemed to be increasing, the more I ran it.
It did seem too flexible in that area.


I went ahead and gave the chassis a good twist, let go and took the above pic.
The blur in the background is the front tire.



After waiting about a minute, I took another picture which shows the chassis had straightened itself out quite a bit.


After about 40 minutes, I checked it again, and it was dead flat again.

I guess if we had 40 minute lane changes you could always start every heat with a flat chassis.