54 replies to this topic

[tonyp]

Smaller the motor, the lighter the car can be and in most cases the more flexible to get more mechanical bite. Angle winder motor placement places more weight over rear tires which keeps chassis from jacking the inner rear tire in the corners. Low center of gravity is big in slot car racing.

Inlines were 5 to 7 ounces right before we switched to angle winders. Those first angle winders were probably 2/3s or less weight and went around the corners faster. The same basis chassis designs, just with a change of motor placement.

[Gator Bob]

Very nice Marty, Thanks for sharing!

[68Caddy]

I sure love to bend things and make it run! It is excellent bender and I will use it more in the future.



Nesta

[Marty Stanley]

Wacky Wire - We Used To Strive For Straight, Now Straight Wire Just Ain't Cool!

It seems that the West Coast - it's all Bryan Warmack's fault - has launched into something very new and unique. For whatever reason it seems like the slot racers in California keep coming up with new ideas on chassis construction. Right now the craze seems to be what I am going to deem as "Wacky Wire". This is wire that has multiple bends in it.

In my opinion, multiple bends in large diameter wire means one thing and one thing only. It's time for a wire bender so you can easily bend that .078 wire and you can make the 2nd rail exactly like the first rail. So sit back, relax and let's get started.

Okay, now let's grab the tools out and cut a couple of pieces of wire to start this project.

In the photo above, you will see the R-Geo Products HD Wire Bender, bending arm, fence, Champion Tech Tool and a couple of lengths of .078 wire. I did not put the oil in the photo, but I strongly suggest that you have a bottle of lightweight oil out to use. I put a drop on the bending pin on the bending arm every couple of bends. Ever since I started to do that, I have not broken the bending pin on the bending arm. Hey, .078 wire is pretty tough stuff. I have the 'setup' in the wire bender for our first bend. Please note so you won't get confused.

I use the fence as a 'guide' for setting length from the end on the first bend. Hey, it beats measuring. I'm going to cut the end off later on after I solder it to the chassis. I have found this is the best way. I don't have to measure twice or thrice prior to cutting.

We are going to make a 90 degree bend. This bend is going to be made "away from you" - that is the bending arm is going to be pushed to the top of the photo. I have scribed a mark on the wire bender to show me where 90 degrees is. You will also see black marks on my bender. It is well used and loved. I just have marks on there for the parts that I tend to make on a normal basis. If I want to change the marks, a wipe with a piece of ScotchBrite works well.

You are probably wondering why I have the Champion Tech Tool out. It's simple, there is a 90 degree checker built in to the tool. I like to use it after every bend just to make sure the bend I made is 90 degrees. I find it a whole lot easier just to check as I go rather then trying to go back after all the bends are made to find out where the bad bend is at.

Here's the first bend completed. Pretty simple? Well let's move on.

In this photo we're getting ready to make bend #2. Please note that I removed the pin from the 3/4 inch "U" bend hole so I have enough room to put the wire on the bender. I have 'hooked' the wire on the bottom pin and this time I am going to be pulling the handle towards me. This is also going to be a 90 degree bend.

Please note: if you are diligent about making sure the wire is laying nice and flat prior to moving the bending arm, the finished project will need very little 'adjustment'. That's just another reason why I like my wire bender.

Okay, so I did bend the 'model wire' before I started taking photos and writing the process up. Hey, I have to know if it will work! But now you have an idea of what the finished project will look like! Back to bending.

First thing to do is put that pin back into the 3/4 "U" bend hole. We are using this hole to hold the wire in place to properly space the next 90 degree bend. Position your wire as the photo above shows and when you have it all nice and flat, it's time to make another bend, this time you will push the handle away from you and make another 90 degree bend.

Right now would be a great time to put a dab of light oil on the bending pin on your bender. We have a 180 degree bend coming up. But it is NOT hard to do.

Place the wire as shown and the handle is going to be pulled toward. You will need to move the handle all the way to the point slightly past where the wire touches up against the wire on the holding pin. Just take your time, be smooth and it will come out very nicely.

Basically we're over the hump and on the home stretch now. We only have 3 more bends and they are all 90 degree bends. No problem.

Position the wire as shown in the photo above and then pull the handle towards you to make that 90 degree bend. 5 bends down, 2 to go. This really ain't all that hard now, is it?

It's time to put the pin back into the 3/4 inch "U" bend hole again. We have another 90 degree bend coming up, next to the last one. Once you have everything laying nice and flat on the bender, push the handle away from you and make another 90 degree bend.

Okay, now it's time for your favorite bend. That's right, this is the last bend, in this wire. Remember, you still have to make another one. But just follow the directions and it will come out just like the first one.

Once again, remove that pin in the 3/4 inch "U" bend hole and position the wire as shown. Then push the handle away from you making the final 90 degree bend. All the bending for the first wire is now complete. Go back, check all your bends to make sure they are at 90 degrees. Make sure there is no twist in the wire. I like using the wire bender as a straight surface to check it all to make sure it's all nice and straight.

Go back and bend the other wire just like you did with the first one. You should now have a couple of pieces of "Wacky Wire" sitting on your work surface. What will we do with them? Stay tuned!

[Marty Stanley]

How Do You Keep a Slot Car Racer in Suspense?

Rather then having y'all waiting around saying, "I wonder when he is going t show us what he built with this wire we all have bent up?", here are some photos of the finished project.

The build itself was very simple. I took one of the new R-Geo Samurai 3 plates, cut the inside brass strip off of the pans, radiused the inside corners of the pans where I cut away the brass strip and then simply soldered the "Wacky Wires" in place. I chose to set the wheelbase on this build based on the length of the pans. What I did was to space the rear of the pans .250 inches in front of the front edge of the rear axle tube. That seems to work nicely. The resulting wheelbase is very close to 4.000 inches. The chassis as you see it in the photos weighs in at 53.4 grams. The front axle adds about 3 grams to the chassis. I'm thinking it will 'dress out' at close to 100 grams ready to race. I will post that once it is complete.

While I would love to go and spend the day playing, err make that testing, this weekend is pretty much spoken for. Once I get the testing in, I'll post the results of that as well. I've seen several versions of this type of construction around, so I thought I might like to give it a try. Will it work? We shall see!

[Gator Bob]

Wow, Marty very nice and you built it so fast.
Interesting design... what were your creative thoughts on the advantage of the wacky wire bends, flex, bite, torque steering.?
Is there much if any movement on the pans?

Looks Great !!!!

[Marty Stanley]

Bob,

Thanks for the kind words about the appearance.

Well, you will see at the beginning of this post, Jobiwan has a "Zorro" chassis. I saw that TonyP had his own "Zorro" chassis this past weekend up at Jacksonville. He finished second with the chassis to one of his earlier designs. It looked pretty solid from where I was sitting.

On the design side. I'm just trying to move the mass to the outside of the chassis, but not all of it.

Pan movement is very little. A .093 square brass tubing has an inside measurement of nominally .065. Using a piece of .047 wire only leaves about .018 of movement. This is a smooth track car. The King at ASR is nice and smooth.

We are running the ASR Retro League and that's where I intend to use this car at.

Once tesing is complete, I might have different thoughts. But anything you solder together you can always unsolder and use again.

[tonyp]

Actually Marty I won with mine in GTC. lol.

[Marty Stanley]

I knew that! I remember Rollin calling the race that was going on between "The Local Legend" and "The Living Legend".

But as you know, we tend to forget a whole lot!

Just think about the bodies!

[tonyp]

I brought them, it was your responsibility to take them. lol. Now I am going to have to charge you for 228 miles of transport.

[Marty Stanley]

I brought them, it was your responsibility to take them. lol. Now I am going to have to charge you for 228 miles of transport.

I remembered when you were about 10 miles down the road!

Just take it out of my next paycheck!

[tonyp]

lol.

[Rick]

Marty, very kool build. You are wizard with the wire bender. I am interested in the torsion car with the funny rails also. In my experience with torsion cars, it's been, one will work like the devil and the next one built will not? I don't know why this is and if I did they would all work really well. SO please keep us informed on how this works out for you.

[One_Track_Mind]

Hi Marty,
That design is the Cat's MEOW!

Good job,of thinking outside the box.
Wish your testing well.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge of the R-GEO wire bender.

Now,I gotta go try some of these tips.

[Phil Irvin]

LOVE IT.....GOTTA SEE IT WORK NOW.....One of these years i'm gonna finish my "man cave slot garage" gettin closer..Then it will be benders at 50 paces Ricks gonna have to learn how..

OLPHRT
PHIL I.

[Duffy]

..Then it will be benders at 50 paces

Any bender I ever was on, I never walked further than my refrigerator.

[tonyp]

Walked or crawled?

[Duffy]

Walked or crawled?

You misjudge me. I always choose my words carefully. I do have a certain aplomb; a wobbly aplomb on divers occasions, maybe, but aplomb nonetheless.

Think Jack Lemmon in the party scene of How To Murder Your Wife and you pretty much got the picture.

Duffy

[Bill from NH]

Most good drinkers just come home & put the 6-pack on the floor beside the easy chair.

[Gator Bob]

Bought some parts and bits tonight and will try to build a better

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[Marty Stanley]

Bob,

I read that article. Do you know the framus was made on an R-Geo HD Wire Bender? Personally I love the way he described the bending dynamics in his equation! That's a true professional!

[Gator Bob]

Bob,

I read that article. Do you know the framus was made on an R-Geo HD Wire Bender? Personally I love the way he described the bending dynamics in his equation! That's a true professional!

Marty,
Seminole Ridge SECME MTV ?
Framus as in guitar? Who's calculations?

Bending Dynanics is is what will be happening soon in the 2011 Dynamic Challenge Proxy

[Grant G.]

I knew that! I remember Rollin calling the race that was going on between "The Local Legend" and "The Living Legend".

But as you know, we tend to forget a whole lot!

Just think about the bodies!

The tony p / warmack rail job I drove in can-am was a very sweet and forgiving chassis to drive. And Marty I took the bodies you were suppose to get on the ride back, so I hope you like Electric Blue

[Marty Stanley]

The tony p / warmack rail job I drove in can-am was a very sweet and forgiving chassis to drive. And Marty I took the bodies you were suppose to get on the ride back, so I hope you like Electric Blue

What shade of 'Electric Blue'?

Kind of like "Electra-Glide in Blue" blue is excellent.

When will you have them ready?

[Grant G.]

Like dis...

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