54 replies to this topic

[Pablo]

Rules say the drop arm can be tapered or straight. I'm going straight - it puts a little more weight up front. I have two tongue gizmos, not sure which I'll use so I reamed and faced both of them. Red Fox flag blueprinted and faced using a combination of sanding block, emory board, bolt holder, and a Magnehone

 

 

The flag isn't made for this type car - it has a ridge that needs to be trimmed 

 

[Pablo]

Not sure if my gizmo is an RGeo or a duffy, if anybody knows feel free to share. I ruined about 8" of rod testing various wraparound methods. The OD of the inner notch where the rod goes on this gizmo is .320. As it turns out, a socket with an OD of .285 is perfect. I simply chucked it into a vice and used my strong meaty fingers to bend it.

 

My plan is for straight rods on my arm, so I made it so, and marked the places where the bends for raising it will be. Before bending, I'll solder a temp crosspiece back aft to keep it flat and perpendicular 

 

 

Some guys make engine noises as they hammer their slot car around a track. As the Hakko heats up, I close my eyes and chant "I am John the Jet, I am SANO Mike, I am … I am …… 

[Pablo]

Drop arm is stout and heavy. No flag rotation stops needed - didn't plan it that way, I just got lucky, it stops at about 50 degrees

 

[slotcarone]

I just put the gizmo on the guide holder on the jig and bend it around the gizmo. Works perfect every time! No wasted rod.

[Pablo]

I took advantage of the rules allowing a pair of .3" hinge strengthener rod pieces outboard of the rails. Also, I used a rod piece to strengthen the drop arm where it attaches to the hinge, and another piece aft as anti-spreading insurance for the hinge. All legal. My down stop allows 15 thou drop. That's more than enough

 

 

Tomorrow, outriggers .........

[Pablo]

Outriggers are 2.5" long x 2 7/8" wide, nothing special. Axle tubes sliced at .50" long, chassis pre-washed then into the tumbler 

[Pablo]

 

 

 

[Pablo]

Next step later today will be metal polishing the crevasses with a Qtip and checking how close it is to 130 grams loaded up. Weight is only allowed on the drop arm

 

 

[John Streisguth]

Looks super nice! 

[Martin]

Wow Pablo, is your photography getting better or am I just seeing you beautiful fab work clearer to day.

[dc-65x]

Shiny brass.......nice!  That Mississippi water sure shines up your beautiful work. 

[Pablo]

Thank you, Gentlemen    I haven't put any extra effort into my photography, but I'll take the kudos any way I can 

 

JK MB (Mini-Brute LOL) out of the package. There are a million ways to break in a toothbrush motor. Brush hardness and quality from China is a moving target. Lately it seems like a dry break in on low volts is fine. 

 

I swiped the factory Chinese grease away from the can end bushing, oiled it with thin slot car oil, fed it 3V. Runs slightly better CW at can end, red positive. Draws .20 amps. After 2 minutes, amps had dropped slightly to .18 amps. Dead cool, zero vibration. That tells me the alignments and brushes are happy. Further break in would serve no purpose. So I gave her a 10 second Ohren splash and stopped. The JK MB motor is perfect for this type car, smooth, tame, and will last a long time.

 

8T straight steel pinion soldered on. 2mm screws with allen wrench size heads (courtesy of Jeff Chambers). They both get a microdot of Loctite red 271. 

 

[slotcarone]

Looks good Pablo! From my experience the motor will need much more break in to get any speed out of it. That being said unless it's being used in a race it really doesn't matter.

[Pablo]

This is a race car, so it does, indeed, matter. I did what I did with winning in mind, I'm confident with my decision and stand by it.

[Pablo]

The Mike Katz advice on front wheels didn't slip by me - Pro-Track foam on the fronts is way too soft, so I am changing them to super hard donuts. Now they are drying …..

 

 

The Pro-Track rears were a perfect fit for this car; they make legal clearance with some extra for practice. The rubber seems "right" to me. We shall see ……..

 

Drivetrain test was fine, with wheels and everything in race form she draws .24 amps at 3 volts. I put some heat to the Parma 28T crown and everything sounds and looks fine

 

[Pablo]

Assembly complete. Parma old school-style flag clips and braid, Koford aluminum nut and phos. bronze spacers, TQ 20 gauge wires, PCH custom cut axles, etc. 

 

Drop arm tongue with about 15 thou rise and about a degree of up tilt turned out perfect with the RF flag, one Kof 10 thou below, one above as a tuning spare.

 

Front wheels at .895 OD and rears at .965 OD give a healthy 1/16" clearance level front to rear as per the rules

 

 

Next step, weight check   

[Pablo]

Weight estimate is about 114 grams (max is 130). So I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out. The owner can add some .063 thickness lead on the drop arm sweet spot if desired

 

 

Now all I have to do is mail the body and interior to Noose for paint 

[slotcarone]

Looks good Pablo! The right amount of solder to hold it together in a crash!

[Pablo]

  Crash management is an art science   

[Regis4446]

Very nice work, thank you for the photos.

[Pablo]

Truescale Lotus 40 trimmed and pinned, ready for a trip to NJ for a Noose paint job 

 

[Pablo]

Update - Noose pointed out a big goof on my part - I know that body came out of a bag marked TS Lotus 40 - doggone gremlins are playing games at night in my hobby room - it's NOT a 40, it's a Lotus 30. Notice no pipes up top in the rear. 

 

Damage control time ……..

[dc-65x]

Pablo, that's a Russkit Lotus 40. The pipes were a plastic piece that came with the body kit. I'll post a pic...........

[dc-65x]

 

[Rotorranch]

Doesn't Brad Blohm make those exhausts?

 

Rotor