88 replies to this topic

[Pablo]

My Gene/ZR1 Dynamic Bandit bodies with Pablo paint and Martin Windmill detail stickers seem to be popular

 

 

I started another one today for an overseas customer. First step, Sharpie lining the cut line

 

 

12 more to go. 7 will be standard Bandits, and 6 will be "Super Bandits".

The only difference is the paint color, the Super is black

 

 

My job is trim, cut body mount slots, paint, and apply stickers 

[Larry Horner]

Wow, that looks like a ton of work Pablo but they certainly picked the right person. That first car sure looks good! 

[Pablo]

Thanks Larry    I'm doing this group production-line style.

First step was Sharpie mark. Next was rough cuts to get the major amount of flash off. 

 

Now I turn to my slot template gizmo, which is worn out. The goal slot cut is .260" X .045".

After a bunch of bodies, it's worn and I need to make a fresh one

 

[Pablo]

Still thinking of better ways to cut the slots. Meanwhile, the rough cutting continues.

I'll need some new scissors soon .... and a cleaning service appointment .... plastic bits from the Hobby Room to the living room    

 

[Martin]

I use a 1/4" paper hole punch, then cut to the circle with scissors. Fine tune with a sanding drum.

[Pablo]

I use a hole punch for thin bodies as well, but this stuff is thick. I'd have to buy several hole punches to finish 13 bodies 

Yes I finish with Dremel sanding tools.

 

Thanks for watching, Martin 

[SpeedyNH]

i was just about to ask how thick they were.

[Pablo]

30 thou.

[Pablo]

Assembly line progress report: 52 wheel wells rough cut with a Dremel tool. Thank goodness I haven't ruined a single body yet.

I need to call my cleaning lady after this is over 

 

 

Next step is removing the Sharpie ink with iso alc and smoothing the edges with a Dremel arbor sanding attachment

[Martin]

"Thank goodness I haven't ruined a single body yet."

 

There is still time

 

Just funing with you keep up the good work. you may never want to see another Bandit ever again after this round?

[Pablo]

[Pablo]

A combination of Dremel attachments, XActo blades, and sandpapers from 220 to 2,000 grit get the trimming job done.

2 done, 11 to go  

 

 

 

[Pablo]

Trimming done, time to cut the notches. Much gnashing of teeth trying to find a simple method to do this on 13 bodies.

 

My homemade template gizmo worked, but it was slow, tedious, and worn out.

I found a tool maker who was willing to make me a custom punch gizmo for $300+ 

 

In the end, I'm going simple - Sharpie mark, masking tape, harpoon a bunch of holes.

Then a fresh #11 Xacto to slice them, finished by a small flat file. It's still tedious but it works.

 

I have scouts scouring landfills near Van Nuys trying to find the original Dynamic template cutting gizmo.

Meanwhile, I plan to sally forth    East LA barrio surgery:

 

[Bill from NH]

Would you put Dynamic's use of the tabs in their "Not your best idea" category? I would think doing multiple bodies for Cox NASCAR chassis would be more tedious.

[Pablo]

Yes. I'd rather paint a house than cut 4 slots in 13 bodies.

I've tried hard to find a way to simplify it, and found nothing.

 

I guess that's why I got the job - I'm going to get it done 

[Pablo]

Progress report - Hurricane Zeta slowed me down a few days. Notches complete on 2 bodies; 11 more to go. 

A new #11 Xacto blade and I'm back in the saddle again 

[Martin]

Trust me Paul you do not, I just started striping paint on the back side of the house, did the front years ago.

I would trade you any day.

Its beautiful old growth redwood siding, and it has not been butchered (yet) Its a slow process, labor of love

[MattD]

Martin, you're not fooling me, I bet you're slow, but I bet it looks better than new when you're done.    You have a real talent for patience and perfection.  Those happen to be the two areas I am sadly lacking!!!!

[Martin]

With age I try and replace perfection with "that is good enough" . But with painting wood, the prep is so important.

 

A neighbor just had there house painted, "blow and go" seen it all before. It will need painting again in 3 years or so. But they are selling so they do not care

 

My problem is I would rather be doing something else and the weather has to be comfortable too.

 

Yes I would rather be mounting slot car bodies

[Pablo]

I tried making a new template gizmo, but the original one worked better.

Today I made a sanding gizmo with 400 grit sandpaper CA glued to a piece of 1/4" X .025" brass

 

 

 

I don't see myself ever finding a perfect way to do this. I just have to "Sally Forth" and work through it 

 

[Don Weaver]

 

 

A neighbor just had there house painted, "blow and go" seen it all before. It will need painting again in 3 years or so.

 

Spray painting a house is just changing the color, not painting and doesn't provide it's intended purpose:  protection of the wood.

[Pablo]

The original gizmo was getting worn out, so I made a new one.

Taping it to each target area one by one is tedious, but it works the best of everything I've tried

 

 

 

 

 

[Rotorranch]

If I'd known you were making a new one, I'd have asked you to make me one too! LOL

 

     

 

Rotor

[Pablo]

I can make more, but I need more .025 X 1/4" brass strip, and it takes me about an hour to make one.

 

 

[Bill from NH]

If you tried steel or SS for your gizmo, it wouldn't wear as fast as the brass. K&S sells foot long SS strips.