Plastic mousing a new body.

[MuntyScruntfundle]

Hi folks.

 

Having spent s couple of days trying to find a more 'realistic' (I really don't like the sticky out wheels look) body for the Tamiya WT01 I've come to the conclusion I might have to make one.  I don't have any way to make a hollow shell, but I do have a printer and could print a mould.  Then I'd need a vacuum plastic moulding machine, which I don't have.

 

Does anyone know someone who knows a guy who knows a girl with a thermoforming machine?

 

Thanks.

[evssv]

u can make a vac machine quite easy..chk u tube

[mo_miah]

is there a particular truck design you are after?

there's plenty of shells that have a 281/282mm wheelbase

[Fly In My Soup]

Theres no way low cost way to diy vacuum form, as it requires a good air compressor.....you'll also need a mould that's made of plaster,clay, some types of styrene etc etc.

 

A printed mould would have way to many imperfections to be useable...and needless to say would need a fairly large printer even to make a 1/10 body.

 

The cheapest way would be to craft the mould yourself, then simply google around until you find a vac forming company that does commercial forming to spec......ship them the mould and wait 

 

Which ever way you choose, it will certainly not be a cheap or short endeavour, finessing the mould will take weeks......this is your most time consuming part of the project....hence why when a manufacturer makes a mould, they'll make them in batches of 1000's to make in financially viable

 

Not trying to put you off!!

 

If you do manage to do it, create a thread on here about it, as I know this question crops up every so often

Edited December 14, 2017 by Fly In My Soup

[Fly In My Soup]

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=vacuum+forming+service&oq=vacforming+service&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l3.6698j0j9&client=tablet-android-archos&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

[Isle of Wight Basher]

Why would you need an air compressor to suck ?

 

RC Bodies can be vacuum formed at home using a Vacuum Cleaner., and a mould/plug can be made in smaller pieces, and then finished with body filler etc.

 

I'll be making a vacuum former when time allows.

 

 

 

[Fly In My Soup]

1 hour ago, Isle of Wight Basher said:

Why would you need an air compressor to suck

 

The way I've seen it done is to use an air compressor to create a vacuum, not a vacuum itself, the more powerful the air compressor the better

 

You'll need to modify a compressor valve / or like in the inscrutables link below modify the internal valve unit on a cheap tyre inflator style compressor

 

http://www.instructables.com/id/convert-a-tire-inflator-type-air-compressor-into-a/

 

Each to their own I suppose!

 

I did notice he was using a barrel bin type vacuum, I own one myself, which are a lot more powerful than your average household upright......o.p you should be able to pick one up for cheap though??

 

Lastly...I'm all for trying new things, but as per the above video....the end result didn't seem worthwhile

Edited December 14, 2017 by Fly In My Soup

[Isle of Wight Basher]

Aaah, that's interesting 

 

The amount and size of holes in the base makes a difference to the amount of suction needed, as does the volume of the base, same as downdraft tables.

 

Agreed the body he did was basic indeed, but it was just an example to show vacuum forming can be done at home with a diy setup, a more detailed plug and using mould release wax or suchlike means more detailed shells can be made.

 

 

[XV Pilot]

Instead of making a wider body, have you considered narrowing the chassis to fit an existing truck body?

 

Being a relative of the TL family, the WT-01 can take TL-01 suspension arms and dogbones, or even M-03 suspension arms and dogbones if you wanted to go really narrow.

 

Personally I think the chassis looks good with TL-01 suspension (WT-01N spec) and a scale 1.9 wheel and tyre combo such as Fastrax Kongs for example.

 

These options would be a lot cheaper than making a shell, and give the vehicle more of a scale look.

Edited December 14, 2017 by XV Pilot

[XV Pilot]

 

This is an example of what I mean. The above truck was fitted with TL-01 suspension and tall narrow tyres to resemble an American mud bogger, but could just as easily be fitted with a more conventional tyre to resemble a normal road vehicle.