Making own body shell

[Gav]

I would like to make my own body shell for my rc car. Any of you guys done
this before? I'm not sure how to go about it. When I was at school a kid
made his own, think he had a block of wood shaped like the car body and then
somehow shaped the plastic to it. Any ideas?

thanks

Gav

[ollo]

Gav wrote:
>
> I would like to make my own body shell for my rc car. Any of you guys done
> this before? I'm not sure how to go about it. When I was at school a kid
> made his own, think he had a block of wood shaped like the car body and then
> somehow shaped the plastic to it. Any ideas?

To make a proper lexan shell you need a vacuum forming machine (your
mothers/wifes vacuum cleaner might not be enough:) and the mold, which
can be wood or metal or whatever. Basically the mold is put on the
vacform machine "plate", the lexan sheet is heated up and then sucked
into the shape of the mold. There must be lots of air channels in the
mold to suck all the air out.

If it's only for show, you could also make a glassfiber body, but for
running it will be either too fragile or too heavy. You also need
"negative" mold for making the glassfiber body, so it's sort of twice
the work.

BR,
-olev-

[V_Tach]

Do a search for forming canopies and other parts for R/C airplanes. It is
not difficult to do and it is relatively simple (with a little practice) and
inexpensive if using your home oven as a heat source. Making the plug would
probably be the most challenging part of the project. I have use a shop vac
as the vacuum source and it worked very well even on complex parts. I have
never done a car body though.

V_Tach



"Gav" <gavin.metcalfe@portakabinnospam.com> wrote in message
news:b1of9f$6mj$1@helle.btinternet.com...
> I would like to make my own body shell for my rc car. Any of you guys done
> this before? I'm not sure how to go about it. When I was at school a kid
> made his own, think he had a block of wood shaped like the car body and
then
> somehow shaped the plastic to it. Any ideas?
>
> thanks
>
> Gav
>
>