Just too Cool (UZJ 100 RC)
- Thread starter B3A5T
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pretty sweet! I think it's only a 1/24 scale though, which is pretty small - but still fun!!!
since they didn't exist previously, i've been working on making myself a 1/10 scale 100-series body that can be placed on a hobby-grade RC platform, like the Axial SCX10 or RC4WD Trail Finder.
Been slowly working on it over the past 1.5yrs or so when I have free time. Got pretty far along, hope to finish the body and cast it in resin before the Holidays, so I can give one to my boy. Here it is as of last week:
since they didn't exist previously, i've been working on making myself a 1/10 scale 100-series body that can be placed on a hobby-grade RC platform, like the Axial SCX10 or RC4WD Trail Finder.
Been slowly working on it over the past 1.5yrs or so when I have free time. Got pretty far along, hope to finish the body and cast it in resin before the Holidays, so I can give one to my boy. Here it is as of last week:
Nice work.
Better articulation than most 100s.
Very nice. Why not share some guide/behind the scenes ...?
- Thread starter
- #6
pretty sweet! I think it's only a 1/24 scale though, which is pretty small - but still fun!!!
since they didn't exist previously, i've been working on making myself a 1/10 scale 100-series body that can be placed on a hobby-grade RC platform, like the Axial SCX10 or RC4WD Trail Finder.
Been slowly working on it over the past 1.5yrs or so when I have free time. Got pretty far along, hope to finish the body and cast it in resin before the Holidays, so I can give one to my boy. Here it is as of last week:
Thats very cool. Going for DAD Of The YEAR!
If you want to build something like what's in the video the OP posted, there are "micro" RC crawlers on the market -- something like a Losi MRC or the Vaterra SlickRock. These smaller RCs are usually around the scale of model cars and similar toys, which come in pretty much every car made. All it takes is a little creativity and tinkering to stick the body on the chassis of the RC. Done. It's possible that the one in the video was a complete RC that wasn't custom built like I described, but I don't know since I don't understand Japanese.
Unfortunately the larger scale vehicles are limited selection, which is why I'm making my own. If I had the skills to make metal plastic-injection molds, I'd be doing that, but I don't and am doing the next closest thing which is casting it in plastic resin. Another popular method for making RC hard-body is construct it out of styrene/plastic, but the problem is you only get one and have to baby it because they break easily in bashing situations. Vacuum forming is one of the most popular methods - these are the thin, lightweight, transparent bodies you see on most RCs - they are made from lexan sheet plastic. After I make my hardbody, I might modify one of the castings so I can vacuum form a few bodies, it doesn't seem too difficult to do with an oven and shop vac.
In regards to the body that I'm making -- I'm planning to stick mine on a 1/10 scale chassis, I have 3 Axial SCX10's and one frame will go to this build (or build a 100% custom chassis from 1/2" square tube that I cut into C-channel). There are other platforms to build off of, some with IFS if you want it, all of them will require fab skills to make it work. I chose Axial because they have a great performing "scale" platform and currently the most aftermarket support for scale rigs.
Like I said, my Hundy body is ultimately going to be cast from plastic resin, using a "slush casting" method (basically pour X volume of resin into the open-top mold, and "slush" or rotate/spin the mold to coat all the sides while the resin cures). The resin I'm going to use is a Smooth On product, I can't recall the exact resin name but it's white and has a 5min pot life, and once cured has the right hardness to be very rigid yet not fracture on impact or when it rolls down a cliff.
The "positive" body that you see is made from wood, a little bit of styrene, and a little bit of epoxy clay. It's all handmade with basic hand tools. Tried to make it as clean/symmetrical as possible, but hopefully it stills shows some slight signs of being handmade vs machine. Once finished (almost there!), I will encapsulate the object in a 2-part mold (inner is soft, made from silicone/rtv; outer is rigid, made from fiberglass or plaster) so that I can cast it. Next step from there will be to make individual molds for smaller parts that go with the body - items like clear headlight/taillight lenses, mirrors, door handles, etc.
My plan is to have one built to Class 1, which is basically a scaled down real truck that you'd see in the real world - but I need to figure out an IFS system that I want. Then I'll pull a few more castings to go all out on another built at either Class 2 or Class 3, which are the hardcore non-realistic rigs with ridiculously sized tires and travel.
Oh yeah, for all those thinking that RC is a good alternative to emptying your pockets on your 1:1 rigs....hahahahaha I thought that same thing and have found it's a VERY expensive hobby...but so fun when you wanna go wheeling on the fly since all you have to do is put a battery in and drive around your yard
Nice work! Another chassis material option is Delrin. I custom cut a Delrin frame ~4yrs ago. Designed after the SCX rails. Its been a flawless, extremely capable rig. Unlike metal, it flexes w/o deforming. It also holds threads very well. I highly recommend it.
Awesome work!!. You could try building an outer mold with tooling gelcoat and a fiberglass mold. make sure your plug has plenty of the proper release agent and will pop out. Once the mold hardens and cures, you could make lexan bodies by placing a sheet of heated lexan at the bottom of the mold (the bottom of the truck), and blowing it into the mold under pressure. Kind of like vacuum molding in reverse. There are threads on rcgroups.com about what youre looking to do. Tons of great info there.
Again, great job.
Again, great job.
One other idea on making bodies. you could also look at using 2 liter bottles with a schraeder valve on the cap as your body material. heat up the bottle to when its soft. slip it into the mold (with a wooden bottom on it to contain the bottle, and apply air pressure to blow the bottle into the shape of the mold. ive made rc plane canopies and cowls using that method. 3 liter bottles if you can find them would be even better.
