Making a shell for a RC car.

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Aquaman	Aquaman posted 12 Years Ago HOT Topic Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 3, Visits: 60	Hi all, First of all I hope this is the right section to post my query and I can get some expert help and guidance. I plan to make my own rc car shell as the one on the market for my car is very brittle and snaps at any point of contact. The requirements of the shell I make are that it has to be strong, doesn't crack/snap upon impacts, must be flexible and long lasting. The reason for these requirements are because the car will be flipping over and landing on it's shell, rolling over multiple times and having impact on the shell from various angles etc..., the car weighs around 15-20kg I believe. I don't plan to make a mould but rather use the inside of the shell as a mould as I figured it'll save me time, money and it wouldn't look much different from being slightly smaller. So far I have thought of putting down 1 layer of Black, 200g Diolen Fabric in a 2/2 Twill weave for aesthetics. Following that with 1 layer of Aramid 2/2 Twill Weave 300g Fabric Cloth. This will be followed by 2 or 3 layers of 300g Chopped Strand Mat (fibreglass) then maybe another layer of 200g Diolen Fabric in a 2/2. What do you guys think of this plan, will it be suitable for my needs? Will it become too thick? Is it possible to bond all those fabrics together without them coming apart easily? Any suggestions and advice will be greatly appreciated. Also to note I won't be using a vacuum or anything just laying everything down by hand and using a brush to spread any resin. What else would I require for the job in terms of the type of resin that can be used on all the materials I will be using and also any sort of coating that will go on my mould (inside of rc car shell). Thanks in advance.
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carbonfibreworks	carbonfibreworks posted 12 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 292, Visits: 4.5K	Hi Aquaman I would say you are using too many layers and with a wet lay you will have a very heavy shell, you can use you own shell as a mould as I have made parts in a similar way. As your original shell may have some flex you need to put some strength into it and a good way is to cover the outside with plaster of Paris ( I have actually used the vacuum packaging that comes with some items as a mould ), you could if wished now use an envelop bag and vac bag or infuse. If you do not have suitable equipment you can wet lay then place in some perforated film then fill the cavity with sand. I know it sounds crude but the weight of the sand will keep the fabric in place and apply pressure to to more complex shapes of the mould to reduce the risk of bridging. Best of luck Chris www.carbonfibreworks.co.uk Edited 12 Years Ago by carbonfibreworks
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Matthieu Libeert	Matthieu Libeert posted 12 Years Ago HOT Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 955, Visits: 3.4K	I did something similar, but with a mould... maybe some of the steps I've used could convince you to do the same? I know its with vacuuminfusion and mould and infusion and so on... But this was one of my first projects with infusion and From now on, I wouldn't use anything else than vacuumbagging/infusion and prepreg. Wet lay-up can be quit stressy and often results in heavier parts Matthieu Libeert Founder MAT2 Composites X Sports website: www.mat2composites.com
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