Im trying to make a graphite rustler chassis-science project

[greg_in_michigan]

im trying to make a graphite chasis for my rusterl and its for a science project. i found a place wher a guy makes custom graphite sheets and he is going to ( i hope) cut me one that is 14" long and about .08 or .09 inches thick. im not too sur eif this thickness is good or not. the normal thicknedsses he makes is .075. i think thats what all the factory made chassis are at, but im not sure. he said he can make the 14" graphite piece for me, but he needs to know what thickness to make it at. and im not too sure what thickness to make it at. but i told him .08 or .09. so im cunsulting u guys to tell me what i should do.

im going to use this for mainly road/speed. but ocaisionally will jump it cuz i cant stand not getting air off of my cars. bu i dont wanna break it. i need to figure out some way to make a top deck/brace for added strength. any ideas? i think im going to try to draw up a design for my top deck this week because i have spring break so i will have lots of time.

[Big Wig]

Is it graphite composite? Plain old graphite that comes in big blocks and sheets is very brittle. I believe the graphite composite is plastic material with graphite fibers woven into it. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong though. I know a guy who owns a graphite shop and does a lot of machining to the stuff and believe me,.. you don't want a chassis made from it!



[This message has been edited by Big Wig (edited 03-29-2001).]

[greg_in_michigan]

ive heard its brittle, but y do they make cars like xxx and xxxt and stuff out of it that jump, and go fast and off road? im going to do this mostlly on road and for speed. occasionally off road though, and possibly jumping. but im going to make a brace for added strength. and i think im going to have him make it .09" thick.
http://rcparts.homestead.com/partslist.html this is the guy im getting it from. he said he can make it any thickness and size. im waiting for my slow computer to load the site so i can see what kind it is. woven or whatever they make it as. ok, it doesnt say what it is. it says only that its a piece of blank carbon fiber graphite. so, i dont know. ima ask my lhs guy for suggestions too. i think ill email him.

http://rcparts.homestead.com/files/carbon_big.gif

heres the pic on the site. it looks like woven or something?

[greg_in_michigan]

ive heard its brittle, but y do they make cars like xxx and xxxt and stuff out of it that jump, and go fast and off road? im going to do this mostlly on road and for speed. occasionally off road though, and possibly jumping. but im going to make a brace for added strength. and i think im going to have him make it .09" thick.
http://rcparts.homestead.com/partslist.html this is the guy im getting it from. he said he can make it any thickness and size. im waiting for my slow computer to load the site so i can see what kind it is. woven or whatever they make it as. ok, it doesnt say what it is. it says only that its a piece of blank carbon fiber graphite. so, i dont know. ima ask my lhs guy for suggestions too. i think ill email him.

http://rcparts.homestead.com/files/carbon_big.gif

heres the pic on the site. it looks like woven or something?

[Big Wig]

ahhhh, carbon fiber! that's a different story! Carbon fiber is very strong! I just spent $300 on a carbon fiber pipe guard, skid plate and disc guard for my dirt bike. My bro used to put carbon fiber chassis' on his RC10's back in the day!

[greg_in_michigan]

i thought those 2 were the same. so, even if i do jump it sometimes, should i still go with the normal .075 inch thickness? and the topdeck, is that necassary too?

[greg_in_michigan]

i just got my dad to buy me a speed gems 2 topaz garnet motor. so ima put that in my speed rustler and i need to figure out what pinion to get though. i think i may buy a pack of the 6 or whatever from robinson. those will work with the traxxas spurs right? thats what i got.