Jump to content

Manix92

Members
  • Content Count

    142
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by Manix92

  1. Actually I have the last round of updates to add to the build, pictures are ready so I should get round to it. I would hate to go out and try and get the hop-ups I got for this now, knowing Tamiya they are even harder than ever to get. Lets be clear, a TRF 201 or a hop-up'd Zahhak (basically a TRF 201) are miles off being competition standard now - yes once they were but not now. There is nothing you can hop-up to change that. Looking at the 2022 Astute nothing is different there, it is fundamentally not suitable for modern competition no matter what you do.
  2. OK, actually it really needs to go for a run. No major issues with it, you can get away without certain mods but stuff like the slipper clutch I think are essential. The ball diff held up probably because of the slipper clutch. Not been paying attention to the new releases, I assume the chassis on the Zahhak is still the last true competition level Tamiya off road 2WD chassis unless something has changed in the last year. Getting spare parts may be problem, and probably so for the hop-ups too.
  3. If the hole has not been called up to tap in the tamiya instructions it is incorrect to use a tap on it be it especially form. Cut taps have a smaller tapping drill to form taps having a larger tapping drill. This is of especial concern for form taps because they will crack weak material or edge distance is small where the tapping hole is incorrect.
  4. I think most people will find with the glass filled/carbon fibre polymers the standard taps will be fine. I've had no problems. You can't reform glass/carbon fibre, the polymer you can. That is a quandary in itself.
  5. You are fine just getting standard taps, as I mentioned earlier you can get a full set of Presto or Dormer 1st, 2nd and 3rd taps for less money which makes the tamiya price a joke. Put that in context, at best the Tamiya version may be the same the quality, if you are lucky, as Presto or Dormer. You use Presto and Dormer in industry.
  6. Yeah it will do that, WeTransfer would have deleted the files a long time ago...... OK I was hoping I still had the models and have checked everywhere, unfortunately it works like they got binned when I had a mass clear out to reduce unneeded files on my CAD workstation to speed up back-ups. Checked the oldest backup and it isn't there either, it would have been on a old HDD external back-up but that drive has been destroyed for security since the move to T7 Samsung's for external back-ups. So sorry I can't help. BUT not is all lost try contacting a couple of the other guys on the thread who downloaded it and they may still have the files or know where you can get them.
  7. Quite a lot of the toolmakers were using 3D since the early 90's, I started dropping AutoCAD myself in 1995. Not picked up 2D other than modifying stuff since about 1997. The thing was in the early days of 3D CAD/CAM you didn't do the whole tool design on 3D because it would take too long. So you did it in 2D CAD and then just did the 3D surfaces on 3D CAD. In the 90's you were even getting SLA models done, especially on automotive stuff because the tooling could carry the cost. It was really expensive then though.
  8. They aren't using anything amazing, most of the tooling is pretty simple - the caveat that very few tools usually have so many impressions in the normal world and the runner system will be difficult to balance. Hence why there is some problems with repeatability and............. flash.........tool wear. I'm not 100% sure what year pre-hardend P20 steel came on the market but it was probably available in the 80's and def in the 90s, they would still make the tool out of that today. Unless they went to something like H13 steel fully hardened for glass filled on long mould runs. Sparking, wire erosion, and CNC were all there in the 80's for toolmakers - it just was a longer process. Tool quality was as good then as now the big difference is you paid for it. There is a simple answer to this just remember how much Tamiya kit was back then compared to todays money. On a side note - When injection moulding and trials have finished the moulder will produce a setting sheet for the mould machine, also there will be data for QC on critical dimensions that need to be checked. They will have reference mouldings and check the weight before continuing with moulding. At the end of the day this really hasn't changed from the 80's either just more and more of it has been digitised.
  9. The biggest problem with moulds out of production since the 80-90's is where will they have been stored and what state is the corrosion in. Sure when you put a steel tool away you will spray it will mould protection BUT when we are talking that long it would have been needed to be out and re-protected several times. A badly rusted tool can be more or less scrap.
  10. Good find but at £27 (seems the correct exchange rate) for a small aluminium nut I'm out. I will have a browse later see if they have anything else I need and maybe I can justify it then.
  11. The TRF201 part is unobtainium last time I tried to buy one. Durga could be a option but then again how easy is that to find and is it M2.5 which I believe the DN01 is.
  12. No sorry My second one is holding up still. I am considering getting some done on shapeways from aluminium or stainless steel/bronze or even the pure stainless mix, they would need to be tapped post production - I think it's M2.5. Then because they charge per part I was thinking maybe getting several joined together that need to cut/separated into the individual parts if that makes sense. I have been busy the last few weeks hence not being on here much. It shouldn't take long though to model in Solidworks when I get a chance.
  13. I would have thought if you have already built a Tamiya and found it pretty easy you shouldn't have a problem. Just take your time and ask questions if you aren't sure.
  14. Touch wood I still haven't had issues with my ball diff. Yeah those tyres aren't great on certain surfaces, no surprise. They are pretty good on fresh cut grass if it is short/dry (not lush grass) and the soil underneath is dry. Hard pack ground and tarmac OK too. Not tried them on carpet. BUT boy the stock tyres are horrendous on gravel - IF you manage to get speed up (being incredibly sensitive on the throttle) it is like a guided missile ready to bite you in the rear. It's all kind of relative though, as you say it behaves much better than the run of the mill Tamiya buggy. If you jump back onto a regular Tamiya buggy or have it running at the same time you realise how much faster you were/are going without issue. Not good for crashes that sense of security, I seem to be going much faster when something goes wrong, fortunately they seem pretty tough.
  15. To this day I have no idea what model of 2WD Tamiya buggy I first had. I bought it off a mate at school for about £40 in the 80's. All I can remember is that it had a aluminium bathtub chassis, it wasn't a Grasshopper or Hornet, a beetle ran over it on the road and flattened it (managed to bash the aluminium out to use again and no plastic parts got broke - go figure) and it ended up in a big pond which was the final thing before I sold it. Oh also remember getting in trouble for flatening the battery of next doors fiesta which we charged it off.
  16. My TA03 just needs a bit of paint I'm getting there slowly. Lot of fun though these TA03 with all the bits. Can keep you busy for hours.
  17. Oh I would would love a desktop CNC VMC. The things I could do, I could dream all day about it. I have a seat of Solidworks which comes with machining software if you stay on subs each year so that part is covered. On top of that I spend most of my days designing stuff that will go straight on CNC machines. BUT ever time I get that itch to buy one, a new CNC is too expensive and any secondhand ones are either too big, too used, broken or made of cheese.
  18. In between fixing up the TA03 and upgrading the rising fighter a bit I managed to get back onto this and start getting some of the goodies on it. So first up on the last delivery I received the 5mm reinforced adjusters item number 54257. I'm still sceptical whether they really are any different to the black versions in the kit. Either way it allows me to put all the new hard turnbuckles on the front. Well it says (bit out of focus sorry) 'Made from a special low-friction nylon material'. Maybe they are better than the kit items. Anyhow it means I'm going to get these guys on now, so there will be a full set of 53943 turnbuckles front and back. Apart from looking nice they are so much easier to adjust. Oh but lets not forget adding the rest of the aluminium blue ball connectors! So as previous with the turnbuckles I measured the ones I was replacing and set the new ones to the same..... and on they went. # Next up, to finish the front, was add a set of front K blocks 54185 on some new rims. Strictly speaking these were designed for 4wd but Tamiya put them on the TRF201 and it's relatives only leaving out the DN-01. I will later be getting some front Hole Shots and fingers crossed that will cover me for most surfaces I will be using. On they go. Wow I got there, that is the front totally finished! No more upgrades on the front...................don't quote me on that Nest updates will be some goodies being installed on the rear.
  19. The Tamiya tap in the UK is like £20, I saw the price and just thought forget it. The fact that you can get a set M3 1st, 2nd and 3rd taps by the likes of Presto or Dormer for much less sealed the deal for me.
  20. Just fitted those RC bearings on the Rising fighter and they seem spot on fit and best of all it doesn't sound like a bag of bolts anymore.
  21. Yellow to spice things up, nice I take it you know the lightweight version of the motor plate doesn't have the deep recess for the screw on cover that the standard blue TRF version has to keep out dust? Just means you will get more dust on the pinion/slipper clutch/spur). I don't know how much difference it makes in practice as I have only ever had the standard TRF version on.
  22. Rest of my items that I had been waiting for were delivered today. So these with the other items I had delivered previously gives me plenty to do.
  23. Last couple of days really been getting on with cleaning, replacing and rebuilding the TA-03RS Lancia 037. So far done the front end, who knows what awaits on the rear end.
  24. I would have thought the closest you could get to the finish on a delorean is to use a brushed steel wrap. As has been stated they were bare metal but the stainless steel was then brushed - not polished. Stupid idea really stainless steel weighs more than normal steel used for car bodies so you are making the car heavier. Anyway what about something like this? https://www.wrapdirect.com/brushed-silver-aluminium-vinyl-with-adt/ Have no idea how well it would stick to the body and really you want brushed stainless not aluminium, sure someone would sell stainless version somewhere.
  25. Depending on the level of injection mould tool you can be looking at between 100,000 to millions of shots before it has had it. Aluminium tool regularly last 100,000 shots, a fully hardened all singing and dancing tool can be well in the millions. From the pictures I have seen Tamiya tools are steel, probably pre-hardened P20 for general stuff which should last 100,000's if treated correctly. It all get's murky though when we move onto the glass filled and carbon filled mouldings. Adding a filler like that wears the tool and the mould machine barrel/screw. The tools have got to be fully hardened and therefore are very expensive. But basically yeah there is a high investment. I do wonder if this is what drives the Tamiya ReRe program? Some maintenance on old tools + re-polish and they are good to go again. The problem with CNC routing a flat sheet is that it's flat and that is the limit of your design - within reason you can mould any shape. But for sure it simplifies the design process and initial outlay. There is one thing generally speaking RC car aluminium parts should generally be considered inferior to high carbon fibre filled polymers - obviously a reasonable grade of aluminium is better for not stripping thread and probably does better at not wearing when ground against concrete but given that the strength is probably as high or higher in a high carbon filled polymer there is a massive weight saving.
×
×
  • Create New...