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This Thread needs a real Pro Tip every now and then.... 

HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE STRIPPED SCREW THREADS IN PLASTIC??? 😲  (be honest!!) 

I came up with this while watching a Video on how to 3D Print... 

Really needed this solution, because I had just stripped the Threads on BOTH sides of my Wraith AR60 Axle!!! 😠😖  They're actually notorious for stripping Screw Holes. 

spacer.png

These are Brass Thread Inserts. In the U.S. you can get them here. They're inexpensive:   https://www.ebay.com/itm/292174792941 😉

Many China Sellers have them, and I'm fairly certain that they can be had in the UK, Europe, even Australia!  

Here's the Dimensions: spacer.png

I Drill a 5.2-5.3mm hole in the Plastic, depending on how soft the Plastic is.  Then I take a SMALL amount of Epoxy or Gorilla Glue, and put it around the knurled area. Fit a SHORT (3mm x 4mm) Screw into the Insert, to protect the Threads...

I will then push the insert into the Hole with Pliers or Vise Grips, (from the INSIDE if at all possible) until flush with the surface. 

REMOVE the Screw right away, give the adhesive time to Cure.  Use like nothing ever happened!! 😁😊 

The Inserts in my Wraith Axle has so far held up for over 5 years, on 4S Brushless Power!! 😊💯👍👍  It's really a much better than new fix, and I can recommend them in high stress areas. 

....... IRONICALLY, People I've talked to who have used these in 3D Printing, have said they were RUBBISH! Not so on the Plastic applications I've done.

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22 hours ago, Carmine A said:

This Thread needs a real Pro Tip every now and then.... 

HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE STRIPPED SCREW THREADS IN PLASTIC??? 😲  (be honest!!) 

I came up with this while watching a Video on how to 3D Print... 

Really needed this solution, because I had just stripped the Threads on BOTH sides of my Wraith AR60 Axle!!! 😠😖  They're actually notorious for stripping Screw Holes. 

spacer.png

These are Brass Thread Inserts. In the U.S. you can get them here. They're inexpensive:   https://www.ebay.com/itm/292174792941 😉

Many China Sellers have them, and I'm fairly certain that they can be had in the UK, Europe, even Australia!  

Here's the Dimensions: spacer.png

I Drill a 5.2-5.3mm hole in the Plastic, depending on how soft the Plastic is.  Then I take a SMALL amount of Epoxy or Gorilla Glue, and put it around the knurled area. Fit a SHORT (3mm x 4mm) Screw into the Insert, to protect the Threads...

I will then push the insert into the Hole with Pliers or Vise Grips, (from the INSIDE if at all possible) until flush with the surface. 

REMOVE the Screw right away, give the adhesive time to Cure.  Use like nothing ever happened!! 😁😊 

The Inserts in my Wraith Axle has so far held up for over 5 years, on 4S Brushless Power!! 😊💯👍👍  It's really a much better than new fix, and I can recommend them in high stress areas. 

....... IRONICALLY, People I've talked to who have used these in 3D Printing, have said they were RUBBISH! Not so on the Plastic applications I've done.

I've seen this done on 3D printed projects where they were melted into to object using a soldering iron.
They do work well.
Your method is probably better on factory produced injected plastics though.

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Ok, now THIS TIME I'm gonna just do a light clean, repair, and install of electrics on this 2nd hand buggy I bought just to get it running quickly, no need to go overboard.

Some time later: (looks at collection of parts from completely stripped buggy).......oh well, complete clean and resto it is then......

How does that happen?

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2 minutes ago, Pablo68 said:

I've seen this done on 3D printed projects where they were melted into to object using a soldering iron.
They do work well.
Your method is probably better on factory produced injected plastics though.

It absolutely is, because the Plastic is stronger than any 3D Printed media so far... But that's subject to change. 😉

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Amendment to my earlier post... I've found a even BETTER fix for Stripped Threads in Plastic RCs! spacer.png

3mm x 0.5 HeliCoils!! 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/143464887201 

$6.95 for 10, so it isn't as cost effective, but requires a much smaller hole. It can be used in far more applications! 😊

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33 minutes ago, Carmine A said:

Amendment to my earlier post... I've found a even BETTER fix for Stripped Threads in Plastic RCs! 

Those are tanged for easy insertion, but can be brutal if you need to knock the tang off (pass the bolt through) easy to damage the parts. Ok if your bolt selection is shorter than the insert.. you can normally get 1, 1.5 and 2 xD  lengths. They can also wind out if you use a thread locker so best for fit and forget applications. Not sure about M3, but in larger sizes they do a self locking version with some distorted threads, these are mostly ok but will damage fasteners, especially cheap cheesy ones so high loaded fasteners can fail from the damage.

The brass inserts you had are great if you have space too, but are a bit weighty. The are normally vibrio welded into place but the glue works fine too in most applications. If you’re using a base material that doesn’t like glue.. the Keensert is in between these two types, it fits into a threaded bore M5 size, it can be bonded in too if required and has tangs which once installed are hammered in to resist rotation.

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@Lee76 I can see your point in blind hole applications. I've used the HeliCoils in through holes, secured with Epoxy, with no issues so far. I've also only used good quality Hex Screws. I can see how the HeliCoils can damage soft, inferior Screws. 

.... Used in only a few select locations, the Brass Inserts, don't really add significant weight (and Tamiya Cars tend to be too light anyway - for non-Pro applications). For durability, they are the best option. 😉

Thanks for pointing that out. Others can benefit from that info. I'll have to check out Keenserts. Never used them before.

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2 minutes ago, Carmine A said:

HeliCoils can damage soft, inferior Screws. 

No worries, the damage is only from the self locking version because it uses a deformed thread as an interference device. I love a good threaded fastener... thread :) It’s straight out my day job so unlike most of the RC world where I have limited experience I feel I can contribute more to the conversation.

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Another Real Tip for you Guys....

😉 Thought of this on the fly..... If you have Diabeetus or know someone who does - SYRINGES might just be the best Tire Glue Applicator I've ever used!!! spacer.png

Ultra Thin CA sucks right into it, and with a teeny weeny 32 Gauge needle, it NEVER releases too much Glue, and goes EXACTLY where you need it. No waste, no gluing Tyres to your FINGERS!! 😁 

Best of all, when done, the Needle is protected by a Cap, that after you fit the Cap, it's almost instantly glued to the Syringe - protecting little hands and big Trash Collector hands! Try it out! 

Of COURSE I had to try them out! 😉 spacer.png

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Don't waste time unplugging your expensive LiPo from the Hobbywing Crawler ESC to plug it into the discharger.  Just leave it plugged into the Crawler ESC for 7 days, it will not only discharge itself completely but also puff up like a little balloon.

I suppose I could have stuck it on the NiMH charger on 5th November, we'd have had the best fireworks of anyone :)

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and BUMP!!!

Spend several hours faffing about with a 2wd offroad chassis you had sitting around for a while to change it from a roller to a runner, then go outside and test it for under a minute and rip off a rear suspension arm sliding into an immovable object.
It was just going to be a gentle test run.....
I guess I'll just wait for the replacement part to arrive then.

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And BUMP!!! again.

Nothing involving breaking stuff or blowing up batteries or anything. Just something I've noticed over time.

 

When working on your buggy, clean and set you work area with everything you need. This should make you look a lot more civilized.

After working on said buggy for a little while find yourself contorted into all kinds of weird positions with tools and crap everywhere and wondering how it all came to this?

 

eta: Mea culpa, I'm repeating myself, already mentioned the contortions in and earlier post.

Edited by Pablo68
Repeating myself
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No funny/costly mistakes but some actual (and humble tips):

Workspace:

- Always lay a towel/clean rag on your work surface before working on a chassis. Stops small parts from rolling and falling to the floor.

Tools:

- Buy proper tools where it matters: a Hudy turnbuckle wrench to turn the beautiful blue Tamiya turnbuckles without marring them. The Tamiya tool for E-rings. If you must use JIS crews (see below) get proper JIS screwdrivers. The Tamiya M3 thread rolling tap :wub:

Screws/ Threads:

- Grease the tap before making thread.

- Always, always, turn counterclockwise until your hear the 'click' before attaching any screw in an existing hole. Doing that you will be able to remove and install screws in plastic hundreds of times.

- Use loctite whenever attaching a screw in metal, but only add the product to the first 2 threads. Else the screw will be difficult to reuse 2 years later.

- Change your JIS screws over to hex head, machine thread ones. If you are careful you can successfully convert tapping threads to machine threads. It works.

Turnbuckles:

- Grease the turnbuckle threads when building turnbuckles. Roll threads in the adjusters (get a reverse thread M3 rolling tap from eBay while you are at it), it goes a long way.

- Orient all your turnbuckles in a way that makes sense to whoever wrenches on the car. I have the standard threads to my left when looking at the chassis from the rear. That is just me.

Adjusters/Ball nuts/Ball studs:

- Do not pop adjusters off of ball nuts / ball studs unless you are replacing them. This can make the adjuster loose. If you must remove a turnbuckle, use open adjusters (or open the top with an exacto blade) and unscrew the ball stud.

- Ball stud part 2: you can transform any ball nut into a ball stud with a grub screw and some loctite.

Shocks and diffs:

- Refresh Tamiya CVA bottoms with a 5mm short adjuster. It's a direct fit :)

- Take your time to remove all air bubbles from you shocks before closing them. If they make a squeaky sound that is not ok!

- Make a vacuum pump with a jam jar and a wine vacuum pump. Open a hole in the lid with a Unibit.

- Only fill oil filled gear diffs to the level indicated in the instructions else it will leak at the slightest temperature change. Ok that one is definitely a mistake I made :)

- Take the time to sand ball diff plates until you see yourself 3ft deep in said plates. Even if they are brand new.

- Replace the balls in your ball diff if it is not smooth. eBay metric balls work great.

- Hold ball diff plates with a magnet to sand them, and sand on a granite/quartz countertop or a glass coffee table.

Misc:

- Clean the chassis completely before opening a gear box. Dirt and abrasive particles will make their way to the gear and damage them. Hmm that is another mistake I made.

- Don't bother greasing gears. Modern TC cars and F1 cars have exposed gears that are ungreased and they last a decent amount of time.

- Shim you wheel hexes.

Electronics:

- Try a good servo just to see how much better they are, or not.

- Learn how to solder and trim your motor/ESC/battery wires to the proper length rather than using the Tamiya bullet plugs.

- Learn how to crimp servo/ESC plugs and shorten your wires. It's fun!

- Use a motor fan. Gear as low as you can get away with.

- Balance the car laterally with electronics placement.

- Balance the motor pod of pan/F1 cars separately.

Wheels and Tires:

- Don't glue tires before you are certain you like the inner foams.

- Tire glueing part 2: use caulking, diluted in white vinegar instead of CA glue.

Bodies:

- Don't try to spray paint in Arizona in the summer. No, it does not work.

- Wear a 3M respirator when spraying. You will live 5min longer for each 5min of spraying :)

- Test spray on a plastic spoon (TS) or a scrap lexan (PS) before spraying on the works.

- Trim the $%^&@#* body posts!!! Sharp utility knife then 400 sandpaper and it looks like it was molded to that length.

 

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1 hour ago, Pylon80 said:

 

- Trim the $%^&@#* body posts!!! Sharp utility knife then 400 sandpaper and it looks like it was molded to that length.

Oh yes baby!!!!. Mini pipe cutter is good as well. L

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On 5/25/2020 at 7:46 AM, Pablo68 said:

If you haven't already, make sure that you experience the unbridled joy that is the E-clip.
Be amazed as you try fit these to various shafts on your RC cars. Be mystified at how some just decide to go on with no bother while others point blank refuse.

You too could be like me listening intently for where it landed after deciding to fling off into the ether. Be like me as I look everywhere on my desk, on the floor, everywhere in my room, my large jaw jutting out, rubbing my prominent brow ridge and scratching and my sagital crest while immense amounts of time are lost building or fixing a model due to that one tiny clip.

Don't even think about using these 20220602_161801.jpg

Neither this when building oil filled dampers 20220602_161817.jpg

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49 minutes ago, Tamiyastef said:

Don't even think about using these 20220602_161801.jpg

Neither this when building oil filled dampers 20220602_161817.jpg

@Tamiyastef  you can try using a small metallic ruler to clip the e-ring straight into the tool if that's what you found to be a problem.

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On 6/2/2022 at 10:43 PM, Tamiyastef said:

Don't even think about using these 20220602_161801.jpg

Neither this when building oil filled dampers 20220602_161817.jpg

Yeah, good post. There is actually a small tool made out of anodised stamped metal for e-clips. I'm unsure which kit it came with......and I also have no idea where it went.

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When gluing tires to rims make sure to get CA glue all over your tires making them look....not good.

And on my hands. It's amazing I haven't glued a wheel and tire to my hand yet.

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4 hours ago, Pablo68 said:

It's amazing I haven't glued a wheel and tire to my hand yet.

Aah yes, I have done that one.  Actually at RadShape RC's shop, back when they had some indoor pay-and-play tracks.  Sitting at a pit table, trying not to look like a complete amateur as my all-new SCX-10 kept losing its tyres, then 10 minutes later trying to hide the fact that I had glued a tyre to the left hand and the glue bottle to the right, trying to hold my craft knife between 3rd and 4th fingers of my right hand to cut the tyre off my left hand, then use my CVA-numbed left hand to cut the bottle of my right hand.  Managed to do all this without losing any living skin and without ruining either glue bottle or tyre (or at least, any worse than having both covered in dry CVA).

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22 minutes ago, Mad Ax said:

Aah yes, I have done that one.  Actually at RadShape RC's shop, back when they had some indoor pay-and-play tracks.  Sitting at a pit table, trying not to look like a complete amateur as my all-new SCX-10 kept losing its tyres, then 10 minutes later trying to hide the fact that I had glued a tyre to the left hand and the glue bottle to the right, trying to hold my craft knife between 3rd and 4th fingers of my right hand to cut the tyre off my left hand, then use my CVA-numbed left hand to cut the bottle of my right hand.  Managed to do all this without losing any living skin and without ruining either glue bottle or tyre (or at least, any worse than having both covered in dry CVA).

Ok, that's amazing. I have had to run inside once or twice to 'borrow' a bottle of nail polish remover, I should probably see about getting a small bottle of acetone. Well done getting out of that btw.

 

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Be sure to slide your heat shrink tube on AFTER you soldered your leads to both motor and ESC sides.   :ph34r:

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On 6/23/2022 at 12:18 AM, Willy iine said:

Be sure to slide your heat shrink tube on AFTER you soldered your leads to both motor and ESC sides.   :ph34r:

Oh who would ever do that! Ahem......

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On 11/9/2020 at 1:39 AM, Carmine A said:

Another Real Tip for you Guys....

😉 Thought of this on the fly..... If you have Diabeetus or know someone who does - SYRINGES might just be the best Tire Glue Applicator I've ever used!!! spacer.png

Ultra Thin CA sucks right into it, and with a teeny weeny 32 Gauge needle, it NEVER releases too much Glue, and goes EXACTLY where you need it. No waste, no gluing Tyres to your FINGERS!! 😁 

Best of all, when done, the Needle is protected by a Cap, that after you fit the Cap, it's almost instantly glued to the Syringe - protecting little hands and big Trash Collector hands! Try it out! 

Of COURSE I had to try them out! 😉 spacer.png

I was thinking of this post the other day while getting CA glue on my hands and everywhere else.

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I think we can all agree that CA glue makes for a horrible finger-paint…

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There was an index hobby knife in my wife's scrap booking stuff... I tried, and it's GREAT!

KWGNa4Z.jpg

15 minutes to trim a CLK-GTR Bodyshell, wheel arches included, clean and perfect cut. Never had found this so easy : you put the knife on your index, and you follow the cut line. This is really easy and the cut is perfect. Won't look back to over ways to trim a bodyshell. Trying means adopted.

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