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I have had folks ask what we use for these builds. I would post this in tool time, but it seems people don't bother to look in there...



I have a 1/2 inch steel plate which is the base. Having one of these is priceless for me. You can get a good plate, 1/4 inch will do at Lowe's in the "Metal by the piece" section or go to a local welder/auto body shop.

I use a torch for most everything. I have a cheap 30 watt iron for smaller work.

Little clamps like above are worth their weight in gold. They are inexpensive and get the job done. I show a cut off saw and Harbor Freight carried them. I use a Dremel for most quick suts, but it comes in handy for more precise work.

The cutting mat is also a great tool. You can get these anywhere, even in the sewing section at Wal-Mart. Just duck in there fast, get a mat and get out before you are seen.

The little toy vise and small hammer are all I need to "convince" most brass to go where I want.

Coffee cup full of assorted sizes. Only way to do it is just buy it and build a small selection. SCC setup block to check the work. I have a fancy plinth Rob made me too, I use that at trackside.

I am NO EXPERT at chassis building and my work proves that. Just sharing a few items that we use here to get the job done.

Thanks for the info Harry.I've been checking out these builds for some time.Now Bibbster is getting good at it too.I hope one day to try this out for my self.Just trying to learn some of the tips and tricks before I melt the shop down. :o

Rusty

Just that section. As a rule, it's best to conduct business in there quickly :)

Rusty, it's just a matter of doing it more and more. You have been here....and seen our "boneyard". LOL, many a good idea gone bad sometimes.

It's fun to build your own, just like buying a ready to run.

There are good chassis like PCS/Slot Classic that are great to use as well. Just sometimes it's easier to just make one to fit the model.

I agree f slotted building your own stuff makes
The hobby great for me. I use a 100 watt iron
Never used a torch for soldering might have to
Try that out

Kevinjr,

One thing to take into consideration is that brass is one of those materials that becomes softer when heating and then allowing to cool. I think you need to be very careful when using a torch on brass as you could be annealing the brass.

Just my opinion of course.

I too am an iron man. I have a torch but only use it for diassembling things that didn't quite come out the way I wanted them to. :) I use an R-Geo chassis jig, but the PSC's would work equally as well. I still have a lot to learn about chassis construction. :)

I guess i will stick to the ole iron then thinking
Of doing a step by step on building a sprint car
If anyone is interested

Hay JR,
I would like to see a tutoral on chassis building. I've done a couple but don't want anyone to see them. BAD is saying a little.

When I use a torch, it is for making a smooth, strong flow joint, and I use a little hand torch like Harry does. I use an iron for all electrical connections, and for tacking structural parts as I build. A flowed joint follows after I measure the placement. After a chassis is complete, I wash it, then I toss it in a tumbler brass cleaner for the night. In the morning, the chassis is completely clean and all joints are smooth. The brass cleaner is for folks who load their own ammo, and re-use the expended brass they use. Its been many years since I shot in competition, but that old tumbler still works great. The medium is little bits of cork with a brass cleaner stirred in. The tumbler holds about a gallon of cork bits, and I can easily clean three chassis at once, but since they tend to come together and keep hitting each other as they vibrate, I just do one at a time. I think I posted pictures of the tumbler a long time ago, but these are the only ones I can find. This chassis isn't one of mine. I used it to test the tumbler.

I do enjoy building, but having a ready to run is also a great thing.

Sometimes I don't want to build. I just want to open the box and do a quick tire cleaning and hit the track. That is the bulk of my hobby in 1/32. And with all the variety we have ready to go, I rarely feel the need to build a chassis in that scale.

And many times...I just don't have the time to work up a chassis. Having a Pro Motor or Smith Speedway bracket, or even a PCS/Slot Classic/HRS is a great time saver. If they run great, that's all that matters to me.

A torch might weaken brass...but in our home racing I've never seen it harm anything. Of course there is fine detail areas it is not suited for, but it works. All the Jalopy and modified chassis I have made over the years have taken some serious punishment and aside from a nerf bar or two needing a straightening...they are all still solid. My old 441 rebuild proved that for me :)

But no matter...torch or iron, what ever method you are comfortable with works.

Hey...I want one of those tumblers. Neat idea.

I pretty much use all the tools Harry posted in his first post. The bare essentials to get the job done. The only thing I dont have atm is a torch. Currently I use a 60w, (maybe its a 75w, cant remember) iron for brass work & a 25w for electrical work..

I have been thinking of buying a small torch. So what tpye of torch do you recommend? Pics etc