Lexan!

[mach1basher]

I just watched a few of squrirrel's videos on youtube and he convinced me to get some. I go to Lowes and I get over two feet long and 1 1/2 foot wide 1/2 thick lexane for making chassis's. Then I thought to myself that I could make some parts with thinner lexane I but two 10 x 6 1/4 inch lexan for $17 and some odd change! I considered carbon fiber but that stuff is pretty expensive and it has the same durability of lexan. I just wanted to share this good idea with you all. For that price it looks like me and my dremel are going to be hard at work. I right now am in the process of making a chassis for my xxx-t racer and my rustler.

 

[Hyster]

can you post that link?

 

[mach1basher]

He has some very useful videos. This is one of i'd say 100+ informative videos. There are 4 videos in this series to show how to do everything from making a template to cutting it.

 

[Hyster]

I know my next question is going to be a bit more advanced than my skills at this but, I have been thinking about making a lexan shell, some what custom. At what temps is Lexan pliable to stretch over a mold?

 

[mach1basher]

Lots of DIY sites say that it is bad to attempt to heat-form because it bubbles up when heated, but a couple industrial sites say it has to be baked at 250 F for (some period of time depending on the material's thickness) to remove the moisture absorbed in it, before heating up to the 375 F forming temperature.

 

[Hyster]

That may explain the bubbles. So what are the guys on " myth busters " using when they make molds to form balistic gel models?

 

[mach1basher]

I think they have a vacume machine that dosen't very fast and it uses paper thin sheets. This is a really great material. I am now making the finishing cuts for my xxx-t chassis. I want to tell you guys to use a hand saw instead of a dermel. The dremel melts the lexan and it gives off a harmful smoke.