# Pine Cars & T-Jet Bodies



## Mexkilbee (Apr 17, 2008)

So I was in the hobby store the other day and noticed the "Pinewood Derby" cars on the rack, and i thought damm spoiled kids, when I was in scouts they gave you a block of wood, four nails and tires and said, "Build a car". The bodies now come pre-formed, actually have been comming this way for a while I was told. 
That led me thinking, what if a few select shapes were casted out of resin, and it was up to the Builder to hallow them out, file them down and get them race ready. (make wieght).
Would this be to much to ask a slot car racer to do? Would you run in a class that had that for body rules?
The possibilities are pretty good, you could shave all the wieght of the chasis and run a brick for a body, or go super light wieght with the body and keep the chasis heavy... Within the body itself there would be tuning availible to the builder. Guys, good idea or no?


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## JordanZ870 (Nov 25, 2004)

Hollowing out an entire slot car body from a block of resin would not be a very pleasurable experience. At minimum, a dust-mask would be a must, as well as safety goggles (not glasses). A mask with a micron filter would be better. The fine dust created from hawging out a block of resin is so fine that it even filters through tightly woven clothing. I shudder to think about what it must do to the lungs as it floats about and is inhaled. Nice idea though.


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## 1976Cordoba (Sep 20, 2000)

Mexkilbee said:


> That led me thinking, what if a few select shapes were casted out of resin, and it was up to the Builder to hallow them out, file them down and get them race ready . . . Would you run in a class that had that for body rules?


Nope. I'm lucky if I get enough ambition to paint & decal a car . . . no way I am hollowing out a body shell.

But that's just me.

Nice idea though.


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## resinmonger (Mar 5, 2008)

I would think the only reason any one would carve a car out of a block of resin would be to build a master for casting. And a block of resin would not be the first choice of material to use for making a mold master. Some of the incredible European craftsmen I used to deal with in the 1:43 kit/model arena used wax for carving.


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## Mexkilbee (Apr 17, 2008)

Well lets fine tune the idea a little bit. What if you were givin a Body that was thin in the skin on the deck, roof, and hood but the sides were thick, along with the front and rear panels, (Most of the hogging has been done). Lets say there was three different bodys to do, or more. So that there would be a standard, and plenty of room for your own take on things. Still some work to be done, (lot's of snoz berrys to pick after the dremeling is done). Would it then be viable. Or we can just go to lexan and be done with it. 
But then you would have to paint and decal that up to. Doba, I to have a whole basement of cars that need a little paint here, a little lowering to be done, many that need five minutes of work, but never get the attention they need. Also Doba, I've seen your cars you post, you are a lucky dude, or just incredibly ambitious  
just looking for new spin on a forty year old toy car. .02c


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## Bad Dawg Slots (Feb 8, 2009)

*I can speak from the experience*

While working for Tyco Toys back in the late late 80's thru 97 when Mattel bought us I worked alot on the Tyco Slot car line and when we would carve the 2.5:1 body patterns and then the 1:1 pattern we then would have to take our solid patterns and hollow them out to fit a chassis ( this was after we molded the body and had a cast body ). See marketing had to see and feel the image because they could not see a picture on paperand we needed cars for toy fair and packaging sample. But back to the solid car . I would have to sit there with my fordom tool and a pair of snap calipers for wall thickness and grind away . yes we had dust and it felt like it took forever . But you had a nice car .But now after you have a hollow car you need to develope and window insert or maybe you want to separte the bumpers . All alot of work .I know and from time to time I do it now . I have a panograph and shrink cars down and have to do the whole thing again . I like doing it ,but then I'm werid I guess


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## micyou03 (Apr 8, 2003)

Here's what happened to my eye, just from sanding some resin off a 1.43rd scale driver to make it fit in a car.


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

Egad, that's nasty!


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## coach61 (Sep 6, 2004)

micyou03 said:


> Here's what happened to my eye, just from sanding some resin off a 1.43rd scale driver to make it fit in a car.


Jebers Mic.. you better now? Resin is very very sharp a lot of people do not show enough respect.. wear a good pair of protective lens with side sheilds. a good mask as Joez recomends resin hurts if ya breath it in.. take percautions or you could wind up looking like Joe Or Other Joe...Hope that Eye is better...


Dave


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## micyou03 (Apr 8, 2003)

Yeah, That was a couple years ago. It took like two weeks to clear up.


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## TomH (Jan 17, 2006)

I have used wood to make a simple body for resin casting. Don't think I have enough talent to make a complicated body though. I had to do a lot of sanding, most of it hand sanding. Balsa wood is pretty easy to work with. If I ever do it again I will spend more time getting the balsa body as close as possible. Resin is much harder to work with.


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

Some form of respirator is a good idea. 

Depending on the available work area I use a coupla methods for keeping from eating too much of that carp. One of my shop benches has a window behind it. By placing a box fan with a furnace filter on the backside one can pull fresh breathable air from the back side and exhaust the air in the immediate vicinity. The filter keeps the carp from hitting the lawn or drooling down the outside of the garage.

I also use a shop vac for little jobs and leave it running near the work piece. Headphones are nice hear....er here....hahahahahah.... duh

Also keep in mind that many cutter bits like carbides or stones depending on how coarse or fine have recommended speed for optimum cutting. The point being that maximum RPM doesnt necessarliy equate to max chips being cut. Sometimes things cut better at 1200 RPM rather than 120,000 .....snicker.....most guineas have the boost cranked up waaaaaaaay to high.

The trick is to proceed slow and steady.


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## Bad Dawg Slots (Feb 8, 2009)

I agree with Bill you need a good work space with some type of exhaust system . We had a work space with a exhaust hood and built into the table was a grill which you would work over and the dust was sucked directly into a vac. system . Not good for small parts if you dropped them they were gone or if you wanted to dig thru a vac.bag . I think the big thing with resin materials is some people are highly sensitive to the resin and do not know it . Thier skin will break out and also in thier lungs . If you have any of this work with another material because I have had people who were great casters or modelmakers ,but they could not deal with the resin issues. In 35 + years of working with resins I have been fortunate. Wood can be bad too because I use to make wooden pattern work and after using the sanders the dust got into my eyes and some how some way I had a fungus growing over my eyes . For two weeks I was not having fun especially with the eye drops so there's a down side to most materials . It best to take procautions to protect your body.


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## TomH (Jan 17, 2006)

I've had those dark reddish cut off disks come apart on my dremmel and bury themselves in my forehead. They are pretty dangerous attatchments for a dremmer IMO. I only use the cone shaped rocks for working down resin thickness. Makes a powder like Bill was talking about. With some glasses and a particle mask it is pretty safe and harmless for me anyway.


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

Yup, 

Them whizzer biscuits for yer dremel will scatter in a heartbeat if you get sloppy/tired and go lateral with them. I only use them for quick lineal cuts and NEVER plunge them. Greed is the enemy here. LOL! Take human bites!

The carbide burrs are my weapon of choice for most hoggin' jobs. I then follow with the stones and work my way to papers.


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## Bad Dawg Slots (Feb 8, 2009)

my least favorite tool is a dremel saw blade . known for taking the tip of your finger off when you cut you piece and if you don't go the right direction it will spin around right into your finger


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

LMAO Bruce!

I'll have to agree that an unguarded saw blade winging at 42 gazillion rpm might possibly be a hazard.


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

Bad Dawg Slots said:


> my least favorite tool is a dremel saw blade . known for taking the tip of your finger off when you cut you piece and if you don't go the right direction it will spin around right into your finger


Thank you Bruce for saving me a trip to the ER!!! I just aquired one of these and while I had an idea it was a hazard, I had no idea it was that bad!! I guess I'll find a better place to use it than the dremel... like the drill press..


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## Mexkilbee (Apr 17, 2008)

Do the stones actually get you somewhere, i have used them on plastic models and they just melt the plastic and become useless. I like the carbide cutter for the big stuff, and finish with sanding sticks or papers. 
Before they came out with, or before people began using the stone for shoe cleaning, how many of you have takin shrapnel from the guy next to you using a wire wheel to clean their shoes?


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

Yeah all the time... turn yer speed down on styrene Mex...after all it's only plastic

Allow the cast off slag to cool and flick it off like a booger


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## Mexkilbee (Apr 17, 2008)

Bill, I am going to revisit that, cause when i started I had a plug in varible speed Dremel (the lowest speed is still to fast for most things), but know i have the Recharge Batt Dremel that might actually be slow enough to work for that.


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## Bad Dawg Slots (Feb 8, 2009)

my two favorite bits to use or tools are my carbide burrs and my little drum sander .


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## TomH (Jan 17, 2006)

Yeah Mex, with the stones I use the slowest speed and I keep the stone moving over the material. I don't have much experience using them on styrene. I was using them on resin plastic that I think is a harder material. The carbide burrs I have are really loud and they bounce. I was using them on the slowest drem speed. Anybody have a clue what I am doing wrong? BTW I bought diamond grinding disks from harbour freight. They work great and they aren't wearing out. Work real well for bringing down the side thickness of a cast.


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## Bad Dawg Slots (Feb 8, 2009)

Tom, how coarse is the burr? I found with resin, acetate, and plastic like abs or styrene which melt you need a fine burr . Wood you need a coarse burr and could be the reason for the bounce you are having and you have to watch what you get from harbour freight all the tools are from china and they do not hold an edge . Best to fine a good jewery supplier and you can get some good burrs and tools from them for not much more . I have also bought some good toold at flea markets too.


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## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

So, any pics of ya'lls favorite axes?


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## TomH (Jan 17, 2006)

Bad Dawg Slots said:


> Tom, how coarse is the burr? I found with resin, acetate, and plastic like abs or styrene which melt you need a fine burr . Wood you need a coarse burr and could be the reason for the bounce you are having and you have to watch what you get from harbour freight all the tools are from china and they do not hold an edge . Best to fine a good jewery supplier and you can get some good burrs and tools from them for not much more . I have also bought some good toold at flea markets too.


That explains it Dawg. I was using a course burr on my resins. Yeah I'm with you on dremmel attachments. I have mostly dremmel brands. The diamond disks from Harbour freight would probably be junk if I cut steel with them. I have only used then on plastic and so far they are not wearing. They have a pretty long shaft so I can keep back far enough to keep the tightening deal in the front of the dremmel from messing anything up


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