Homemade indoor RC rockcrawling course?

[CuriousGeorge]

I have recently started thinking about making a rock crawling type course that I can move but use it inside too. What really got me thinking about it, was the article in XOM about the concrete course they made.

I'm just wondering about some things, or want some feedback. I will be using a TLT size rig or smaller. I also will be making it so I can take it apart and move it around.

Here is what I'm thinking about using instead of concrete, Plaster of paris (looks like dried concrete, but is more like craft stuff).

I was going to cut like a 4x8 sheet of 3/8 BC sanded plywood, into like 4 sections, and mount risers on each corner (just to be able to keep it off the floor enough to pick it up). Then I'd take mesh wire and bend it into basic shapes to help create the overall terrain. I need to be able to hold it to each piece of board. I also think about getting some rocks (like just more gravel type, and adding some too it to give it that.

I'm kinda lost on how big I need to make it (like height wise, and how can i make it just more than hills and stuff. I keep looking at some of the terrain people are wheeling on, and I don't think I can even come close to competing with that.

It might nto be a great idea, who knows. Just in theory it is sounding like it would be fun, and it would also help my GF get into wheeling (she has the thought of it).

 

[BigSmokinGun]

Being a model railroader I have no doubt it can be done. Obviously its on a much bigger scale than what I am used to but the same principle. One thing you dont want to use is plaster of paris, too soft. Look into hydrocal, dries much faster and harder. Another possibility is extruded polystyrene foam, the blue or pink stuff sold at Home Depot/Lowe's. It can be stacked up and carved with a hot wire foam cutter. If you are seriously going to look into doing it, go to your local hobby shop and check out a book on model railroad scenery.

Eric

 

[CuriousGeorge]

Only reason I said plaster paris stuff, is my dad used it to make a snowman for a table and it didn't crack or anything but was way lighter than concrete but looked very similar. I know I was going to use a couple layers atleast, b/c basically the 1st layer was just a rough image, and as they got more layers I would shape it more and carve it out to make it more what I was looking for.

Didn't even think about model railroad stuff, since I am a huge junky for scale model stuff. They have those mountains and some other stuff I can add too it, and get some shapes too.

Yes I am serious, I'm trying to go the cheapest I can about it, but I woudl rather not have more than $100 into it all, and I think I might, just might can do it.

thanks...

 

[BigSmokinGun]

Hydrocal is white like plaster of paris and there are stains you can buy to stain it any rock color you want.
Dont know if $100 is gonna cut it. Do your research before you jump into it. You certainly wouldnt need the BC plywood; maybe CDX or some underlayment? Havent checked prices lately.
Just had a thought....if you make a "hardshell", as its called in the model railroad world, maybe you could make the very top of the "pile" removeable and store it inside the bottom.
Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

 

[Trike Kid]

what about foam insulation? its popular for the smaller rigs and seems durable.

 

[AdamF]

Could you mix some sand and gravel in the plaster to strengthen it and give it some texture like real rocks?

 

[CuriousGeorge]

Could you mix some sand and gravel in the plaster to strengthen it and give it some texture like real rocks?

I was planning to do something like that. I want to try to make it as real as I can, but not need 8 people to move a 2x4 sheet of it. I think I'm going to end up having to cut a 4x8 sheet of plywood into 2x4 sections and then just put it together.

Foam insulation, I don't think will even work close to what I want to do.


I'm still in the trying to figure out what all I need to do to get it realistic, and not just spending money and not coming out with crap. I know a 4x8 sheet is the biggest I can fit with some spare room. The hardest part I can think of is modeling it so it will be challenging without being super tall (only about 1.5'- 2' tall).

 

[badhoopty]

i would drape a big blanket over your chickenwire and hit it with fiberglass resin. the last couple coats of resin you could mix with sand or somthing to get traction with. it'd be pretty damn light and pretty durable.

 

[BCCrawler]

i would drape a big blanket over your chickenwire and hit it with fiberglass resin. the last couple coats of resin you could mix with sand or somthing to get traction with. it'd be pretty damn light and pretty durable.

Today I'm finishing up a 4x9 rockpile for the local hobbytown. I took the chicken wire and shaped it over actual rocks then stapled it to my plywood. For the surface i used fiberglass mat and resin. After that bondo coat sanded some edges in. Now I'm using that stone like spray paint to finish it off. Played on it for a little and it is perfect size for tlt size rigs

 

[CuriousGeorge]

Today I'm finishing up a 4x9 rockpile for the local hobbytown. I took the chicken wire and shaped it over actual rocks then stapled it to my plywood. For the surface i used fiberglass mat and resin. After that bondo coat sanded some edges in. Now I'm using that stone like spray paint to finish it off. Played on it for a little and it is perfect size for tlt size rigs

Thanks....

How much are you into the project?

 

[BCCrawler]

Dollar wise around $100. It is still only 90% finished. Will probably be a week or so but when I pay rccrawler the 20 bucks I will post pics on this thread.

 

[CuriousGeorge]

Dollar wise around $100. It is still only 90% finished. Will probably be a week or so but when I pay rccrawler the 20 bucks I will post pics on this thread.

That isn't bad. I'm still in the research stage of it all. I have one of the little cources for the rockcrawlers you can get from Wal-mart, and I think I am going to use that as a bases for looks.

This is no way going to be as easy as I first thought.

Pics would be great, give me some ideas.

 

[CuriousGeorge]

Any updates?

I did try to do smaller version just to get an idea, and it's going to take alot more work than I thought. I think I need to make it more runny, so it can flow over things and find it's way to wherever it wants to go.

 

[badger]

This is a cool thread. I moved it to General crawlers forum so it does not get lost in chit-chat.

 

[fuzzhead]

This is a cool thread. I moved it to General crawlers forum so it does not get lost in chit-chat.

yes it is. and good idea.

keep them coming lol

 

[JohnRobHolmes]

Dollar wise around $100. It is still only 90% finished. Will probably be a week or so but when I pay rccrawler the 20 bucks I will post pics on this thread.

one week. suuuuuure!! so where is this fancy pile i have been hearing about for months? you need to stop hanging out with your jailbait GF and finish the hobby pile!!

 

[spookyseven]

i said this before but nobody liked it, but ill say it again. i think someone could make a course out of spray in insulation. not the fluffy blow in kind, the kind im talking about is sprayed in as a liquid then when it dries, it expands and gets hard.altho it is foam, i think it would be hard enough to crawl on and it is also very light. im not shure but i think it is called polyurethane, but im not shure

 

[JohnRobHolmes]

that stuff would work pretty well, but i think it would wear and get dusty over time. it would be good for the moulding and shaping though.

i think the best idea that i have heard was a fiberglass and epoxy skin. you could sprinkle sand on it while wet to get killer grip.

 

[CuriousGeorge]

i said this before but nobody liked it, but ill say it again. i think someone could make a course out of spray in insulation. not the fluffy blow in kind, the kind im talking about is sprayed in as a liquid then when it dries, it expands and gets hard.altho it is foam, i think it would be hard enough to crawl on and it is also very light. im not shure but i think it is called polyurethane, but im not shure

This is a good idea, because after attempting what I thought would work. I need to make bigger molds to start off with, then add the texture to the top layer.

 

[flatfender]

If you have a small local theater group around stop by and see if you can talk to the scenic dept. small theaters usually have a very small budget to work with so they have to make sets and props with very little money and most of the time they do incredible work.
they may give you inexpensive ideas that would work and also know of local suppliers that you may not know of.

foam covered with a thick coat of latex house paint that is mixed 50/50 with sand.
electric turkey knife works slick for carving foam with no fumes assosiated from a hot wire knife. we used those at the prop shop I worked at for a few years.