Left-field silly scaler body question - possibly missing the point

[spacephrawg]

well i just want to say a thing when it says scale... its its appearance.lol iv have yet to see a 1:1 truck jam its rear tire in a rock and flip back wards from TQ. we build them because we like the body style and if you could scale up and rc to a 1:1 you would have a very capibal truck more then anyhting made in todays world. 99% of scale stock rc trucks to scale actually are lifted.. so its just a toss up power to weight ratio is a big thing . and i like all kindes of bodies heck look at the new cherokee body i like the way it looks but i dont have a scaled down 35 axle to put in it or in line 6 wylinder youl never get the same exact to see how they preform in the 1:10th scale world.. and if this is off yer toipic i dont know what yer talking about then

Its very on-topic. Thank you!

 

[spacephrawg]

I don't have much input on the scaler side, as I'm just getting into scalers myself. However, your artwork is pretty awesome...specifically the egguins, cardboard shark, and the mahogany head (what is the size of the carved head?).

Its about 8 or ten inches tall.

Thank you for your kind words!

I was thinking at one point of making a fictional body from scratch except that there are two kinds of sculptors: builders and carvers, and i'm a carver. I can build things from kits but i get a little confused when i'm building things from scratch.

I have no shortage of ideas for fictional bodies, but I don't have a good way to realize them right now.

I have a new computer (a super mac) and a copy of Rhino 4.0, a scanner to input my sketches, Pepakura - a fun program that allows you to take a 3d model of anything and unfold it into somethinhg you can print out and put together in paper. Here are some examples of what the program can let you do - this is a web store that sells files you can print out so you can make your own paper models:

http://www.fiddlersgreen.net/

Where am I going with this? Well, if i was any good at building with styrene card stock, which I'm not, I would gladly make myself a body on the computer and then make it in real life, except for a couple of things:

No work space atm. No space to set up the computer, though I am working on it. And nooooooo luck with styrene ever. I'm not very good with precision things when i'm making them myself. Partly its that i find asymmetry attractive in the right context, and partly I just suck at it when I try to do it. Unless its a spacecraft, asymmetry doesn't work on a vehicle for me. I know they've tried it in planes and experimental boats but I mean asymmetry that comes from things not being lined up properly. I have no luck with that.

However! what is involved in getting something vacuformed in Lexan?

Also, for not too much money one can make a vacuformer for styrene plastic. Only problem is I would need a lot of reinforcement of the shell, and I would have to design the mold pattern so it didn't have any undercuts, so I would have to make many pieces.

No problem you say? Well here's the thing: i have something I've rendered on the computer, and now i have to get it 3d printed somewhere. Ok not too hard but it can cost $$. but now i have to make a mold of it and cast that in plaster so i can do the vacuforming from it. More work, more money.

One day maybe but right now I think I'll have to stick with per-made bodies.

Do you think in future, if i have some sketches I should post them and ask "how might i do this?" Doesn't seem like the sort of thing you do here. On Starshipmodeler, yes. Here not so much.

The egguins are for sale - i will have an Etsy.com store soon.

 

[Duuuuuuuude]

My take on the 1:1 world is that its easy to make a good car better, faster, more reliable, whatever. But to make a crappy car better, faster, reliable, etc takes talent, patience, and more than half a brain.

Got a 500 hp Corvette? Who cares, I have a 500 hp '59 VW Beetle. Suck it!

As was pointed out earlier, most hardcore rigs are body only, everything else has been replaced with something better.

Run what you like, what makes you happy, what interests you. If someone gives you a hard time about it, drive it full force into thier ankle. "thumbsup"

 

[spacephrawg]

My take on the 1:1 world is that its easy to make a good car better, faster, more reliable, whatever. But to make a crappy car better, faster, reliable, etc takes talent, patience, and more than half a brain.

Got a 500 hp Corvette? Who cares, I have a 500 hp '59 VW Beetle. Suck it!

As was pointed out earlier, most hardcore rigs are body only, everything else has been replaced with something better.

Run what you like, what makes you happy, what interests you. If someone gives you a hard time about it, drive it full force into thier ankle. "thumbsup"

That there is my new religion. Thank you!

Ironically as i read your post, the radio played that Richard Strauss theme used in 2001 A Space Odyssey. Quite a sublime experience.

A side note, I've had to justify my new interest in scale trucks recently to my girlfriend, so I came up with this: "It's the only ethical way to own an SUV." That gave her pause. She still says I shouldn't consider buying any until I've moved out of my parents' house and have made more sales and/or have a job. But but I wanna wee little truck damnit!

Anyone want to buy some egguins? Chicks dig 'em. Three about the size of your fist for between 25 and 35. Blue ones are sold individually at 20 a head because they take four times as long to make. Any takers? They make a great gift, they don't eat much, and they're your portable fan club. However they might take over your house and eat the cat.

But back to the original topic, so most real high-end rigs bear only a visual resemblance to what they were originally, eh? Can you give me an example? I haven't seen a copy of Peterson's 4wd in forever. I wouldn't be surprised if someone made a crawler out of a Geo Metro or Smart Car. At least we know the Smart Car would be safe in a flip.

This has been very enlightening and liberating. thank you all again!

And btw, if anyone has any input for my artwork, I'd love to hear it. I don't really draw from other art for my ideas. I draw from industrial design; cars, trucks, engines, turbines, generators, ships, submarines, aircraft, guns, tanks, plumbing, buildings, sailing ships, medical equipment, architectural ornamentation, electronics. Things like that.

I think any artist who is so full of himself that he is immune to critique, is immune to growth. I had to show with one for my senior show. She was awful. So yeah, if you have any ideas: ma.k@juno.com

 

[Duuuuuuuude]

II'm not very good with precision things when i'm making them myself. Partly its that i find asymmetry attractive in the right context, and partly I just suck at it when I try to do it. Unless its a spacecraft, asymmetry doesn't work on a vehicle for me. I know they've tried it in planes and experimental boats but I mean asymmetry that comes from things not being lined up properly. I have no luck with that.

Oh please.

Think of it as motorized art. Check the build thread in my sig. I had no clue how it was going to turn out, and I had never attempted a build of that scope before. I drew a picture and went for it. I am not one for precision either. Who says you need to build a scaler? Build any damn thing you want. You've obviously got the eye and the talent.

 

[spacephrawg]

Oh please.

Think of it as motorized art. Check the build thread in my sig. I had no clue how it was going to turn out, and I had never attempted a build of that scope before. I drew a picture and went for it. I am not one for precision either. Who says you need to build a scaler? Build any damn thing you want. You've obviously got the eye and the talent.

Thanks for the vote of confidence! I will look at your thread shortly. OMG i just realized its after midnight. maybe tomorrow :shock:

Thing is if I am building a vehicle, its because i want it to be a believable vehicle. I'm not a fan of Burning-Man style vehicles. I don't want a crawler that looks like a pig, thanks. The thing that draws me to crawlers is that they have something that most other land-based RC's do not: they are *scale models* at least externally. Thats why I like scale boats too. Anyone can get a superfast racing boat but it won't look like anything or have any charm. A wee little SUV with scale beer keg and surfboard on top just warms my heart.

And a wee-little SUV should look like it could represent a 1:1 SUV in my mind. If I'm inventing one myself, all the more so.

 

[microgoat]

If you like to carve, pick up a sheet of 2-inch pink foam at Home Depot. There's no limit to what you can make with that stuff. When you've got it shaped, coat with epoxy and fiberglass cloth.

Wee little trucks are fun.