drummerdad

Okay. This might not be the place to put this, but Im not ready to start a build thread. I have learned I am doing it backwards--I have been building the base of the cage, and adding the suspension and wheels and tires, engine, etc..after I build a majority of the cage. I have watched a few channels where they build actual cars, and they start with a jig, bolt the suspension, engine and wheels in place, mount the body and build around that. I'm going to take some time and start looking at parts, and maybe build a jig. In the meantime, here is what I bought. It's a 1/8 scale 3d printed body of a 2007-ish Dodge Charger SRT-8, which is just like my car (except mine isn't an srt8, its an rt with the road and track package). I'm going to make a pro-mod out of it. I've never seen a pro-mod made from a 3rd gen charger. As for the body, it looks like what I would expect from a 3d printed body. Lots of lines. And the halves are split in a weird place, but I think I can manage. For what I am doing, this will be perfect. There will be quite a bit of body work, but that is to be expected. The body is a little warped, but the box was half crushed. Nothing is broken and I think I can pull it together and make it straight, so I am happy. It was not the fault of the seller, he had it packaged well. Ill just get some clamps and maybe make a wooden fixture for it. It took about 2 weeks to get it, and it cost about $205. That's with tax and shipping. The guy is on ebay, and his store is called revolutionus. I asked him if he would do custom sizes, as he mostly does 1/10 RC bodies. He said sure. I gave him the wheelbase dimension from my actual car, and he already had the file to print. Easy. I will try and go back and get a 1/16 or 1/12 67 Dodge D-100 in the future, but for now this will have to do.

This body will come in at least 2 pieces according to the auction. Its also PLA, so there will be some work involved in getting it to look good. I know I would need a massive printer, but I don't plan on printing bodies. I know thats what everyone says, and I might change my mind eventually. But the way I see it, these large models are expensive and time consuming. I cant build one in a year, or two. This will take 4 or 5 years if Im lucky. I'm not as consistent or serious as some of you guys. I just dabble, and I get un-motivated so I swap kits, and shelve others...Its a mess. My goal with the printer was to print all the details items, like wheels and tires, seats, carbs, engines, batteries, etc...If I bought all of that for the Iroc Im currently working on, it would cost several hundred dollars. I can get a smaller printer, buy some files, and start figuring things out. I can print for any scale at that point with the files I have already bought, I just have to do the math. This wont be a quick process either. I am currently working on three 1:1 projects as well. I'm not rich, so everything has its priority and 3d printers are low on the list. But, Im going to try and make this happen, and get some of these model ideas out of my head.

A small update. I found a guy on eBay who prints 1/10 scale RC bodies. I reached out to him, and he as agreed to print a 1/8 scale body for me. I will update with pictures, probably in another area, when I get the body in. He has a bunch of bodies on ebay. I also inquired about an additional body, and he agreed. It'll be a little bit before I get the other one though. Ill give all the details including the name and price when I get the body in. I want to check the body to make sure its acceptable before I recommend him as a source. I'm also going to go ahead (I think) and buy a resin 3d printer and cleaning/curing station. I will have to learn how to do the smaller stuff, like wheels and tires, shocks, seats, engines, etc.... It's going to take a while to gather all the stuff, and get ready.. Then I have to learn how to do it. With the market being the way it is, if Im going to keep building these kits, Im going to have to suck it up and learn to print. The cost of two sets of wheels and tires for a 1/8 scale model will pay for the 3d printer and all the accessories.

Are there still people on this forum willing to print for others as a (paid) service? I have tried to get things printed by friends, and they didn't turn out good enough to use or they were out of scale. It's hard to get someone who doesn't work with scale models to understand what is important in the final product. If they are printing trinkets or gizmos for home use, the quality doesn't have to be crazy. If you are printing an 1/8 scale drag slick and tire, it needs to be very detailed. I have reached out to people of Facebook also, but they only seem interested in printing figurines for games or things like that. I am currently working with 1/10 scale drag tires for RC cars from the local hobby shop. They are the right size, and they look good from the front, but the tire shape is off, and the back of the tire wont work. Im using them for setup and looking for another solution. Plus they were like $95. If anyone is willing to print wheels for 1/8 scale or 1/12 scale models, contact me please. We can talk and discuss pricing. I have already bought files online for this.

Shapeways going away from store fronts really sucks. I haven't posted in awhile...Im just busy and doing my thing. I lurk occasionally. Mostly Ive been learning to solder so I can get my 1/8 scale Iroc going. And just as Im getting ready to set the suspension up, I go to Shapeways to buy wheels and tires and get this surprise. Is there any way to get large tires printed? I bought some files from 3d cults, and tried to let some friends at work print them. The goal was to make sure I could in fact buy a file from an online source, and print it...eventually buying my own printer. But so far 2 friends have tried and failed. If they cant do it, I probably cant either. I have reached out to another guy at work, so maybe he can get it done. I have also looked at 3d scale parts. He has some of the best stuff I have bought, but in the 1/8 scale stuff I don't want the wrinkle wall tires. This is frustrating.

I have a ton of pictures. Im not sure I can post them all here. I lowered the truck by adding a mustang 2 front suspension with coil overs, and a triangulated 4-link in the back. I have a complete build thread on the dodge forums and the sweptline forums. I agree they are very tough. The frames are big and heavy. I boxed this one, and after the mods, I couldnt lift it. I had to use the engine hoist.

I am currently working on a few things 1:1. My sons 67 dodge D100, and my 07 Charger RT. Isaacs 67 is a 4speed short box 318 short bed sweptline. I added a mustang 2 front end, a triangulated 4-link and front disc brakes. I swapped the frame, and shortened it with custom cross members. My car is a stock 07 charger RT. I have a new zero mile engine to go in it, along with an MDS delete kit, new cam, complete exhaust and a torque storm supercharger. It should make about 500 wheel HP when Im done.

I dont want to derail this build, because I am in awe of you guys who do these super detailed builds. But how do you all get the solder joints to stay so close together? I have attempted a few small brass bar joints and its fine, until I get bars or parts really close together, then everything just falls out. Is it the resin making a eat bridge? Or do you guys make fixtures for every joint that needs it? Is there a thread here with details on how to pull this off? I tried a fixture, and some of those manipulator arms to hold things, and it never hold it exact. I also tried heatsinks.

Some of the 3D parts have better quality than others I have found. However they are better than the resin parts I have bought. It might be the same thing, where the supplier makes all the difference, but I have not been impressed with resin parts. Im trying to improve on my fabrication skills. Its cheaper than resin and 3d parts, but it takes awhile to get good enough to make a good part.

Thanks for the kind words guys. I have bought a few 3d parts from Shapeways...I think. I go to a few 3d sites, and I think they have stores on Shapeways, who prints the parts. It works out good for me. It is a 1/16 scale firebird.

I am working on a 67 dodge d100 for my son. It was supposed to be a father/son project, but he passed away in 2018 from a bactrum reaction. So, Im trying to finish it how we had planned. I also bought a 67 ford f100 that will be mine. The plan is to finish them both and take them on the power tour with my wife. Current state of the d100 is the first picture. Just finished the frame mods-IFS, 4-link, boxing, shortening, and painting. Still tons of work to do. Current state of the f100 in the 2nd picture. Stock for now. Its going to get a 5.0 HO/auto, a crown vic IFS, and 4 wheel discs. Im not touching the body on it.

It will be a 5th wheel. I designed it to hold 4 cars. Im working on the parts that have to move right now. I havent decided on the H2. Im thinking it will be finished off like the H2 SUT (I thinks thats it). Its a 4 door with a short bed.

I know its an old thread, but every time I see it, it makes me want to pack my stuff up and quit. Holy cow.

I bought a few finished models and unfinished kits from a friend awhile back. This H2 was in the bunch, and I decided to do something different. There arent too many duallies on the market, so I decided to try this. The wheels are 3D printed from 3D scale parts. The wheels look great. I added the fender extensions and cut the back off. I think it looks ok overall. I still have work to do, like finishing off the cut on the back, and fabricating a 5th wheel hitch. Im not adding a ton of detail. Its just a low detail model (not sure what they are called). The interior is a single piece, and the suspension came off in 3 pcs, that all screwed on. Im going to use it to "haul" my custom trailer. I made a few changes to it also. And, yes thats my finger in the top picture. Im an idiot.

What irked me today? Our local city officials have declared we are in a "safer at home" situation, meaning if you dont have a good excuse to be out, you could be cited with a misdemeanor for being out. We have had, to date, around 1900 Covid-19 cases in Tennessee...statewide. 13 deaths. We had 2100 flu related deaths last year in Tennessee. Now I know some are saying "this is not the flu" and I get it. But I dont live in LA or New York either. This is beyond crazy, and Im starting to think its something completely different than what we are being led to believe. Anyone here ever heard of a book called "1984" by George Orwell? Hmmm.

So I got a 12" x 24" piece of 14 gauge steel today at lowes. I came home and laid out a grid just like my other plates, at 1/2" centers. Ill scribe them later, Im just getting set up right now. The heavy gauge steel seems to act as a counter sink itself. Ill have to learn how to heat sink other areas in the process, but Im just getting started. Im also learning that the fish mouth of the bars is critical. I can get it to work, and Im sure I can cover up some ugly, but its important on this brass. I also tried plumbing solder, and it sucked. So I am using electrical solder, .8mm rosin core. I laid this out by eye, so Im not sure Ill even use it, but its straight and strong. Its a start. Its for the 1/8 scale Iroc.

Thank you. I hope it doesnt disappoint. So I got a little done today. We are relocating our sound room at church, and I am doing the sound equipment and rewire, so I had to work on that for a few hours today. I managed to get the upper strut supports in place. The picture only shows the left side, but I got the other one in also. And I made an impeller for the procharger, although I didnt get a picture of it. You cant see the brake caliper in these pictures, because I havent made it yet. Im going to make a detailed front piece that you can see through the wheel, but I havent got to it yet.

I dont have a holy grail kit. I have a 1/8 scale Iroc model I have wanted to build for about 10 years. I started it once, and my son fell into the box, crushing it. I located another, before the prices went crazy, and set it back. Im starting to gather parts for it now. I have always wanted to build a model, with no kit parts. 3d printed parts and scratch build everything else. It just seems to be the pinnacle of difficulty to me. I am eyeing a 3d printed COE chevy truck, in 1/16 scale. It would be the most I have spent on a model, and have the least parts- just the cab, hood, grill, and doors. Everything else would have to be printed or scratch built. Im working on my chassis building and scratch building. I recently started playing with the brass tubing. I am really liking that stuff. I might get there one day....

Sorry to hear about your struggles. I married young while in the Army, and divorced after 3 years. Met the love of my life at church, and we will celebrate 22 years this year. We have been blessed with 4 children; 2 girls and a boy biologically, and we adopted another girl (because we are gluttons for punishment) about 5 years ago. Life has a way of making things difficult on us humans. Our son, Isaac passed away March 28, of 2018 due to a severe allergic reaction to Bactrim, which was prescribed for acne. That was the hardest thing I have ever been through. We managed to get through with support from family, friends and our church, which is full of incredible loving people. We still have bad days, but we get through. I still struggle around this time of year, and with things I know were close to him. He was my helper. Now I can work a little. I can be by myself with my thoughts and get through it. I still have strong support in my wife and 3 other children, and my extended church family. You can get through this, just find some support; family, church, friends, a group. Maybe all of them. I hope everything works out for you. In time it will get a little easier.

Here are two more. This is recent. I have started the front suspension. I still have a lot of work left. The box will be the intercooler. The hot side goes in where you see, and then the discharge will be on the top and go straight to the intake. You can see the body is a little warped in the bottom picture. The cage is square, but the body is twisted because of the t-tops, just like in the real firebird with t-tops. I bet this one would leak water too.

Ive been working on this for a few weeks. I didnt want to post until I was sure I could overcome a few issues I have had in the past. I started a drag week mustang, and the body was old, and the cage just sucked on it. Im in the middle of a 1/12 scale drag VW, but I wanted to do a drag week style car. So, I started this. Hopefully Ill be able to crest the hump, and actually finish this model. Its a 1979 Pontiac Firebird from MPC. The engine is a sonny leanard mountain motor 1000 cid billet engine. The transmission is a 3 speed lenco auto, the rearend is a ford 9 inch from the mustang, and the centrifugal supercharger is scratch built to mimic a procharger F3. There are various other 3d printed parts, and some photo etching. Wheels are from 3d scale parts. I know the joints need a little work. Im going to use some fingernail filler my wife gave up on, after I get it together. Ill get a few more pictures, in a little bit. The front end has been separated now, and the body mounts have been added. I also had to spin the supercharger around. It works better with a driver side exit.

Ill definitely be watching. I had my eye on this while it was up on 3d scale parts, Im just too busy spending money on about 4 other large scale kits, and two classic trucks. Way too many irons in the fire. I love those wheels also. Very nice.

Very well said. This is how I feel. Dont lose your mind. Be smart, wash your hands. Have faith that God will help us out here. (dont want to lock the thread with religion) My faith is why Im not too worried....that and I live in a small city, with less than 100k people. We have only had 2 cases locally, both survived. We are currently looking at live streaming church services for our elderly, who have decided to stay home. It makes sense, as they are much more susceptible. And again, sorry for those who are effected by layoffs.

I play drums. I have played since I was about 10. Started in the concert band, went through marching band in high school, got a 5 pc set when I turned 16. Added another 5 pc set when I was in the Army. I typically play progressive rock and metal. Dream Theater, Symphony X, Circus Maximus, and a little Rush. Im trying to learn heal-toe for faster feet, because Im getting to old for the fast stuff.

Thats one figure, which was listed for Australia. Another says every 7 days. Either way, its the media and Hollywood causing panic. Even if you get it, youre likely to be fine. It is NOT an automatic death sentence, like some people seem to believe. The standard Flu virus has a death rate of less than 1%, Covid-19 is about 3%, but experts agree this is inflated because of the elderly, which it seems to spread to faster. I guess if you are in a big city, it might be a problem, but here its just annoying. And I have sympathy for those who have been laid off.