Do you make tube chassis's?

[studebakermike]

Wondering how you bend the sprue in a half circle to conform to the rest of the flat floor?   I wondering if I can make a whole tube chassis out of sprue , or just make a partial tube chassis? Anybody ever try this?    Thanks Mike         Is this the right forum to post this too? That half circle I'm talking about goes next to the wheel house area!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited January 17, 2016 by studebakermike

[iBorg]

Try Evergreen Plastic. The tube will hold shape with a brass rod inside. I've bent the rod by using a metal jig and magnetics to hold it in place and then heating it to hold shape. The trick is heating it enough to hold the shape and not melt it. 

 

Mike

 

[1930fordpickup]

Mike this should be put in the Question and tips area. It more than likely will be, 

If you look in that section or the drag section there are many good pictures of what you are talking about. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

Depending on what scale you're working in, sprue may be WAY too fat for a chassis tube. In 1/24-1/25 scale, for instance, most sprue is only appropriate for the main frame rails of something like a Cobra or a Jensen Interceptor. Determine what the diameter of the REAL tube you're modeling is, and divide that by the scale you're working in to see if sprue is right for the job.

To do nice tube-frame work, I also suggest Evergreen or Plastruct material, but I prefer to use rod. It can be easily bent with your fingers, and the heat of not-quite-boiling water is enough to set it long enough to glue it where you need it. 

I scratch-built the upper parts of this chassis / roll cage from styrene rod...

This roll-bar assembly is also made from rod...

 

[bobthehobbyguy]

It also depends on what type of car you are building. Current race cars use a truss type design that has been used sitarting around the 1960s. Typically the tubing size is 1 and 5/8th which scales to about 1/TH OFan inch. The contruction is very strong and lightweight.

The disadvantage of using sprue is it is way too big. Also finding long enough sections can be a challenge.  Another is is there is normally mold lines and the shapes is not always round. Which means you will be spending a lot of time with ckeanup to get something workable. 

Evergreen is not that expensive and will make your projects easier to do. Also for drag cars check out some of tyrones builds he has the chassis work down to a science.

[studebakermike]

So I'm the the poster of this topic, and I like the ideas.  I'm gonna build a 1/24   or 1/25 studebaker from AMT. I would like to use sprue ,,, but if I can get evergreen ,,,I will try ... Going to look for Tyrone's posting's... If you would like to know ,I want to build a road racer ,( La Carrera Panamericanna) Road rally car... might be looking for tires ,and rims !! ( A little wider than stock , and plain looking reverse rims ( not chrome) some kits ,long a go ......... had plain rims ....... Mike        

Edited January 19, 2016 by studebakermike

[Ace-Garageguy]

You can easily strip the chrome plating from parts using household chemicals. I prefer Easy-Off oven cleaner, followed by a scrub with Comet, hot water and a toothbrush.