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Posted

Thanks Dean!

Here’s the set of five tires and outer rims I have made for it. I’m ready to get back to part and pattern making. Prototype work is more rewarding than “production” work.

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Posted

Thanks Chris, time to move on to another medium...

Time to start building the frame. I am going to make it slightly beefier than a standard Caterham or Lotus, I went with 1.5 inch square (scale size) tube for the main sections.

In this picture are the top section from the nose to about the cowl, the lower perimeter box for the passenger compartment, and two lower front frame rails, (partially bent).

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Posted

Your work is awesome, I am curious where you get the dimensions from? Being a Land Surveyor and a 3D guy I can't help but wonder.

Posted (edited)

Thanks Chris, time to move on to another medium...

Time to start building the frame. I am going to make it slightly beefier than a standard Caterham or Lotus, I went with 1.5 inch square (scale size) tube for the main sections.

In this picture are the top section from the nose to about the cowl, the lower perimeter box for the passenger compartment, and two lower front frame rails, (partially bent).

Mark- From the lack of discoloration I suspect you are using an American Beauty. Just one bit from my experience. If you used simple butt or mitered joints, a gusset would add a lot to the strength of the frame. With resistance soldering they are very easy to add without destroying the joint. Just keep the tweezers on the gusset.

The pieces look nice and symmetric. In my world that is always the toughest part.

Edited by Pete J.
Posted

Everything is pinned together, with brass rod inside the square tubing, no butt joints. For every piece you see, there is another you can’t. I’m using the American Beauty to assemble it, and a torch to finish the joints before filing them.

The symmetry is fun, especially since the frame has multiple angles. Lots of measuring, checking, checking, checking, measuring... And I build both sides at the same time.

I have reference books to get the dimensions from. Also, I have built several of the Tamiya kits and played with a real Caterham, so I’m a little familiar with the subject matter.

Main lower frame perimeter is soldered together…

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Some bracing added… Still need to clean up the solder joints on them, after I add more pieces…

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Posted

More progress, not a bad day’s work as far as I’m concerned…

I used brass rod inserted and soldered inside the square tube (full length plus mounting points) for these vertical members for additional strength. And I drilled receiver holes into the frame for a positive fit too.

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Tack soldered these parts to the top of the frame…

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And then soldered them all together.

Top:

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Bottom:

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Posted

Looks great Mark, How did you keep the bend to conture the frame rail going to the nose?

Thanks, but I'm not sure what you're asking. I bent the frame rails and reinforced each bend, then soldered them together. There are four bends in each lower frame rail.

More bracing made and installed…

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Posted

Ok on that pic there, the lower frame rail each side all one piece with 3 bends in them? If so did you heat it up and then put the bends in before soldering the reinforced bars in?

Posted

Ok on that pic there, the lower frame rail each side all one piece with 3 bends in them? If so did you heat it up and then put the bends in before soldering the reinforced bars in?

No heating & bending as I think you are asking. I cut/notched the rails where the bends are then reinforced those cuts/bends with brass and solder (inside the tube) before assembling them into the frame. That way each part has no stress on it and I was able to make them match.

Posted

Yeah, I am going for stout, and it has been paying off. I may need to take a break, my fingers are really getting sore from filing all the little brass reinforcement pins.

I plan to bring it in May, whatever stage it is at.

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