My apologies if I'm clogging up the system. I'll get them up as soon as I receive the parts. :) Evidently, the first series of my various bits were shipped out today. For now, I'm trying to decide on the base-plate (the skid plates in the original rc trucks): I'm thinking steel, but aluminum may work as well...
You bring up the point of weight. I wholeheartedly agree, and fully anticipate that I will most likely not be able to use standard hobby suspension. (I may, I just need to do some experimenting down at the hobby shop...) The parts I'm using from the RC trucks are the major moving pieces: a arms, a-arm mounts, differentials (which do use hardened steel gears and sealed bearings, by the way). As to the practical strength of the parts: they are nylon rather than plastic, and are built not only to be "just strong enough" but to take a serious beating as well. Meh, we'll see when I get my hands on them in a few day. If others are interested, I'll try my best to give a fair review of their suitability. If they do turn out to be utterly worthless... I'm only $40 into it thus far, and have no fear of throwing it away (well... selling them off on ebay...) and starting again with tougher stuff. I already have a marker (and older spyder from my run-around-and-get-shot days), as well as two CO2 tanks. Not nearly enough, but it does give me an idea of weight. Batteries: I've tried to do some reading up, and there is a whole series of opinions on that matter. Lead-Acid vs NiCad vs LiPo, etc. Cost vs power vs size, vs... Yea, I'm looking into options... Scale... Yup, that's the one constant I've noticed about you guys: scale is a relative term. (hastily adds:) With full respect, of course. I meant more in my build. I like the idea of keeping things not only looking accurate, but working accurately as well. Hence the fully independent suspension rather than simply bolting 4 axles to a frame. (there are practical considerations as well...) Thanks again for the input, and as always: if I'm totally out to lunch, feel free to throw objects. (just nothing that would hurt too bad. :) James > Date: Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:06:13 -0800 > Subject: [TANKS] Re: Complete Newbie... > From: steve...@gmail.com > To: rctankcombat@googlegroups.com > > My this has turned into a lively discussion. > > James, I look forward to seeing your build picks. > > Regarding the components you are choosing to build from. Remember > these are from vehicles generally meant for racing and as such are > engineered to be light and "just" strong enough to stay together for > the environment they are meant for. You will probably be more than > doubling the weight these r/c "monster" trucks are designed for after > the addition of a turret, marker, co2 bottle, etc. If you go with > lead acid batteries instead of the lightweight nicad type packs you > will increase the load even more. In addition, you will need to > design for the higher center of gravity that a turret will add. I > can't see the long-throw soft and squishy suspensions of a typical > monster truck handling that very well. Figure some custom anti- > swaybar additions. > > You made a comment stating you like scale. I've got no problem with > that but the typical battle site is anything but 1:6 scale (unless of > course were talking of the manicured battlelawns over in the UK ;). > Figure on scale features akin to modern MBT's battling at 60MPH over a > typical WW1 battle site and you'll get the idea. > > > Steve Tyng > > > -- > You are currently subscribed to the "R/C Tank Combat" group. > To post a message, send email to rctankcombat@googlegroups.com > To unsubscribe, send email to rctankcombat-unsubscr...@googlegroups.com > Visit the group at http://groups.google.com/group/rctankcombat _________________________________________________________________ Windows 7: I wanted simpler, now it's simpler. I'm a rock star. http://www.microsoft.com/Windows/windows-7/default.aspx?h=myidea?ocid=PID24727::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WWL_WIN_myidea:112009 -- You are currently subscribed to the "R/C Tank Combat" group. To post a message, send email to rctankcombat@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe, send email to rctankcombat-unsubscr...@googlegroups.com Visit the group at http://groups.google.com/group/rctankcombat
