RE: aluminum cutting question [TANKS]

["Doug Conn" <dwconn404-at-comcast.net>]

I haven’t purchased any yet, Chrys. I’m in the planning stage for my next vehicle and trying some designs. I wish I could get the plate for free ! If I buy some, I’ll post the prices.

 

I did price a design in E-machine shop, but the parts were expensive. Unless I was using their software wrong, they couldn’t laser cut ½” aluminum plate. Water jet would cost me about $50 each in small quantities. The piece I’m designing is a simple suspension arm and I’ll need 12 of them per tank. For $600, I would subject myself to considerable jigsaw-frustration.

 

I’m considering building an M3-Bradley (http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/m2-pics.htm). I assume this would be a 30/3 tank in RC combat, but I need to get that verified by our esteemed officials.

 

Here’s why I like it:

o     It’s cool looking.

o     It has good, workable dimensions at 1/6 scale.

o     It has side skirts, so I can build the suspension on the outside of the tank and still have it mostly hidden from view.

o     It has been an important vehicle lately.

 

I think the worst part of building this vehicle will be the asymmetrical, irregular turret shape. I may try the “fiberglass over foamcore” thing for it. On the other hand, that TOW missile launcher looks like a great place to hide a CO2 bottle. The upper hull is a little complicated, but I think I can deal with it.

 

-        Doug

 

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From: tanks-admin-at-rctankcombat.com [mailto:tanks-admin-at-rctankcombat.com] On Behalf Of Chrysanthos Kanellopoulos
Sent: Wednesday, July 04, 2007 12:20 AM
To: tanks-at-rctankcombat.com
Subject: aluminum cutting question [TANKS]

 

May I ask how much you've paid for 1/2 inch aluminum plate per square meter? or you can get it for free?  It might be worth trying to draw cad drawings of the plates and have the shapes cut perfectly on laser or hydrojet (teh latter is costly). What tank are you building?

Can I cut ½” thick aluminum plate with a saber saw (aka jigsaw) ? Or, is that asking too much of the saw ?

 

            Thanks,

            Doug