Scratch Build – In Progress SSR-X: Update - Bottom Cover Fiberglass Part 2/De-Mold

That's awesome news

How is this for cutting compared to aluminium or stainless steel & what tool do you use?.

 

Update: Frame Cutting.

Hello. After some long thought about exactly how to cut the carbon fiber, I decided to stay with my fiber cut-off wheel. I researched for a round saw blade, though, that would shredded the fiber during cutting. I would also rule out the use of hack saw due to the straight cuts and precision that is needed. I practiced with the fiber cut-off disc on failed lower cover it worked the best out of all the options. Also, the use of a jigsaw, once again would shredded the fiber along the cutting line in my opinion.





Air-Tool with the fiber cutting disc. I operate mine at 120psi to get good constant cutting speed.

The lower the psi the more the disc tends to jump and not cut.



The disc does an pretty good job at cutting a good line. No real presence of shred marks. Also can see that the carbon fiber is alittle thicker here than the aluminium piece.







Did some tracing and cutting here. Here are some of the pieces that I cut out. What is interesting is that .040 Alum and ~.050 carbon fiber have no weight difference. The strength and rigidity on the other hand between the two is great! I can start to bend the Alum piece in this picture in certain positions, though, in those same positions I CANNOT bend the carbon fiber.



Lastly, this piece which is the motherboard frame is actually what I cut out first today. The Alum piece weighs in at 3.7lbs. The carbon fiber piece wieghs in at 1.7lbs. That is a 2 lb difference. Plus the carbon fiber is just as rigid and strong.

More cutting tomorrow....

 

Good old cutting discs then, looking good.

 

I'm interested, would a fret saw cut through carbon fiber??

If you have any off cuts i'd love to have a go

 

Update: Frame assembly

Hello. Time for a weekend update part 1.

I finished cutting out all the pieces for the frame this past week. Now I have begun to re-drill all the holes and re-assemble the frame.

The frame re-build is just like first stage into finishing SR-X. I putting the frame together because all the frames pieces need to be drilled but also test fit. From here, I will probably move either onto the custom Res. that will sit in one of the wing structures or I will......hhhmmm......I'm still plotting it all out. Ah yes, brackets will could be made next to hold the frame structure to the covers. Though, the frame will have to be completely taken back apart maybe dozen more times after this for adjustments and finally polishing and cleaning. Anyways, lets get started





I drilled the motherboard tray frame first. Drilling Carbon Fiber is like cutting butter. There is no fighting that can happen on Aluminium thin aluminium sheets. No odor like cutting, though, it is much dirtier than drilling Aluminium.





I put down blue masking tape and traced than cut, sanded, and drilled. Whatever was needed.



Here is a picture to show you what Carbon Fiber looks like after sanding it down with an air-tool.





Starting to assemble the main center frame piece.



Man, computer hardware looks awesome sitting on carbon fiber.







More cutting, drilling and assembling.



Quick peak of the carbon fiber frame sitting in the lower cover. Looks Awesome!

 

Dude this is so fricking awesome now its beginning to take shape, + rep to you

I also hope you get Nominated for mod of the year, because I've never seen anyone do anything like this it's just mindblowing, nice job

 

Just awesome, as usual. You're accomplishing a lot more than me lately! Glad to see you kickin' carbon fiber ass!

 

Looks cool. Can't wait to see it finished (flying ).

 

Thanks bro that is a great compliment. I didn't think I could build it myself at the beginning!

haha! Thanks! I need too. Took me like 2 months to get all the infusion done so now I need to get this build done. Just stay dedicate yourself

Thanks. Close as it is going to get to flying is it sitting on my truck doing 80 down the highway. Though if aviation company wants to come in and buy the design, than, you may see it fly

 

Sure does

 

wow is all i can say and that fusion thing is crazy i never expected from the first page to now and also im not to far from u im in akron so its nice seein a local representing anways GL and i know this is going to look awesome when finished

 

Update

Hello. Been working and forgetting my camera at the shop. Update time



Started to put the right side together.





More tracing, drilling, and cutting to get the proper assembly and fit







On the right side was able to get the frame piece for the foot to install correctly. Now I can go back and install on the left side. In the last pic. I have to make a few adjustments still to the bracket.





Put this whole side together for mocking up the res. that will have to be built to go into the wing. Some of these aluminium pieces will be taken out. I didnt want to cut CF material only to waste it.



This ruler is mimicking as the bracket that will hold the cover on. There will be these aluminium strips with aluminium blocks behind it in certain locations for bolting to the frame. Stay tuned.



I wanted to see how counter-sinking the hex head bolt would look like in CF. CF doesnt drill like metal, the speed has to be real slow and gone extremely slow so not to drill to much off. It will work, just will take more time on each drill.

 

This is so sick and damn well done!

I love it man!!

 

Lovely.
Check out one of MY mentors. CF gets in the blood. I built H20-C7 here and my mentor is here. He held my hand and shared freely, as do I. http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16062

 

Thanks bro! Glad you like it!

thanks, I here you are a legend! Glad you like my work.

I checked out what I could of the Dark Carbon project log. Great work on the project and great modder overall! Amazing work

 

Update: Bracketing the Beginning

Hello. Time to Log





Order some 3/8"x 1/8" x 6 ft aluminium strips and 3/8"x3/8" x 6 ft alum. strip block from mcmaster carr to fabricate the bracketing needed for SR-X. I am using 8/32" countersink hex head bolts for fastening, so I don't need the bracketing to be real wide. Also, I am worried about weight, in trying, to keep the weight as low as possible, I went with a tight clearance you could say.



The strip will have to be inset into the wing frames so it will rest flush against the cover for fastening. That means I have to notch out an small area so this can happen.





Did some measuring and finally cutting



Got my tape out to help hold in place for now, though you can see that the alum strip piece rest flush against the cover. Now I need to make some alum. bracket pieces so the strip has something to fasten too.



My first attempt went not so well! I did some measuring and than some filing and still the angle wasnt coming out right. I tried a couple times at this and said heck with it. Break out the modeling clay so I can figure out the exact angle that i need.



So I used the modeling clay to get my angle and from here I just measured how far back the angle went on each side. Than I made my marks on a new piece and used a hack saw to cut it out.







Take that AutoCAD! I had to make some minor adjustments with the file, though, so far so good. These brackets that you see here will be welded to the strip piece and bolted to the CF wing frame pieces.

As always stay tuned.

 

damn this whole thing is so epic :|

this is real!!

 

Beauty. I have never been a fan of carbon in many of its uses, but to hell with it. This is sick!
Modding for winners?

 

Update: Brackets Part 2

Hello. Time for the first weekend update. More and more bracketing....







Stupid camera did not save all the pictures I took! Anywayz, I assembled the right hand wing structure and begun to make the bracket strips and blocks for it.

Numbered the right hand side brackets. Only three that will hold the bracket assembly to the frame. Smaller blocks will be cut and welded on so the cover has a block to bolt into.





The start of the rear bracket strip.





Did some measuring and cut out the 1.5" blocks that will be welded and than bolt the strip in place.





Notched out the frame pieces so once again the wing structure sits as flush as possible against the cover surface.

Also cut off the very back of the frames and did some sanding done along the top-side of the frame structures. This was done so that when the two covers are mated that they rest and close properly.



I started work on pondering how to mount the center sections to the cover. Since the angle below and on top of the motherboard frame are extreme, I thought about laying down a piece of alum strip above

Here the strip can be bolted to the motherboard frame. Blocks can thus be welded on for mounting the cover to this strip. Also, this strips will act as an air barrier so that when I am traveling down the highway with SR-X on the roof the cover shouldn't fly off.









These blocks can either be positioned on the inside or outside of the motherboard frame. That is why there is extra strip on the other side of each frame. I just haven't made up my mind yet.



Till tomorrow!

 

Epic it is!! I cant believe I am building it sometimes.

Thanks bro!