Project Ideas?

Want to talk about micro boats or micro planes? How about trains, slot cars or submarines? Well you can do it all right here. If it's another hobby and it doesn't fit in one of our other forums, then it goes here.
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sidewinder
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Project Ideas?

Post by sidewinder »

Ok I've been on another site lately and I've noticed that there are a lot of kids there who love RCs. Thats cool, the part that prompted this post is that I've also noticed a few seem to have parents who will buy them all sorts of expensive stuff...which I'm ok with, I wouldn't do it but if they want to its their kid.

Anyway the problem is that there are a few who obviously don't have much money to spend on toys (or maybe anything else) and they just seem to hang out and watch as others buy the newest toys. SO, Daves scrapyard build inspired me...what these kids need is some low-buck inspiration! Dave's thread would be great and I'd just link to it but its not something that caould easily be duplicated. I want to do some sort of build that can be repeated...so here are the goals I've set for the build:1. it will not be a zipzap or other way tiny car. I love them and have quite a few...in fact if you look at my post on the aluminium cobra zip that I built a while back You'll see how far I'll go to have a cool micro. Just not this time, it needs to be a little bigger just so it looks less "cheap toy" like.

2. It can't be too big... while big is cool it's also going to be a budget buster for this project.

3. It has to be made from new stuff that anyone can get...sure there are builds you see that someone got lucky and found a great deal on something, but thats not something others can duplicate.

4. it will probably be toy grade but it wont "look" toy grade.

5. It should be fun to use... no shelf queen here. even if it only goes two or three mph it has to be FUN!

6. It can't require masters level building skills or special tools... if you are a master builder great! but this isn't being built for you, this is for people who want soemthing cool but can't even afford the basics.

7. This is the biggest hurdel, The budget for the entire build is $25. any more and it would make it too expensive for some, if it can come in cheaper it will, but it will not be more than $25.



I've decided to use this car http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... age=familyas a basic doner since RS has them in on an in store clearence for $7.95 which is easy on the budget and Nikko makes quality stuff...not hobby grade, but durable.

I was going to go with a xmods since they are on sale for $14.97 but they can get expensive quickly so think he nikko might be the way to go?

Bilbo's and Shaun's slot car thread have me thinking low buck lexan 1/32 scale body from a place I know on ebay...that should eat another 5-6 bucks.

So any ideas on where to go from here?
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ibjamn
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Post by ibjamn »

$25.......... :shock:

Ummmm......

uhhhh..........

nope. no ideas come to mind.
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crazydave
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Post by crazydave »

I like what you're thinking, but $25 is a bit cheap for a RC. That was the concept I was running with when I built Project Prostocker. I wanted to show what could be done on a budget, and I think I probably put about $30-35 into what was probably one of the fastest, most infamous micros ever built. (and I'm a modest guy, it was hard for me to type that) But at any rate, that was $30-35, starting with a $5 Big Lots car. I used 3 colors in the paint scheme, that's 3 cans of paint, and $12 right there, and since I always have paint around, I don't remember if I included that in my cost estimate, don't think I did.


On something larger than a bit, electronics become the expensive part. Xmods' electrics are generally substandard compared to hobby grade electrics. Iwaver PCBs are a good starting place, and usually run about $20-25. HiTec mini servos run about $14. If you wanted to go a little larger, RC18s come with good speed controls, and you'll see a lot of them come up on ebay when people upgrade to brushless. Actually, if you wanted to do something like my scrapyard score, then that might be your best bet. You'll see incomplete, broken and dirty cars come up that no one bids on, because they're not sure what they're getting. Could take a risk on one of those, expecting to have to put some work into it.
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sidewinder
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Post by sidewinder »

Yeah, I knew it would be nearly impossible...that's one of the thngs that made me want to do it. I picked up one of the Nikkos and as expected they are crap. But the layout is solid, it looks basicaly like a Super Slicks car, its even around the same size. I was thinking of trying to make a hybird of superslicks parts and the nikko since you can get the SS upgrades for a few bucks on ebay. I'm going to put more power through the stock board to see if it will take 4.5v instead of the stock 3v... if it does I'm going to cut away all of the unnessacery plastic and maybe use lexan as a new chassis. If/when I smoke the board then I'll start looking at alternitives...so probably tomorrow :smile:

I think I found a cheap source for paint...BigLots! Ok, I'll have to work with colors no one else wanted but at $2 a can of Krylon why not.

I was going to set the build price at $50 but hell, anyone could do that. :shock: I'll keep you guys updated until I get frustreated and give up :-(
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v137a
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Post by v137a »

Well, there's this, but it kind of crunches your budget:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.js ... viewHeader
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Post by crazydave »

v137a wrote:Well, there's this, but it kind of crunches your budget:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.js ... viewHeader
Yeah the truck is $18, but the shipping is $25. That's why I didn't order one.
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sidewinder
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Post by sidewinder »

Yeah I tried to convince the local TRU to give me the web price since they have twelve sitting there...but they wouldn't come down off the $60+ price. I'm waitng for a store clearence.

I think I have a plan...Its not going to be groundbreaking but since I know at least two of these kids are from poor families I thought it would give them a shot at having something. I'll update this when I start the build.
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Post by SHAUN »

Thats cool, Witch one am I? :lol:

I think its great what your trying to do, it will give everyone something to play with.
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sidewinder
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Post by sidewinder »

Well lets see...cool car...new parts...lots of expensive crawler stuff.... :???:

SO I'm guessing you're doing ok for now...but some day the credit card bill's going to come and then you'll have to explaine to the folks why there's a charge that says $800 eRevo... :-)

Just kidding. Anyway, I understand the growing up poor thing...sort of. My parents made good livings but my relitives were filthy rich. You have no idea of how much it sucked every time there was a family outing. When I was sixteen I had a 73 Camaro that I worked all summer mowing lawns and working at a canoe livery to buy. It cost the whole summer's wages...$300 (that was more then, you know right after the dinosaures died off). I went to my Grandmother's house to show it off and there was my cousin David sitting in his week-old Corvette...it was is sixteenth birthday present.

So I know what a couple of these kids must be feeling when one or two of them start buying all the new expensive stuff. Besides, this way I get a new toy :-o
The smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities. - Ayn Rand
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