making molds for aluminum parts

[GOLDPLATED]

im currently making molds for cast aluminum parts for 2.5. will thes parts hold up as well as billet? already have the bumpers,and working on bulkheads. skids could be bent on a brake pretty easy.any ideas

[3115ultima]

I made my own skid plates for my maxx, Front, rear, center, and servo skid. I made them by getting a big sheet of aluminum cutting it down to size then I measured where the bends are and bent them (not by hand). The servo skid and center skid were bent by hand. After they were all bent I used a bench grinder to get all the notches and stuff in it, them after that I used a dremel to get the really small notches cut out. Then drilled holes and used them.

[DCLXVI]

Ordinary alum are pretty soft...I don't know how the alum reacts to casting but the parts could end up pretty soft...

[mooey1232003]

can someone tell me how to make molds for arm for the maxx

[GOLDPLATED]

you have to use casting sand and mold frames. fill one half packed. then place other frames on top. put in part and fill full pack very well pull mold apart and carfully remove part. then pour it

[lerningdriver]

sounds nice, can you post some pics?

[atm92484_3]

Originally posted by GOLDPLATED
will thes parts hold up as well as billet?

Not to burst your bubble, but you will never be able to match the strength of billet parts with cast ones. Look at the number of cracked engine blocks on Savages and other RC's from upside down landings or bad crashes; those are designed to be strong but often the cast aluminum still gives out in a crash. Another example that comes to mind of cast parts under high stress are steering knuckles on c-hub equipped 1/8 buggies. Its not uncommon for a cast one to break in a bad crash but you'll never break a machined steering knuckle.

Someone over seas made a ton of cast parts for their Clod (don't have the mag infront of me right now, but I don't think they used aluminum). Not sure how durable the parts are, but I have to admit they look amazing.

[powdersummit]

Just do a search on google for backyard casting aluminum. I don't know what the expansion characteristics of cast aluminum but lower qualitys have some pretty good expansion when they get hot. But I'd just look around for the backyard casting stuff, I think you could get into it for under say 75 bucks.

[GOLDPLATED]

ill send pics after i get it down. the first cast i burnt the metal,so theres a ton of perosity in the metal. my next pour should be right on. gonna use a furnace to melt instead of a torch this time that way i can control the temp better

[GOLDPLATED]

i just tested a bumper mounts duribility. i put it in a vice bout half way and hit it with a 5 lb sledge it took three good swings to break it. it broke clean and didnt bend much after the first 2 so its somewhat flexible. not sure what grade it is. its prob. middle cause it was used to make parts for sterling engines.