Chassis scratch building frame table/jig

[BKIN10SECS]

Hello, I just wanted to see if anyone knows of or has any designs for building a chassis  table/jig. Have researched the subject and do have some ideas but, just wanted to see if anybody out there has any further info or ideas.

Thanks

 

[johnyrotten]

There are many ways to go about building a chassis, or any structure, really. When I modified the chassis for this truck, rule #1 was square straight and level. I did it "freehand".  I also am a fabricator by trade. You could simply draw out your frame , make note of wheelbase, track width, ect. and build from the drawing piece by piece. I've seen a few members here do exactly that, can't recall whom or what thread/vehicles. The second image I found online,  and have scaled it down and printed it out for another build I have in mind. 

[johnyrotten]

https://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/59803-frame-building-jig/

[Ace-Garageguy]

Kinda depends on what yer building, and there are as many ways as there are builders.

Like Mr. Rotten, I'm a fabricator of 1:1 stuff, and as he says, the first rule is "square, straight, and level".

I've seen people use everything from a soft pine board with wire nails driven into it, to "breadboards" made for electronics, to a sheet of tempered glass with metal angles hot-glued to it as appropriate.

But above all, the very first thing to do, no matter what you're building, whether a rod or big truck or tube-frame race car or even a sheetmetal or composite monocoque...get the main, lower frame elements dead square and parallel, then build from there. And pay close attention to symmetry every step of the way.

You can't go wrong looking at how the real-car guys do it.

 

 

Edited October 19, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy

[RW033]

I've been using this thread by @Cool Hand to make my own chassis:

 

[BKIN10SECS]

I just want to Thank all for the info.

[dragsterguy]

I bought a magnetic jig from Micro Mark that I like very much. I can use other stuff like magnetic  alligator clips. blocks of wood and bits of Play Doh to hold to proper heights and positions. I'm building simpler constructs as I like pre 1960 stuff to build. but I find this sheet metal base with very strong magnets on machinists blocks to square things up very nicely. Plus of course getting cuts the proper angle I have several miter devices, squares and a metal box to be important.

[64SS350]

If you plan on doing several chassis in the future and don't mind spending a little money, a slot car jig may work for you. They are generally made from thick composite plastic, milled flat, and holes for multiple pins are CNC drilled. They are made for a variety of racing car types...from can am to F1 to multiple style drag cars. Looking back, I wish I would have kept mine. But making your own can also be satisfying and less inexpensive.

Edited October 19, 2024 by 64SS350

[Mark]

If you are making or improvising a jig for a project, include a center line over the length of the jig.  Just my opinion, but working from a center line makes getting everything symmetrical a lot easier.  It's even better when you are building offset stuff like oval track chassis (where certain aspects of the design are deliberately off-center).

[Ulf]

Unfortunately it is easy to build tension into the car if you have fixed fix points.
I sometimes build something like the picture to make it easier to handle, I have glued a millimeter paper to help me see if I am building straight, the 34 pear shape is a challenge.

[BKIN10SECS]

10 hours ago, 64SS350 said:

If you plan on doing several chassis in the future and don't mind spending a little money, a slot car jig may work for you. They are generally made from thick composite plastic, milled flat, and holes for multiple pins are CNC drilled. They are made for a variety of racing car types...from can am to F1 to multiple style drag cars. Looking back, I wish I would have kept mine. But making your own can also be satisfying and less inexpensive.

One of the options I was seriously considering.

Thanks

[Straightliner59]

On 10/18/2024 at 5:54 PM, Ace-Garageguy said:

You can't go wrong looking at how the real-car guys do it.

Exactly! If it works in 1:1, it'll work, in scale, so long as you're patient enough to get there. I build my chassis (mostly dragsters) on a 1/2"X4"x12" piece of balsa. I mark the longitudinal center line, wheelbase and overall length, front and rear track widths and motor plate. That usually will gets me started. Once the brass is cut and shaped, it's pinned into place and soldered. That's how I built the chassis for this car.

[bobss396]

I also like to tape graph paper down and use a centerline to make sure things are symmetrical.

I have made up jigs to hold smaller assemblies like one I did for a tow truck bumper. I'll have to dig that out.

[BKIN10SECS]

Thanks to all for information and direction provided.

[Rocking Rodney Rat]

I frequently build my own frames, but they're not very complicated. As Ace says, "square, straight and level". I pretty much wing it, Eyeball Engineering...

-RRR

Edited October 22, 2024 by Rocking Rodney Rat

[TarheelRick]

I saw a picture in a 1:1 magazine of a Tognotti chassis, at least that was what the advertisement called it. Fairly simple to build, but rather limited in use; primarily hot rods and old style short track cars. I do believe it could be modified a bit to be used in other builds.

[johnyrotten]

9 hours ago, Rocking Rodney Rat said:

I frequently build my own frames, but they're not very complicated. As Ace says, "square, straight and level". I pretty much wing it, Eyeball Engineering...

-RRR

I like the scale cinder blocks and clutter in the background.  Looks like a full size "get it done with what I got" situation. Nice work

[Ulf]

My favorites, the aluminum piece with perpendicular holes in it is good help to glue straight and right, the aluminum profiles support both parts and the eye measure.

Edit 
Ironically, I discovered right after I posted the post that I cut off the wrong axles from the sprue and glued tree of six... no jig helps against such mistakes.

This time it was salvageable because I use Revell's glue and the return wheels were reversible.

Edited October 24, 2024 by Ulf
Wrong parts glued