RC Kits: Get an Idea on How to Build Your Own
Remotely controlling items is fun, no doubt about it. When the first ever RC car was introduced in 1966, a lot of people were excited. This car was made by Elletronica Giocattoli and it ran on nitro, called the Ferrari 250LM.
source: nitrotek.co.uk
A year later, a British company called Mardave started commercially producing RC cars. Around that time other manufacturers started making RC car kits too. In the 70s, electric RC cars started to emerge as well as off-road RCs. The 80s were the decade that ended the golden era of RCs ended but also when fast racing RC cars and off-road 4WD started to gain popularity. During the 90s, racing cars continued to be popular alongside touring cars, which started as a new type of RC category in the early 90s. Starting from the 2000s till today, different types of RC cars have been introduced (RTR models too) but despite all the changes, building kits are still a big part of it.
What to Consider
Type
When it comes to a DIY RC car kit, there are two different types. Block cars are constructed with building blocks and thus they do not require any tools. Traditional RC cars, on the other hand, have more complex parts which require certain tools in order to be built. You also have what are known as hybrids which require some tools but the building process is still straightforward.
source: availableonline.com.au
Age & Difficulty Level
The age of the person building determines whether they’ll need need a straightforward or a more complex kit. Kits for adults are usually pricier because of their complexity but you can always go for a simpler RC kit if you are new to this.
Size & Style
The size of a finished RC car may not seem that important but if you want to use it indoors it will be important. You’ll want it to be small enough so you are not limited to certain ares of your home but you don’t want it to be too small either. The style of your RC will depend on what you want to do with it. If you want to go over obstacles, go for trucks. If you like using your RC on smooth surfaces, go for street RC cars.
How to Build a RC Car Kit
Tools
source: youtube.com
Building a DIY RC car kit requires a set of RC specific tools. You’ll need a sprue cutter to snip the parts off a plastic “tree” called a sprue. This tool ensures that you make a flush cut without leaving a small piece of the sprue on the part. A hobby knife or also known as an X-Acto knife is used to trim the excess material left on moulded parts. You can also use it to get rid of dirt in small spaces such as a head of a screw.
Whilst most RCs have a four-way wrench which can be used with different fasteners, when building an RC car kit, a more convenient solution would be to have a nut driver. Curved Lexan scissors are also necessary so you can cut stickers or trim the body of the car. A body reamer is needed in order to make a body-post hole an a Lexan shell which will be way easier and safer than using any other tool. Needle-nose and slip-joint pliers are used to handle all the small parts that come in the kit as they are safer and easier than using your fingers.
Prepare
To make the building process easier, make sure you have your workplace ready. Have everything you need within arm’s reach and the area you are working in should be well lit and ventilated. Make sure your working environment is clutter-free too. Remember to refrain from opening all of the bags right away – just have them ready on your workbench.
Cut
You need to start first by cutting the thick plastic material in order to make the chassis. Usually a 7.6 cm x 17 cm rectangle is going to be good and once you’ve shaped that out. cut a 2 cm x 3 cm rectangle on either side of it 2 cm away from the front of the chassis.
Assemble & Install
Assemble the wheel axles first by following the guide provided in the kit. Usually, you need to layout the wheels and their accompanying pieces, fit the gears to the axle and then attach the wheels. After that, assemble the shocks. You may also need to put in some lubricant when it comes to the shocks which should be included in the kit. Once you’ve slid the springs onto the shocks, attach the shocks to the axles. Continue by installing the electronics such as the servos, electric motor and battery.
Attach
Take the shell and secure it over the chassis with clips which should be included in the kit. Make sure the shell is able to come off easy. Do not use glue for this step as you won’t be able to make adjustments or perform repairs when necessary.
