Your friendly neighborhood Laserman

[Laserman]

Hi guys,

After seeing Sporty's Nellie Faye car, as well as some of Whoda's beautiful creations, I was inspired to try to push and pull the Nellie Faye design.

Early on I wanted to design a car that would be able to be easily fabricated by a child.

Start to finish.

I have not yet succeeded but I might be one step closer.

I knew that these 3D puzzles (made from laser cut wood parts) were popular with the kids and that would be a medium that they could grab onto.

So I designed around that idea. A derby car that could go together like an Erector Set.



OK. Much props to Sporty, Whoda, and others that document the process and post it.
It is not as easy as it looks!

[Laserman]

[Vitamin K]

This is looking awesome, LM. I totally wanna see more, as it progresses.

(Also, I totally want a laser cutter! )

[sporty]

Pretty darn cool.. I like it. Where can I buy it !

[Maglev]

Amazing as usual Laserman,
Might need a little more meat (wood) around the axle holes (front and rear) in order to avoid alignment issues that might arise if one has to glue in an axle holding strut assembly between the left and right side of the car body (even if done on a solid rod with CA glue). The risk for a scout doing this is that CA glue might get into the axle hole and mess up the cant in the drill job!! You're a smart guy, you'll figure out a way around it!

Maglev

[whodathunkit]

This is looking awesome, LM. I totally wanna see more, as it progresses.
(Also, I totally want a laser cutter! )

Pretty darn cool.. I like it. Where can I buy it !

Better late then never to chime in and say... with VK, and Sporty on this.

Laserman, I don't know how you do it!
But all's I can say about your concepts of the Erector set car is WOW!!!
And like Vitamin K, I wanna see more of your cars as well.

Totaly cool concepts you have going on.
Whoda.

[Laserman]

Amazing as usual Laserman,
Might need a little more meat (wood) around the axle holes (front and rear) in order to avoid alignment issues that might arise if one has to glue in an axle holding strut assembly between the left and right side of the car body (even if done on a solid rod with CA glue). The risk for a scout doing this is that CA glue might get into the axle hole and mess up the cant in the drill job!! You're a smart guy, you'll figure out a way around it!

Maglev

Thanks Maglev

Thanks fellas,

The alignment may or may not be an issue. Still finessing that part of things.

As far as the meat around the DFW, I had planned on a steel collar with set screw. (I know BR would disapprove as it really deserves a dowel axle holder that can be "clocked")

I have given up on making it scout friendly for the time being. One step at a time right?

Thanks again,
Joe

[Laserman]

[ngyoung]

Saw this in another thread on here. With your skills you I am sure you could make pinewood derby equivalent car kits like these wood toy cars:

http://www.automoblox.com/automoblox-originals.html

[Laserman]

[whodathunkit]

Joe,
How many hours would you say went into the makeing of this one of a kind car.

And what happend to the fenders over the front wheels?
Was the car to light on the front end that it went air born & fliped over smacking fenders.
Or did you do this to drop a little bit more weight off of the front end of the car.
And what's up with the right rear wheel?

I really like your concept's.. (Because you just don't see them built like this one!)

If you were to ever offer this car up in a pattern for a scroll saw version..
I think you know that i'd be all over getting my hands on a pattern for building one.

Mark.

[Laserman]

Hi Mark,

Thanks so much! I am glad that you like it!

The work on this one has been rather sporadic so it is hard to say how many hours went into it.

I am a model maker by profession so things move pretty quickly for me when I am able to focus on it here and there.

It is nice because now I have the numbers memorized so it is almost like sketching with AutoCAD. Quite fun!



I left the front, and even the rear, fenders over the wheels for a few reasons.

After getting the majority of the car together, and everything is stiff and fixed in place, then the fenders over the top of the wheels can be removed.

It removes a little weight, but I am much more concerned about the effect it has on the aero.

The rear wheel is tipsy in this photo because no weight has been added to the car yet.

This is very useful when it comes to shaping, and and handling the car.

When weights are in a car it becomes very awkward to handle and many cars have suffered from being dropped or rolling off the table.

Even if this car does drop at this point, no damage should be done.



In this photo the reductive process has started on the wood.

This is usually one of my less favorite tasks. (I don't have the patience of you, and Sporty)

After I get some new basswood delivered, I will cut out a set of parts for you both.

No doubt your versions will turn out better than mine.

Btw. Mark, I sent out your Puma Racing Weights, so please let me know if they do not arrive.

Best,
Joe

[ngyoung]

You willing to share the template? I have a coworker that does letter and sign work on the side that has a laser cnc.

[Laserman]

Sorry NG,

No chance.

Although, I must say that I am surprised by your request.

You have never had a nice word to say about my designs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxbb5RcqpZM

[ngyoung]

Hey now I am pretty sure I have complemented your work before. I especially like this one, particularly how you incorporated the inlays. In think you mistook me being perplexed by how you built some of your other cars with all the different layers. I also remember making a joke in that nickname thread on the other forum but that wasn't meant to knock your designs.

I do think you could market those fenders if you wanted. The whole design is nice but I think there would be a bigger market for just the fenders similar to how the NF fenders got popular.