My clone (nellie 2) "balsa Fenders"

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sporty
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My clone (nellie 2) "balsa Fenders"

Post by sporty »

Guys I got a burst of energy and decided to try and work with the balsa I had.

Here is the progress of nellie clone 2.

Tons of pictures and added info. That I hope the additional different photos will help some people visually who atempt to make one.

Stock wheel base, pine. 9 grams.
1/4 thick.
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I highly recommend, inserting the axles into the wholes. Because its much harder to put axles into the wholes, once the fenders are on. So a pre insert or two, can help ease them in once the fenders are on.

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It's just the right way to go here in my two cents. putting the wheels and axles on. This is the guide to test fitting those fenders and glueing them on, So, you don't go thru all of this and find out, the wheels won't turn, due to rubbing.

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Test fitting.

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Lots of fuzz-
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Now Now-

This is a example of the wheel gap. I used a pine fender hear for a example, because the balsa one is to fuzzy to see clearly.

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Back to Balsa-

Now, just some pictures to get a idea to show you how to place it, what you got to do, trail fitting, ect.

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Draw the lines on the inside of the fender, that way, you have a base to go buy for getting it fitted right and when glueing.-
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Now Don't put this in stone,. everyone drills there axle wholes different or they use slots.

However, the fenders should hang about 1/4 below from the bottom edge of the car body.

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-You can see the 2nd line. the other 1/4 inch -

thats the line for the top and bottom of the 1/4 thick pine car frame. reference for mounting / glueing. ect.

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Reference example of it-
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1 1/4 whole saw used to drill the wholes for the fenders
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template-

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even tho I drew circle ect. I wanted to use this harder wood template, balsa is soft and easy to drill off center, really quick.
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You can only go so deep. My piece of balsa was to thick and i knew I would just be cutting the fenders down as I went along.

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Just a few pictures now. of things to help you.

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ya, you can see this old piece of balsa with the original idea, that never got done. lol.

I think its much easier to due a outline cut, after you have drilled the wheel wholes and keep the two fenders together as one before, seperating them.

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the two fenders still not sperated, but outline cut out.

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This is a real example of my balsa, like not the best suited for this job. fuzz galore.
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Trying to sand out the wheel wells. fuzz and seems like the 1 1/4 wholesaw, gives a bot of a tight fit.
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Now, I didn't want to paiste or show everything the same way, as in my previous nellie clone build. So no clamps showed on this one.
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After some sanding and shaping.
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It's really easy to take to much balsa off, way to fast. I got area's a little thinner then I would have liked, but will be okay in the end.
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Fuzz, Fuzz.

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Thats all I got for now.

It weighs as is, 13.3 grams.

Im thinking i'm gonna try and smooth it with some micro-fill (r/c model filler ) super light stuff. then light sand it.

What you see. 3 hours into it.

Sporty
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psycaz
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Re: My clone (nellie 2) "balsa Fenders"

Post by psycaz »

Great looking work Sporty.

You got a weight on a single fender out of balsa compared to your pine template one so folks can have a weight difference between?

I thought about trying out of balsa, but just ended up buying a pine set from DerbyEvolution. Never got around to making the car though, this winter/spring was a bad one for the family. Now I have no idea where I put them to play with lol.

Keep up the amazing work :) Those cars come out looking awesome.
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sporty
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Re: My clone (nellie 2) "balsa Fenders"

Post by sporty »

Pine fenders I made were. 23 grams for two.

the balsa fenders were 5 grams for two.

this is also before sanded. You end up a little lighter. not much.

See my other post for more info and numbers.


Right now, with the fenders on and filler added to the fenders. Im sitting at 15.1 grams.

The other car, I posted the info there, but I think it was 38.4 grams. More than double the weight.

I should have some updates later, I got some primer on it, drying right now.

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Re: My clone (nellie 2) "balsa Fenders"

Post by psycaz »

Thx.
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sporty
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Re: My clone (nellie 2) "balsa Fenders"

Post by sporty »

More pictures and info.

Balsa fenders = more work. But lighter.

here is the micro filler I tried. I used it before years ago for filling in balsa blimishes.

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You mix it with water, very little water, I used to much.

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and ya, it can be a bit messy-
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rub, coat it on-
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Then once it dries, light sand it off. I like 400 grit and finer. I used 1000 grit. but I should have used 800.

I have to tell ya, I rushed this a bit and didn't spend the time, doing it 3 or 4 times. I should have.
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Primer, base coat. flat white.
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You can easily see, that. I should have spent much more time with the micro filler.
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However, I sanded it and re primed it and its looks decent. not great but decent.

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So, Im gonna live with a few imperfections. As balsa is harder to work with and I do lack the finer patience at times. But this is going to be only the 2nd car and first with balsa.

I am going to do a few more as mentioned. But i think it still gonna turn out nice.
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That's it for a bit. Have to wait for it to dry and wet sand and clear coat, ect. More to come. But need a break.


Sporty
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Re: My clone (nellie 2) "balsa Fenders"

Post by whodathunkit »

Sporty,
I'm so :burningmad: with your tinkering around right now.. I'm seeing red!
Red I tell yah but I'm likeing it. :)

So I coulden't let you have all the fun building one of these cars...
I've been doing a little tinkering around with building one of the cars out of pinewood my self.
Your balsa wood fender car 13.3g with no wheels.

Heres how my pinewood clone turned out also.
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All pinewood 24.5g.
With wheels & axles 38.0g.. 1.344oz.
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Bottom view:
Frame work was thiner at just a hair over 1/8 and with the pinewood top bringing it to 1/4.
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Whoda.
Last edited by whodathunkit on Fri Jun 07, 2013 8:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
What type of automobile can be spelled the same forwards & backwards?
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sporty
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Re: My clone (nellie 2) "balsa Fenders"

Post by sporty »

Dang , that looks sweet. can't wait to see it painted !

I need a cover or a couple covers. how much for a set of those fenders ? How you getting it so thin the frame, without warping ?


Sporty

Awesome...
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sporty
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Re: My clone (nellie 2) "balsa Fenders"

Post by sporty »

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Sporty
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Re: My clone (nellie 2) "balsa Fenders"

Post by whodathunkit »

sporty wrote:Dang , that looks sweet. can't wait to see it painted !

I need a cover or a couple covers. how much for a set of those fenders ? How you getting it so thin the frame, without warping ?
Thanks Sporty, I can't wait to paint it red also.. after seeing your car above.

I diden't buy these fenders or have a template to make the fenders with.
I went a different route to make them useing 3/8 thick stock.
As for looks and the style of the Nellie fenders ..
I drew them out on the wood and cut them out stack cutting them with the scroll saw..
the wheel to wheel well gap is a little off ..unlike how close yours is running by useing the hole saw.

Just the frame alone was 3.4g after all the drilling and cutting was done..
It had a very slight twist or warp in it.
So I had to add the cover and belt sand the top down..
To the popsicle stick I used as a thickness gage for the cover. (Seen on the front.)
And then add the fenders keeping every thing clamped down on a kit block.
With out the pinewood cover the frame & fenders alone would have been around 20.2g.

Almost as light as 13.3g but not quite there at 20.2g.. Like what you have done with your car.
What type of automobile can be spelled the same forwards & backwards?
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Re: My clone (nellie 2) "balsa Fenders"

Post by sporty »

Thanks for the info.

I added the center section and decals and covering and another coat of clear. I'll post pictures of it tommarow.


Sporty
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Re: My clone (nellie 2) "balsa Fenders"

Post by sporty »

A few more pictures. The camera may not show it. But it really has a nice shine to it. I was pretty worried it was gonna look [crummy]. Due to the balsa fuzz.

It has turned out just as nice as the pinefender one. Or very close to it.

On this one, there is a issue, I got one rear fender not the same as the other. A few other minor things at the moment.

But for the first balsa fender built, I think I was so worried about the fuzz. and it turned out nice..

Weight. 23.2 grams..


I think I would be even lighter, but I did add allot more paint and clear coat to resolve the fuzz and imperfections.


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What ya all think ?


How many are going to be cloning [no advertising for this vendor] car ?


I hope Dale, likes and thinks that I did honor to his style and design. As I mentioned, Im going to make a few more of these. Can anyone guess what the next color will be ?

And I got to figure out something for the flat surface, stripe, does not work 4 me. and maybe something added (tiny on the rear fender side).

Im not worried about a wheel picture right now. I'dd post it sometime.


Sporty
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Re: My clone (nellie 2) "balsa Fenders"

Post by whodathunkit »

sporty wrote:Dang , that looks sweet. can't wait to see it painted !
Well here it is all painted red with gold metal flake.
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Your car is looking good..
I did note: that one rear fender was a little off my self but I diden't want to point it out.
Your car is sweet looking Sporty, ( And I like how it looks.)
Are the fenders on your car rounder under..on the lower half ?

:pullhair: I could of had droped a little more weight of my pinewood fenders had i done that also.
And maybe even more if i had drilled alot of holes along the glue line befor glueing them on.
Oh well.. live and learn... there always another car to be made. ;)

I haven't made up my mind on what decals or pin stripes to put on the car i'm makeing,
maybe some gold strips or something.

As for my guess as to what color of paint job your doing next Sporty. (Blue?)
Nope.. how about Green. :mrgreen:
What type of automobile can be spelled the same forwards & backwards?
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sporty
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Re: My clone (nellie 2) "balsa Fenders"

Post by sporty »

Looks nice.


My fenders are not flat or straight on the lower portion of them, they angle / arch inward. or aka, rounded over a bit.

Not sure if thats better to do or not. Just thought it looked better.

You are close, I want to do neon or fluorescent green. But not looking to do the 3rd nellie clone for a few weeks.

Supplies needed.


Sporty
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Re: My clone (nellie 2) "balsa Fenders"

Post by birddog »

Great looking cars guys. I'm working on some fender cars as well, I'll post some pictures soon.

One thing I forgot to do when making my fender cars was to take off 1/16" of an inch on the DFW side of the car. I normally do that, but with fenders, I forgot to do it. Not sure if it will impact my speed or not, but I think it would be harder to do fenders with that "notch" in place.

Do either of you do a notch to get the DFW closer to the rail?

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Re: My clone (nellie 2) "balsa Fenders"

Post by 4wheeldrift »

Also it's worth noting that you'll see that Dale added a small notch on the backside of his fenders so the wheels can be measured with a caliper. I understand that one of his early attempts at racing with the full fenders caused some problems as he had to remove a wheel for measurement purposes before the race.
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