The 2012 Aluminium Racing Toboggan Build Thread (pic heavy)

[maser_spyder]

So, how easy is it to CNC aluminium?

And who can do it? Is it hard to set up?

Looking at these wishbone suspension mounts, and I can't help thinking the whole thing would be ten times better if this was done with precision kit, rather than my ham-fisted angle grinder technique.

The rest of it, runners, brackets (actually, CNC brackets would be loads easier too), seat, can all be done with a standard pipe bender, it's the moving parts that need some care and attention.

Any ideas?

[snotrag]

maser_spyder said:

And who can do it?

Me depending on complexity. Got some time on my hands, CNC facilities and 3D Modelling also...

Email in my profile!

[maser_spyder]

snotrag said:

maser_spyder said:

And who can do it?

Me depending on complexity. Got some time on my hands, CNC facilities and 3D Modelling also...

Email in my profile!

Hooray! PM sent.

[cazzer]

chevy-stu said:

cazzer said:

Its been a slow day

Pretty much made already. My friends hire these every time we go away as they can't ski... Can be mad and dangerous but great fun..

Bugger, a day late and a dollar short as usual.

[maser_spyder]

'Homes, Gardens and DIY'?

Well, I guess it is....

Could I request a move to 'Sports' though please?

[hadal]

maser_spyder said:

Got very well used, and eventually almost flattened in Soll. Although it was clearing a good two feet off the ground before coming down with a 12 stone idiot sitting on top.

I believe it was my svelte 10.5 stone which finished her off in Soll, I do remember a rather dramatic pull to the left.

[maser_spyder]

hadal said:

maser_spyder said:

Got very well used, and eventually almost flattened in Soll. Although it was clearing a good two feet off the ground before coming down with a 12 stone idiot sitting on top.

I believe it was my svelte 10.5 stone which finished her off in Soll, I do remember a rather dramatic pull to the left.

Yay! The man who broke the best toboggan in the world.

You may be a svelte 10.5 stone now, but if I recall correctly, we'd had a month of eating heartily and drinking stupid amounts of beer.

I've never been so fat.

Hope the DIY is going well. See you at Santacon?

[King David]

maser_spyder said:

King David said:

I should state from the offset that I don't have even the slightest level of engineering knowledge or ability. But have you looked at Mountain Board trucks? They are fairly wide and extremely tough and you can buy different stiffness shocks to moderate levels of lean.

http://www.extremekiteshop.com/kites/mbs-matrix-pr...

Looks great, I was thinking along the lines of cutting the end off, welding a plate on here, hacking a bit off there, then saw the price.

Shame, they'd be near perfect otherwise for a slightly different (number 3) design.

Well they are the super light, pro versions. It might be worth looking on ebay or speaking to a local kite shop to see if they can get you the basic matrix channel versions (maybe on a second hand board?)

[megamaniac]

I know it's not a high tech approach, but how about a bit of velcro on the seat?

[maser_spyder]

Aluminium just arrived!

Pics to follow.

[Pete Franklin]

I have no experience of this kind of design, however if you are actively looking for flex in the frame to aid with cornering, would it not be better to make the sled out of steel? You would be able to use thinner and lower diameter tubing which would flex more, whilst keeping the same level of strength.

Pete

[maser_spyder]

Pete Franklin said:

I have no experience of this kind of design, however if you are actively looking for flex in the frame to aid with cornering, would it not be better to make the sled out of steel? You would be able to use thinner and lower diameter tubing which would flex more, whilst keeping the same level of strength.

Pete

My mate (the idiot ^^ that broke the Mk1 - Hi Bob ) made his out of steel. Quite heavy.

Aluminium actually has plenty of flex, and is very lightweight.

And the flex I'm after is a lot more than any metal could do. It really needs almost movement rather than flex. Hard to say. I think the way forward is going to be some sort of rubber bushing between the runners and uprights, with a simple wishbone/hinge arrangement to make the runners tilt the right way.

I've just been updating my Frogeye thread;

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

But toboggan building is coming soon, maybe this weekend if I can find the time!

Actually, I did think about making one in steel, but I've already got stacks of aluminium and all the kit to weld it.

Plan is to re-make the Mk1 (which I cut apart earlier this week ) with 1" 10 gauge tubing, and the runners further apart, it was my favourite, even if it wasn't the best.

Then make another jig for bending runners (PITA), before starting a completely new design, based on a really simple layout, but with flex/movement, and simple Lotus type geometry.

Will keep you posted!