Car display/setup block

[Profoxcg]

For a while, I have been looking for a way to support or hold my slot cars on my glass shelf while keeping the wheels off the ground to avoid the usual "flat spot" (I don't have time to race at the moment).

The requirements of the platform were/ are:

Compact to fit 1/32" cars and that would fit on my shelves.
Functional as a chassis tweak plate on one side, and a rolling setup block on the opposite side (with marking to help with setup).

This weekend I decided to revisit this particular project and made a few prototypes and arrived at a final design. The image below is from the part in process on the vise inside one of our CNC mills, parts need to be flipped and milled from the other side to reveal the rolling site.

I plan to make several of these to showcase my cars, I am happy to have found the time to work on this project this weekend and finalize the CAD/CAM.
If you have any ideas for improvements I am interested to hear or questions for that matter.

[Profoxcg]

Finished product!
Now I only need to make this same thing 24 more times or so.

[dinglebery]

Wow! Great job! Those are some great looking, expensive stands!! The only update I could suggest is to engrave a ruler into it, or "steps" even for different wheelbase lengths and widths.

[HO RacePro]

I'm not sure what function that large, oblong hole serves. That's a fair bit of machining, so I would think it should have some purpose.

The guide slot appears excessively wide while the relief surrounding it appears rather narrow. My guess is you made the guide slot oversize just to avoid changing the mill bit.

It appears your material is some grade of aluminum. A steel insert, to help hold the car in place might be worth having, assuming your cars have traction magnets.

The reliefs for the tires give you the opportunity to measure clearances with feeler gauges. Depending on how much clearance you have you may need to make some of those gauges. How you would distinguish between uneven tire wear and chassis warp is a question.

Ed Bianchi

[Mike-]

I'm not sure what function that large, oblong hole serves. That's a fair bit of machining, so I would think it should have some purpose.

The guide slot appears excessively wide while the relief surrounding it appears rather narrow. My guess is you made the guide slot oversize just to avoid changing the mill bit.

It appears your material is some grade of aluminum. A steel insert, to help hold the car in place might be worth having, assuming your cars have traction magnets.

The reliefs for the tires give you the opportunity to measure clearances with feeler gauges. Depending on how much clearance you have you may need to make some of those gauges. How you would distinguish between uneven tire wear and chassis warp is a question.

Ed Bianchi

I'd guess that the big hole is just a bit of weight removal. But I'd think is should have stayed in place to help check chassis flatness along the whole pan, not just the corners.

Yea, I don't understand the large guide slot either. Should also have room for the full brush width. As noted, the brushes might need to sit flush with the track design. If the rail or braid in the track is on plane with the running surface, the block should mirror that. If the rail or braid is below the running surface, then the block should mirror...that.

No need for a steel insert as described above, as this would unnaturally hold the chassis pan in place and not show if the pan is warped or not.

My guess is that the tire clearance is just that...tire clearance, slots. Magnets holding the chassis pan tight would provide a false sense of security as for measuring the tire diameter vs pan warp.

Great idea though, just could use a couple of refinements.

Mike

[dinglebery]

I think you guys are reading into this a bit too much... it's a Simple stand for his cars so that the tires don't get flat spots. I also think his definition of set-up block is different than yours!

[HO RacePro]

Overthinking things is a signature part of my personal charm.

But if one is going to go to the trouble of CNC'ing an aluminum ingot, there should be some value added beyond a simple display stand. There are easier and cheaper ways to make a stand.

'Sides which, Profoxcg asked for suggested improvements. You invite me to do that, expect it to get done.

And I'd love to hear what others might suggest.

Ed Bianchi

[bov]

Well - seeing as though you asked.....

Supermarket. Packs of 6 or so dish washing sponges. About 1/4" thick x 2" x 4". Costs very little - lash out and buy maybe 6 packs. Cut each sponge in half 2" x 2" ( or whatever fits between the wheels of your slot car ). Viola - car's tires are now not touching, and weight is evenly distributed on a relatively non-slip surface. Probably enough 'stands' for 72 or so cars for < $10.00.

Your welcome...

[Wet Coast Racer]

Better not let your wife know you have all those dish washing sponges, Tony. She might find something useful for you to do ...

[Profoxcg]

Hi folks, its been a super busy week, but I have been reading the messages so I want to provide some answers.

1. The center slot was made oversize mostly due to the machining strategy and not so much to avoid a tool change. There is 4 tool changes or so to produce the part.
2. As such, I have narrowed down the slot and tooling and it looks much better.
3. The center milled part was created to weight reduction. It lines up with motor pods so it doesn't really take away from being able to detect a warped chassis.
4. The side that you guys are seeing at this moment is the "bottom" side or "stand" side. This side can also be used to check for flatness by taking out the wheels and guide out of the equation due to the pocked.
5. The top side, is meant to be flat (just like every other setup block) so the car is resting on its wheels. This side is meant to be the setup side. One of the things that I plan to implement is some threaded holes so that M3 or M4 set screws can be installed to act as pins so that a consistent track width can be established along the car's centerline. (think of alignment strings). I think is something that I have found a pain to do easily.

Yes, I could use sponges, but there is no fun in that plus I would probably upset my wife. lol