NomadRacer's Small Things

[NomadRacer]

I have a need for a few black Kydex bumpers for RC10's. To make it easy, I made a tool of sorts for drilling the mounting holes. Note - That's not real CF, it's a veneer on black G10 that I had it the scrap box.

[NomadRacer]

After making the above template, I'm all set to drill the mounting holes and countersink for the 8-32 screws for the first bumper. I don't have the exact counter sink bit so will be using a 3/8" bit. I file the threads down on a screw (blue one). This lets me carefully drill, drop the screw in the hole and check for fit. I have a piece of 3" x 6" 0.115" thick Kydex with my template double stick taped in place. This will be a semi-wide bumper.

[NomadRacer]

After countersinking the holes (show you that later) the bumper shape was drawn out and the excess masking tape cut away. Now I have an easy guide to use my Dremel tool to do some cutting.

[NomadRacer]

I spend 10 minutes with the Dremel, getting as close as I dare to my mark.I'll finish the edges by hand with files and sanding sticks.

[NomadRacer]

OK! Edges sanded to a semi-polish and installed on a re-release World's black nose plate. I'll be holding off on the bend for now as I need a couple of more bumpers... or until I run out of Kydex.

[GoMachV]

If you want some advise on bending, a wood form is by far the best! Dowels from Home Depot are great for accurate curves. You can use nails or screws to hold the material to the wood. Apply heat and it will form. Depending on the shape you may want another piece of wood to press it into shape. It takes a little building but then you have a repeatable and accurate tool.

[XLR8]

Really nice work Nomad. I would probably have used a scroll saw, how are you using a dremel to do the cuts?

It seems like a dremel tool would be really hard to control.

[NomadRacer]

@GoMachV Thanks for the advice Jeff. I'm hunting around for a piece of half round molding trim to make my form. If I can't find some... belt sander!

@XLR8 I have one of the newer Dremel tools with the flex shaft handpiece. With almost 50 years of Dremel experience, I have good control. When I get back upstairs I'll get you a pic of the bit/s I use. I'd love to have that scroll saw!

[NomadRacer]

@XLR8

Here's the cutter I use in my Dremel. I found them years back on a dusty display rack at a local mom & pop hardware store. At the max rpm of 30,000 there's no wobble in the blade. I use the fine tooth blade that's in the 25-50-75 set-up block for cutting Kydex and RC10 bulkheads. I'd not use it on CF or graphite impregnated parts for fear of ruining/dulling the teeth.

[Lonestar]

amazing quality for hand-made stuff as usual

[XLR8]

Thanks Nomad, I've not seen blades like that for a dremel before. So, you can use this setup for straight cuts and maybe to rough out the curves but then you finish the cuts with files and sanding sticks? Anyway, however you're doing it, the results speak for themselves; just awesome craftsmanship and attention to detail.

[NomadRacer]

When I cut out the next bumper (in a couple of days) I'll show some pics of the rough cutting There's lots of CNC and 3D printing going on today. I basically do "one off" old school parts.