Hirobo Zerda: from wreck to runner

[threesheds]

Yep, out of the "might be useful" box and into recycling bin....

[Dadio]

There's a load of Zerda NIB bits on eBay right now , top deck , two cages in different colours all at reasonable prices .

[threesheds]

Yes, noticed. Waiting for the last minute bidding bloodbath.
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[Dadio]

Ha ha yup.

[threesheds]

At 10 or 20quid a pop for spares the NIB one up for 400 recently looks reasonable
But too rich for my liking

[threesheds]

I put in some exploratory bids....Viagra and coke are cheaper.....just guessing

[Dadio]

Vintage RC may not be illegal like hard core drugs but it's just as addictive and expensive , you do realise that this forum is actually an addicts support groups , on another forum for micro helicopters there is a thread " I can't stop buying helicopters please help" it's more enabling than helping overcome the addiction

[threesheds]

Guess I,ll try and stick to "soft" rc. Did you pick up anything from the Swedish pawn listings

[Dadio]

No I'm skint this month after taking the family on holiday at the beginning of the month and there was nothing I really needed , the two things I'd have to get if I ever see them would be the driver figure or a set of front bulkheads .
One of the suspension mounts broke off the right from bulkhead (gearbox side) , although I've made a good repair I'd still like a new one .
Im tempted to strip the car down and boil the gearbox sides and suspension arms etc , I have a feeling they are nylon or another similar plastic that has a water content , nylon drys out over time leaving it brittle and boiling it can restore its strength by rehydrating it . When I broke the gearbox side suspension mount it was not a heavy impact , I was supprised it broke ,of course I have no idea of the history of abuse that it might have suffered previously but it was worrieing that it broke so easy .

[threesheds]

One of the front gearbox sides on mine must've broke last century. There's a spare pair in the Gubbins box, left hand good, but right hand (Brit offside) broken suspension mount so was replaced. With your engineering skills what's the chance of moulding or machining some ally copies?
Similar story rear gearbox side. A broken one in the spares box. So the pin housings prone to weakness.

[Dadio]

My mill is a hand operated one and not a CNC type so it's challenging and time consuming to make a whole gearbox side accurately , what I did for my broken suspension mount was mill the gearbox side flat in that spot and mill out a copy of the mount in aluminium and used two counter sunk screw from inside the gearbox into the new mount to hold it , this was way easier , quicker and visually very low impact , it still probably took 3+ hours though , some people loose time at a computer , for me it's at the lath/mill that time disappears

[threesheds]

Using your time more CONSTRUCTIVELY...boom boom
Let me know if the boiling works , guess I could put some broken bits in a saucepan but how to test any improvement??

[Dadio]

I really don't know how to measure any improvement , one thing I did try was super glue (CA for Americans) worked really well on this type of plastic , I glued the broken bit back on but even after driving it I still didn't trust it so I removed it , or at least I try'd to , it took way more force than I expected to take it off again and probably would have stayed on . This also leads me to believe it might be nylon or similar plastic , super glue is activated by moisture and is most effective on materials with a water content .

[threesheds]

Curious that some superglue doesn't stick the cap to the bottle when made of nylon to all appearances. Someone told me a glued join in wood cabe stronger than surrounding material. Gonna glue and test my broken rear axle mount to destruction...

[Dadio]

Super glue is as far as I remember it technically a two part epoxy like Aroldite or JB weld but instead of a second tube with hardener it is activated by moisture in the air , so if your sticking anything organic it should be good as it will have a moisture content , it's not so good on metals as there is very little glue surface exposed to moisture through the air .