RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

Well, I was looking how you can make silicon moulds to make metal tracks yourself.

I found video's on youtube how you can make your own mini metal foundry (seems not too difficult)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHD10DjxM1g&t=309s

And then was looking how you can make silicon moulds.
https://www.youtube.com/c/StaplesandVine/videos

Well, besides I like his voice, he explains everything very well and when I looked further on his youtube channel I was quit surprised actually that he makes a lot of tankmodels.

Didnt had time yet to watch everything, but I will.

As he sounds British to me, does anybody know him (I guess yes, small world after all)

He's American, In fact.
He's certainly articulate. Happily, he also avoids the use of irritating 'uptalk' (rising intonation) which is spreading like a plague around the globe.

He mentions "white metal". You wouldn't want to make functional tracks from white metal as they won't last very long in R/C use. Casting tracks from other more durable metals suitable for R/C cannot be done in silicone molds as the molds will melt under the heat. Aluminum melts at like 1200-1600 degrees and it can be made into tracks, but is still not the best material for tracks because it is still pretty soft. I think most of the tracks suitable for R/C that contain aluminum are alloys to increase their wear characteristics.

43rdRecceReg wrote:He's American, In fact.
He's certainly articulate. Happily, he also avoids the use of irritating 'uptalk' (rising intonation) which is spreading like a plague around the globe.

nice to know, he doesnt sound like an American for me

but I like his voice, relaxing and clear.

tankme wrote:He mentions "white metal". You wouldn't want to make functional tracks from white metal as they won't last very long in R/C use. Casting tracks from other more durable metals suitable for R/C cannot be done in silicone molds as the molds will melt under the heat. Aluminum melts at like 1200-1600 degrees and it can be made into tracks, but is still not the best material for tracks because it is still pretty soft. I think most of the tracks suitable for R/C that contain aluminum are alloys to increase their wear characteristics.

To be honest, I have no idea about which kind of metal you should use, or for example what Heng long or Tamiya is using to make their metal tracks.
In any case I am not a "heavy" user of the tanks so they will not break that fast with me.
I am just interested in the process and maybe to do it once myself for the fun of it.