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CarBEN EV open source electric car design

Discussion in 'Sketchup Gallery' started by NeilBlanchard, Jun 15, 2011.

  1. 3DMON

    3DMON Moderator Staff Member

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  2. thunder hawk

    thunder hawk Member

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    Starting to look like a car body. :D :cool:

    Nice work.
    GHB :D
     
  3. 7up

    7up Moderator Staff Member

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    Wow, I've been away for a bit. Looks like you are coming right along Neil. Nice work. :hammer:
     
  4. NeilBlanchard

    NeilBlanchard Member

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    I got a quote on the Smart ForTwo windshield, wiper system, and the vent bezel at the base of the windshield where the wiper arms pivot - and the total cost is about $820. Not bad, really. The next major expense with be the fiberglass.

    Does anybody have suggestions on where to find a *manual* steering system?
     
  5. TigerPilot

    TigerPilot Well-Known Member

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    Junk yard?
     
  6. foamlvr

    foamlvr Member

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    Early generation VW Beetle
     
  7. Jnida63

    Jnida63 Member

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    mustang II
     
  8. flyn_brian

    flyn_brian New Member

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    Old pinto
     
  9. Evil-Tunes

    Evil-Tunes Moderator Staff Member

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  10. NeilBlanchard

    NeilBlanchard Member

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    Thank you all for the suggestions!
     
  11. NeilBlanchard

    NeilBlanchard Member

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    I built a display stand today for the Earth Day Festival to hold an info sheet, my business cards and a support donations box.

    I also got the hood nearly fitted; though finalizing it will wait until the nose is glued on and I have the windshield and the bezel vent in hand.

    [​IMG]
     
  12. kram242

    kram242 Administrator Staff Member

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    Looking great Neil :doubleup:
    Hope you have a great time
    Mark and Trish
     
  13. NeilBlanchard

    NeilBlanchard Member

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    This is the first time I've seen it at a distance greater than a few feet, since it's been smoothed (and there is more to go!):

    [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]

    Then back home:
    [​IMG][​IMG]DSC_1255_zps86129396.jpg" alt="" />[​IMG]

    Here's a reworked version of the presentation slideshow I had running on my iMac at the Festival: Neil Blanchard Designs: CarBEN EV5 Construction

    Pictures by others:
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Here's a video that I took (I should have done the shake compensation in the camera, so you have to live with the slightly warping compensation in the YouTube fix):

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckUMwbfROyU

    Here's a longer, more detailed walkaround video:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A49N2onsN64

    I tried the stabilization in the camera, but it still needs the YouTube processing...

    It's got it first dirty bird, and there are glue drops and runs, and rough edges... My son will be helping me move it back into the shelter soon, so I can continue smoothing. The left side in particular needs a fair bit of work. They all show up much more readily in the full light of day!

    This is how I am using the longboard sanding tool I bought from Jamestown Distributors. It is a tool normally used on boat hulls, and it is nearly perfect for this, too. The swirling motion and figure 8 motion tend to avoid any gouges or divots.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3d64d3_S-g

    I was able to even up the surface so that the several low areas are largely gone.

    I wish that my video camera had a wide angle lens - I had to position it quite far away, and I hope things so up clearly enough.

    I've been smoothing the bottom and after gluing in some small patches, the diffuser fins are much more even and straight:

    [​IMG]
    (click on thumbnail for larger versions!)

    I need to work on the right side and then I will glue up the wheel skirts, and then start fiberglassing the bottom. A windshield (from a Smart ForTwo) will be needed fairly soon as well.
     
  14. TigerPilot

    TigerPilot Well-Known Member

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    Outstanding, my man, outstanding.

    I was surprised how stubby the nose is. Somehow I expected it to be more elongated and I don't know why I expected it. :)
     
  15. NeilBlanchard

    NeilBlanchard Member

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    For aerodynamic drag, short and blunt is slightly better than long and pointed; believe it or not.
     
  16. kram242

    kram242 Administrator Staff Member

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    Your an inspiration to us all Neil! Well done :doubleup:
    Looks like you had a lot of interest at the show which is great. The presentation slideshow you put together is awesome!
    Seeing the CarBEN in video was a nice treat. The walk around really show off the coolness that is this car
    keep up the great work and thanks for sharing
    Mark and Trish Attached files [​IMG]
     
  17. thunder hawk

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  18. 7up

    7up Moderator Staff Member

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    Too Cool!

    Foam-fegnugen
     
  19. ToxicToast

    ToxicToast Down in the weeds. Staff Member

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    Serious foamy!
     
  20. NeilBlanchard

    NeilBlanchard Member

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    Note to Mark: do you want to move this thread to the Scratch Build section?

    I've made 12 sample/test pieces - I have 6 different fiberglass fabrics and I want to test to see if the smooth surface is as strong as a roughened surface. If anybody knows how to set up a bending strength test rig for pieces this size, I'd love to hear it!

    The Titebond III glue I am using is water*proof* even though it is water based.

    The ridged roller I used to press the fabric into the glue, and the wire brush I used to roughen the foam are in the background:
    [​IMG]
    As you can see above, the printing on the foam is quite visible right through the dried fiberglass surface. Which is a neat trick, since the fabrics are not transparent, and neither is the liquid glue. :)

    This is the 10oz E-glass smooth foam sample:
    [​IMG]
     
  21. NeilBlanchard

    NeilBlanchard Member

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    Here's the bending test jig I built:

    [​IMG]

    And one of the test samples in place:

    [​IMG]

    A drawing of the jig:

    [​IMG]

    And the data I collected on the deflection of the samples, in a spreadsheet with a useful\ chart:

    [​IMG]

    My 6oz S-Glass Rough sample was not up to snuff, I think. The rough surface definitely helped! I am much happier seeing the actual deflection...
     
  22. NeilBlanchard

    NeilBlanchard Member

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    A brief update: I will be repairing the damage done by my collapsed shelter, and then doing a big renovation and expansion of my garage. Gotta' have the room to continue working on CarBEN EV5.

    Also, I am fairly certain that the original X-axis stepper motor on my PhlatPrinter 3 is fine, and it was overheating because I had mistakenly put the 120mm cooling fan I had installed on *backward* when I wired it in place. I will (probably) be warming it up again to cut things like the driver's seat - but this will be late in the year, in all likelihood.
     
  23. 3DMON

    3DMON Moderator Staff Member

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    Shelter collapsed??? From snow? Sorry to hear this. I'm looking forward to seeing more updates on this project.
     
  24. kram242

    kram242 Administrator Staff Member

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    Glad to hear your back at it Neil, its been a brutal winter this year for sure. Looking forward to your updates :)
     
  25. NeilBlanchard

    NeilBlanchard Member

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    It has been a while since I posted here - sorry. I've repaired most of the damage from the collapsed shelter. I am working full time now, so I have the opposite problem to last year ... The windshield is now fitted, and I have 25 yards of 8.9 oz S-Glass on hand to use ... soon.

    [​IMG]

    After several hours of work today, I got the wiper system almost into place.

    [​IMG]

    The firewall has several holes in it that will need to be filled in from the inside. The base of the 'A' pillars need to be built up - both to cover the holes needs to clear the ends of the push rods, and to make the ends of the vent bezel flush. I put the nose and the hood into place and the hood will need some more work to get it to fit over the bezel.

    The 'A' pillars are a lot straighter than they used to be but I still see some wobbles ...

    [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]
     
    kram242 and 3DMON like this.

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