3D Printed Electric Landspeed Car With Working Motor

I've always had a fascination with landspeed vehicles, especially the Thrust 2 project. I wanted to build an RC landspeed car but it's a bit out of my price range...So I made a 3D printed kit that uses budget-friendly electronics to satisfy my need for speed.

In this Instructable, I will show you how to put together and run my 3D printed Landspeed Car kit. I designed this kit to have easy snap-together parts and unlimited modification potential. The electronics I am using are recycled from a wrecked mini drone and a free-flight plane. In the following list, I will link to where you can purchase these parts. If you would rather make your own motor controller I will list a helpful site in the resource section located at the end of this Instructable. Alright, let's grab some hot glue and get ready to race!!!

Parts:

• 3D Printed Landspeed Car Kit. You can download it for free here.
• Strix Freeflight Timer
• Kinetix Motor
• HQ Props
• 150 - 220mAh 1s Lipo Battery
• Body Shell Template: You can download the SVG or PDF for free here.
• Note Card or Scrap Cardstock
• Ductape
• Glue Stick

Tools

• 1200 Grit Sand Paper
• Hot Glue
• Plastic Nippers
• Pliers
• Ruler
• Scissors

This kit was made in Tinkercad.

3D print the Land Speed Car kit. I used an Ender 3 with Cura to print the kit in PLA.

The settings I used in Cura:

• Standard quality
• Infill density 20%
• Infill pattern Tri-Hexagonal
• Print Speed 40mm/s
• Supports on and everywhere
• Skirt on

Remove supports from the parts and sand off any rough edges. Rough up the front wedge with sandpaper. We will be gluing the body shell to this wedge later on in the Instructable. Also, sand the axles smooth; the smoother the axels the faster the car will go.

Note: If you do not have access to a 3D printer check your local Library, Makerspace, or University. Many public libraries in the States have free or affordable printing services. My public library offers free 2hr PLA prints to the community. There are also online printing services available too. For example, Shapeways.

Snap-on the motor mount so the hole is facing the rear of the car. Hot glue in place the Strix Freeflight Timer with the battery lead facing the front wedge and face down (see picture 3). The motor adapter should be facing the motor mount. Once the glue dries use a pen to gently stretch the motor mount. Attach the prop to the motor. Make sure the prop is the correct one for the motor's direction. We want the prop to push the car so use a clockwise(CW) motor with a counterclockwise(CCW) prop or vice versa for a CCW motor. Remove the pen and slide the motor in. Leave about 3mm of the motor sticking out. Plug the motor into the free flight timer.

Roughly cut out a body shell from the template. Glue the body shell cutout to a notecard or cardstock with a glue stick. Cut out the body shell from the card and bend down the sides along the solid lines (see picture 3). Lightly bend and mold the body shell until it resembles the example in picture 4. Apply a thin line of ductape to the underside of the body shell where the thin front end meets the mid section (see picture 5). Glue the thin front end of the shell to the front wedge of the chassis. I used a glue stick to adhere the shell to the chassis so I can remove it later. If you would like a more permanent solution use a dab of superglue. Add a small piece of ductape to the end of the motor mount. Roll a piece of ductape so it's sticky on both ends. Add this roll to the back and underside of the shell. Stick the shell down to the motor mount. This creates a ductape hinge for easy battery changes.

There are two sizes of wheels and axles. The shorter axle and smaller wheels are for the front of the car. Snap one small wheel onto the short axle, then slide it through the front hole. Snap-on the remaining small wheel. Snap one of the larger wheels onto the remaining axle and slide it through the rear hole on the chassis. Attach the remaining wheel. Lift the body shell and plug in the lipo battery. The battery can be pushed in between the side fenders to hold it into place. Tuck in the wire, close the shell and flip the car over. With the Strix Freeflight timer, you can set how long the motor stays on. The timer has three options 5, 8, and 10 seconds. To select a timing interval hold down the button until the LED blinks. Click the button until the desired interval's LED blinks. Release the button and after a second or two the LED will be solid and you will be ready to race. Remove the battery to power the car down.

The 3D Printed Landspeeder is made for smooth slick surfaces and traveling in a straight line. The car can cover 40+feet in under 5 seconds. The landspeeder is also compatible with Hot Wheels orange track. When you are ready to launch the car insert the lipo battery, press the button, release it on the ground, and watch it rocket off. To stop the car I use a sweater or fabric shopping bag as a barrier for it to crash into. When you are done using the landspeeder make sure to remove the battery. The scale of this car is roughly 1:43, see the 3rd picture for a comparison.

Safety Notes: Do not aim the landspeeder at animals or people. The prop is not guarded and can leave an abrasion if touched. Also, keep the prop away from hair. This car uses a lipo, make sure to follow all safety rules and procedures with these batteries.

Advisory: Using lipo batteries and motors with open props can be dangerous. If you decide to make a 3D Printed Landspeed Car of your own you are responsible for its use and batteries.

Here are some suggestions for modifications:

• Lubricate axels with graphite powder.
• Print holes in the wheels to lighten the car.
• Use velcro or a magnet to hold the body shell in place.
• Create custom shells using Inkscape.

Resouces:

• Make a timing circuit
• Landspeed Records
• RC Landspeed Record