Spent a few hours reviewing my collective files. Big Wave Dave commented on Tumbler models a while back. The models appear good for establishing good starting points for many of the exterior deminsion and angle parameters but not as a complete substitute for photograph analysis and contribute very, very, little to the inside makeup. I have the Hot Toys 1/6th and the Walmart models. I have not seen the Hot Wheels Elite. Anyone know how accurate the Hot Wheels Tumbler is considered to be and/or any negative points. Was the Hot Wheels Tumbler ever reviewed on the forums?

Finally, without interruptions, was able to spend 14-physical hours on my Tumbler build. Completed plasma cutting on front arms. The front arms assemblies require lots of fitting and refitting. Have gotten to the point that I need to order the rims and tires for the front before I weld in my axles. Like youngbat, I am not very impressed with the Hoosier, Wing Sprint checkerboard dirt tires. Spent 8-hours searching the net studying tires and tread patterns. Have found an excellent tread pattern from Prolineracing.com. The Road Rage series, problem is they make scale tires for RC cars. Have been searching for a similar tread pattern, among others, in a full sized tire with dimensional parity to the original rim and tire. Anybody out there have any ideas?      

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After planning, cutting, welding, the parts for the front arms I began to look for the tires/rims to use to set up the front axles. After many hours of non-productive searching I finally asked Big Wave Dave his opinions on tires and he was gracious enough to share his thoughts which I really appreciate. From his reply I also realized I had boxed myself into a tightly restricted way of thinking about building the Tumbler only within the known parameters and dimensions. Trying so hard to make everything fit within the lines I had lost sight of thinking past what was known to what was possible. With that said, for the past week I have been drawing alternative/?/improved Tumbler front ends, then experimenting with wood templates. So far, I still like the Dana 60 front axle ends and have incorporated them into my designs.         

Just a few thoughts on how the Tumbler might react to a front arm seperation or critical weld failure. First, it appears that a failed front arm assembly would probably not seperate completely, at first, if at all, but rather would produce unpredictable tangling, debries run over, and drag effects, that would have influences on the predictability of directional changes and roll effects. It appears that the Tumbler would curve off towards the direction of failure and roll onto the opposite side of the failure with subsequent rolls following a secondary horizontal curve influenced by the large rear tires. The severity of all crash effects would certainly be effected by the speed at the time of failure. However, this is all conjecture and given the variability involved, a front Tumbler suspension arm failure might produce a much different outcome than my interpretation. One ponders such thoughts when one thinks about actually driving an experimental vehicle. So, for me Tumbler front arm suspension failure is not an option, and that is why I have devoted so much time to research, study, and experimenting. That is also why I have way over engineered my Tumbler's front suspension and components. The frame brackets used to support the front arm bearings and shafts are massive 1/2 inch thick steel and I plan to over build the rest of my front suspension.       

AVOIDING TUMBLER BURNOUT-Part I

Since I began to research, study, and started to build the Tumbler I have read the writings and many site forum postings of more than a hundred people who proclaimed they had started to build a Tumbler. Enthusiastic at first, some more dynamic than others, within a month some admitted defeat early, unable to find summary blue prints of the creative and difficult thinking done by others, and over whelmed by the prospective requirements of personal labor in the endeavor. And as time progressed, more and more, gave up under the weights of the endeavor and/or outside environmental demands. This is one of the most difficult projects that I have ever attempted. The intensity of preparation, research analysis, and realities of the physical building frequently push one’s frustration tolerance. Without a good philosophy of life it would be easy to give up, surrender courage, and admit defeat to futility. (TUMBLER BURNOUT) I have recorded here some famous quotes that help me avoid burn out. The first from BIG WAVE DAVE on 1/12/2010 5:14:46 (post 78079) when he was building his Rumbler. “It’s a ton of work but enjoy the process. Its like defining happiness….Its not a destination, happiness is a journey”..BWD. Don’t want to write too long so I’ll continue in another posting. I have divided the rest of the anti-burnout quotes into perspective categories. vertigo

AVOIDING TUMBLER BURNOUT-Part 2 :STRENGTH AND DIVISION OF PURPOSE: Character gives us qualities, but it is in actions - what we do - that we are happy or the reverse....All human happiness and misery take the form of action. Aristotle

If the artist does not fling himself, without reflecting, into his work, as Curtis flung himself into the yawning gulf, as the soldier flings himself into the enemy's trenches, and if, once in this crater, he does not work like a miner on whom the walls of his gallery have fallen in; if he contemplates difficulties instead of overcoming them one by one...he is simply looking on at the suicide of his own talent.  Honore de Balzac

When a world champion car racer was asked by the media how it felt to be a world champion racer he replied, “It ain’t about the winning, it’s about the racing.” Richard Petty

If one thought of building the Tumbler as a whole thought, it wouldn’t take long to become overwhelmed. The Tumbler is much more complex than it looks. By breaking my Tumbler build down into major categories and these major categories down in many, many small steps I am always able to get something done and each small completion brings me at least some small satisfaction. vertigo

AVOIDING TUMBLER BURNOUT-Part 3 : ART AND CREATIVITY OF THE BUILD

 “Follow the path of your aroused thought, and you will soon meet this infernal inscription: There is nothing so beautiful as that which does not exist.”

- Paul Valery

“An artist's sensitivity to criticism is, at least in part, an effort to keep unimpaired the zest, or confidence, or arrogance, which he needs to make creation possible; or an instinct to climb through his problems in his own way as he should, and must.”  Christopher Fry

The essence of all beautiful art, all great art, is gratitude. Friedrich Nietzsche

The pursuit of truth and beauty is a sphere of activity in which we are permitted to remain children all our lives. The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources.  Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited.

When I examine myself and my methods of thought, I come to the conclusion that the gift of fantasy has meant more to me than any talent for abstract, positive thinking. Only one who devotes himself to a cause with his whole strength and soul can be a true master. For this reason mastery demands all of a person. If you are not writing your thoughts down, you are just daydreaming. Einstein

To me, the Tumbler is a sculpture of tremendous beauty. The originality of design and collective interaction of lines, angles, and curves still stir my thoughts and emotions. It might take me a few more years but I feel certain I will complete my build. I have no set completion date. I am enjoying the ride. vertigo   

AVOIDING TUMBLER BURNOUT-Part 4 : RESEARCHING THE BUILD

In two years of researching the Tumbler I have gathered thousands of photographs and several hundred thousand words. Such a mass of information if not organized would be over whelming and very difficult to navigate effectively while causing a great deal of stress and frustration, adding to collective burnout. Organizing my research has allowed me to avoid this source of burnout. vertigo   

“What information consumes is rather obvious: it consumes the attention of its recipients. Hence a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention, and a need to allocate that attention efficiently among the overabundance of information sources that might consume it.  Herbert Simon

Out of intense study comes insight. The individual time to insight varies, based on both the individual's previously acquired abilities and the duration of intense study. Effective study and learning is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. If the answer to a problem eludes you, add information, preferably relevant information, as this takes less time to reach an answer. vertigo