Well, here's an opportunity to get your own back!!?
With much upheaval and far too much real life lately I've been in need of something simply to keep the juices flowing - Box stock and with definite "play" value. Having got bogged down with the Top Yard [ things may be moving there though]? I thought I'd have a go at this vintage Airfix kit.
Only criteria was to make the best of it and keep it clean. To-wit pretty much as it looks in the instruction booklet, and just trying to improve the engineering aspect to keep it as a definite operating model.
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Lots of clean-up required to make everything look as though it was "carved" out of the solid. and mainly "engineering" improvements to make sure things "fit" nicely, move smoothly, and generally didn't bind or foul.
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Again lots of clean-up on those cooling fins, nice and tidy. Only the front portion of that cylinder liner is modelled, as it will be seen - most is hidden inside the barrel.
Rather than try and "tool" turning marks on the bottom of the liner I just brushed solvent around neatly, then went for a pretty highly polished metal effect.
No idea who Keith is by the way - this block came with the little watchmakers lathe I acquired - and I'm assuming it's an apprentice test piece as it's a perfect 1" no matter what calliper or vernier I use.
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Here it is dropped into the two crankcase halves: only cleaned up as yet but I wanted to check the "turning" of the crank and piston assembly before going much further.
Gordon as ever "taketh the pish" and ordered me to build something proper!! - but as diversionary modelling goes - it's fun. Quite enjoying it actually - even if the bliddy airbrush won't work and I'm having to brush paint everything - but hey, that's how I did it as a kid and I can't ever remember enjoying myself more .................. well, until I discovered girls!!! But it turned out I was really crap at that!!!?
Big hugs ......................
That is really cool!
i did a search and cant figure out if the engine is actually operable?
Is it plastic or metal?
I seriously doubt for 20 pounds that it is more than just for show.
I'm looking forward to more of this (and may have to get one to play with)
At the least it would be useful to my students just learning the 4 stroke concept.
-Marty
What scale is this?
Marty - it's all plastic, but is definitely operable. Back in it's original guise it was meant to be run by a small electric motor; most of those components are still on the sprues, but no motor of course and no mention in the destructions either.
And yes it does work - operated by a hand-crank mechanism. Turns the crank and piston assembly - obviously, but via a gear chain operates a pair of cams which through pushrods actuate a pair of vales. So it really is an operational and educational model of a generic four stroke internal combustion engine.
Ray - I'm not sure of a scale [it's arbitrary I guess though as it doesn't represent any known engine to my knowledge]? although 1/6th does keep popping into my head!! - never the less I included the 1" gauge block to give an accurate sense of scale to the assemblies, does that help?
So, for me the big thing is to build it so that it successfully and properly "turns over" consistently and without fear of breaking it!!!
And it must bring the kid out in me because I really want to turn that handle and see it all working.
Wow. That is really cool. Looks like one of those cut-away dealer display engines from days-of-yore.
What paint did you use for the silver?
QuoteNo idea who Keith is by the way - this block came with the little watchmakers lathe I acquired - and I'm assuming it's an apprentice test piece as it's a perfect 1" no matter what calliper or vernier I use.
It used to be fairly standard practice in the British sphere of influence to show you were worthy at the end of a fitting apprenticeship by carving a 1 inch square with files and hand scrapers. None of this lazy man's machining rubbish and if it wasn't perfect you didn't pass.
Marc' - glad you like it, it's a fun piece of modelling if not up to the rarefied level normally found round these here parts!
That "silver" is pretty funky isn't it? It's actually a "Mr Metalcolor" from the "Mr Hobby" range. Specifically "Chrome silver" - the crank is done with "Iron" and in the flesh is a more believable metallic effect. Lacquer based it took a little playing with to find its best effect, but I'm sure depending on what you put underneath you could get many and varied finishes.
I thought from your first pictures that it was die-cast metal-well done!
I knew an old Austrian tool and die guy who still had his square blocks. He had to make 2, and they would stick together due to the fine surface finish.
Hey all, it pleases me to think you might be following along - better than just pointing and sniggering I guess?
Seeing as folk are a bit curious I thought I'd follow up with a quick update to show the valve assembly - it will get a bit buried later on so thought it best to show it at this stage.
Mainly involved just sensible clean-up, paying particular attention to any mating or "working" surfaces: e.g, the valve stems were given a layer of BMF, primarily to take up a bit of slack in the guides but also to enable a bit of "graphite" lubrication [pencil shavings] later on.
Here you go then .................
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All exposed interior surfaces will be picked out in this "yellow" - pretty much as the destructions suggest. But I'm hoping to "oil-up" the working parts later so it looks a bit more like the cut-a-way engine we used to have in "Engineering Sciences" back when I were a lad.
And yes the valves are operable and will be when I've assembled the cams and pushrod assembly - those springs are surprisingly strong and will result in quite a "tight" engine I'm sure.
More later ...................
Just catching up Andi, looking good.
As always impressed with your "brush" skills even more so when I read you are brush painting laquer!
Now that we have got you back at the bench , how is that Be....d doing?
Don't want you to have too much fun do we !
There is absolutely nothing in those images that looks like plastic!
Marty
Glad to see you back at it Andi. This cut-away really looks the part...if there were space in the science museum I am sure that they would stick it in a vitrine. It is beautiful and exacting work you do each and every time. Thanks for posting this WIP.
hand brushing lacquer alone impresses the hell out of me. The plastic has, without a doubt, the look of metal.
Aw Shucks! .............
I'm so glad you cheps are liking this, because I am. And I must admit felt a bit guilty for working so "out of the box".
I shall try and make it a bit more "believable" later on, as it is the barrel and head are just a bit too silver? And hopefully I'll tone it down a touch too, try and get a bit more weight into it - if you know what I mean?
I did forget actually that I had tried to put the "sandcast" texture into the head and around the fins - can you see that? Again nothing mind bending just stippled it with solvent, reducing the pressure as it dried to make shallower marks and then a good dollop of primer to soften it back. ... I hate outlining my techniques as they always sound so oafish and crude by comparison!
However - onward and upward................ Traa for now!
The texturing is great, to me that is the main thing making it look so much like real metal. Very well done -- I had assumed that the texture was part of the original kit.
Quitcher bellyachin' and keep working; it looks good. -- Russ
Still messing about with this, and actually it's a delight. A cracking kit, very reminiscent of its age but non the worse for that.
There's been lots of "working-ahead" clean-up and the such like, making sure parts are ready for paint and assembly. So this is not so much a big fancy update but more of a pictorial of the processes. Most should be pretty self explanatory? But ask away if you fell the need.
I do apologise for the pic's, they seem a bit big because I always size at 750pixels but of course these are "portrait format" for the large part - soz!!
Here you go ...................
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Gratuitous shot playing with the little lathe, nothing fabulous just turning down the filler used to pack out the inside of the cams.
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Shot of the gear chain. I've tried to allude to the turned effect of the gears but the effect is a bit too subtle here - slightly better in the flesh.
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A quick shot of the interior.
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And another - does show the cams and followers off though. ..... I must say these large pic's are merciless!
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Second casing in place [not permanently yet].
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And the barrel on top.
A a quick walk around .............
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So, just a little bit scruffy I know! - but most of the attention has gone on the "engineering" side of things [I use the term loosely of course].
But, and this is important to me - even though this is just dry assembled it turns over with a satisfying ease - not loose ... but just right.
The details will be cleaned up now - a rub down and final coat of paint. Some of the nicks and bumps you spied are being left as I want to have a go at revealing the usage something like this sort of teaching aid might of accrued
- not with standing the fact that it will be used for this exact purpose - well playing with anyway!!
PS - only thing of important note for those that might try one of these -- I spent a lot time "adjusting the tappets" by shortening the pushrods - this stops them trying to pop the head off. This should sit flat with the followers "off cam". My rods eventually were fitted measuring 75.5mm .
Looks perfect to me!
Looks like many I have seen in many auto shop classrooms.
Nice to hear how it turns over.
Marty
Andi the work is coming together very well, and I am green with envy looking at the little (Boley)? lathe.
Michael
Nice work!
Not a lot to show for the efforts extended recently? - But I'm hoping that I shall be able to make better headway now?
So here's a small update showing the block, barrel and head: all buttoned up now. It turns over lovely, an operation that played no small part in the extended preparation times.
I won't go into any long explanations as to what I've been trying to achieve so far - most of it is obvious to characters as accomplished as you folk, as is my struggles to achieve same!!
Here you go then ............
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Until next time then ..........................
That came out nice Andi! Hope the valve train holds up against those springs.
I can just hear it "popping & purring"!
Lots of fun!
-Mj
An adequate step forward. -- Russ
Looks great!
Very Very nice Andi.
Here you go then cheps!
Finally put this one to bed - and it's been great fun, a really enjoyable piece of modelling. Nothing too exalted of course but I had a good time - although I'm hoping of course it gets a general blessing??
No fancy descriptions then just a few pic's - ask if you feel the need though?
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As can be seen I've tried to forgo the highly polished bit of kit route - but rather go for the look that I remember our Science lab cutaway engine had! - heavily used with countless grubby fingers pawing it daily. Evidence of constant strip-downs and even the occasional hand-painted rebuilds.
Tried hard also to make a reasonable fist of the look of the raw metalwork, some with a bit of surface rust others well finger polished. I didn't take an age to photograph it so consequently the metal effects don't feature to highly but in mine own defence they do look a little bit better in the flesh - ish!
There you go then! Time for another project methinks.
Andi -
Please share the technique you used to get the nice bare metal effects.
Carlo
Satisfactory. -- Russ
That is bloody fantastic Andi, no way could you tell it has a plastic base.
I just love the various surface finishes on both metal parts as well as the painted bits, as well as the superb rendition of rubber on the spark plug boot.
1st class mate!
Now, you have got back to the bench and had a really good warm up lets see your painting skill unleashed on that Bedford Van........ Please.
Well done! Doesn't look at all like a plastic model.
I think that came out great Andi. One would never say its plastic.
Any chance of a size reference pic?
Here you go Wesley...........
A bit tongue in cheek but you should be able to gauge it from these assorted references?
The six inch ruler is obvious and the "block" is an exact inch - The figure is just for silliness plain and simple!!!
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Cheers all, and many thanks for your encouragements.
PERFECT!!!!!!!
LMAO!!!
Really a cool project! Glad you did it and took the time to share!
-Marty
Cool!
Where did you get that character?
Ray ... he's a German cartoon character called "Werner". You can/could get a couple of figures of him to pose against his motorcycle - an example of which I "steampunked" many many years ago now. In fact so long ago that the phrase of "steampunking hadn't been coined yet - so perhaps I was at the vanguard of popular culture without even being aware of it.
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I think the truth is more like I simply got sick of counting rivets, and whilst walking the dog one day noticed he seemed to have the most fun when he was just running around like an idiot - and I thinks to myself ...... "I could do that" ............ tadahh!
If you didn't actually build that beauty -- if it's a 3D rendering -- I will dispatch you forthwith to the corner. -- Russ
Ahh Bliss - the threat of banishment to the corner........... I've arrived at last, just one of the guys - made it, running with the big dogs!!!
Russ, no definitely NOT a 3D rendering, a rather ancient build actually - I do believe I have a build album of it somewhere??
Not sure if it would fit in here though - and it's actually quite crude by the site standards - it was a lot of silly fun though.
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More sillyness ............ it is an air cooled cylinder - water cooled head, dry sump three and a half litre single cylinder 3 valve special.
And if anyone is still suspicious look at the front mudguard .............. "it's a spoon"!!!
In these times of doom and gloom and cold enough to freeze the brush in my MEK glue -this is what we want more AIRFIX projects -thanks for sharing it -its lovely
Barney
Andi -
Magnificent Motorcycle!
What's the scale?
If that's a spoon, it must be at least 1:12.
Carlo
"Crude?" Gimme a break! It is satisfactory indeed. -- Russ
When viewing a model, if it brings a smile, it's well worth seeing. I love your motorcycle.
I like it too, very creative!
What a splendid piece that Airfix motor is. I echo gordons comments and sentiments. Really brings a smile to my face.