Miller 122 Rear Dr Junior Eight Special

[PhilX]

A Nice Tip ... ?

 

[absmiami]

Finishing the bonnet buckles on the left side …

[absmiami]

Now that that’s done i re-painted the engine side radiator surface to obscure  the grill wire - and then attached the radiator and the water manifold - now to the wheels …

Edited April 20, 2023 by absmiami

[Pierre Rivard]

Looks wonderful, scratch building extraordinaire!

[Straightliner59]

Excellent work, Andy! This is a real beauty, sir!

[PhilX]

I'm really fond of this car and your realization ... ?

[absmiami]

Thanks gentleman

changes - corrections - etc

the drum brakes are different widths fr and back - problem 1 - so i need to use longer front spindles - 

problem II - not happy with the spats …

 

[absmiami]

The outside spat has a very slight curve fr flat - then a low degree curve to hug the spokes ….  My first attempt was …. A clunker - 

[absmiami]

So - back to the Sherline …

[absmiami]

The first cuts shape the inside of the spat - and the collar is left on the part - so that when its removed - the collar serves as the attachment point for the final cuts on the other side of the part …

[absmiami]

The disc is then back on the chuck to turn the outside radius - this is where i missed on my first spats …

[absmiami]

The collar is only partially removed with a cut-off blade when the spat comes off the lathe - so i then have to remove the stub of the collar - because of the inside radius - thats done with a variety of cutters and grinding bits …

[absmiami]

So ive made two spats with the correct outside radius - and ive got two more that were cast fr my original clunker - using files and sanding sticks ive made a better radius on the castings - so i’ll probably use these - the spats are very time consuming - made the second one while listening to the Lakers hammer the Grizzlys - and ive planned to paint the spats aluminum - so think i can combine the parts - two back and two front … 

[Pierre Rivard]

The two you just made on the lathe look so so good Andy. You'll hate to hear this but... nothing looks more like metal than...metal?

I'd turn two more and leave them unpainted...

[absmiami]

Thinking …

[absmiami]

The wheels have split rims and some bolts - the rims are part of the wheel casting - so i sawed a slot on each wheel and added some bolt detail w .020 RB Motion bolts …

[absmiami]

The tires are cast by Harold in a perfect shade of rubber black - he uses these on his Miller fr dr kits - the simple tread pattern is accurate - i just chucked the tires onto the lathe and cleaned up the grooves with a razor saw - the lathe is run at a very low speed and you can hold the saw blade in the groove by hand …

[Pico]

Superb work.

[absmiami]

Thanks pico - These wh spats are so cool …

[Straightliner59]

I just love those wheels!

[Pierre Rivard]

There's a rumor all four of them will be done the same way on a lathe...

[PhilX]

If spats inside and outside, perhaps the spoke wheel is not necessary.

I would have turn a massive one piece aluminium wheel (including the spats) and let it natural after polishing on the lathe.

Don't know if my english is good enough to be understood ...

 

[absmiami]

You are correct PHX - Harold casts these wheels and tires for his fr dr Miller 91 kit - im using the wire wheels because the sister car  - the Boyle Special - which is part of the Rev’s colllection in Naples - has no spats - and im building that also - but i need to find the time to make true 24th scale wheels and tires - these are 25th sc - and that would definitely be the plan …

[absmiami]

Just to add some drama - ive made two wh spats with the correct radius  using my remaining 3/4 inch aluminum stock- and this is all ive got left - i can turn one more - but probably not two - i do have some more on the way - ill make # 3 and then sit by the mailbox … 

[Straightliner59]

What about making a punch/die on the lathe and press the spats in tooling aluminum? I don't know if it would work, but a simple test could be done, to see.