Airfix 1/12 Bentley Blower

[kpnuts]

Awesome is all I can say

[Moparman18064]

Amazing!!

[Bugatti Fan]

Nice wire wheels Francois.  Very effective.

Edited January 18, 2024 by Bugatti Fan

[François]

Thank you all for the positive comments. 

 

Finished reenforcing the head lights assy, shouldn't brake anymore.

Now that that's done, I decided to tackle the radiator.

The kit's radiator is composed of 3 parts:

1-the inner part that represents the core (right), I'll completly replace this part because it not very detailed and it doesn't fit with the twin fans and water pump.

The kit's core with the grill removed

A real core

My core so far

 

2-The outter shell (center). I'll keep the kit's part but will replace the poor excuse for mounting brackets that are there by more accurate looking brackets.

The kit's bracket

Real thing

First test print

 

I know that many say that the bentley badge location is incorrect but personnaly, I don't find it too bad. I think that playing with it would only make it worst since this part will be chromed.

3- the grill, I will also redo this completly

As a side note, I was recently asked to 3d model and print a model T tire in 1/25 scale complete with the firestone logo and a specific thread.

This is what it looks like

And a vintage light. Again in 1/25 scale. The post holding it is a toothpick!! This was a mis printed part that I painted real quick just to see the color scheme

 

Edited January 20, 2024 by François

[François]

First test print of radiator core, not half bad. I'm still missing some details but at least I know it prints ok. I'll be using a very fine flexible wire mesh that as an aperture of .02 which should simulate the core's mesh pretty good. For the front grill,  I'll use the same metal mesh used for the head lights. 

Edited January 20, 2024 by François

[François]

I had pretty much finished printed the different components for the radiator assembly when I noticed I made a mistake.  Here's what I did wrong. There is a type of webbing inserted in small slots that goes all around the core's outter flange.

Here's what I'm talking about. 

When designing the core, I missed one of the slots for the webbing, the result is a broken pattern. 

I'll reprint it. The rest of the parts are ok.

 

 

[François]

Reprinted the radiator core and this time I got wedding patters right. And since I was reprinting,  I added a small name tag. I'm not sure it's on my ref car but it was on a picture of a new core I have. I also installed the wire mesh.  Naturally, unlike mine,  you would't see thru a real core. But I kinda like it like this since the fans and water pump should be fisible from the front grill. I did a test with the front grill, not quite there yet but it's promissing. 

Here's a real core

And here is mine 

the real webbing

And mine

And the name plate

Front grill test

[Bugatti Fan]

Good further progress being made on this model.

I know that you may not be very keen to move the radiator badge, but it might be worth the trouble as it is a distinguishing feature on the car that draws the eye to it, and you have taken so much trouble to super detail just about everything else on the model. If you leave it, would you really be happy with it?

[absmiami]

I have to agree with Bugatti - if it is not too late to get the badge above the grill - pl do - after all - this build is epic …

[François]

Boy!! Talk about peer pressure! Not being one who backs out of a challenge, I'll give it a go. I'll first try to 3d model the logo and print it. If and only if this works will I remove the badge from the part. 

[Big John]

Here are a couple of ref pics from the LGS Historics.

[François]

So, I was out skiing today when Bugatti fan and absmiami 'decided' that I had to move the bentley radiator badge. I took every ski lift time to think of a way to do this, here's what I did.

First I found a good 2d cad line drawing of the logo

then using this 2d drawing as a sketch in my 3d software, I embossed the logo on a curved surface that has the same radius as the radiator cover 

After several maneuvers I was able to isolate the logo and got this

After printing, I got this. I also printed a test spout. Still a bit of tweaking to do but I'm quite satisfied.  Noting is glued yet, once glued in place,  the fit should be better.

And the real thing 

So I think it safe for me to remove the kit's logo and replace it with the new better positioned one

Edited January 25, 2024 by François

[Bugatti Fan]

The badge now looks so much better moved up into the new position Francois.

I know it was extra work I was suggesting to move it, but would like to think that you will be happier with it and think it worth it yourself in the end.

[François]

Thanks Bugatti, both for the comment and for the push. Once glued in place and chromed, it should effectively look better.

I 3d modeled the radiator cap and am trying to make it operational but so far, the print results are not to great. I haven't said my last word on that one.

I also installed the wire mesh on the front grill frame,  took me 2 tries  but I'm happy with the result.  

[Bugatti Fan]

Once you have finished the radiator shell, will you be using the new Revell Chrome spray?

If so, I would be very interested to know what you think of it.

You certainly got some very good definition on the replacement badge you printed. You might even have a little marketing opportunity from builders of the Airfix kit wishing to correct their kit radiator shells either supplying just replacement badges or complete 3D printed radiator shells with the badge on the correct place.

Looking forward to seeing the completely finished radiator assembly when fitted to your model.

Edited January 26, 2024 by Bugatti Fan

[François]

Thanks Bugatti fan 

Yes, I'll use the revell chrome.  But once it's painted,  I'll have to be very careful because this chrome rub off easily. 

Did the final print of the radiator cap and it turned out good. I also removed the logo from the front of the radiator cover and will glue on the new once I finish prepping the cover. 

Cap closed

Handle opened

Cap fully opened

Radiator mounting bracket installed 

Getting ready to paint the '0' on the front grill

Radiator to bulkhead link bar

And a bit of cad vs reality 

[Bugatti Fan]

Thanks for the feedback about the Revell Chrome Francois.

I wondered how durable it would be when handled. Most chromes like Alclad AK etc all seem to me to be easy to damage with handling.

The radiator cap you made has worked out very well.

[François]

Ok so, the radiator fab is all done.  The new logo and filler neck are glued on, the front grill is painted black and 'zeroed' in white.  All that is left to do is to chrome it.

But first,  I decided to fit the hood. Now because of all the added details I did, I wasn't too surprised to see that the hood panels didn't fit. The added fans and better detailed water pump meant that I had to move the radiator assembly forward a bit. Combined with the completetly scratch built bulkhead assy meant that the hood panels were too short. Also, the more detailed magnetos did not align with the bumps moulded on both side panels. So I first removed the bumps and opened up the holes to better fit the new magnetos.  I printed and glued on new larger bumps and added some styrene strips at both ends to lenghten the hood panels. There is still some fitting to do but it looks promissing. 

Side panel before mod

After cut-out and added strips

New bumps in place

Trial fit

I also stared the hood hinged

[Bugatti Fan]

The badge looks so much better now that you have moved it Francois.   It was worth taking the time to correct it and hopefully you are happier with it too despite the extra work to do it.

The hood hinges are interesting seeing how you are making them. I was a bit lazy and used miniature piano hinges from a dolls house supplier on a couple of my models.

[François]

I continued fitting the hood panels today but I find the at .05in, the thickness is way out of scale. I understand that they could not be molded to the correct thickness which would be around .005in for a 1/16 panel, it's just not possible.  It was suggested I try making them out of metal sheet.  A .01in aluminium sheet would be feasable but making the louvers would be quite a challenge. I could print a forming die of some sort but in order to design the die, I first have to 3d model the panels. So that's what I did starting with the left side vertical panel which is the most complicated because of the different louver sizes.

Here's the first panel modeled. 

I used both the kit's panel, a picture of a real panel and a picture from a 1/5 scale Amalgam model as reference. 

Since the panel is now in 3d, why not try to print it and see. My firts try was not a success,  I put the panel thickness at .02in and the louvers at .01in, not a good idea. The panel is warped and most louvers didn't make it.

Top is the printed panel, bottom the kit's 

I reprinted with a panel thickness of .03 and louver thickness of .02in. I also added a stiffener at the bulkhead end. I couldn't find any info on such stiffeners but I can see rivet lines that could very well be for just that. It's better but still not quite right.  The .03 panel thickness should do the trick  but the louvers are still to flimsy. I'll try again tomorrow. 

Fresh off the printer 

[François]

Well, like I've said before,  live and learn. And today was definatly a 'live and learn ' day. On my previous post, I mentionned that I tried printing a side panel. First try was no good. As for the second try, the panel itself was ok but the louvers still too flimsy. At least,  that's what I thought.  So here's the live and learn moment.  It appears that long thin part, like the louvers, will straighten up as they dry after the wash, before the curing. On my first panel try, I cured the part right after washing. But on my second try, it dried overnight and to my surprise, all louvers were straight as arrows this morning.

This is the second print right after washing last night

And this is what it looked like this morning 

you can clearly see the flatness of the louvers. 

So now enriched with this lesson,  I spent the entire day 3d modeling the 3 renaining panels, getting them ready for print. The hinges are all modeled directly on the panel so no more printing a bunch of tiny hinge to be glue afterward. I have to say that the louvers on the top panels were a real challenge but I think I got them pretty good. 

Here are some pictures of the model

And again some cad vs reality 

[kpnuts]

Outstanding is a small word for work of this calibre 

[François]

Ok so it's hood update time.

So far, the 4 panels have been 3d modeled with better details than the kit's and incorporated hinges. I modeled the lifting handles and the latch.  I even modeled the straps (I'll fabricate real straps, not printed ones). The 3d model look pretty good. But this is not a cad model forum,  it's a scale model forum. So here's where I'm at with my real model. I printed (again) the hood panels, this time with a thickness of .03in,  up .005 from the last print.  I'm very happy with the result but I think I could do better. I might up the thickness another 005. to give them a little more rigidity. I also need to tweak certain de curves a little but aside from that,  l pretty much there. So here are some pictures.  Please remember that the radiator is not uet fixed in place, that's why it's a little off.

Printed panels before supports removal

 

Right side panel down

 

Right side panel up

 

Left side panel down 

 

Left side panel up 

 

Latch

 

And finally,  real car vs cad model vs scale model

[CA Whitecloud]

3 hours ago, François said:

The 3d model look pretty good. But this is not a cad model forum,  it's a scale model forum.

I would be very interested to witness you're CAD process. I've been a Drater by trade for 30+ years. First paper and pencil (sharp), now moving into the 3D  REVIT world is exciting and terrifying all at once. Unbelievable and beautiful art you're creating.

Edited February 2, 2024 by CA Whitecloud

[absmiami]

Sigh …