How to make wire screens for intake systems

[curt raitz]

I will show you how I made these wire mesh screens:

It all started when I was using the aftermarket detail set for the Ferrari 312 T2, low and behold only 11 of the 12 screens were in the package. As I was pondering this situation, I noticed the Micro Punch Set on the bench, checked out my stash of screens and all I needed was a way to form the screen.

The 312 T2 kit has glass half-round tips that are to be used as intake screens...quite realistic I must add I super-glued glued one of these on an old paint brush handle to create a forming tool.

So for my most current 1/20 F! build pictured above - the Tamiya Ferrari 312T3 I made 12 screens, as the kit has none

Here's the tools I use:

After selecting a hole on the punch set, slide the screen into place:

Place the forming tool into the opening and apply gentile but firm pressure to cause a depression in the screen:

Inspecting the depression in the screen prior to cutting:

Place screen back in the punch set. The trick to punching is to have the punch suspended as you punch the screen out.

Just give the punch one quick tap and presto, a perfectly cut intake screen

The 1st time I did this, didn't have anything to catch the screen, which went flying,,,never did find.

Now i place a piece of cloth over and between the jaws of a vice and thusly I'm able to catch the screens:

End result is bunch of screens in a matter of minutes...

Hope this helps you when your in need of some home made intake screens

Note: obtaining fine mesh screen could be problem, I've had my stash for so many years I forgot where I got it.

thanx for lookin

[sjordan2]

This is one of the most useful tutorials I've seen around here, and applies to a multitude of purposes. Many thanks.

[Peter Lombardo]

That is very well done, Curt. The fine mesh screen is available in many hobby shops...especially ones that handle HO train stuff. They often sell it as chain link fencing material. Also, I have seen it in shops that specialize in radio control airplanes. I will retro fit some of my earlier Tamiya 1/20 F1 kits that don't have the intake screens as of yet. Thanks.

[diymirage]

very nice

if this forum had the option of giving members reputation points you would have gotten a positive point for this tutorial

[MikeMc]

Whats Raul gonna do with that idea????????

Well Done Curt!!

[Crazy Ed]

Excelent explination Curt, Thank You.

Ed

[randx0]

reusable coffee filters have fine mesh also

[Eric Stone]

I got some mesh like that at Texas Art Supply. That's only good info for you guys in the Houston area, but other well-stocked art supply places might have something useful.

[iBorg]

The forming tool could be made from solid brass rod and a bench grinder. This would be a great article for a certain VERY useful model car(s) magazine.

Mike

[envious8420]

you can get brass screens at your local tobacco shop, pipe screens.

also in the plumbing dept faucet screens.

[curt raitz]

  On 5/4/2010 at 9:14 PM, mark taylor said:

Where's a good place to get a punch set of that size? Neat tip!

I got this one from Micro-Mark: https://www.micromark.com

it's part #83513, price is a little steep...$39.95

it can be used for many applications in our hobby...

[crispy]

Nice job Curt! I know you had planned on doing this tutorial awhile ago. Glad to see it here.

Now, all you need to do is submit this to the Model Cars Mag crew for print.

Like you said, this has many more uses than just screen intakes.

Chris

[Bridgebuster]

[Great job Curt; thanks for taking the time to share this. Please excuse my tired ole eyes and tell me about the forming tool. What is yours and what exactly is it for. I assume making the screen a certain shape, but what shape? Sorry to be so thick.

[curt raitz]

  On 5/6/2010 at 1:38 AM, Phil Harkins said:

[Great job Curt; thanks for taking the time to share this. Please excuse my tired ole eyes and tell me about the forming tool. What is yours and what exactly is it for. I assume making the screen a certain shape, but what shape? Sorry to be so thick.

Just an old paint brush with a plastic globe superglued to it. It has round shape to form a nice round bump in the screen prior to punching it out.

The beauty of the punch is you get a perfect circle cut of the screen...ever tried cutting a perfect circle in a little bitty piece of screen?

[elan]

Great tutorial Now I can start on that Cosworth-Ford DFV I've been putting off.

[huffanpuff]

  On 5/4/2010 at 8:30 PM, curt raitz said:

I will show you how I made these wire mesh screens:

It all started when I was using the aftermarket detail set for the Ferrari 312 T2, low and behold only 11 of the 12 screens were in the package. As I was pondering this situation, I noticed the Micro Punch Set on the bench, checked out my stash of screens and all I needed was a way to form the screen.

The 312 T2 kit has glass half-round tips that are to be used as intake screens...quite realistic I must add I super-glued glued one of these on an old paint brush handle to create a forming tool.

So for my most current 1/20 F! build pictured above - the Tamiya Ferrari 312T3 I made 12 screens, as the kit has none

Here's the tools I use:

After selecting a hole on the punch set, slide the screen into place:

Place the forming tool into the opening and apply gentile but firm pressure to cause a depression in the screen:

Inspecting the depression in the screen prior to cutting:

Place screen back in the punch set. The trick to punching is to have the punch suspended as you punch the screen out.

Just give the punch one quick tap and presto, a perfectly cut intake screen

The 1st time I did this, didn't have anything to catch the screen, which went flying,,,never did find.

Now i place a piece of cloth over and between the jaws of a vice and thusly I'm able to catch the screens:

End result is bunch of screens in a matter of minutes...

Hope this helps you when your in need of some home made intake screens

Note: obtaining fine mesh screen could be problem, I've had my stash for so many years I forgot where I got it.

thanx for lookin

[huffanpuff]

you are amazing. Nice idea & work truly impressed.

[Bridgebuster]

Yes! That let me completely understand what was going on. Very nicely done and thanks so much for sharing. I will definitely be ordering a punch set like yours and finding some screen.

[Brutalform]

Nice.....Something to keep in mind when I begin the build my Hubert Platt Thunderbolt.

[DPink]

You can get wire mesh for stormdoors at most hardware stores and I think it works well, but Iv only used it a couple of times

[Steven Zimmerman]

I did this by taking a drill bit the size I needed, drilling a hole in a quarter inch piece of steel, placing the screen over the hole, then reversing the drill bit and lightly tapping it into the hole to cut the screen. Most drill bits are chamfered on the non drilling end, and put a nice convex(or concave) shape to the screen. I place the steel piece on a block of wood when making these; you can make mulitples of the screen pieces, all exactly the same, and then slowly force them out of the steel piece with the back of the drill bit. I have about 50 stored in a small film cartridge ...CAUTION....they have a tendency to take flight....'Z'

[Steven Zimmerman]

Storm door mesh works, but is a little too big(IMHO, buy the real fine mesh available at hobby shops, works better / looks more in scale Try to stay away from copper or brass, by the time you paint it, it clogs up. Magic marker works better than paint....'Z'

[Steven Zimmerman]

I alsouse a magic marker on my photo etched seat belt buckles, emblems, radio faces, etc...cover the whole photo etched piece with magic marker (dries quicker / thinner than paint) then polich with the BACK of a piece of wet or dry sand paper.Then clearcoat with acrylic paint, like Polly S or something similar. Don't use clear lacquer or enamel; it willlift the magic marker. I have done the same thing to hub caps with emblems or words(specifically 30's FORD caps)fill in with marker, then GENTLY polish off the excess marker. If you're carefull, you won't affect the chrome....then wax the cap with 1/1 car wax to protect it.... Works for me....

[southpier]

..... Magic marker works better than paint....'Z'