Bowl fuel filters - resin - scratch?

[Daf57]

Anyone have a source for aftermarket bowl filters (like pictured) below or thoughts, tips on scratching one?

Thanks!

Daf

[george 53]

Couldn't ya try carvein one out of a peice of clear spru? I haven't seen filters like that in decades! Is it for industrial use?

[Daf57]

Hi George! I'm not much of a carver on that scale ... made a mess of a few already. It's an older sediment filter - I'm wanting one for a '57 Cameo 283ci. I did have a thought about maybe a small LED - it has the same shape on the bulb end ... mmmm.

[Art Anderson]

Anyone have a source for aftermarket bowl filters (like pictured) below or thoughts, tips on scratching one?

Thanks!

Daf

That's both a fuel filter, of sorts, and more importantly, a water trap (notice the drain petcock on the bottom of the glass bowl). Now how to make one that looks realistic?

I can think of how I would do it, of course!

Step 1) While it is possible to find transparent acrylic plastic rod as small as 1/8" diameter in craft stores such as Michael's or Hobby Lobby, it might be quicker to use a length of sprue, chucked in an electric drill. Simply start the drill, and use a needle file to cut down the sprue to 1/8" diameter (most of those moisture traps I've seen over the years have bowl approximately 3" in diameter, which is pretty much right at 1/8" for a 1/25th scale part. I'd use the regular colored plastic sprue for this, as clear styrene is quite brittle. Simply file the spinning bit of sprue with a needle file to get the diameter and shape, then polish as smoothly as you can make it.

Step 2) Get a tube of DAP Silicone II clear sealer (the stuff you can get to seal the corners of a plastic shower stall to keep water from leaking behind it), squeeze out a good sized blob of the stuff onto a disposable surface, such as a piece of stiff cardboard. Grease up your shaped bit of sprue with a bit of Vaseline but wipe it smooth, to make the "master" easily removeable from the Silicone II once it has dried, and push that into the blob of Silicone II, and allow it to dry and cure out completely (overnight).

Step 3) Use some clear epoxy gluje (2-part), mix that up carefully so that you don't mix airbubbles into it, and with a toothpick, fill the hole in the cured Silicone II with the epoxy and let cure completely. Now you can remove your clear part, file the blunt end as square as you can, and glue to the body of the moisture trap, which you will have to scratchbuild from a bit of sheet styrene, with a length of styrene rod stock to make the fuel passage that goes across the top of the unit. To make the clear "bowl" show up really clear, brush a fairly thick coat of Tamiya clear water borne acrylic enamel on the clear bowl--or if you wish to give the effect of leaded gasoline, use Tamiya Clear Yellow waterborne acrylic.

Art

Hi George! I'm not much of a carver on that scale ... made a mess of a few already. It's an older sediment filter - I'm wanting one for a '57 Cameo 283ci. I did have a thought about maybe a small LED - it has the same shape on the bulb end ... mmmm.

That would work as well! Especially the yellow LED!

Art

[Daf57]

Wow - thanks for that Art - much appreciated! I'm exploring the LED (easier) at the moment. I think that may do the trick. The 3mm bulbs are a tad too big - need to find some 2mm to stay in scale I think.

[vypurr59]

That's both a fuel filter, of sorts, and more importantly, a water trap (notice the drain petcock on the bottom of the glass bowl). Now how to make one that looks realistic?

I can think of how I would do it, of course!

Step 1) While it is possible to find transparent acrylic plastic rod as small as 1/8" diameter in craft stores such as Michael's or Hobby Lobby, it might be quicker to use a length of sprue, chucked in an electric drill. Simply start the drill, and use a needle file to cut down the sprue to 1/8" diameter (most of those moisture traps I've seen over the years have bowl approximately 3" in diameter, which is pretty much right at 1/8" for a 1/25th scale part. I'd use the regular colored plastic sprue for this, as clear styrene is quite brittle. Simply file the spinning bit of sprue with a needle file to get the diameter and shape, then polish as smoothly as you can make it.

Step 2) Get a tube of DAP Silicone II clear sealer (the stuff you can get to seal the corners of a plastic shower stall to keep water from leaking behind it), squeeze out a good sized blob of the stuff onto a disposable surface, such as a piece of stiff cardboard. Grease up your shaped bit of sprue with a bit of Vaseline but wipe it smooth, to make the "master" easily removeable from the Silicone II once it has dried, and push that into the blob of Silicone II, and allow it to dry and cure out completely (overnight).

Step 3) Use some clear epoxy gluje (2-part), mix that up carefully so that you don't mix airbubbles into it, and with a toothpick, fill the hole in the cured Silicone II with the epoxy and let cure completely. Now you can remove your clear part, file the blunt end as square as you can, and glue to the body of the moisture trap, which you will have to scratchbuild from a bit of sheet styrene, with a length of styrene rod stock to make the fuel passage that goes across the top of the unit. To make the clear "bowl" show up really clear, brush a fairly thick coat of Tamiya clear water borne acrylic enamel on the clear bowl--or if you wish to give the effect of leaded gasoline, use Tamiya Clear Yellow waterborne acrylic.

Art

That would work as well! Especially the yellow LED!

Art

That is not a drain petcock on the bottom, that is the mechanism that holds the glass jar to the top plate. It is a screw that presses against the glass bowl to the rubber or cork gasket in the top.

[southpier]

then how can it be drained?

[1930fordpickup]

Just like we did on the farm back in the day . You must have a steady hand so that when you move the wire to the side you keep it flat until you dump it .

[southpier]

i had someone try to teach me how to siphon gas one time.

one time.

[jeba]

Radio Shack has some (?) diodes that are similar in size and shape, perhaps a little longer. They are even colored in the bowl erea to look like gasoline. They come in a long roll so I have a bunch of them. If you would like a few send me your address and I will mail you some. (This is my first post so if I'm doing something wrong let me know.)

[Daf57]

Hi Jeba - thanks for the reply! I don't believe you are doing anything wrong at all. Just to save some postage - can you more details about these diodes - I was just a Radio Shack and must have missed them. Sounds like a plan tho. Maybe you could find a pic and link to it. If not I'll PM you my address and check these out. I tried the LEDs but 3mm is just too large so I have ordered some 2mm.

[vypurr59]

Model: 1N4742 | Catalog #: 276-563

1N4742A 12V Zener Diode

Edited November 17, 2012 by vypurr59

[jeba]

vypurr59 nailed it. That's exactly what I was talking about. Most times I use the wire as fule line.

[Ken McGuire]

Steve Boutte has a clear float fuel filter on the blue 1950 Chev on his web site.

http://www.sbkustoms.com/showroom/1950ford.htm

[Daf57]

vypurr59 & Jeba - those do look good! Will have to swing by the Shack and grab a few. Thanks a million for posting that tip!

Hey Ken - thanks for the heads up on that. Sounds like he got the fuel filter from the Monogram 1950 Ford pickup. I'll check into that, I may have that kit put up. Thanks!!