Engine Seals

[Skydime]

I see a lot of wiring and highly detailed engines. But has anyone ever attempted to replicate engine seals? You know, valve cover gaskets, etc? Just seems like another detail to make a build stand out that maybe no one has figured out yet? I know they wouldn't be very visible but, it's a thought.

Edited November 21, 2012 by Skydime

[Skydime]

Yeah, I was looking at the blue 69 Nova with Edelbrock dress up kit that is on the current first page of "Under Glass".

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=66316

(BTW, Jacen, that's how I posted on the wrong page LOL.) I couldn't help but think, "Man, that's a nice set of black washed valve covers. I can imagine the seals sticking out on the 1:1 right now."

Edited November 21, 2012 by Skydime

[Bartster]

This is something l never thought of before, but l can see possibilities with brown paper of some sort ? Butchers paper, brown envelopes perhaps ?

[Skydime]

Also I hope I didn't come off as harsh when I mentioned it being in the wrong place.

Nah. I kinda smiled and had a D'oh moment when you posted that. Now that I think of your 1:16 comment, I bet a cheap thin backed notebook might work too.

Edited November 21, 2012 by Skydime

[blunc]

Craft paper/construction paper or brown paper bags...

You'd have to watch out for fit/alignment issues.

[Foxer]

I've seen PE engine gaskets before, but never seen them used. It wasn't that long ago and are probably still available. Wish I could remember where ...

[Ace-Garageguy]

Interesting. I've seen PE smallblock Chevy valve-cover gaskets somewhere, and I kinda wondered why. When I build a 1:1 engine, I really prefer the gaskets to be...unobtrusive. Stamped steel valve-covers have a lip around them that hides and retains the gasket anyway.

A real, old-school cork and rubber gasket under a cast-aluminum valve-cover will be not more than 1/4 inch thick, and this is only .010" (ten-one thousandths of an inch) in 1/25 scale, so anything thicker will look totally goofy.

On a large scale model, I can see how these could add to realism if done correctly, but remember that properly installed gaskets hardly show at all in 1:1, and getting the scale thickness right will matter.

Edited November 21, 2012 by Ace-Garageguy

[vypurr59]

I've seen PE engine gaskets before, but never seen them used. It wasn't that long ago and are probably still available. Wish I could remember where ...

Detail Master has photo etched gasket sets

[Harry P.]

Engine gaskets at 1/24 or 1/25 scale would be basically invisible. Why even bother?

[Foxer]

I see them as being useful only for dioramas.

[Guest]

I see a lot of wiring and highly detailed engines. But has anyone ever attempted to replicate engine seals? You know, valve cover gaskets, etc? Just seems like another detail to make a build stand out that maybe no one has figured out yet? I know they wouldn't be very visible but, it's a thought.

An easy way to do it is just paint the very corner/bottom of your valve cover the color you want your gasket to be. I've done it several times on outside mirrors and it works very well. That's a good idea that I may have to try sometime.

[johnbuzzed]

I did it once on a Hemi in 1/25 scale. Nothing sophisticated, just black paper cut to fit under the valve covers and heads- it wasn't worth it.

[Skydime]

Either way you look at it, there is certainly an arguement either way...and I agree it may only be rational in 1:16 up. But I know there are some out there that are about details...and this is just one of those extremely subtle ones that may or may not be overlooked by the person looking at the model.

Certainly, there are quite a few ways to hide the gasket in a "proper install". But what about the guy building something with a little more of a "shadetree mechanic" flair. I mean there are some cars where you do see the gasket edges, and there are do it yourself gaskets kits you cut out that sometimes prove you shouldn't do yourself. There are also the guys that like to build their motors in various states of build and tear down. An old, nasty, torn gasket would look pretty darn good on an old rusty motor with the head torn off.

In closing, I wanted to address concerns of thickness. How many of us actually go by the exact numbers every time compared to those who fudge them a little to get the look more realistic? I'm not saying either group is right. But it is certainly food for thought.

Edited November 22, 2012 by Skydime

[southpier]

12" rule.

if it looks good from 12" away, go with it.

Edited November 22, 2012 by southpier