albergman Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 Hi all Been away and taking a break after finishing the Lancia D50 project but I'm ready to get into something new. My first ever scratch build 15(?) years ago was a '57 TestaRossa and I carved it out of basswood. Shortly after I made a silicon mold of it and proceeded to make 6 or 7 more in urethane. Here's 3 I had on the go ... That first one had more than a few flaws that got faithfully reproduced in the clones and I usually corrected them before giving them away. As it is, I never got a good copy for myself and even though I stripped the original basswood one down thinking I'd fix it up ... I never did. I had one casting that something really bad had happened to in the molding ... I used it as a mule to test different things and then in a moment of weakness I decided to make it my own "keeper". Over the next few years I'd plug away at it and it was coming along not too badly but my heart wasn't in it. So ... decided to start a new one and to do it in wood as I really love a natural finished model. I've done quite a few in the past and they were well received when I posted them here. I have a nice supply of good mahogany, which I'll use mainly for the body, and some padauk which I'll incorporate as a racing stripe and they make for a nice contrast. Using some plans from the web I scaled them to my requisite 9 1/2" and off we go. I find it's too tricky to do most cars from a solid block simply because it's too awkward to get in between the fenders to shape the hood/bonnet and boot/trunk so I split the model up. I cut rough profiles for the fenders and separate pieces for the hood etc. Bandsaw out the fenders .... All pretty rough at this stage I shape them mostly with various sanding drums on a Dremel with a flex-shaft and gradually tease out a pontoon fender ... Once I have a matched set I tack glue them to a block at the correct width ... Now I can begin to assemble the hood etc and get it to fit precisely between the rigid fenders ... Piece of cake right? I didn't take pictures of all my failures so this'll look like it worked first time .... HA! OK, the hood is made up from a thick cuts of mahogany on the outsides, a pure white veneer I've had forever (don't ask me what it is ... I don't know) then the red padauk in the middle. This gets shaped separately with the correct curves fore/aft and laterally. It's all guesswork because the plans don't show these lines. Once the curvature is deemed OK I start the slow process of shaping the curves to match the fenders. All the time I have to also make sure my stripes are pointing straight ahead not off-kilter. Eventually it drops into place and glues can be poured in. I've applied a wash of solvent here to liven the colours ... Now I get to repeat the process for the boot and it gives me just as much trouble! However, I persevere and eventually we have the basis for a Testa Rossa. Still lots of wood to be added front and back but this is easy-peasy compared to what's been done. I decided I wanted to fabricate a "metal" tonneau cover over the passenger seat rather than tack on a leather covering as I've done in the past. So first off I cut a thin-ish slab of mahogany and cut it to the perimeter size I need. Now begins a delicate process of cutting a recess on the underside so that it drops into the hole below and fits to the car body. Again I use a variety of Dremel tools ... always on a flex shaft and gradually get the fit I want. Now I can glue my white veneer and padauk to it and finish the fitting. Once all the surfaces fit nicely to the body I can sand the flat top surface down to the curved shape I want. Basically just keep sanding until there's only a thin lip all the way around. Applied my wash coat to the whole thing and here's where I'm at today. Frank 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parabat Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 Very impressive, nice to see the progression. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albergman Posted July 1, 2017 Author Share Posted July 1, 2017 (edited) On 6/22/2017 at 2:00 AM, Parabat said: Very impressive, nice to see the progression. Thanks for taking the time to reply Parabat. Time I did an update on this project. ... although it hasn't generated much/any interest. I know, it's a bit of a departure from the norm. Anyway, I got off to a bad start with it as I realized quickly that the hood didn't have enough curvature. .. after I'd shaped and fitted a nosepiece. I made several abortive attempts to remedy it (I'll spare you all the pictures ). Eventually I came to the obvious conclusion that I needed to replace the entire hood/bonnet so I bandsawed it out carefully then fastened the remains into a jig to keep the fenders at exactly the right width. Cut and glued up a new centre section that would take it out to the tip of the nose. Fastened this into my Work Mate table and planed/filed/sanded it to the requisite shape. Now begins the tricky part to shape the edges so that it will drop perfectly in between the waiting fenders with minimal gap and the "stripe" remains in a true fore and aft alignment (as sailors say). Remember, this will be a natural finish so no fillers allowed. I made a very precise template from a cereal box and got the alignment perfected then bandsawed the block close to the line. Now began a delicate process of sanding and trial fitting Very relieved to get it fitted so perfectly as now I can get on with the build. Shaped the external dimensions of the nose then roughed out the cavity. Finished the fine sanding of the cavity and washed the project down with Varsol Carved out an air intake bubble from padauk and fitted it. Somewhere along the way I made and fitted a headrest which incorporates a part of the stripe. Likewise a dashboard "bubble " got made and fitted. That pretty much finishes the body shaping so now I'm moving on to making some of the few attachments I'll be putting on. Started with a frame for the windshield which i cut from scrap tin. Filed out the tabs and bent them to the appropriate angle .... then carefully bent the frame to the right shape. Drilled a few holes through it and into the wood and tacked it in place with a few tiny straight pins. Made a start on a steering wheel which will have a proper aluminum core and wood outer rims ... early days there. Also working on the lovely flowing exhaust system. That's about it so far. Hope some of you find it remotely interesting! Frank Edited July 1, 2017 by albergman 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickD Posted July 1, 2017 Share Posted July 1, 2017 Hadn't come across this before. As you say, pity it has caught so little attention. Personally, I love it. The wood is beautiful. Clearly no correlationship between skilful workmanship and popularity. ATB Nick 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parabat Posted July 1, 2017 Share Posted July 1, 2017 Fantastic update, that's looking incredible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bandsaw Steve Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 Have only just seen this. This is wicked! No place to hide mistakes when showing the bare wood like this and I think cars are very challenging subjects. Love this project! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albergman Posted July 22, 2017 Author Share Posted July 22, 2017 Here we go again. Got the exhausts and wheels made and temporarily stuck in place with blue tack. Several lacquer coats on and rubbed down. I covered how I make my wire wheels in the Lancia D50 build so I won't re-tell that episode. Exhausts are just plain steel that I've bent to shape, used silver solder to join then polished. Got the megaphone tips all made but not mounted for the pictures. Back soon Frank 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowbrow Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 Wow! Simply beautiful work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pascal Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 The work of a true artist. I absolutely LOVE your projects. Looking forward to the next updates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albergman Posted July 25, 2017 Author Share Posted July 25, 2017 On 22/07/2017 at 6:19 PM, Lowbrow said: Wow! Simply beautiful work. On 23/07/2017 at 11:28 PM, Pascal said: The work of a true artist. I absolutely LOVE your projects. Looking forward to the next updates. Thanks guys. I appreciate you looking in and leaving a comment. It's a pretty small fan club LOL. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malpaso Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 I love the glossy wood look. Super deep glosscoat - reminds me of racehorses. When I work in wood I have to slather everything with filler to get a smooth finish! Cheers Will 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bandsaw Steve Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 I'm in the fan club! 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbdesignart Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 Excellent work, your craftsmanship is a delight to see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albergman Posted July 25, 2017 Author Share Posted July 25, 2017 7 hours ago, malpaso said: I love the glossy wood look. Super deep glosscoat - reminds me of racehorses. When I work in wood I have to slather everything with filler to get a smooth finish! Cheers Will Thanks Will. Know nothing about racehorses so I don't get the connection ... may they get "glossy" when they work up a sweat? I do understand the filler comment of course. When you want a natural finish that's a real challenge not to remove too much in the shaping. Any added wood just catched the eye "Look here!! He went too far!"" 6 hours ago, Bandsaw Steve said: I'm in the fan club! 👍 Steve! Oh goody, I'm going to charge admission for my club and we'll get jackets and ... and .... Glad to have you along. 4 hours ago, mbdesignart said: Excellent work, your craftsmanship is a delight to see. And MBD ... from the "Rhubarb Triangle" ... that's a good one. Glad you appreciate my work. For my tiny band of followers who like this kind of stuff ... there's more in a post I did a couple of years ago ... "Artsy Fartsy cars". Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratchbuilder Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 I didn't realise you were on here, Frank. I should explain to all who pass hereby that frank is an absolute modelmaking one-off. He builds what he wants, how he wants and no particular scale. Yet he gets these amazing results. I know how difficult it is to fill the grain of mahogany, yet he has a superb finish there. And you should see his boats! True originality frightens most people, Frank. You just keep on keeping on, mate. Your biggest fan, Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albergman Posted July 25, 2017 Author Share Posted July 25, 2017 MARTIN!! Small world. I've been 'outed". Thank you for the very kind comments mate. Now my hat doesn't fit! You've been on here since 2011 ... and you're still here ... you've been a good boy. Frank Now I'm going to see what you've been posting all these years. Finished Scratch Builds ... Trojan Sport Fisherman Flying Scotsman Modern Yacht half hulls Triumph TR-6 Wooden Cars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratchbuilder Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 Oh, I've been on and off, left when someone got stroppy, came back when I started with the airyplanes again. Not an entirely good boy. No, no, that wouldn't do at all! I can't remember what I'm on here about myself, so good luck with that search! Cheers, Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albergman Posted July 25, 2017 Author Share Posted July 25, 2017 Spent a bit of time perusing your submissions before garden duties called me away. Looks like the PhotoBucket virus is sporadically creeping into your posts too ... very irregularly. In the "New slot car masters" post about half the pictures are visible. Strange how random it is. Frank PS by and large you come across as a very pleasant chap!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratchbuilder Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 Very pleasant chap? It's a vicious rumour<G> I think those missing pics are where I've been through PB and deleted a load of iffy shots or what I no longer need. I have pinched many of my own pics and put them back on the hard drive, then deleted them so I come below PB's latest ransom demand. Cheers, Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elderly Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 I DO like that VERY much! Maybe the relatively little interest in it, is because it's not 'realistic'. You're probably the ideal candidate to recreate the tulip wood bodied 1924 Hispano Suiza made by a French aircraft builder whose name I can't remember. So there's the solution .......... your fantastic woodworking sklls combined with a 'realistic' model car ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratchbuilder Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 I can assure you that Frank really couldn't give a toss! He does what he does because he likes to. That's why we get on so well. Contra Mundum on the whole. He even has the balls to call himself No Scales on my blog followers list. Anyone who can make such a very true impression of a difficult car with no guiding scale and no drawings is a master. Martin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn M Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 my fav car of all time, with the wood grain and finish its even sexier Bravo to you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pouln Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 Fantastic work, Frank. lovely finish. May I ask what scale this model has? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albergman Posted August 2, 2017 Author Share Posted August 2, 2017 On 7/28/2017 at 0:54 PM, elderly said: Maybe the relatively little interest in it, is because it's not 'realistic'. You're probably the ideal candidate to recreate the tulip wood bodied 1924 Hispano Suiza made by a French aircraft builder whose name I can't remember. So there's the solution .......... your fantastic woodworking sklls combined with a 'realistic' model car ! Thanks for the suggestion "elderly" but I think I'll pass You're quite right of course that it isn't "realistic" so it's maybe hard for other modellers to relate to it. On 7/28/2017 at 2:02 PM, Shawn M said: my fav car of all time, with the wood grain and finish its even sexier Bravo to you! Thanks! Glad you're a fan of these cars Shawn ... wonderful design aren't they? 1 hour ago, Pouln said: Fantastic work, Frank. lovely finish. May I ask what scale this model has? Thanks to you too Pouln. Ummm, I'm afraid I don't build to any scale On average all my models are around 9" long (32 cms?) plus or minus. I only build for myself or to give away to friends and when I started doing this I just decided to build the first model to the 9" length of the block of wood I started with ... why waste any? After that it just made sense to me to keep them all about the same size but I'm not religious about that. Martin ... behave!! Thanks for the support. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kpnuts Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 Wow just found this that is gorgeous, very very highly skilled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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