yet another Ferrari 1/8th F40 Engine

[nick]

OK, so I think I can say with some degree of certainty that I have finally lost the plot.

 

It goes like this:

 

Inspired by some nice work on Scale Motor cars and this site, I rescued a couple of long-forgotten very old, very sad Pocher kits from my mothers house. 

 

They were both built very badly by an incompetent idiot. I can say this with some certainty, as the builder was a younger version of me, to the tune of about 25 years.

 

Anyhow, the items in question were a mostly complete Mercedes 540 and the Ferrari F-40 engine I'm currently rambling on about.

 

The Mercedes is parked for now. 

 

So to the F-40 motor.

 

Having recently finished my MFH Brough Superior, I've been a bit spoiled regarding what a decent multimedia kit can look like. I also had a look at sourcing an autograph F-40 engine transkit with little success, plus I'm not really willing to pay the crazy money the last few in the world would command.

 

So bearing those two things in mind, I set about the old motor, which looked a bit like this when I started

 

 

Nasty stuff I know.

 

So having striped it down and removed all the paint and other goo, standby for some modelling heresy - Pocher models are a bit crap. OK, actually really crap.

 

I never understood what they were even at the time - expensive, terrible fit, inappropriate materials, screw together, easy assembly, not intended to be painted in some cases, so I don't believe they were ever actually aimed at modellers IMHO.

 

I was planning on replacing some of the worst bits with various scratch-built and turned items. To cut a long story short, apart from maybe the gearbox, it's all the worst bits.

 

So I rolled my sleeves up and got stuck in with something 'easy' to start with. I give you the Delco Remy 105A Alternator as fitted to the venerable Ferrari F40.

 

 

Here's the remains of Pochers take on it after I inexpertly 'improved it' in my yoof. Not great.

 

 

So armed with nothing more than my trusty PeeCee:-

 

 

Shiny new Resin Printer (we like)

 

 

Trusty lathe

 

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Not at all trusty, slightly decrepit cerebrum

 

(in fairness, mine is floating in beer, not a jar)

 

plus Google, Fusion 360, and an Ipad pro running Shapr3D...

 

The fun commences.

 

A bit like this

 

 

Off to the printer, and here's the first test pieces of about a million bits I need to make:-

 

 

SO not too much to show so far, but the point is I now have an end-to-end workflow where I can do a bit of googling, a bit of sketching, a bit of CAD, a bit of printing and finally get a smooth, highly detailed, strong, accurate thing, more or less out of fresh air and my head.

 

anyway, I'm off for a lie down now.

 

Thanks for looking

 

Nick

 

 

 

 

 

 

[larchiefeng]

I like what you are doing here! How did you get the dimensions for the alternator and other stuff that you are rendering? I would also be interested in buying some of those upgraded parts to add to some of the weak spots that the transkit doesn’t address very well. The transkit gives you the PE to add more detail but the Pocher part is lacking to begin with so it really doesn’t look as convincing as it should. 

[nick]

5 hours ago, larchiefeng said:

I like what you are doing here! How did you get the dimensions for the alternator and other stuff that you are rendering? I would also be interested in buying some of those upgraded parts to add to some of the weak spots that the transkit doesn’t address very well. The transkit gives you the PE to add more detail but the Pocher part is lacking to begin with so it really doesn’t look as convincing as it should. 

That’s the $64,000 question!

 

so I just dismantled and scanned the real F-40 I have in the garage. 
 

No I didn’t do that sadly. 
 

it turns out usually only one or two dimensions actually matter, so what I do is this:

 

 

My CAD system has a really neat feature that lets me calibrate imported photos, so in this case, place a line on the zero of Caliper, stretch to the 50mm mark, tell it that’s 50mm and you’re done. 
 

do this for two or three Axis and that’s it. 
 

what this gives you is the proportionality of everything as you add in components. 
 

so is it dimensionally accurate? Well, ish. But for my purposes, it looks the part and IMHO good enough. Especially when you do a part by part analysis of the Pocher components vs full size. I’m not even sure they even saw an F 40 engine in some cases. 
 

now, I’m not really making this stuff to fit the Pocher kit, but it could be adapted and scaled potentially. So for the alternator for example, only the mounting dimensions matter. 
 

so it may be minutely over or under scale, but not noticeably and still probably as accurate as the Pocher part. 
 

regards

 

Nick

[nick]

Woke up this morning to this:-

 

 

 

This is literally straight out of the vat, so still covered in amniotic fluid (OK wet resin really, but you know what I mean)

 

So it looks like I'm getting there. Still experimenting with the best setup for support structures, which is an art form in itself with this lark, but early indications are good.

 

I'm trying to get myself a dialled-in reliable work flow for this first part so I don't have to think about it ever again, so I'm doing it to death to get it right.

 

I know what you're thinking - why doesn't he just print them flat?

 

Two things, cupping and suction.

 

Resin printing is inherently weird, the black build plate you see in the photos, dips itself into the resin vat, face down, so there is a tiny gap (filled with squidged-up UV sensitive resin) between it and basically an LCD screen with  a strong UV light source underneath it (everything is upside down) The light comes on with the first layer displaying on the screen, this sticks to the build plate (not the screen in an ideal world) exposes for a time you set, then lifts up quite a lot, new resin flows in, plate squidges it again, whole process repeats itself, so building up the layers.

 

In this case, printing a hollow cylinder, as the layers increase in height, you are effectively printing a syringe full of resin and as the volumes increase, it gets increasingly harder to lift the plate form the top of the cylinder due to suction, until eventually the model just gets sucked off the build plate.

 

Also you get cupping, the cylinder makes a cup, which just fills with resin as the print progresses which isn't good either.

 

Hence putting everything on angle with elaborate support structures.

 

These have tiny, optimised contact points with the print and are designed to  be easy to remove.

 

 

Anyway, back to the knitting.

 

 

Regards,

 

Nick

 

[JCH]

5 hours ago, nick said:

so still covered in amniotic fluid

That very funny!  Amazing work.  Please continue to post as I'll be following eagerly.  

[nick]

OK, well I'm pretty pleased with this I must admit

 

 

 

 

Paint next!

 

 

Nick

[Pouln]

This is really great stuff you are doing here. It really looks the thing. I’ll be following you.

[nick]

As promised - paint!

 

[

[Pouln]

Absolutely gorgious!

[larchiefeng]

That 3D CAD software is a game changer for rendering the parts that, I need. If you don't mind what 3D CAD program are you using? Thanks.

[nick]

1 hour ago, larchiefeng said:

That 3D CAD software is a game changer for rendering the parts that, I need. If you don't mind what 3D CAD program are you using? Thanks.

Shapr3d on iPad for speed and fusion 360 on PC (which is free for hobbyist use use) for refinement. 

[larchiefeng]

Thanks Nick, I’m going to check out fusion tomorrow and play around with some stuff that I have pictures of and I certainly have enough parts to take measurements from. Looks like a good weekend project in between F1 practices and the race!

[Sabrejet]

Just when I thought I had the tools I needed (but contemplating getting a vacformer), it turns out I need a 3D printer too! Those parts look incredible.

[nick]

16 minutes ago, Sabrejet said:

Just when I thought I had the tools I needed ...

Schoolboy error, nobody EVER has all the tools they need, there's always more

[nick]

A few more tweaks, added a threaded rod for the main terminal and tidied up the machining on the pulley wheel after my mate Dave pointed out how crap it was - thanks Dave. 

 

Calling this bit done now.

 

1 down 736 to go.

 

 

I know I'm biased, but I'm suggesting this is a slight improvement over the Pocher item

 

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Nick

[Sabrejet]

Awesome: in the meantime I have done some research and it looks like the Elegoo Mars is the best around; the one you have strangely! Not that expensive either. I may have a dabble with CAD and see if it might be a goer. See what you've done now!!! 😬

[Pouln]

12 hours ago, nick said:

A few more tweaks, added a threaded rod for the main terminal and tidied up the machining on the pulley wheel after my mate Dave pointed out how crap it was - thanks Dave. 

 

Calling this bit done now.

 

1 down 736 to go.

 

I know I'm biased, but I'm suggesting this is a slight improvement over the Pocher item

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Nick

Ok, it looks slightly better👏

 

Seriously, this is a really convincing part

[Pascal]

Very nice work !

 

Personally, I would have made the pulley from brass and coloured the fan black, but that's a matter of taste.

 

If you're planning on making 736 more parts, it might be worth to take a look at the engine block. Pocher has made it quite different (especially the top part) from a real F40 block.

 

I should have some photos of the engine block somewhere, can have a look and post them here if you're interested.

 

Like this one :

 

 

Sincerely

 

Pascal

Edited July 10, 2020 by Pascal

[nick]

11 minutes ago, Pascal said:

Very nice work !

 

Personally, I would have made the pulley from brass and coloured the fan black, but that's a matter of taste.

 

If you're planning on making 736 more parts, it might be worth to take a look at the engine block. Pocher has made it quite different (especially the top part) from a real F40 block.

 

I should have some photos of the engine block somewhere, can have a look and post them here if you're interested.

 

Like this one :

 

 

Sincerely

 

Pascal

Pascal,

           I had some Ali rod of a suitable diameter for the pulley, but didn’t have brass in this size- I’ve seen both colours on the real item. 
 

The fan should be black, agreed. But I liked the look of the folded PE as it reminds me of cheaply made pressed steel alternator fans commonly seen, and it would be hard to replicate this look if you were shooting for it! Call it a happy accident. 
 

im scouring the internet for block (and other) images, so anything you have would be greatly appreciated!

 

regards,

 

Nick

[Codger]

Great block photo Pascal but that stroke looks greater than 2.73". Piston seems deep down in the hole. The 3.1" bore looks more 'correct'.

[dbostream]

Excellent work. When I see your 3d-printed parts I want to buy a resin printer but what is holding me back is handling all the liquids and cleaning etc. it doesn't seem all that pleasant when I have watched it on youtube.  Although I know it is the only way to go for this hobby as my FDM printer can get nowhere near these details.

[nick]

38 minutes ago, dbostream said:

When I see your 3d-printed parts I want to buy a resin printer but what is holding me back is handling all the liquids and cleaning etc. it doesn't seem all that pleasant when I have watched it on youtube.  Although I know it is the only way to go for this hobby as my FDM printer can get nowhere near these details.

I've messed about with FDM printers for years and they aren't suitable for modelling I've now concluded.

 

The liquids aren't a big deal if you get organised.

 

The resin is a bit nasty I agree, so just don't spill it! The Elegoo  Mars has a hanger that lets you put the build plate at 45 degrees over the tank, so just leave your print like this for a bit and most wet resin runs off.

Then gloves on, split the piece from the build plate with a curved blade, dunk in jar of ipa for a bit, scrub with soft toothbrush. I usually separate the build structures at this point (carefully as it's still soft and not cured)

I then have a second (less murky) jar of ipa, so another dunk,

 

Finally I have cheap ultrasonic bath with water and fairy liquid in, so run that for a few minutes.

 

on a paper towel, dry off, blast with a dry airbrush if you're impatient like me.

 

Then cure in a uv box ideally with a solar powered turntable.

 

I lined an old tool box with foil and fitted it out with UV LED strips and a mains timer so I don't need to worry about over exposing.  

 

It was all a bit alien the first time I did it, but it's just a standard process now.

 

I was like you actually and held off for ages, and I should have just got stuck in, it's one of the best moves I ever made.

 

The detail and surface finish is mind blowing. Its bloody strong as well after curing. It's about the same properties as the stuff hard hats are made from in terms of hardness and flexibility.

 

You can easily make load bearing stuff like gears etc with it.

 

As you know FDM is useless and very weak for anything practical.

[stevehnz]

I barely understood a word of that last post but I'm impressed like anything as the ignorant often are in the face of brilliance. Mind if I hang around a bit more?

Steve.

[nick]

So here comes my next bit of CAD tinkering

 

 

A week ago I didn't have any CAD skills and this was the bit I literally had no idea how I was going to draw.

 

turns out if was quite easy in the end once you've wrapped your brain round how this stuff works!

 

I drew this in about 2 hours, rendered with fusion 360.  

 

Regards,

 

Nick

[dbostream]

2 hours ago, nick said:

I've messed about with FDM printers for years and they aren't suitable for modelling I've now concluded.

 

The liquids aren't a big deal if you get organised.

 

The resin is a bit nasty I agree, so just don't spill it! The Elegoo  Mars has a hanger that lets you put the build plate at 45 degrees over the tank, so just leave your print like this for a bit and most wet resin runs off.

Then gloves on, split the piece from the build plate with a curved blade, dunk in jar of ipa for a bit, scrub with soft toothbrush. I usually separate the build structures at this point (carefully as it's still soft and not cured)

I then have a second (less murky) jar of ipa, so another dunk,

 

Finally I have cheap ultrasonic bath with water and fairy liquid in, so run that for a few minutes.

 

on a paper towel, dry off, blast with a dry airbrush if you're impatient like me.

 

Then cure in a uv box ideally with a solar powered turntable.

 

I lined an old tool box with foil and fitted it out with UV LED strips and a mains timer so I don't need to worry about over exposing.  

 

It was all a bit alien the first time I did it, but it's just a standard process now.

 

I was like you actually and held off for ages, and I should have just got stuck in, it's one of the best moves I ever made.

 

The detail and surface finish is mind blowing. Its bloody strong as well after curing. It's about the same properties as the stuff hard hats are made from in terms of hardness and flexibility.

 

You can easily make load bearing stuff like gears etc with it.

 

As you know FDM is useless and very weak for anything practical.

Thanks for the detailed instructions. I guess like with most things once you get used to it it is less trouble than you initially thought. Still think I will wait until the next gen of these printers.