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Bentley 4 1/2 litre Blower in 1/12th scale - may contain Airfix.


nick

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If this works, I'll definitely buy a bonnet set from you for mine! I already have hinges, I was just trying to figure out how to think the panels. 

 The other issue for me is the machine turned dashboard.....

I'll be watching! 😁

 

Ian

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2 hours ago, Brandy said:

 The other issue for me is the machine turned dashboard.....

I'll be watching! 😁

 

Ian

Ian,

      I have a cunning plan for the dashboard (and other machine turned items - a certain Bugatti for example to go with an engine I may or not be working on too) 

Nick

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  • 4 months later...

Morning all. Re cunning plan, this bad boy finally showed up:-

 

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Theres a bit of a learning curve it turns out. Anyway, after much reading up, heres my first toolpath simulation to try with it. I know we are all used to seeing stills on here, so remember to press the play button bottom left - this is a video! I’ll try not to scare the horses :)

 

Can you see what it is yet?

 

Problee cant say that anymore.

 

Anyway. Metal next. eek.

 

Nick

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Heres a quick test Piece made with the laser module

 

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And 2D acrylic milling/engraving

 

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It is very good in fairness and worth the long wait to get it.

 

Nick

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This isn’t my video, but here is a demo of the 4th axis and what it can do. I haven’t tried this in anger yet. My previous post had a non-obvious video in it (the toolpaths) if you want to look again. 

 

 

 

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It is of course the instrument panel including the elusive machine-turned finish.
I’ve still to perfect the right tool for this, but I’m going to try a cork-faced bit and some FFFF grade pumice powder that I just acquired for the purpose.
 

I’m hoping the extreme consistency of the CNC machine will be my friend here. We’ll see soon enough!

 

I’ve got various flat end mills and other weapons to fall back on too, one way or another I’m determined to solve the dreaded engine turned dilemma once and for all.

 

watch this space!

 

Nick

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So of course, it’s not that easy. I made a tool by facing a 1/8th brass rod with cork, this coupled with my pumice powder, isn’t too bad. The issue is wear, so as the tool progresses, it gets fainter. I think I can solve this by forcing a few tool changes, each time the tool is loaded, it gets zeroed, this would allow for wear. 
 


 

the main problem is unexpectedly the cutting out part. I need to get familiar with the machine to get a clean, smooth cut. This is just my inexperience with the machine and feed and speed rates, I should be able to solve this with some testing (of plain aluminium before all the time-consuming machine turning!)

 

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So not a COMPLETE failure for version 1, some useful lessons, but most importantly, think I can get this to work!

 

thanks for looking 

 

Nick

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I’m going to experiment with some different abrasives and materials for my engine turning, but I’ve basically cracked it I think. I’ll design and print the instruments next which will bring it alive.  I’m thinking of vac-forming the two sight glasses for the fuel system as they have prominent curved brass tubes inside them. In for a penny…

 

I’ve also drawn the Bugatti type 35 instrument panel now which I will use a similar technique for now it’s working.

 

I’m incredibly impressed with this machine, now I’m getting the hang of it. I’ve been playing with the 4th (rotary) axis today, who new this old piece of sycamore that's been lying around in the workshop for years had this bust of Nefertiti hiding inside it all along?

 

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ok I could have easily just 3D printed it, but it shows off the accuracy and resolution of the milling really well. And you can’t print wood. 

 

 

 

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So Nefertiti will be driving the Bugatti Nick??

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4 axis milling machine as well as the 3D printing machine.    Busy man Nick!  Lots of tech to get to grips with.

 

Next thing we will hear is that you have a laser machine!    Had lots of fun using one when I worked at a high school just before retiring. It used a 2D cad program named 2D design by a company named Techsoft who are based up in your neck of the woods in North Wales. If you don' t know them already they have a lot of interesting machines and software on their website. Their target is schools and colleges in the main, but a lot of their stuff looks very adaptable.

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I’m getting the hang of this now. I still need to refine my cutting speeds a bit, but pretty happy with this. I’m just drawing all the clocks and switches etc to 3D print. 
 

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@Noel this machine has a laser as well, only low power, but still useful. 
 

Nick

 

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Starting to get a bit more interesting now...

 

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The switches have three subtly different types it turns out

 

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Nick

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Pressing on with all the Instrument Panel Hardware. As usual, I underestimated the complexity of this, so I treated myself to a couple of renders...

 

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5 hours ago, Alan R said:

I seem to remember switches like those in my great-grandmother's house in the early 60s...

 

Cheers,

Alan.

These ones are Air Ministry but I know what you mean. There’s a back story about the (well funded) Bentley boys buying them all up so there’s none left for the aircraft restorers who actually need them for certification apparently. 

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Printed nicely, some of the clearances are a bit tight, but a good start. 

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its all a bit fragile though!

 

stay tuned!

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