Enter keywords or a search phrase below:
I have posted in other forums about Williams Bros engine kits and my correspondence with them. It looks like it will be awhile before they get to repoping the Wright Whirlwind. Then, I found that they sell the cylinders seperately, for dummy cylinders for RC models. The cylinders are the hard part of the kit- I can scratch the crankcase easily enough. But the cylinder mold is the one that is bad.
I thought maybe I could find 9 cylinders from all those hobby dealers online. First place, ordered nine. Got an email back saying they only have two, cannot get any more. I said send the two (I thought maybe I can get an rtv mold off one of them and cast cylinders if nothing else. Found another place whose computer said they had them in stock. Ordered 7 more. Got email saying they are out, will send when they can restock. Finally got a package with six! Now I have eight- only need one more! Will keep trying.
One thing that gets me is that the ordering seems to be done by computer- why does it say they have them when they don't? Looks like that program has bugs in it. It needs to be updated!
Don Stauffer in Minnesota
Seems a number of websites do not list the number of items in stock on their websites :
Squadron does not list the number of each item in stock- had to back order the product ( no charge to my credit card); Pacific Coast Models needed to back order items for me ( no charge to my credit card) , WebAirbrushes.com needed to check with Badger Airbrush for parts availability, for Tamiya: I needed to call Tamiya in California ( per a suggestion by Rob Gronovius - thanks again, Rob ! ) to confirm they had the number of parts in stock that I wanted to order.
.
It all worked out OK in each case though I would have preferred knowing in advance.
Don
I work in IT and its not that hard to get a system set up to show how much stock a company has. The problems only come about when the staff don't update when new stock arrives or if its an actual bricks and mortar store that something sells from the floor. Its all a matter of cost against customer experience and the actual cost isn't that high really.
I'm often surprised that companies don't use good systems and inconvenience customers. Imagine arriving at a fast food store, be asked what you want then be told "that's on back order can you come back in 6 weeks!"
Phil
"If anybody ever tells you anything about an aeroplane which is so bloody complicated you can't understand it, take it from me: it's all balls." R J Mitchell
Don- PM sent. Had my hands on that kit a week or so ago.
goldhammer Don- PM sent. Had my hands on that kit a week or so ago.
The whole engine kit, or just invidual cylinders? Since I now have eight of the cylinders I'd like to continue down the path of scratching the rest, rather than waste the money I put in getting those eight.
Don :
What is the diameter of the cylinders on the outside of the cooling fin rings and what is the inside diameter between the rings .You could make your own you know .
Was the whole kit if worse comes to worse.
tankerbuilder Don : What is the diameter of the cylinders on the outside of the cooling fin rings and what is the inside diameter between the rings .You could make your own you know .
each ring is different- OD tapers. I could do the cylinder itself, but the hard part is the head, which is integral with the cylinder. The head has odd-shaped fins that go up the valve gear towers and are a nightmare. I can understand why a new mold would be so expensive and why WB is so reluctant.
Yeah ;
And you know I've never had a problem with their kits except they were Not for beginners
Oh, forgot to mention that the space between cooling fins is too close to get my digital calipers into.
Williams Bros kits are spotty- a few are pretty good, but most have a fair amount of flash and some ill fit areas. But the kits they offer are unique- and they especially put out a lot of golden age stuff that none of the big guys will tackle, fearing poor interest. There are few WB kits I have not built- but of course one is the Wright Whirlwind engine kit :-(
Yeah , But I loved and still do the C-45 Commando ! Or is it C-46 ?
6
Modeling is an excuse to buy books.
No go on the resin?
I've done some one-offs using dental plaster. Sometimes it's a little easier that the whole rtv/ resin rigamarole.
The cylinder fins have very little relief angle and the distance between fins is very close, so I think I will have to go to RTV, though a friend in one of my model clubs has offered to cast them for me at a reasonable price if I have to go that way. I have used PoP for molds on simple casting, but this cylinder is pretty complex (air cooled cylinder).
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.