Wasp WIP

Very nice work!  I'm happy to know I have that kit in my stash.  I'm a sucker for engines!!

Gene Beaird,
Pearland, Texas

CapnMac82

Look, it's the Video WIP

Audio at 04:42 for those wanting to skip ahead.
Turnover at 05:30

 

Thanks for the post.  Love videos of engine startups.  There are a bunch on youtube!

Don, this really is a thing of beauty. I love your whole setup. Very, very nice. 

=]

Don Stauffer

Okay, sun was out this morning- in photography light is (almost) everything! These are much better pictures.

 

Last picture isn't a great photograph, but does show detail of model (picture is full of jpeg artifacts- wish I would have shot in RAW).

 

 

Look, it's the Video WIP

Audio at 04:42 for those wanting to skip ahead.
Turnover at 05:30

You forgot the drip pan under it!

That is great. The base is beautiful.

To your usual high standard, Don, very nice!

When you fire it up is it really loud?

Seriously fine work on a great looking model!

That is a beautiful engine worthy of display! 

Outstanding!! That is one stunning piece of artwork. Gorgeous !!!

BK

Okay, sun was out this morning- in photography light is (almost) everything! These are much better pictures.

Last picture isn't a great photograph, but does show detail of model (picture is full of jpeg artifacts- wish I would have shot in RAW).

Turned out real nice Don.  I'll be pleased if mine is half as good!

Outstanding job my friend  I absolutely love the placard and P&W emblem!

It is finished (almost).  First is a shot of it hanging in my den (with undamaged prop).

I ordinarily like to shoot my models in sunlight.  It was high cloud cover today, with rain predicted tomorrow and Tuesday, so I tried some outdoor shots today.

Then, after shooting, I began to carry the setup indoors.  I first carried in the camera and some other things leaving the backdrops and model still on the card table.  I should have known better- it was starting to get windy, and I should have carried model in first thing.

While I was carrying camera and tripod in, the wind blew over the backdrops and model onto the ground.  I was amazed- the engine itself was undamaged.  One of the prop blades is now loose in the hub, so it will need something done to it.  The blades are just inserted friction fit into the hub and the hub is press fit onto propshaft to break things down smaller for transport. I am sure I can fix blade hub.

BTW, the blades, not included in the kit, are made from a wooden rc propeller.  I sanded, then several coats of primer sanded, several coats of gloss black, and polished aluminum Aclad.

Now Don, this really IS the cat's meow!

Like others have said, it looks real!

Wonderful work.

Hi,

I agree with Chemteacher.  If I didn't know ahead of time, I would have thought that this was an actual full size engine, too.

Pat

Wow!  Looks great.  I'm taking notes for my build.

That's looking fantastic Don 

All the pushrod tubes are in place and I have cylinder 1 wired- both plugs.  The wiring is every bit as difficult as I feared.  Working with soft vinyl is not fun, and the hole in the plug connector fitting for the plug end is way undersize, you have to push it down hard on the plug till it yields.  But, it is coming.  Here is a shot of the engine front, with one cylinder wired, a couple more connectors in place, and some of the wiring visible behind the cylinders.

Been meaning to take more photos, but things are changing rapidly now, and finish is in sight.  However, a warning to anyone else building this kit.  I had already glued the wiring loom into place before I began the ignition wiring- a mistake!  It is almost impossible to get the wires inserted into the loom once the loom is fastened to the crankcase- at least for the top five cylinders!  In trying, I loosened two of the lugs holding the loom to the crankcase, and was then able to break loose the other two.  I found it easy then to cut the two wires that go on the five front openings on the loom, and fasten it back in place on the engine. I will now proceed to wire these to the plugs. 

I recommend this procedure rather than trying to wrestle the loom end of the wires into the loom when it is in place on the engine!

The four lower cylinders go to wires fastened to the ends of the loom and this looks like it will work okay with the loom on the engine.  Display stand is already finished.  More pics in a day or so.

Got the engine mounted to the engine mount.  A few tips for anyone building this kit.  Do not put on either the starter or the carburetor before mounting the engine to the mount. If you mount the starter first, you will have trouble getting the mount around the assembly. If you mount the carburetor first, and try to screw in a machine screw to mount the mount to the intake manifold, the carburetor prevents getting a socket type wrench on the screw (see below).  Good luck finding a 0-80 open end wrench that will fit.

A great tip- you can make a great socket wrench for a 0-80 hex head machine screw from a length of 1/8 in (od) aluminum tubing.  Drill a 1/16 inch hole in a block of something- I used a piece of MDF.  Insert the body of the screw into the hole.  Place the piece of tubing centered over the screw head, and tap in it with a small modeler's hammer. The tube will deform over the head, forming a handy wrench.  I wrapped some masking tape over the other end to give a bit more purchase for my fingers.  If you drill a hole in plastic with the normal tap drill, the screw can act as a self-tapping screw.  I used that type of wrench to screw the screw through the mount and into the intake manifold with no problems.  Easy turning, and four or five screws hold the mount tight to the engine (or vis versa).

GMorrison

I think you need to wire those bolts on the bearing cover. But seriously, that looks real. I have no idea which rocker cover is the new one.

A very nice project.

 

Good idea!  I think I can handle that.

I think you need to wire those bolts on the bearing cover. But seriously, that looks real. I have no idea which rocker cover is the new one.

A very nice project.

Wow, that's looking great.

Got all the cylinders on the crankcase now, and some of the accessories on the rear.  First view is the front of engine, sitting on its mount (not screwed down yet).

Next is a shot of the rear, on a mount to hold it (board of mdf with hole drilled for propshaft.

I had finally lost one of the (18) rocker box covers, taking it out of my paint dryer box.  Could not find it.  Made a simple one-piece mold of clay, using one of the others, and cast it in resin.  Matches pretty good after Alclad, huh?

Don, I have to say again, they look great. You are really making me want to break out the Cyclone.

keavdog

Wow looking really nice Don.  Hoping for cliff notes on colors from you so I can do mine as nice ;)

 

 

On cylinders, bottom part is Testors gunmetal plus Steel.  I started with full bottle of gunmetal, which was full right up to neck. I then added steel halfway up neck.  Mixed well and then thinned for airbrush.  I use a suction feed airbrush so poured fom Testors bottle and thinned in airbrush jar.  Upper part of cylinder is Alclad aluminum, applied directly over kit black plastic.  Rocker box covers are painted gloss black, then Alclad Polished aluminum applied very lightly.  Crankcase is Testors Gray, engine accessories (mags, starter and carburetor) are new Testors semi-matt black.  Handpainting nuts and screws with the gunmetal/steel mix.

Wow looking really nice Don.  Hoping for cliff notes on colors from you so I can do mine as nice ;)