Projects A Kid, A Banger, and a bunch of 3D Printing.

On August 26, 2021 I decided to jump out of my comfort zone, and take on a project I've never done before. I realized that despite numerous amounts of people making parts for these old Model A engines, that I wanted to be a small fish in a big pond. I had just finished hopping up a banger, and was confident enough to dive into this craziness long-term.

After communicating back and forth with my friend Cam, I knew that the side timing covers were the start of my banger production journey.

Initially, my plan was to start with a valve cover, but that deemed to be a bit more difficult as most 3D printer beds are smaller than the total length of it. I soon realized that once everything was designed, these parts were really going to come to life as the investment process was just around the corner.

After many months of back and forth, revisions, and a whole lot of waiting the finished side timing covers were on my doorstep! It was reassuring to be able bolt one right up, and finally see it in use! I've only had the knowledge of 3D Modeling / CAD for less than a year, and I am so excited to continue my work and make more things for these old Model A and Model B engines!

So, without further hesitation, let's get to work!

 

Cool stuff! Thanks for going to all the effort.

 

Very cool...but this only yields more questions!

• Did you have it casted from your print?
• What else you working on?

For the larger pieces you could probably get another firm to print it on a larger bed. I suppose you could also print individual pieces and then glue them up and finish them for mold creation or casting.

Anything to keep these things going! Love it.

 

Cool!

 

Polished or raw it looks the part and delivers...inspired Excellence, congratulations...

 

I appreciate it!

Thanks Tim! Love what you're doing with that engine in your Model A!

Most of the guys will be polishing them, I prefer the cast look myself!

I love questions!
These were 3D printed, then ceramic coated. After they are coated, the plastic polymer is melted out leaving the ceramic mold, which the metal goes in.

I'm currently working on a side drive of sorts. I recently picked up a Wells Front timing cover and side timing cover to run a fuel pump and magneto, but I can't find anyone local to machine it. Here's a quick photo of my gear setup I'm working on!

I'm looking at picking up a Creality CR-10 MAX which can print things up to 17 inches long!

 

I appreciate it!! I'm just a kid, trying to make some cool shit! Bought my first Model A when I graduated highschool in 2016!

 

It's great that you are a "kid" because someone is going to have to carry the torch on this stuff. It's going to to take efforts like this to fill in the blanks around parts availability. It may also spur a new generation to engage with our hobby in new ways. And while the 3d printing part is contemporary, the resourcefulness and underlying process is what created all this in the first place. This isn't billet.

...and be careful with the "kid" part. I was 32 when I joined the HAMB. Now I'm 52.

Time flies my friend.

 

I saw your little cover, and thought the next step should be a side magneto drive. I scrolled down, and there it is!

Gear machining is expensive, so can you design it to use the same gear as would fit the crank? Just make the adapter shaft the same size as a crank snout?

I've made many patterns to be sand cast in aluminum, but always as loose patterns. If you can create a plate pattern, the foundry will give you a big break on the costs as their labor is significantly less. Sand casting is not as clean as investment cast, but it is sure traditional.

 

Well you seem to be off to a great start!

 

Time sure does fly! The biggest problem most people my age see is the price of all this stuff. It's cheaper and easier to mess around with a newer japanese car, but thats too boring!

hahaha, yeah I'm slowly working! The side driven mags will be run at crank speed, off of the cam gear. My thoughts are adapting stock Model A crank gears would be the easiest option price wise. Investment is all I know, I definitely want to learn more about making and using wood patterns. Here's a few more things I'm working on.

Thanks Ken!

 

amazing process

 

@Retson the Racer did you by chance see Hamber @gbrown's Thread at the link below on the waterfall Trim on 36 Ford...that was an adventure in 3D...not metal but interesting none the less...Very admirable what your doing and sharing...

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/1935-ford-waterfall.1178935/

 

Thank you!!

I have, that's wicked cool! I hope that at some point we can start reproducing more early ford stuff. Lord knows we need it!

 

Well after a few days of playing around, I have decided I might try and make a few more parts. I want to start creating things that require minimal machining, as I am not a machinist on any scale. The first option was a few smaller pieces. I soon realized that the water pump might be a bit more challenging than I initially thought. I'd want to revise that to accept a sealed bearing of sorts.
The two water necks would be relatively easy as they would require small amounts of machining, but another conflicting idea I had was to add a sort of boss on the smaller neck to accept a temperature gauge of sorts.


The second option I had created, was an intake manifold that looks reasonably "stock" but allows you to run two updraft carbs. With this current design, you are pretty limited to only using the stock exhaust as the intake sits too high, blocking the exhaust ports. In the second revision, I will address this by lowering it a bit, but also creating adapter to run (2) three-bolt carbs. I'm also thinking of running a splitter, so a single 3-bolt carb, will split into the two ports.

For now, I'll stop rambling on. I'll go ahead and post more updates soon! I've got a few other small projects in the works!

Is there anything you guys would care to see?
So far I've seen Thomas Model A valve covers, finned oil return pipe, and an aluminum front timing cover.

 

How and where in the process is the allowance for the shrinkage of the metal at the foundry taken care of?

 

The shrinkage comes as the aluminum cools. It happens no matter what the pattern was made of. I make all my patterns at 102% of final size.

 

Like I asked, where in the 3-D process is the shrinkage factored in?

 

After the prototype is printed and verified for dimensions, we factor in about 2% then print the rest for investment casting.

Thank you! I've seen your taillights, those are wicked cool!

 

Very cool.

 

Very cool mate! Love your work!

 

A young whipper snapper with an enterprising mind . Great to see and looking forward to your continued growth .

 

Very creative and productive. Work you should be proud of! Keep at it!

 

On the water neck with the option of a temp gauge. I have one from someone else and where the fitting is to the rear the temp bulb hits the starter. I would be interested in both water necks and a side cover. LMK pricing.

Thanks,

jim

 

I've been curious about how we take 3d printed plastic parts and make them functional in an engine environment. Never knew about the ceramic coating process - brilliant! Glad to see this technology being used this way.

 

Thank you!

Thank you sir! Just trying to learn as much as I can!

Just trying to keep myself from becoming bored!

I think that could definitely be doable! I'm looking at revamping the cooling process to change it from push to pull. I've heard that theres a drop in temperature.

 

I realized I haven't updated this thread in some time.
since my last post, I have been working a LOT on new parts!

The first thing to come to production, is my take on the "KONG" side timing covers, also known as cam covers. While using my normal design, I decided to add a few fins as who doesn't like race fins?!

A few weeks later, the test prints were printed! They are currently at the foundry being cast and machined, and I am so excited!

The next project I am working on, is a Model A and Model B front timing cover, and side driven magneto base. I received an S/M Smiley Martin accessory drive, and have started tearing into that to do some reverse engineering on the mag drive and shaft. It seems that it uses a crank gear.
The side drive looks rough because well, it is. This is a 3D scan, that I am slowly turning into a useable model.

 

Congrats! I recall shrinkage in sand castings when in High school metal shop.
Cast some bootleg Moon gas pedals, was surprised when the shoe size differed after using MY cast products as patterns. Rude awakening after a lineup of 4 casting ops... (Duh!)
It was a lesson in 'How we learn'.

 

Very cool