Projects Giant speedster project

SAVE THE TC!

I've got to save the TC so I'm selling the Toyota dump truck instead. It's real handy but I hardly ever use it any more. The carb has always given me problems. It won't ever idle. I've rebuilt the thing 10 times. Maybe I should buy a kit. It won't bring much but it's a start. Other than that I made another clamp. I can't have people looking under the hood and seeing a modern clamp. That would be like Edison using a cell phone. Then I polished up the knobs on the light switch and checked the fit of the switch to plate. I've ordered some nitric acid. Now I'll have to get in touch with my artistic side.

 

etched in instructions in "Vulcan" Minnesotans will know the connection

 

What the?

I clicked on the H.A.M.B. list as usual and it said the Giant Speedster Project had "moved" What does that mean? There were no stats listed like there usually is. Mmmm.

While I'm waiting for the nitric acid to arrive I played around with some ferric chloride I had left over after making a circuit board. It's not very strong so it takes forever. The first test involved a bottle of whiteout to spell out Seagrave. On the second test I used a Sharpie to spell choke. The ferric chloride just doesn't etch fast enough or deep enough. It was fun though. While I was waiting I messed around mounting the brass dash and the light switch.

Jerry

 

What, you haven't checked out all the changes that Ryan has been working on the last month or so? Check this article for the info...

 

Jerry,
This works! I've used this method with good success in my 'artist days'.

A great resist for etching brass are certain felt tip pens “Staedtler Lumocolor CD-R Pen” – They come in a package of 4 colors, Red, Black, Blue and Green. You can buy a 4-pack on Amazon for $6.99. You can order them at any bigger art supply store such as A.B. Dick also. The red pen works best for Ferric Chloride and Ferric Nitrate. The black pen works for short etching sessions of 1 hour or less. If you want a very deep etch, and need to leave it in the etching bath for more than 1 hour, I would not use any color other than red. The other colors may break down in Ferric Chloride and Ferric Nitrate after 1 hour or so. Try it!

I'm not sure if my earlier suggestion was even noticed in the middle of 'LIMERICK-O-THON but a Dremel (or other brand) engraving pen with small bits will make some nice engraving patterns also. You can spray the brass with a primer or flat black and then draw, transfer, scratch a visible design and just follow the lines like a boy scout craft project. It works too.

Jimmy

 

So that's what I'm building--a traditionally "styled" hot rod! I never knew!

 

Not sure if my hand is steady enough for a Dremel tool. I like where you use a laser printer and iron it onto your work. I think I'll try that.

Jerry

 

I saw that and thought to myself, dang this is the most traditional build on the HAMB! The guy makes his own hose clamps!!!
Maybe all of the other silliness makes it slightly OT, but who cares?
Keep up the good work!

 

Jerry,

There was an engraving machine at Brad's last swap meet- will probably be there at the Gear Jam on the 28th...

The little touches look fantastic, and you must be excited about getting towards the end of the build- can't wait to see it when you finish!!!

 

I've done the laser printer thing for printed circuit boards, it's a bit fussy, but it does work. Set the printer up all the way DARK to load up lots of toner, and use the thinnest paper you can get to feed properly. Mirror your image, print it out, iron it on good, let it soak in some water for a while to soften up the paper, then you can rub the paper fibers off with your fingers leaving just the toner.

There is some kind of paper that is used for hospital gowns that is made to dissolve in water when they're disposed. I've heard of using that to print the toner on also. You can also buy sheets of it at craft stores, it's used to back fabric when doing machine embroidery work, then it dissolves in the washing machine.

Another option would be to hit the local jeweler or trophy store...they could engrave it for you.

 

when i was just 10 or 11 i watched a guy engraving glasses in a mall, he had parkinson's pretty bad but when his engraver touched the glass he stopped shaking, the glasses had old english text and roses and the like, just beautiful, a shaky hand is no excuse.

 

On the Dremel tool-

Jerry, I'll use my opposite thumb on the side of the tool to provide a little resistance/guidance, and it really helps!

 

Wow, why don't you just call the guy out and tell him he's a weenie for knowing his artistic limits. Some guy doing etching for an unknown number of years and was well practiced is not the same as trying it for the first time. Sheesh.

 

There once was a man, from Boston,
who bought a new car, an Austin,
there was room for his ass, and a gallon of gas, but his balls hung outside,
so he lost 'em.

 

Must have been a Sprite!

Dash and Door

I knew that when I went to install the door it wasn't going to fit. I had to space and grind and move and remove and adjust and grind. Eventually I got it to fit. The fit between dash and door is critical. I'm going to make up some brass plates to finish out the gap between the two. I also need to cut a shape into the bottom of the dash and I'd like to cover that with some brass trim. Left my camera at home so cell phone pics. Hey, I just discovered that a guy a hundred feet from my shop engraves Harley parts with all kinds of scenes. I'll stop in and see if I can get some pictures

Jerry

 

I was there for the August meet but I missed the engraver. See you in Sept. Hey, that could be a song!

Jerry

 

You'd think it was built by a team
the Seagrave, it looks like a dream
with brass here and there
seats way up in the air
when the young ladies see it they'll scream

 

Send over Phoebe, Magdalena, Becca or possibly the blonde on the red scooter. Let's see if they scream.

Jerry

 

I'd rather bring them over than send them over.........

 

THIS MAY OR MAY NOT HELP YOU
some types of computer printers "art work "can be wetted with water or other solutions and have the ink transfer to the object being worked on ...reversed line drawing -wet applied to wood /linoleum .. to be wood cut or hand etched/used for printing then making into a positive print ....
so okay my be the right ink could be your repel or guide for repel chemicals for more fine detail hand work on metal????

talk to your kids ...

 

I say do it like you did the first go around, have a vinyl cutter make your design and use the vinyl sticker as your resist.

 

Dave can engrave

Went over to Dave the engravers place (about a hundred yards down the hill from my shop) to see if he had any insight into my engraving problem. His business is engraving knives and Harley parts but he doesn't use acid. He uses a tiny air chisel which carves the design into the steel--deep too. He likes wildlife scenes. Dave can take a run of the mill knife and make it something special. He prints out a scene on his laser printer but he really doesn't have to transfer it to the metal. Later on at home I found a nifty art deco design for my dash. I could even sandblast this design in the dash and then add some black. Today though I rebuilt the carb on the Toyota dump truck--several times! thought you might like a better picture of the door.

Jerry

 

Madman

Working like a madman. No school today. Sneaked away from home for a few hours. Finally got the Toyota dump truck to idle. EGR was stuck open. $34 for carb kit. Hours of labor. Could a cured it for nuthin! Damn! Put the new wood bed in the Toyota. Pressure washed the engine. Raced home. Cooked dinner. First Class award tonight for Alex. Got back late. Kids to bed. Need sleep. Dream of speedster dqash. Mush hav shleeep Speedddddddddddddddddsher dasss ZZzzzzzzz

 

on inkjet printers you can get an extra set of refillable ink cartridges and fill them all up with black ink,
some of the t shirt screen printers do that for the masks when they make the screens

 

Remember I told you I had something special in mind for that coil box?

Sorry it took so long. And this ties into Piston Farmer's comment about the vinyl cutter. I wanted to make a special data plate for the coil box but Michael, my sign maker buddy at Mountain Country Signs, wasn't sure if his vinyl cutter could make letters small enough. You can't rush guys who are going that extra mile for you. Today he called. The real problem was getting the tiny letters off the sheet and onto the plate. But he came through. Looks great! Now the fun starts. I've got to acid etch the rest of the plate, then paint it, then peel off the vinyl. A few tests with scrap aluminum are in order. Other than that I made up a jig (yes another jig) to bend up some brass to cap the bottom of the dash. Now to order some 18 gauge brass long enough. While I was in the shop, Kevin was outside working on the Toyota dump truck.

Jerry

 

Wow, that's neat. I didn't know the theme was going to run to 80's hair metal bands, but whatever, I can go with the flow.

Put Quiet Riot stickers on the muffler, Poison on the gas cap. Finding a place for the Def Leppard sticker may be harder but in sure Jerry will figure it out.

 

Took me a minute to figure that out. I was thinking of some kind of hair retaining device. The Doors were my band.

Jerry

 

I had tix to see TESLA last Sat. but dint go ....

 

Just listened to some Tesla cuts on youtube. I knew their music but never knew their name! Good band!

Jerry

 

The Madness continues.

Day one thousand, fifty six, still no word from Publisher's Clearing House. Have they lost my letter? I know I fill out everything correctly. Surely I would have heard something by now. Maybe I should recount the newspapers stacked in the basement. I could have miscounted them last night. Couldn't I? Well? Couldn't I? Why don't they answer me?
Why?

Sorry, I got carried away. Forget about what I said. It was nothing. The madness at my shop continues as well as I build--drum roll--THE WORLD"S SMALLEST ENGLISH WHEEL! Yes, details, details, details. I everyone thinks I'm an obsessive maniac but the speedster must be built according to the plans sent to me by THE VOICES every night while I sleep. Besides, the cut edge of plywood looks like crap.

Jerry