1/12 Airfix Bentley Blower

[Kevthemodeller]

How have I missed this

Superb levels of skill mate following along

[NoelSmith]

The Parkside bench disc sander only gets sold occasionally in Lidl. You need to keep visiting the shop regularly. They normally put them out for sale about once a year, and for a limited time of two or three weeks. I get on well with mine, but the angle gauge on it is a bit hit and miss. I always use a small engineers square to set it at 90 degrees and small 45 degree set square for most jobs that I do on it.

[Casper]

The Parkside bench disc sander only gets sold occasionally in Lidl. You need to keep visiting the shop regularly. They normally put them out for sale about once a year, and for a limited time of two or three weeks. I get on well with mine, but the angle gauge on it is a bit hit and miss. I always use a small engineers square to set it at 90 degrees and small 45 degree set square for most jobs that I do on it.

Our local Lidl is having a major revamp so closed at the moment but when it open again I will take a looksie, cheers Noel

[Casper]

How have I missed this

Superb levels of skill mate following along

Hi Kev glad you found it matey, Its been shelved the past two weeks due to other projects and still not found the correct sized sleeves for the spokes.
I have made a start on the Harley wheels using piano wire 0.8mm and will try and post later today.
casp

[Twokidsnosleep]

There are a couple of Airfix Bentleys on FB as completed projects
Very nice, but all I see are those thick chunky plastic spokes, not lovely graceful wires like your beauty will have

[Casper]

There are a couple of Airfix Bentleys on FB as completed projects
Very nice, but all I see are those thick chunky plastic spokes, not lovely graceful wires like your beauty will have

Thanks scott not seen them.
I still don't have the .5 sleeves so these wheels are on hold for now but I did get my piano wire from Albion alloys yesterday for the Harley in a meter long tube not seen a Albion alloys tube that big before, I have enough for 20 bikes

[NoelSmith]

Casper, I have thought about another way around your sleeve problem. You may be able to make your own by stripping very thin suitable electronics wire and using the outer plastic insulation by cutting it into the lengths you want, and slipping it onto the spoke wires. A bit tedious I know, but it could be a way around this problem. If you could get wire with insulation that is a metallic silver grey in colour so much the better as it would save painting.
Albion could probably supply micro diameter aluminium tube that might fit the wire spokes, but cutting it has its own problems with having to deburr each afterwards. Even parting off on a micro lathe would still create burrs in the bore.
Hope the wire suggestion helps. Once stripped at least each plastic sleeve can be clean cut off with a sharp craft knife to length.

[Casper]

Hi Noel
Its a great idea using the wire coating for tubing, I may try that thanks. At the moment I'm working to get the Harley wheels completed so I'm in no rush with the Bentley, hopefully I will find some. I have lots of tube in different sizes but the sleeves are handy having a lip to stop them moving, It just makes it a little easier for me. The sleeves are too big and have to be cut in half with a sharp scalpel rolling over it gently gives a nice clean cut.

[NoelSmith]

The rolling method of cutting small diameter tubing with a sharp blade looks to be a good method of cutting, as it would only burr over into end of the bore. Easily sorted out by running a suitably sized drill bit into it or using a fine pointed round Swiss file rotated backwards.

[Casper]

The rolling method of cutting small diameter tubing with a sharp blade looks to be a good method of cutting, as it would only burr over into end of the bore. Easily sorted out by running a suitably sized drill bit into it or using a fine pointed round Swiss file rotated backwards.

it work well with a new scalpel blade, you don't need any pressure just roll the knife then run a small drill through if needed. The sleeves are very thin copper so cut very easy, you can put some wire inside the tube to stop it kinking but I find it easier without.

[NoelSmith]

Nice to swap ideas Casper.
Have not tried the rolling method on copper tubing but have done it on small diameter thin walled aluminium tubing quite successfully. Provided it is done with minimal pressure this avoids the tube collapsing at the cut point.

[Mumbly]

Cutting the micro tube with a scalpel works for me. Make a jig from some plastic card and it is a really quick process. Also, the alloy is usually so soft that threading the cut lengths onto some piano wire will de-burr.

[NoelSmith]

Just recently learnt that there is a UK modeller named Nick over on the Scale Motorcars website who is in the process of developing wheel kits and detailing up transkits for the old Airfix Bentley kit. He is also developing a full kit similar to one of the MFH kits. Made very interesting reading looking at his 3D Cad Drawings on that site.

[Twokidsnosleep]

Just recently learnt that there is a UK modeller named Nick over on the Scale Motorcars website who is in the process of developing wheel kits and detailing up transkits for the old Airfix Bentley kit. He is also developing a full kit similar to one of the MFH kits. Made very interesting reading looking at his 3D Cad Drawings on that site.

You can post a link, mate
Would like to see that

[NoelSmith]

Scott, Not sure if there is a link as such.
Suggest you go on to Scale Motorcars Website and do a Bentley search.
Should be easy enough to find. I think you will be impressed.
Cheers, Noel

[NoelSmith]

Scott, further to my last post i found that Nick is running a similar thread on the Britmodeller Forum.
I think it reads Bentley 4.5 litre Supercharged may contain Airfix.
Hope this is of further help
Cheers Noel

[OSmini1293]

Now to get rid of that chrome using thick bleach, the oven cleaner wouldn't touch it and it took two days to finally get them cleaned up

Help !
Thanks for the excellent build shots and good to see your great work. But.............. I have a problem with this post. The chrome on my Blower, A20440 Indian Build, has the chrome sprue copper plated first. Days of Industrial Bleach, oven cleaner and scrubbing with a tooth brush have only scratched the surface of the plating. What is left when it does dissolve is the copper plating.
Any thoughts on removal or is Hydrogen Peroxide ( 2 parts vinegar to 1 part Hydrogen Peroxide ) my only option ?

[LWWales]

Phenomenal work excellent really well done. Really makes me wanna build one of these and I’ve never really wanted to build an Airfix kit!

[Twokidsnosleep]

Now to get rid of that chrome using thick bleach, the oven cleaner wouldn't touch it and it took two days to finally get them cleaned up

Help !
Thanks for the excellent build shots and good to see your great work. But.............. I have a problem with this post. The chrome on my Blower, A20440 Indian Build, has the chrome sprue copper plated first. Days of Industrial Bleach, oven cleaner and scrubbing with a tooth brush have only scratched the surface of the plating. What is left when it does dissolve is the copper plating.
Any thoughts on removal or is Hydrogen Peroxide ( 2 parts vinegar to 1 part Hydrogen Peroxide ) my only option ?

Ya wow you tried what I would have used
I have heard that lye solvents ( like drain cleaners) are strong and alkaline enough to remove tough chrome
But is dangerous and you really gotta be careful with it, super caustic

[NoelSmith]

Scott, you have a fellow Canadian named Francois in Quebec doing fantastic things on the Bentley over on Model Cars Magazine Forum and the Britmodeller forums as The Guy From Quebec.

[Twokidsnosleep]

Scott, you have a fellow Canadia named Franco is in Quebec doing fantastic things on the Bentley over on Model Cars Magazine and the Britmodeller forums as The Guy From Quebec.

Cheers, I will look

[NoelSmith]

Scott, His name is Francois not Franco. My tablet when I use it tries to change words and I do not always spot it.
Hope you found his threads ok in any case.
Cheers Noel.

[Theguyfromquebec]

Hello Scott,
While doing some reseach on the net, I stumble on your Bentley build. First off, very nice build!! You are doing it justice. I see that Noel mentionned by own Bentley build, and not to toot my own horn, I do beleive it is quite a nice one. So here is a link to the build on one of the forum I'm on plus a link to my photo album of the build. As you will see, I'm into 3d modeling and 3d printing so if you would like to upgrade some parts, please let me know.

Here's a sneak peak

20240222_114025.jpg

Link to build: https://shipsofscale.com/sosforums/thre ... log.10782/
Link to photo album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/p2DahEAtoFRgju8eA

François

[Twokidsnosleep]

Hello Scott,
While doing some reseach on the net, I stumble on your Bentley build. First off, very nice build!! You are doing it justice. I see that Noel mentionned by own Bentley build, and not to toot my own horn, I do beleive it is quite a nice one. So here is a link to the build on one of the forum I'm on plus a link to my photo album of the build. As you will see, I'm into 3d modeling and 3d printing so if you would like to upgrade some parts, please let me know.

Here's a sneak peak
20240222_114025.jpg

Link to build: https://shipsofscale.com/sosforums/thre ... log.10782/
Link to photo album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/p2DahEAtoFRgju8eA

François

SO cool
I will have a good look through those threads after work
Thanks for posting

[Johnj]

How have i managed to miss this. Casper... what a build. This is closer to model enginering

[Theguyfromquebec]

Oops, my apologies to Casper. I thought Scott was the owner of this post. Serves me right for not reading from the start! Still a nice build.

[NoelSmith]

I have been following Francois' Bentley build on various forums and as he has just completed the wire wheels reminded me of something.

Nick Edwards in North Wales who trades as Unobtainium now has kits available of replacement wire wheel sets for the big Airfix Bentley.