Armortek

So having been told I can't lift 300 lb cannons for the next 4 weeks (just had cataract surgery...) it was time to start an Armortek project. And the first one I am tackling is the Ghost engine. Not sure if this will end up in the chassis or on a stand. But it's definitely going to be detailed to the level where I don't want to cover it up!

First step was to address the blocks. And I decided that I wanted to re-shape the top covers to match the originals. For anyone interested, there is a great site in the UK that is one of the top parts-suppliers. Fiennes Engineering. They, along with Ristes and AJ Glew are the varsity in Ghost parts production. But Fiennes has the best pictures on their Web site. Want to know what things look like? www.fiennes.co.uk.

Here is what the top covers should look like. Compared to the rectangular covers that come with the kit, the originals are more rounded and are relieved for the center plugs (over the center of the cylinder... more on that later). The car in the kit is from a series that had both plugs over the valve. But some series allowed plugs over the center of the cylinder, so the magneto plug was in a more advantageous position to start two flame fronts....



This shows the actual cover.

I took the kit covers (shown in the photo below) and re-shaped them and re-drilled. The filler will get sanded to create the rounded shape and I plan on using the original 'bolts' to hold the covers down. Unless I decide to go totally nuts and put in 12BA studs. The Jury is out on that. See later.... I hate 12BA nuts, BTW. Did I mention, more on that later?



With the top covers addressed, it was time to add some extra holes to the blocks for the core plugs. These are the brass plugs that were used to remove the sand from the casting and were 'filled' by RR with brass plugs and aluminum washers. Even in 1/6th scale, these will add a bit of extra twinkle and will be made from 3/16 brass hex, which is exactly the right scale.



Here ^^^ are the blocks after some surgery. First, holes are being filled that were part of the original covers. The epoxy is drying. Several more holes have been drilled for the core plugs. Also, sharp edges from the milling are being relieved and smoothed. More work to do. Also sparking plugs holes to be drilled. But I won't be putting in 'center' plugs, instead, I'll be putting in the correct Brass plugs that blanked off the holes when the plugs were over the valves.

Note that I also fitted the cylinder bores to the blocks at this stage, though Armortek would suggest otherwise. I want to get the blocks done as a unit... and painted. Knowing that I can put them together later... I wanted to change the 'bolts' to studs and nuts. Originals were 7/16 BSF which are 8BA in 1/6th scale.



Next on the hit parade for the blocks are to improve the tappet covers and put in aluminum spacers to add some dimension.

With those little items done... it was time to move on to the sump. Where the real insanity begins...

Cheers,

RPR

P.S. While I was working on this, I was thinking about an exchange I had with a European Ghost Owner... who had rejected owning an Armortek kit because he was all antsy-in-his-pantsy and bent-out-of-shape that some of the things I am doing to the kit... were not that way from the factory. My response was, in short, pound sand. Kian and Mark make magnificent kits. But there are two kinds of buyers, I have seen. One type is the person who wants to get it together and running as rapidly as possible and builds a magnificent kit, often for RC, that is the envy of any miniatures enthusiast. The other is the kind of person who looks at an Armortek kit as a blank canvas. An amazing starting point for adding one's own modifications and touches that would be so un-economical in a production kit as to be insane. But that is what we live for... Dave Dibb, Jeff, Myself and others... look at our Armortek kits as the starting point... Not the end. Anyway, the insanity that is about to unfold in this build, I think, is going to reflect the latter kind of owner/enthusiast! Hope you guys will enjoy...

With the blocks started and now awaiting some brass hex stock, it's time to look at the sump.

As received, the sump is designed with some robustness to hold a powerful electric motor... and the modifications may not be suitable for someone wanting to make a 'runner.' Beware... before undertaking some of the things I am doing. They are intended for static engines, and may not be usable for running cars.

The first thing I wanted to do was re-shape the sump cover/inspection plate to the original 9" x 9" size and do some more 'blending' to make it look more like the original sump.

This was done on the mill to put everything in the right place. And to do the right blending of edges and shapes.



The ribs and 'flats/edges' on the sump are also going to be removed and blended in order to create the original shapes.



Once off the mill, a bastard file was used for the shaping and blending. Also a dyna-file, which is an air-powered belt/sander/file that does wonders for blending. The other thing that needed to be addressed are some extra holes left by the original plate and, also, by the removal of the Engine Serial Number Plate (sorry Kian!) It's a great plate, but will go on the display stand, not the sump. To fill the holes, I simply took some 1/8" aluminum welding rod, turned it down to .108" and pounded it into the holes. Then dressed them off with a file. This 'cold repair' made everything ready for the installation of studs and for finishing the sump.



Now the real fun begins, because while the shape looked great after filing/shaping, the beautifully CNC milled Armortek sump and block, etc. are simply too smooth and nice to have been RR castings! So the parts need some 'roughing up' to look like a Ghost engine. For this, after blending and smoothing, the sump was bead blasted to give it a uniform grey finish.

Then it was gone over completely with a small plenishing tool. This is a vibratory hammer... which was built at our shops many years ago to blend in repairs such as pins and weld repairs to sumps. But you can buy them. This little tool vibrates in a finish that remarkably replicates the roughness of a sand casting.



Here is the tool and the blasted casting.

Here is a small area after plenishing.



After plenishing, it was time to make a new sump cover. The original was an aluminum casting with a drain plug in the center on a raised boss. I used a piece of 1/8" aluminum and cut the edges to resemble the original. Then went completely nuts and fitted a whole series of 12BA studs to replicate the 1/4 BSF nuts that were used to hold the cover on. I also made a sump drain plug and raised boss. Now if anyone can explain to me a good way to put on 12BA nuts without going completely mental, I would appreciate the tips...



Above we see the sump cover with the drain plug and the studs fitted, with a couple of nuts in place. The whole sump is re-shaped and plenished. Note that I also cut out the flange and made the bolt holes 'scalloped' as original. A lot of modifications!

Next installment will include finishing the blocks and the timing cover... and we'll start working on the next components. But that will be in about 3 weeks. It's deer season here.

Here are the castings (machinings, really, but in 1:1 scale, we call these 'the castings" ready for the next steps. Note, too, that there is an 'extra' hole in the sump just behind the sump cover. This is where the oil level is checked and it needs a brass valve fitted (with a linkage). This is coming, too.



Off to order some hex stock...

Cheers, RPR

Brilliant work. I love the tools you use and the stock of bar in the background. It all looks superb.

Bob, I really enjoyed reading your post. I'm always more interested in builds that take the base kit and add custom detail. As you say, the kit is a blank canvas for some, a challenge to see how much of it can be left on the shelf and replaced at great expense of time and effort.

Planishing is an age old metal working skill (the process of flattening sheet metal with a smooth faced hammer or roller). Is plenishing a word you use to mean the opposite? I looked it up and all I found was a reference to filling up stock (as in replenishing). Incidentally, If a custom made tool isn't to hand, the same effect can be achieved by loosely bouncing a spherical burr held in a small drill over the surface. Low rpm works best.

Looking forward to the next instalment.

Stephen

Hi Stephen...

No, smoothing out (or surface-finishing may be a more accurate term) is what this is for. Its main uses are to smooth out welds and pin heads and make them disappear into a sand casting. So our use of the term is probably older than what companies today sell their hammers/etc. for that I see on eBay and Harbor Freight.

I just know that the tool has been in our shop for some 45 years (since Ed Lake made it)... and is called our plenishing (planishing?) hammer!

Thanks for the kind words on the build. More coming!

Cheers,

RPR

Made up the little plugs today... the large diameter ones for the core plugs. The small diameter ones for the sparking plugs holes.

Easiest way to do it was to make a tree of plugs. Then separate them and finish them.



Then separate using a modeling saw in a block. Could have done it on the lathe, but it was easier with the parting saw.



After parting, they were faced with a lathe bit and, presto, 20 (plus extras for the ones I drop on the floor and they fall in the heating duct) core plugs. And 6 sparking plug blanking plugs.



If anyone wants to replicate... I will send the drilling hole locations or post some block pictures so you can replicate.

Cheers,

RPR

And starting today, things are going to go a bit on the insane side... but I have a vision for at least one of my engine kits... and that vision is on the far-reaches of insanity! But then again, doing this stuff is what keeps me sane. Thus a conundrum.... Enjoy!



Here we have the real thing. The left side of a Springfield Ghost engine... Substantially the same as a Derby-built engine with only a few minor differences. What I am about to replicate are the cast-in bosses for the cam-follower arms and the roller tappet lifters. Armortek did a great job of creating the general feel of this by making the covers. But on the real engine, there is a cast-in boss and a steel cover, held on by four 1/4 BSF nuts.

Here's a close-up.



Still debating whether to do the tappets with covers that are screwed down. I am really starting to hate 14 BA nuts.... just 'sayin.



Start by taking a piece of aluminum bar stock and milling it to create the right shape. And filling in the 24 holes that would take the original copper rivets. Slice the shaped bar stock into 6 pieces and drill it for pins. The pins will be used to hold these pieces on the crankcase casting.



But before they can be drilled and located...



Used some Krazy Glue (cyanoacrylate is the generic term) to hold the bars on long enough to drill them for the 1/8" pins that were made simply out of welding rod. Some broke loose while drilling, but it did not matter as long as the drill was through enough to make an on-center pilot.



But after drilling and pinning, these were ready to be fixed with anaerobic adhesive (epoxy) that would permanently attach them to the crankcase.



With the pins in place and everything epoxied, the new casting bosses were fixed to the crankcase. As all were a bit different in thickness, because they were simply sawed off a bar, they went on the mill to be leveled. One, however, over the magneto, needs to be a different height. More on that in a later installment.



Here is the crankcase in the mill, having the cam follower housings leveled and machined, ready for their studs.



Here we have the crankcase with the bosses fitted and the holes drilled for the studs that will hold on the tappet covers. These will be 12 BA studs with nuts, which replicate 1/4 BSF nuts and studs. I'll use the original Armortek covers, but instead of putting them on with copper rivets, they will be nutted on.

In addition, I started doing some roughing of the front timing cover and the crankcase to get the sand-cast look. More on this tomorrow. But the idea is trying to get the machined 'billet' crankcase to look like an original sandcast and burnished unit.

Also, I put about a dozen additional holes in the crankcase in order to put in some linkage levers and some other components that are not part of the original kit. But that is the beauty of working in 1/6 scale and real metal! When I was a kid and we used to modify plastic models, it was called "kitbashing." Which was fun. But when you were done, you still had plastic. Doing this work on an Armortek kit is just a pleasure!

Oh... and working on the blocks to get the top covers shaped to be right. For the nuts on that, I will use the original Armortek 'plugs' that are going to work beautifully!

Last... took me about 3/4 of the day. Time well spent. The rest was modifying a tool, which I'll show you tomorrow!

Cheers,

RPR

So another Sunday... another fun day!

Not many pictures, but a lot of neat progress.



Primer on the blocks after getting in the studs/nuts and finishing all the holes. Will paint in engine enamel later this week and then let it harden up for a few days before putting in the plugs, etc.



Tappet covers in place with their nice little 12BA nuts and studs. These won't be painted in gloss as they were originally phosphated, not painted. Also note that I put in the nuts holding the long studs for the numbers 1, 4 and 7 main bearings. And some extra holes that may end up with linkages in them... if I decide to go that route. And it seems like I might have to



The other side of the crankcase with additional studs added for linkages and carb support. Again, whether I fit them is still a question. But since the studs are there....



The tappet side of the crankcase showing the one tappet lever housing behind the magneto.... the short one. That was needed to clear the magneto. Also note that the valve adjusters got a bit of special attention....



These are the original lifter barrels, but rather than use the threaded rod for tappets, I decided to exactly replicate the original lifters, which use an upside-down (hard-faced) bolt with a jam nut to adjust the tappets. The valves are supported on the block side. Clearance is set with the tappet bolt and jam nut. With some creative machining of 12 lifters and some 12 BA bolts (and nuts) we have the lifters about half done. I almost got done... but it was time for some nice Red wine and pub cheese. Finish next weekend. Did a few minor calculations, too, because the numbers 2 and 3 valves must be positioned 'open' in order for the engine to be right. I picked those at random, but based on the firing order, those two valves are open together. So their lifters will be in the up position. Nuts? But fun!!!

Last, a preview of what's to come... because I think this model engine needs a working clutch....



Cheers,

RPR

Hello Robert,

I follow your report very interested. Very nice. I'll ask you a question now. You are making many changes and improvements to the engine model from Armortek. I can not understand how it can be, that so many details are missing and there are flaws in the model that are to be corrected. How can that be?

many Greetings
Michael

Sorry if this is a daft question but with all the work you are doing on the engine how much more would be needed to make it fire up and run?

Hi Graham:

A great question... and don't think it didn't cross my mind on a few occasions

And it would simply be too much. It would really have to be a scratch-built kit, which is something that I just am not up to... and probably don't have the skills for! It would have to have webs put inside for a crankshaft and camshaft. Then timing gears. Rods, pistons... not only making them. But making them work together! It would, truly, have to be scratch built.

That said, I have debated, for my next engine kit, turning the 'fan' motor around and building a pair of crankshaft webs/throws, and making a cutaway showing one or two pistons spinning, up inside the bore. Or doing a static cutaway. I did this with a Pocher Bugatti engine years ago, and it came out amazing. Alas, it is plastic. Chalk and cheese, I am afraid!

Last, I have bought some casting sets out of the EU, Germany I think, at one point to do a deDion. But they were massive work! All that was supplied were a few basic castings and the rest is model engineering. The same guy did some mercedes kits, too (four cylinder) that are remarkable. But the amount of 'ciphering out' is massive on those. So the DeDion is in my 'someday' pile of kits. Not that the thought has not crossed my mind to do a Ghost, though!

As it is, the 'blank canvas' of the Armortek kit is just a perfect launching point for the kind of superdetailing that is fun and relaxing.

Cheers,

RPR

michael haerle wrote: ↑

Mon Dec 10, 2018 9:24 am

Hello Robert,

I follow your report very interested. Very nice. I'll ask you a question now. You are making many changes and improvements to the engine model from Armortek. I can not understand how it can be, that so many details are missing and there are flaws in the model that are to be corrected. How can that be?

many Greetings
Michael

First, Michael, I have been following your build and wheel work with interest, well done.

Second, as I have explained above and put in a long personal e-mail to another gentleman from the Continent (or perhaps it was you as I got his name wrong) some months ago, the kits are remarkable... and a 'blank canvas.' So I don't think of it as 'correcting' "Missing Details and flaws in the model", but instead am lucky that I can buy an affordable core kit that not only stands on its own merits... but that also lets me (and others) have a ton of fun taking it further!

The joy that guys like myself and @Dave Dibb and @Jeffrey Goff (not that I am in their league) get from Armortek is taking a basic kit that goes with an RC model... and taking it to a level of detail that is simply un-economic to put in a kit that is affordable to us in the Armortek community. So far, I have over 40 hours, just prepping the castings. Translate that into the added cost for a kit... and you see where the decisions must go. I stand by my published statements in the SGA and RREC articles posted on the forum, that this is an amazing standalone kit and is Rolls-Royce quality all around... because if it were not, I would not be putting the time into all the fun 'next level' stuff!

Kian says you are good people and an enthusiastic kit owner and a credit to this community. I'll take his word for it and let's leave it there. I hope you enjoy my build and get some good ideas, and I have already learned from your wheel build and appreciate the good ideas.

RPR

Well said Robert, I wholeheartedly agree. To offer the buyer the flexibility to build a fine replica out of the box or choose to spend time and effort to develop the detail into something of museum quality is a really difficult trick to pull off, both in engineering and commercial terms.

I'm probably the worst Armortek customer - my Pz III Ausf N gave me six years of wonderful entertainment and the Centurion Mk 5/1 Aust has been five years in the making so far. It's the fundamental accuracy of the base kits that has allowed people like us to build something of museum quality. That and some very clever production engineering. I'd take issue with the idea of "correcting" a model. A model is a replica and by definition can never be "correct", it can only look more or less convincing. It's a caricature, however detailed. Armortek manage to balance affordability with models which are convincing.

Enjoying your build, thanks for posting.

Stephen

So today was a bit of a PITA. Visitors. I need a gate on the farm driveway. And a pillbox. Perhaps mines.

Anyway, I didn't get nearly as much done as I wanted to. But as my last photo implied, I really wanted to make a more detailed clutch. Which is a bit insane on a static model, but this is for fun and relaxation, so I'll just call this "Being eccentric."

The original flywheel is a neat part, because it was also the first thing that Armortek posted a year ago as the 'teaser' on the project! But I am going to take one piece that is really very well-done, and turn it into a real working cone clutch.

First thing involved replacing the rear post (that comes with the engine and chassis kits) with a new rear plate that will carry a 6 x 6 x 19mm bearing. That holds a shaft that replicates the rear crankshaft extension and which carries the clutch parts. From there, an inner and outer flywheel were made, with a 40 degree cone. And inside, a cone clutch, which was hogged out of a large piece of solid aluminum bar



Top to bottom... new crankcase rear plate with recess for bearing. Clutch inner plate with shaft (that is replica of rear of crankshaft.) Cone clutch. Outer clutch (with the female cone for cone clutch). On the right is the original clutch that goes with the kit, showing the monobloc design.



Inner flywheel. This bolts to the back of the crankshaft on the real thing. From this, extends a set of studs to hold the outer flywheel. I'll fit the studs tomorrow, along with the rest of the fasteners and attaching components. Never got to them today. See above sarcastic comments.



Assembled clutch. Looks a lot like the Armortek clutch, but has moving parts! More detail coming tomorrow including the oil retaining ring, the output shaft, drain plugs and all the nut/bolt/stud fasteners that are replicated by rivets on the kit. Also note that the OD is slightly larger than the Armortek clutch, but they needed to shrink the dimension a hair to clear floors and rails on the chassis.



Loosely sitting on the crankcase. You can see some of the valve train details, too. More on those tomorrow as I have done complete (moving) valve stems and guides that sit under the blocks. But this weekend is dedicated to clutch!

Cheers,

RPR

Today was a much quieter... and more productive... day!

Finished the flywheel and got some other bits finished up. And started on some of the pieces that I will do over Christmas.

First was to mark the flywheel with the timing marks. Used a mill to cut the lines across the circumference. Then used 1/16" stamp to put in all the timing marks.



Just to figure out where they go (and in case anyone wants to replicate the timing marks), here is the RR manual showing the timing events that are marked on the flywheel.



This is the flywheel itself with the output shaft attached (with the ball at the end) that goes into the Carden Shaft (Universal Joint). The brass ring is the clutch brake, used to help equalize the clutch speed with the gearbox speed on non-synchro gearboxes. Held on by a set of nuts/bolts. The set of three small holes at 6-O'clock are balancing holes. Serve no purpose on the model other than visuals. But on the 'real thing' the balancing holes were typically drilled in sets. The small hole at 11 O'clock is for a small drain plug, that is a 5/16 BSF brass plug on the real thing. To let extra oil out of the flywheel to keep it from slipping. Wet clutch. This hole will get a plug in it after painting.



Here are all the flywheel parts, along with the crankcase that has the valve tappets fitted. Note that valve tappets 2 and 3 are elevated,which would be right for the cam timing. Picked at random... but two valves have to be up with the engine not moving. 2 and 3 it is! Note the studs, nuts, bolts, etc. holding all the flywheel bits together.




Back to the valves, here is the valve train for a couple of valves. Up top is a guide. The valve itself is made with a bit of German Silver rod and uses the Armortek keeper and spring, which has been soldered on the German Silver rod.



One valve in place on top of its tappet and adjuster. This is going to be really fun to put the blocks on with the valves in place....and bolt it down. At least on the real thing you have gravity and enough space for very small hands. But on this... gonna be fun. I see making a special wrench in my future.



Last little project for the weekend. Seemed like the oil filler would be a much better oil filler if it had its proper German Silver cap (original was aluminum, but the German Silver is easier to work with in this scale.) Ready for polishing, but I need to fit a breather tube.

Above it is next weekend's project (or one of them), which is the spark plugs. White paint is just not going to cut it for the ceramics. After much head scratching, I have come up with a great solution... More on that next weekend!



Last, this is a little chart that I consult many times a day while model-making. In case anyone wants to print it out and hang it on their shop wall... here it is.



Oh and I painted the blocks this weekend. They have a week to bake in a nice warm desk drawer (strategically positioned over a heater vent for baking paint!!! I used a rattlecan engine enamel. Should be a nice medium gloss engine color, which looks like the original stove enamel. I think it will come out nicely, especially when all the brass plugs and guides are added.

Have a great week, all! I am taking Christmas week off and will be doing lots of Armortek work... along with some other model projects. May even complete the Ghost engine and get onto the infernal wheels... I think I am doing all this work on the engine in order to avoid starting the wheels.

Cheers,

RPR