W.I.P. - The "Enhanced Galvanick Lucifer" (fuel tank built & glowing!)

[Commander Obadiah]

I'm very, very impressed.

Commander C. Obadiah

[Alexander Edmund Clough]

I'm very, very impressed.

Commander C. Obadiah

Thank you Commander, most kind of you to say so. 

Now I have to work out a locking mechanism for it...

[Alexander Edmund Clough]

Wheeeee! Very satisfying progress this evening.

Have solved the "how to lock" the fuel lid puzzle.

This may look like a WW2 stick grenade for a lego man...



But it's really the handle to let you slide the bolts (left and right bottom corner) back and forth...
 


I need to cut out the slots in the bolt housings to allow the handles to be glued into the bolts, but that can wait for another evening when I'm not so tired and have steadier hands. (They won't be glued in until it's all painted)

Here's a view of it locked from a different angle, hopefully so you can see the bolts and the handle to open the flap with more clearly.



And finally, here's a view of it open with the bolts drawn back to show the handle on the lid a bit better.



Again, everything is scratchbuilt, except for the o-ring.

[Alexander Edmund Clough]

I have come to the conclusion that "rivets" will be de-rigeur for parts of the lantern, so I shall proceed to make rivet heads to be glued in place.

Method for making "rivet" heads:

• Take a length of 1.5mm styrene rod (for small rivets) or 3.2mm rod (large rivets).
• Carefully heat the end until softened.
• Press warmed plastic into recess of brass doming block.
• Cut domed end off of the rod, making sure to catch the damned thing as it pings off the scalpel.
• Repeat until sufficient rivets are made.

I think I'll need about 100 rivets, so I shall probaby hate the sight of styrene rod by the time I'm done with this part!

Method for riveting model:

• Mark rivet locations on model
• Rest rivet in location on model, let gravity do it's thing to keep it there.
• VERY CAREFULLY apply a drop of EMA Plasweld to stick rivet in place.
• Repeat until all rivets are mounted.

Please feel free to accuse me of being mad. 

That said though... RIVETS FOR THE WIN!!! 

[Herr Döktor]

Bloody GREAT!

And this is the first time in HOW LONG you've picked up a scalpel in anger? Looks to me like you've never been away!

[Alexander Edmund Clough]

*head swells with pride* THANK YOU Herr Doktor!

Umm... This is the first time I've picked up a scalpel in anger in oooh, 15 years.

I did tell you that your mighty helmet had inspired me!

More to the point this is actually my first ever "proper" scratchbuild. I used to build dioramas for 1:32 scale military models, but that was mostly using pre-made kits of scenery which I then tweaked for "damage" etc.

I'm just about to record a video of the finished "ready for paint" hatch and will lob it up on youtube shortly!

Here's a photo of the FINISHED hatch, ready for painting - video shows operation thereof!


And here's the video, wherein you can see me making a fool of myself the hatch in operation -

it really works!

P.S. I have just spent the last 20 minutes playing with the hatch, locking and unlocking the bolts and opening and closing the lid, simply because:

• I can't believe that I made it from scratch with only basic hand tools.
• It's so f*cking cool! 

[Alexander Edmund Clough]

Even MORE Rivets!

[Hieronimous Stonebender]

What can i say...? Your attention to detail is aweinspiring. Now get painting already. This article is one I need to see finished.

[Alexander Edmund Clough]

What can i say...? Your attention to detail is aweinspiring. Now get painting already. This article is one I need to see finished.

Thank you Mr Stonebender, old chap.

Very kind of you!

Afraid painting will have to wait for the time being.
(1) I am still finalising the colour scheme!
(2) I haven't built the lantern body yet!

And now for some more progress shots.

This is the box that will house the battery charger circuit - it's going to be mounted under the control box, and joined to it by a bundle of pipes.



And here's a top view of it, showing the nice brass grille airvent (as I figured that the charger circuit will need some cooling)



The two power jacks (one for charging, one for running the lantern directly off of a car lighter socket) will be accessible on the underside of the box, and the red "charging in progress" LED will also be visible from below.

And here's a size comparison of the two external "control boxes"



And another update (after more tinkerings)

Here's the conduit bundle that the power cables are going to run through



And here it is "end on" so you can see how it's made up of 7 pipes, a back plate and a restraining band around the pipe bundle



And here's the two control boxes joined together with the conduit...



Yes, I know they aren't level and the conduit isn't vertical, but I am only holding them together with one hand for this shot!

The ends of the conduit actually protrude just inside the boxes, and before painting I'm going to make a milliput collar around each end of the pipe on the outside.

[Alexander Edmund Clough]

And here's the control box for the charger with rivets added (and showing how the conduit for the wires fits on it)



And here's an interior view of the same showing how the conduit pokes into the interior and the supports for the brass mesh air grille.

[Alexander Edmund Clough]

Here's the handle in all it's brassy glory. It's just over 9" long in total, and the handle pole is ³/₄ of an inch in diameter.



I have a question for you all regarding this part of the build... (I've added a poll)

[Hieronimous Stonebender]

I voted brown leather. The handle is absolutely gorgeous, allbeit a bit to "sleek". Think leather would pretty it down just the right amount.

[Alexander Edmund Clough]

I voted brown leather. The handle is absolutely gorgeous, allbeit a bit to "sleek". Think leather would pretty it down just the right amount.

Thank you!

It would appear that great minds think alike, good sir!

I too concur that it definately needs leather as it is too shiny and sleek otherwise, but I was undecided between brown or black so I thought "I shall let the forum decide!"

U P D A T E :

Been tinkering further, and retaining the octagonal theme from the fuel filler, I've made an octagonal collar around the piping on the lower control box using epoxy putty:



And I've also reinforced it on the inside with more putty, and also made a frame and plate to hold the original mount for the charger circuit (the black bit in the photo below) so that I can mount the circuit board in place.



Final job on this control box before painting (once the epoxy has hardened) is to measure and drill the holes for the power cables through the base so they can be plugged in to the charger circuit.

[Alexander Edmund Clough]

And here we have both of the external control boxes up against their combined backplate:



The backplate needs some work to finish it off, and once done, there will be more rivets.

Oh yes. MORE RIVETS!!! 

[Reverend Redmond Farrier]

I too voted for the brown leather.  I have worked with a lot of brown leather and love the way it ages when handled.
I made a Bible cover and notebook out of some brown buckskin leather and it has aged beautifully where my hand comes in contact with it when I carry it.

[Alexander Edmund Clough]

The forum has spoken!

I shall attempt to procure some brown leather thong from a bead / craft supply shop if we go into london tomorrow, and will do a 6" whipped section in brown leather on the handle.

And now for another update on the external control boxes...

The backplate now has BIG RIVETS on it.



Why are there larger rivets on the backplate than the ones on the boxes?

Well, they are riveted through the skin of the box to hold the backplate in place after all! (in reality, the backplate is going to be fixed in place using good old JBWeld epoxy resin)

It's those little touches for realism that I keep on adding that mean this is taking me longer to build than originally planned! 

[Alexander Edmund Clough]

I've now built the foil-lined lightbox (with diffuser window) that will be the heart of the aetheric engine and installed the circuit that "simulates welding" that I purchased.



It's not very clear, but the diffuser window is the top section - about ³/₄ of an inch tall in that photo.

The diffuser was made by brushing EMA Plasweld over two sheets of acrylic and then gluing them together. Made them go nicely translucent and frosted. A couple of extra coats were needed to get it how I wanted it, but it works quite well now. 

Unfortunately the circuit came with a red LED and a white LED fitted, so I had to unsolder the red one and solder in a blue one instead to get the "electrical arcing" look I was after.



Still to do is add a foil lined back plate and a couple of "pipes" for the power cables to run through. - This is going to core of the  aetheric engine, so "fuel will run into" this box from the fuel tank, so this will sit between the tank and the battery.

I did record a video update showing it flashing, but iMovie bombed and lost the clip 

[Herr Döktor]

Put a movie up, I really need to see how it looks, 'cos I was thinking of puttineg such a thing in the cage-like base of my carbide helmet lamp!

Also, when attaching the styrene control box to the lamp, mark out where it goes and rough up both surfaces- I really don't want to see or hear that it cracked apart after it's all together and painted!

PS: I voted brown leather too!

[Alexander Edmund Clough]

Put a movie up, I really need to see how it looks, 'cos I was thinking of puttineg such a thing in the cage-like base of my carbide helmet lamp!

Also, when attaching the styrene control box to the lamp, mark out where it goes and rough up both surfaces- I really don't want to see or hear that it cracked apart after it's all together and painted!

PS: I voted brown leather too!

Patience good sir! - A movie will be forthcoming!

Here's a video

showing the control boxes, charger mounting, fuel tank and engine core with flashing LEDs.

I'm going to give myself some insurance for the JB Weld for mounting the control box by putting three strategically placed screws through the backplate and into the lantern body - two on the central section of the backplate, and one through the backplate inside the upper control box body.

The two visible ones will then be hidden with a pair of fake rivet heads.

[Alexander Edmund Clough]

Sawed two 35mm film canisters in half lengthways to get some detailing on the sides of the "aetheric engine".



I've plasweld'ed them in place and have sculpted around one side of the engine with epoxy putty.



Once that's set, I'll sand it down and add detailing.

[akumabito]

...I want my wife to have your babies, Mr. Clough (but only because I can not have them myself)

[JennyWren]

looking good cant wait to see the finished product   

[Alexander Edmund Clough]

...I want my wife to have your babies, Mr. Clough (but only because I can not have them myself)

Thank you for the compliment akumabito old chap. However, I am happily married and as such will not be impregnating anyone's wives... However I am willing to pass on a couple of my secrets!

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

• Have a good image of how you want the finished item to look, draw plans to help yourself remember if needed!
• Don't be afraid to deviate from the original idea a little if you come up with a better design
• Keep "realism" in mind - If this was a real object, what would this part be for? How would it work with other parts?
• Don't rush things.
• While building, listen to plenty of classical music, Orbital, The Shamen, Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Rammstein and Dead Can Dance (or whatever music inspires you).
• Try to avoid cutting your left hand little finger. For some reason I've now sliced into that finger 4 times during this build with various implements!

looking good cant wait to see the finished product   

Thank you JennyWren. Must say, I'm looking forward to seeing the finished version as well! At the moment I only have a mental image and a few pencilled doodles!

[akumabito]

It should be pretty impressive when it's done, both in appearance, as well as performance.

I just re-read the entire thread.. I got fascinated by an earlier comment about focusing the beam to see if you could burn something with it.. It has me looking into lenses, collimators and HID bulbs myself now..  The inspiration is there, now for the funds and time.. Ok, scrap time, I got plenty of that..

[Alexander Edmund Clough]

It should be pretty impressive when it's done, both in appearance, as well as performance.

I just re-read the entire thread.. I got fascinated by an earlier comment about focusing the beam to see if you could burn something with it.. It has me looking into lenses, collimators and HID bulbs myself now..  The inspiration is there, now for the funds and time.. Ok, scrap time, I got plenty of that..

I doubt it would put out enough light to start a fire - even with a fresnel lens and a collimating lens.

However, sunlight through a fresnel with a focussing lens, that's another matter!