Post by ONEBADMK8 on Mar 21, 2004 18:01:29 GMT -5
Illustrations by Thomas Voehringer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What You Will Need
30 Gauge Wire Wrap
Aluminum Tubing
1/8" and 3/32" outside diameter
Gap-filling Super Glue
Scissors or Sprue Snips
400/600 Grit Wet/Dry Sandpaper
Razor Saw
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As nice as a model car can look when careful attention is paid to the finish it is not completely satisfying if the distributor is sitting in plain sight devoid of wiring. Even modest attempts to recreate the electrical connections can vastly improve the realistism. Individually hand wiring a tiny 1/25 scale distributor is beyond many peoples patience or ability. It is no longer necessary. Pre-wired distributors are readily available in the aftermarket but hey, you didn't buy a pre-built kit right? This quick distributor buildup is easy and can produce results equal to or surpassing the aftermarket depending on your ability and how much extra effort you add to the basic layout.
It's important to remember that on a V-8 engine the distributor cap has NINE wires. One high voltage line coming in from the coil and eight going out to the spark plugs. Most kits don't include a coil but we can make one from the scrap of your newly wired distributor. I've tried several methods for spark plug wires including waxed tread (talk about a pain to glue) and stretched sprue (Don't touch that! It'll break!). I think the following directions give you a versatile method and a sturdy product. You can make them with 9, 7, or 5 wires. It's easy to spend an hour and crank out a bunch of distributors and have them ready when you need 'em. With minor alterations you can make magnetos also. This is a basic plan for you to build from.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Supplies
Wire wrap is available at Radio Shack by the spool in three colors: red, white and blue (God bless America!). It rings up for less than $3 plus tax. The spool holds 50 feet of wire which is probably more than you'll need, even if you wire one Tommy Ivo Showboat kit a week for a year. It's 30 gauge wire thats a little big for scale plug wires but not enough to distract from a good wiring job. I picked up the aluminum tubing from the local hardware warehouse. Look hard for one that isn't too bent and nicked up. I haven't found a good way of straightening it without alot of waste. Get a piece of every diameter available because you will find plenty of uses for it and it's cheap. Many hobby shops carry K & S tubing as well. Zap-A-Gap gap-filling CA (CyanoAcrylate) glue should already be a part of your modeling inventory. If its not, you are still doing things the hard way. Beside its gluing ability it is a tremendous filler for sink holes and gaps. Its harder than most fillers and polishes up like styrene. A fine tooth razor saw is another handy tool thats usefulness far out wieghs the low price of admission.
Procedure
The 3/32" tubing should slide right into the 1/8" tubing. This forms the basis of the distributor. Slide the smaller tubing into the larger tube so that it protrudes out about an inch. (Illustration A)
Cut through both tubes at about 1/4" into the larger tubing. Slide the pieces apart. Now would be a good time to clean up any burrs, sharp edges or serrations on these parts with the 400/600 grit wet/dry sandpaper. Set the parts aside for a moment.(Illustration B)
Snip 9 lengths of wire wrap, for a V8 engine, slightly longer than the distance from the distributor to the farthest spark plug. If you plan on changing the wires color, now would be the time for that. I think the wires are too reflective so I drag them through a brush loaded with Hobsco DDV (Decal Dulling Varnish) to flatten the sheen and hang them up to dry. Next, bunch the wires together at one end. They fit very snugly inside the 3/32" tubing. Once they are securely positioned, squeeze a drop of Zap-A-Gap into the far end of the tubing to anchor the wires into the tube. (Illustration C)
Slip the short piece of 1/8" tubing over the unwired end if the 3/32" tube. Spread some Zap-A-Gap on the outside of the 3/32" tubing at the wired end. Now slide the 1/8" piece from the base upward, over and slightly past the glued area. (image at right)
Once the glue has dried, splay out the wires to the outside like spokes, leaving the center most wire (the coil wire) standing straight up. Drop a little dab of black epoxy or CA in the middle. Cut the 3/32" shaft to length remembering to allow enough extra to insert into the engine for gluing. The piece you have left over can be used to make a coil!
In progress Slant-Six as example
From this point you can detail as desired. Paint the "cap", add vacuum advance, add hold-down latches. You can use the same basic assembly but notch the 1/8" tubing across the top, shoot the wires out each side and cap it with a small piece of styrene sheet to create a magneto. If you have any ideas please let me know - thomasv12@aol.com
This is only the first basic step to wiring your engine. There is much more you will have to do to make it look convincing. Routing the wires correctly and knowing where the wires go on the cylinder head are other important aspects. That story is in the works and should be here soon. It will include the wiring and firing diagrams for most popular engine types.
Heres another example on a big block FE Ford engine.
.
.
