It is important to give some consideration right at the start, on all the possible ways to proceed with a project such as this, as much can be incorporated at these early stages that can save many a blind ally and considerable time latter on. This is not to say that everything has to be determined at this stage, just a general idea of what is possible with the skills and tools you have available for the job in hand. For example using several blocks of wood doweled together rather than start with a single block, allows the various parts to be double checked one with another, on each side of the centre line, to facilitate one side being a exact mirror of the other. It also makes the various shapes easier to carve, with other parts removed from the main block. A consideration of work down-the-line determined that with the required sheet metal having to go under the front and the rear of the body, it would simplify matters later, if at this stage the main body of the master patterns was made in two pieces doweled together. As also the fact that it is useful to show the wheel arches on the master pattern, but at the front in particular, the turn over at this point would leave a vulnerable edge in the wood work that would not stand the sheet metal working over it without breaking down, determined a brass insert around all of the master pattern wheel arches. There are a number of ways that this shape could have been split up to be used as a set of master patterns for use to create the sheet metal parts for the Le Mans body. I will, I hope, show that my choice of design will produce the final shapes with the minimum of tooling, time and expertise. Hand tools to produce this work consisted in the main of a hammer several chisels of different size and shape, square, rule and power drill for the holes, together with a power saw and sanding disc to reduce the wood to size.
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An After Sales Service to my book readers
Should you have found inspiration, ideas, or just picked up new techniques from my books, plans, and/or web site Galleries, and have photos of your work built as a result, and would like to give me the honour of showing them to others here, please drop me a line, and I will let you know how to proceed.
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NOTE - Very poor photo copies of some of my books (among a number of others) have been sold on eBay as originals, and eBay, up to this point in time, are protecting the criminals, even though they have ample evidence of my copyright infringement. Should any one have had dealings with- Nicholas Thomas alias - phantomoftheauction09 - and/or Michael Thomas alias plaininspain9 - or anyone else passing off fake copies of my books, I would be most pleased to hear from them. eBay UK have now removed both of the above individuals, from their web site, but will not, as yet, provide me with the details I need to put them permanently out of business. Until they do my advice is DO NOT SHOP FOR BOOKS ON eBAY-UK - Go to AMAZON and get satisfaction.
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For those who live in Spain and in the Javea area, we do have a small model making group set up called JAMM, (Javea Association of Model Makers) that meets once a month on the second Thursday of the month. This is a group of model enthusiasts of many interests, boats, cars, trains (large and small steam and electric) aircraft, helicopters, tanks etc. The one link is the use of materials and techniques in the building of the models. We have now been running for four years, and it is turning out to be a great success, with each one learning from the other, and demonstrations of models and/or new techniques happening almost every month. Should any of my visitors to this site be in striking distance of Javea they would be most welcome to make contact with me, and maybe join our little group.
I am often asked about the availability of plans. The following web sites have been brought to my attention, and I am pleased to pass them on here. Some of my own plans are available in my books. For details, click on the ‘Books’ button on the ‘Home Page’
<http://www.carblueprints.narod.ru>