"DIY engines and exhausts" Topic

Gentlemen,

I am looking to attach some kind of an engine / exhaust pipe to this Happy Meal toy to convert it into a German VSF walker.

I already managed to open it and remove the top plus the internal windup spring.

Thanks in advance !

Piotr

Wow – what a fantastic start to a project!

I don't know where to get complete engines, as I build my own bits from scratch:

But I'd be happy to discuss techniques and materials, if you have any questions.

Obviously, you'll be adding a lot of rivets, right…?

All the Best!

Colonel those engines are amazing ! Very, very nice and that is exactly what I am looking for ie. hand made.
Basically you start with some kind of barrel / container and add exhaust pipes ? Also, how do you make rivets ? I need to scale them to 1:72 and 1:100.

Thanks again,

Piotr

I usually start with a barrel and then 'strap' it – i.e. put meal bands around it. This adds bulk.

You MUST have a chimney, of course. Then just add boxes, cannisters and tubes until you are happy. The more the merrier. It doesn't have to make sense – this is FICTION, right?

For rivets, I use plastic rod, cut into pieces about 1/2mm thick with a sharp knife and glued in place with a pin or similar tool. It's not as fiddly as it sounds, once you get the hang of it.

The various bendy conduits are brass-wound guitar strings.

Anything else you need to know?

Just made a purchase, still awaiting shipment so can't make a recommendation, of some walls from a chap on eBay, but saw something else that had me thinking.

I know it's a toy compressor, but were it a bit less dear, and I know it's hardly a kings ransom as is, I'd be thinking I could convert to something quite nice as a steam engine.

auction

For large, long steam engines, such as my as-yet-unstarted African Queen, I've a toy train engine that removing truck assembly, cab, et al., should be a snap, and Bob's MY uncle.

The Colonel has my awe and admiration, but the whole cut your rivets as you go has me shaking my head. Haven't actually added any yet, but I hear daubs of fabric paint, still taking a bit of practice to get uniform, works admirably.

Doug

Edit: Sorry for the 'deletion'. Somehow, I double posted. – D

If you are willing to do a little chopping about the Thomas the Tank Engine toys can be "gently" modified to provide parts for boilers and engines as well as wheels and gears. You can find them reasonably cheap on E-bay or at garage sales and second-hand stores. The steam tractor and the smaller engines seem perfect.

I got some for pennies on the dollar at the Goodwill Resale Shop downtown……….now where did I put my Vise-Grips?

For smokestacks and small boilers check out your local rifle/pistol range to see if you can pick up some used brass, a .45cal pistol cartridge is a basis for a small boiler while larger rifle and shotgun shells make good larger ones, .22cal brass can be used for cylinders on engines with a little bit of work.