# My workshop



## Billzilla (Feb 4, 2012)

I haven't done the model engine thing yet, but I thought my garage might be of interest to some here.
I race sports cars, hence the two you can see on the stands. I've got a big lathe and milling machine but compared to the precision machines you chaps have they're a bit of a blunt instrument. 






















I also do TIG, MIG, gas, and electric welding there.


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## bronson (Feb 4, 2012)

Thats a really nice shop you have there i would love something like that. Thanks for sharing. What race class are those cars for?

Bronson


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## dalem9 (Feb 4, 2012)

Nice shop . Dale


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## ksouers (Feb 4, 2012)

Nice shop for cars. I could play there 

The yellow framed car looks vaguely like a Super 7. Caterham perhaps?


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## Mosey (Feb 4, 2012)

Billzilla  said:
			
		

> I haven't done the model engine thing yet, but I thought my garage might be of interest to some here.
> I race sports cars, hence the two you can see on the stands. I've got a big lathe and milling machine but compared to the precision machines you chaps have they're a bit of a blunt instrument.
> 
> 
> ...



The sharpest tool in the shop is the one between your ears. Nice toys you have.


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## Billzilla (Feb 4, 2012)

Thanks gents!
It's an Aussie class called Sports 1300.
Here's a video of when I get it right (9th to 1st in four laps)

*Edit, I don't know what's going wrong with the Youtube links, so there they are in the conventional fashion.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ru99dUH66NM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ru99dUH66NM[/ame]

and the race after, where it went wrong. 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNS3_TzEtlE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNS3_TzEtlE[/ame]

I'm going to fix the old racer, as I've had it for over twenty years and love it, but to get back on track faster I'm going to build the other car which is a Mallock Mk31. It's getting the ~150hp Suzuki Swift GTi 1.3 litre engine from the old car initially then later I'll build a ~350hp 1.1 litre turbo engine for it.

I have also got a 'proper' Super Se7en clone that I run around in occasionally. It's a Fraser Clubman, from New Zealand. It's got a ~220hp Toyota two litre in it.


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## metalmad (Feb 4, 2012)

Loved The vids
Watched them with the sound so high everybody complaned ;D
Pete


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## steamer (Feb 4, 2012)

That would appear to be a very competitive car Bill. Hope she's on the mend!

Dave


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## 1Kenny (Feb 4, 2012)

Loved the videos too. Your one to one scale models look good.

Kenny


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## Billzilla (Feb 4, 2012)

steamer  said:
			
		

> That would appear to be a very competitive car Bill. Hope she's on the mend!
> 
> Dave



Not yet, but it will be.
If you listen carefully at the end of the crash video you can hear me trying to breath - the helmet came down and smashed my sternum quite well. Cracked a rib or two as well I think. Banged my right knee badly, hit my left wrist on something pretty hard as well. But all much better know and the next time I race I'll be wearing a HANS device for sure!

I nearly forgot - when I was a little fella I used to muck around with model aeroplanes. Around the middle of last year I bought an electric motor from a company in Hong Kong, just because I liked the look of it, and well ..... one thing led to another and I started to build a model plane.
When I say model, it's actually fairly large as it'll end up about 10 kg and three metres wingspan. The electric motor sucks about 6 kW at full power and to feed it it'll have two 22.2 V 120 amp batteries. Because I learned to TIG weld not long before that I decided to make as much of it as possible out of aluminium. 
The build has stagnated a bit lately, I'll have to get back into it.
I designed it on Autocad and get the bulkheads and a few other parts water-cut.


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## Mosey (Feb 5, 2012)

I would love to know more about watercutting?? What is it, and how do you do it?? Can you cut 1/2" thick aluminum?


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## steamer (Feb 5, 2012)

Not yet, but it will be.
If you listen carefully at the end of the crash video you can hear me trying to breath - the helmet came down and smashed my sternum quite well. Cracked a rib or two as well I think. Banged my right knee badly, hit my left wrist on something pretty hard as well. But all much better know and the next time I race I'll be wearing a HANS device for sure!



Glad to hear that too!  The HANS device is a good way to go...The forces involved are huge and there is really no other way...

Dave


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## Billzilla (Feb 5, 2012)

Mosey  said:
			
		

> I would love to know more about watercutting?? What is it, and how do you do it?? Can you cut 1/2" thick aluminum?



Oh sorry - I don't do it at home I take it to a local engineering shop. The machine uses ~30,000 psi water pressure and a cutting table about six metres square .... just a bit too big for home! 
Yes it'll cut 1/2" alloy, I made an inlet manifold adaptor for a friend (Honda inlet manifold onto a Nissan engine) and to do it properly I got a chunk of alloy 16mm thick and that was no problem for them. I also recently got a 10mm thick piece of steel cut for an exhaust manifold I'm making for the new racing car. Came out very nice.


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## ShopShoe (Feb 6, 2012)

That's a nice shop. It looks like you make some great stuff.


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## d-m (Feb 14, 2012)

Has to be 2 of the most exciting rides I've been on in a long time well done!! thanks for sharing 
Dave


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## Billzilla (Feb 15, 2012)

Thanks!
The new car will be faster ... I just have to finish it. I did some more work on the exhaust today and will do some more tomorrow. All going well the four pipes will be stitched together and in the right place, so I'll be able to weld them together properly soon. Then weld them onto the exhaust flange, then weld the collector on, then ....... (repeat many times)


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