Francesco Build

[race#67]

My son really wanted a Francesco inspired car for his first derby. He was fully prepared to work on it a little bit each evening for a few weeks so I came up with a 'modular' design that let him cut the small pieces on the scroll saw rather than have to carve it out of the solid block. This was less time consuming and also less skill demanding. It worked out pretty well!

[gpraceman]

Very nice. I like how it is pieced together. Too often, people think they need to carve out the car's shape, which can be far harder to do.

[whodathunkit]

race#67!

WOW!!! very nice job on the Francesco car build.

Where can I get a pattern for makeing one?
What a job you guys did on the car build.

[race#67]

Thanks guys. Yes, we actually got all the parts cut out the first evening. Then the finishing chores commenced! We used Walmart Apple Barrel paints and Future Floor polish (over Krylon primer) so no exotic or expensive materials. We did use an airbrush for that, so some expense involved there if you do not already own one but the paint is a great deal at 50 cents per 2 oz bottle, and water cleanup.

Let's see if this image works:

[whodathunkit]

Thanks for shareing the image of the car pattern.

Did you guy's cut and trace the pattern on the block and parts.
Or Did you tape & glue the pattern down befor cutting the parts out on the scroll saw.

Every workshop year someone will ask to build a car from the movie cars.
Always liked the cars seen in the movie.. never built Francesco or Moma Bernoulli.

This year I just might give it a go.
seen this image that might make for a good pattern for the Moma Bernoulli car also.
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j241/ ... hilH-8.jpg

[race#67]

We just lightly misted them with 'spray 77' (contact adhesive) and then stuck them to the wood. It seemed quicker and more accurate as I have cut and traced before as well.
That Mama Bournoulli is sweet.

[whodathunkit]

We just lightly misted them with 'spray 77' (contact adhesive) and then stuck them to the wood.

How did the paper pattern come off the wood ?
Did you have to use use a heat gun to get the adhesive and pattern to lift.
Or did you guys have to do alot of sanding to get pattern off the wood.

I like useing clear packing tape on the wood first .. then spray and stick the patter down to it.
Sometimes I'll put more clear tape over the top of the pattern so it wont tare or lift when cutting.

For me the packing tape seems to lift off the wood better plus it act's as a lube for the blade.
Sometimes the clear tape can be tricky get off the wood as well when doing alot of inside cuts also.

That Mama Bournoulli is sweet.

Thank's always liked the Farrari 156 also...
Thought that you guys might like to build one to go along with the Francesco car sometime.

[race#67]

Packing tape is a good option. I will use it when I am doing a compound cut on the scroll saw to tape the pieces together before cutting the other face.
I am misting the paper very lightly with spray 77. Kind of spray the spray 77 in the air and then pull the paper through it. I let it get tacky before I stick it to the wood and do not have any issues with residue being left behind. If you did a little MEK would take it off before you start sanding.

[whodathunkit]

I am misting the paper very lightly with spray 77. Kind of spray the spray 77 in the air and then pull the paper through it. I let it get tacky before I stick it to the wood and do not have any issues with residue being left behind. If you did a little MEK would take it off before you start sanding.

Ok fill me in on what you mean by MEK..
This sounds like a good tip for lifting the pattern off the wood.
Methyl Ethyl Ketone.. MEK. I got you.. Thanks for the tip.

[race#67]

If you pull the paper off after cutting and there is any residue left (which honestly has not happened to us, it pulls off like a post-it note, little tack and no residue as long as you go easy on how much you a apply) but if there is anything left on there a little MEK will take it right off. MEK (methyl ethyl ketone) is a strong solvent, but it does thin contact adhesive. Use it outside, don't let the kids touch it, etc etc.

[Darin McGrew]

Very nicely done! And I agree with Randy that it's an excellent example of constructing a design from pieces rather than carving it from a solid block.

Thanks for sharing!

[Noskills]

Really sweet build.
Noskills

[ngyoung]

Really cool. I like the modular construction and definitely agree that it looks much easier then trying to carve from a single piece of wood. Did you figure out all the basic shapes yourself? I don't think I would have come up with some of the pieces as well as you did, especially that 2 piece cockpit and spoiler base.

May be a little pricier but using peel and stick white label paper for your template works really good. I usually use the scrap from printing other decals or whatever.

[race#67]

Thanks for the kind words. Regarding the design, have designed and built a bunch of airplanes and wooden toys for fun over the years, so objects often just appear modular to me when I look at them sometimes. That was definitely the case for Francesco.
I also did a test car to try some paint methods and to walk my son through. It was a Ford GT inspired car that was two pieces. I intended to use this car to test wheel base differences, but so far I have not done that.

[ngyoung]

Man. that is awesome too. I am going to be saving your picks to show scouts in the future.