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Norman Lawrence's Napier Dagger

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David Heskin30/09/2011 09:42:58
6 forum posts
http://modelengineeringwebsite.com/Napier_Dagger.html shows photographs of a model to rival the unbelievable work of Barrington Hares, Walshaw 'etc.' (where 'etc.' represents very few others on the same planet as we mere humans).
 
However, a major source of bafflement is how some components, namely what are castings in real life, are made.
 
As a good example, which I think should answer all questions, I'm attempting to contact Norman to ask how he machined and finished the engine block. I can easily understand how cylinders, pistons, cranks etc are created, but how on Earth do you go about machining and finishing (and to a perfect state of polish, no less) the complex shapes of an engine block, starting with a solid bar of ali/ali alloy and conventional machine tools (none of that CNC nonsense, thank you)??
 
Can anyone give an insight, please?
 
 
 
P.S. not sure what happened to the thread title - it should read: 'Norman Lawrence's Napier Dagger'. No idea how one edits such things.

Edited By David Heskin on 30/09/2011 09:44:55

Edited By David Heskin on 30/09/2011 09:45:16

Ian S C30/09/2011 12:11:14
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7468 forum posts
230 photos
Thats a great bit of engineering, both the origional, and the model. may have missed something, but I can't see what scale it is. Ian S C
ady30/09/2011 12:19:20
612 forum posts
50 photos
I think I might go nuts if I tried to do that kind of thing manually, it's an incredible achievement but I bet he didn't have much fun making it.
It tends to take years of effort...and that's after spending years acquiring the necessary skills.
 
A labour of love?
An obsession?
 
Whatever it is I would be genuinely surprised if he made a second one.

Gerald Smith only ever made one masterpiece, then focussed his amazing skills onto more efficient endeavors.
 
The time taken to make these almost unique masterpieces means that you even have to factor your own mortality into the equation.
The time consumed, which is literally years, also removes you from doing other work like prototype work or an entire collection of simpler masterpieces.

Edited By ady on 30/09/2011 12:21:20

ady30/09/2011 12:36:52
612 forum posts
50 photos
Painters who painted masterpieces often had a small group of apprentices under them who could do various sections of a painting until the serious stuff was needing done and then the boss stepped in.
 
Master Modellers don't have this luxury, they do it all themselves.
David Heskin30/09/2011 14:08:29
6 forum posts
Another link I've found:
 
An arguably better view of the block.
 
 
So, you bolt a big lump of ali onto your milling machine, fit a ball-ended cutter and then...
 
Can anyone continue the sequence, up to the stage shown in the link?
.
.

Edited By David Heskin on 30/09/2011 14:09:44

Clive Hartland30/09/2011 21:10:45
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2929 forum posts
41 photos
Ian, I read that the scale of the Napier Dagger is 1/3 scale.
It is by all accounts a magnificent piece of work and I would like to see it run.
 
Clive
Ian S C01/10/2011 09:39:59
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7468 forum posts
230 photos
Clive, you and me both, thanks for the info on the scale, nobodies going to put that in their pocket and walk away. Ian S C
maurice bennie01/10/2011 11:54:00
164 forum posts
1 photos
maurice bennie01/10/2011 12:03:57
164 forum posts
1 photos
I used to believe that "seeing is believing" I no longer believe.What a magnificent piece of work .Hope to see it at Sandown.

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