A Scale V-12 Engine, Art Engravings, Wood Carving, and Other Projects
Roger’s scale supercharged Rolls Royce Merlin V-12 engine.
Beyond his engraving skills, Roger has ventured into many other areas of miniature craftsmanship. This section focuses on his scale internal combustion engine project, some art engraving, wood carving, and a few other ventures. This final page of Roger’s work demonstrates the versatility of his skills, and his commitment to producing fine artistic craftsmanship in all of his endeavors.
1/3 Scale Merlin V-12 Engine
Cushman Scooter Engraving
Since his first Cushman scooter as a teenager, Roger has used the surfaces of these machines as a canvas for his artistic abilities. This black and gold Cushman “Golden Eagle” is lovingly adorned with engraved designs.
Cushman Scooter Engraving
The reason these photos of an engraved Cushman are included here is because they were part of Roger’s inspiration for making the 1/3 scale Merlin V-12 engine. He wanted to install the Merlin engine on a Cushman scooter like the ones he grew up engraving.
Cushman Scooter With Merlin V-12
This digitally edited photo shows what a Cushman scooter would look like with a 1/3 scale Rolls Royce Merlin V-12 aircraft engine tucked under the gas tank. Roger plans to build just such a machine!
Merlin V-12 Mold
This photo shows the wax mold with the exhaust pipes attached to the manifold. Mounting the engine in a scooter will require some redesign of the engine as far as the original location of components. Things like the supercharger and ignition may need to be modified to better fit in the scooter.
Merlin V-12 Exhaust Pipe
One of the first metal parts to be cast for the engine—an exhaust pipe. On the left side is the raw casting, and on the right is the near finished part.
Merlin V-12 Supercharger Impeller
As a way to work out some of the functional problems of building his running engine from scratch, Roger decided to make this first Merlin V-12 as a “practice engine.” This V-12 is his own design, based on an existing engine design that he extended into a 12-cylinder version.
Merlin V-12 Supercharger Impeller
He made many modifications to his custom design and added the supercharger. The supercharger impeller is from an existing engine, but all the other parts were fabricated by hand from billet stock.
Merlin V-12 Engine
This photo shows the gears with cover removed. Roger displayed his partially completed engine at the 2005 NAMES Expo in Southgate, MI.
Merlin V-12 Engine
These next photos were added on 10/5/05. They show the engine with manifolds completed.
Merlin V-12 Engine
The intake system and exhaust pipes are in place.
Merlin V-12 Engine
These last photos show the engine with the intake and exhaust parts nickel plated.
Merlin V-12 Engine
Progress on the engine slowed when Roger took an intense interest in his miniature gun projects.
Merlin V-12 Engine
Roger hoped to be able to get back to work on the V-12 and to finish it up soon. However, with only one set of hands he is like many craftsmen—he has more projects than he does time.
Merlin V-12 Engine
Miniature Spark Plug and Oiler
Full-Size and 1/3 Scale Spark Plugs
The large Rentz spark plug on the left is an original. They were often used in hit-and-miss engines in the 1920’s. The smaller plug is a 1/3 scale fully functional model made by Roger.
1/3 Scale Spark Plug
This photo shows a closer view of the miniature spark plug with a US dime for scale comparison. The original plug is about 4-1/2” long, while the miniature is around 1-1/2” long.
Lunkenheimer Oiler
This Lukenheimer oiler consists of a number of tiny threaded parts and a glass sight window that is .062” in diameter. This type of oiler uses a gravity feed to drip oil onto moving parts of a steam engine at a regulated rate. The sight glass in the side is for the operator to see and adjust the drip rate. Being just over a half-inch tall when assembled, this oiler is about 1:18.5 in scale compared to the 9-1/4” tall original.
Miniature Engraving
At one point, fellow Craftsman of the Year winner Jerry Kieffer asked Roger to engrave the Harley-Davidson logo on the air cleaner for his 1/8 scale Harley Davidson Knucklehead. As a practical joke, Roger duplicated Jerry’s air cleaner exactly, and engraved it with a perfect logo—except that underneath the logo it read, “Made in China” instead of “Made in USA.” Jerry’s real air cleaner was given the proper engraving, but when he first saw this duplicate air cleaner there was a moment of panic before the laughter. We now have the duplicate 1/8 scale air cleaner on display in the Craftsmanship Museum in Carlsbad, CA. It still represents masterful work, even if it was made in jest.
1/8 Scale Harley-Davidson Air Cleaner
This photo shows the duplicate air cleaner that Roger made and engraved for Jerry Kieffer. A US quarter gives scale reference.
1/8 Scale Air Pressure Gauge
Roger also engraved the number scale on this tiny 1/8 scale air pressure gauge. The functional pressure gauge was built to check the tire pressure of Jerry’s scale Harley-Davidson Knucklehead.
Miniature Intaglio Prints
These tiny intaglio prints made from Roger’s engravings demonstrate his skills in two fields—printmaking and engraving. The prints are of a cheetah, bighorn sheep, and a Sitka mule deer from Alaska. Each image is only 1-1/8” wide.
Miniature Craftsman Socket and Wrench Set
Roger is a longtime collector and restorer of Cushman scooters. He was working on building a running 1/4 scale Cushman engine at the time of this writing. In order to work on the fasteners more easily, he decided he needed an appropriately sized set off tools to assemble it.
Miniature Sears Craftsman Ratchet Wrench
One of the miniature tools that Roger made was this tiny Sears Craftsman ratchet wrench. He disassembled a full-size one and duplicated each of its parts at 1/4 scale.
Miniature Sears Craftsman Ratchet Wrench
The mini ratchet wrench sits on a US penny for scale reference.
Miniature Sears Craftsman Ratchet Wrench
The set even includes a miniature universal extension.
Miniature Sears Craftsman Ratchet Wrench
Roger’s complete miniature tool set includes the ratchet wrench, three different length extensions, the universal extension, seven sockets, and seven box end/open end wrenches.
Miniature Tool Set
Being an engraver also meant that Roger could do that part of the job himself. The Craftsman logo—with correctly shaped letter “S”—is on each wrench handle. Sizes are engraved on each socket.
Wood Carving
Carved Wooden Wall Decor
While recovering from surgery for a torn rotator cuff, Roger carved this wall decor. This photo shows one half, and the following shows its mirror image pair. They will flank a large mirror. These were carved from basswood and stained red.
Carved Wooden Wall Decor
To add to the challenge, and because of his injury, Roger (who is right-handed) had to carve this using his left hand!
Carved Wooden Plate
Roger’s next carving project was this 8” diameter plate, carved from basswood. The dark inlay in the outer ring is made from ground up basswood bark mixed with glue. The overall red tint was achieved with a wood stain. The design, while consistent, is actually not repetitive. If you look closely you will see that each element is unique, or a variation of another. Roger’s many years of engraving detailed designs translated well for wood carving.
Carved Wooden Plate
Following the 8” plate, Roger carved this 10” wooden plate. It’s patterned after a style of carving typical of Norway in the 1880’s.
Carved Wooden Plate
Roger calls this 10” plate, “1,000 years of carving.” The edge has two different patterns as well as the outside ring on the plate. These are designs that were used on the Viking Oseberg ship that was originally carved around 850 AD. The ship was excavated around 1906. The plate is basswood and the inlay is basswood bark.
Carved Wooden Plate
The white inlay on the rim is a Viking ribbon animal. The outside ring is also a Viking ribbon animal, and on the ship these were at the fore and aft ends of the boat. The two inner rings were designs used in Norway around 1850. Hence the title, “1000 years of carving.”
Norwegian Style Knife
The wood for this knife is amboyna, and it has 24 K gold wire inlay.
Norwegian Style Knife
Norwegian Style Knife
Norwegian Style Knife
Norwegian Style Knife
Bear Head Knife
The blade on this knife is only 1-3/4” long. The wood is buckeye burl, the black is ebony, and the yellow dots and line behind the bear head are 24 K gold inlays.
Miniature Hardanger Fiddle
This tiny Norwegian fiddle has eight strings, and the hair on the bow is Roger’s hair!
Miniature Hardanger Fiddle
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Sherline is proud to confirm that Roger Ronnie uses Sherline tools in the production of some of his small projects.