Hot Header Tutorial, I think

Now I know my tutorial's are kinda long winded but I try to make It easy to understand for everyone, too many time's I have read tutorial's Ware I just sit there and said huh? once again this Is not the finale word In building header's, and yes you big scale builder's this will add some enhancement to you're build too, so once again sit back, and relax, and enjoy.I will be doing a 1:25 scale build of these header's, big block. Yes I have Included picture's thru the whole tutorial so you can match you're build to the photo's, If you need too... and for our brothers over on the otherside of the pond I can if you want, get the messurments in MM if it would be easer for you...

First you will need to gather a few things, here Is a list
Heat shrink tubing various sizes.
A piece of the plastic tree the part's come off. or round stock of various sizes,
Cloths pin.
Pin Vice, and a drill bit, the size will depend on what scale you are building, but the drill bit should match the size of the solder you will use. I will get to that In a few.
Any kind of file.
Razer saw, Or hobby saw,
Needle nose pliers,
Wire cutter's,
Super glue, or CA glue, once again because CA glue Is not cheep I will be using Loctite, but you get the point,
Solder, now because I'm doing this In 1:25 scale, and a big block, the size solder I will be using Is one step bigger then .062 dia, and I have no clue what size the drill bit Is, as I said before you're drill bit size will and should closely match the diameters of the solder you are using,
A scrap piece of flat plastic, now I'm using .030 thick, you can use a .040 if you want to, but I wouldn't go no thicker then that, unless you are a big scale builder,
And last but not least you need an engine block ( victim In this case).


NOTE: this size solder work's really well for building small block header's, If you want bigger pipe's then work up from the .062 dia.
NOTE: do not build you're engine block past the point of the heads, In other word's do not paint you're block or add anything but the head's, because from this point on you will be handling the block ALLOT, Now with that said let's build header's.

First you cut 8 piece's of equal length, try to cut the piece's long, like 3-5", ( easier to handle and get the fit) for a v-8, or 6, for 6 cylinder
and so on and so forth.

Now you're solder will come off the roll looking like the above picture, you can try to get it as straight as you can by hand, but what's the fun In that? now take you're cloth's pin, or a small flat piece of wood, and roll the solder under it rolling the solder under it on the table,here Is a picture of how I'm talking about

You really don't need the tape It's just there to help keep the solder from slipping, but If you find It easier than by all means use It, after some practice you will get some real nice straight solder, like this,


Now take you're file and lightly smooth out the cut edges, and smooth the cut end's.

NOTE: now If you used acid core solder you will need to DO one of two thing's, and I repeat, YOU WILL NEED TO DO ONE OF TWO THING'S, find something to push the acid out of the core of the solder, ohhhh like warm water and a paper clip, or you will need to seal the ends using super glue, now do not I repeat, DO NOT GET THE ACID ON YOU'RE HAND'S, after you're done getting the acid out by force If you choose to do so, then wash you're hand's In warm soapy water, and rinse, throughly, wash and rinse again just to make sure
Now If you plan on using super glue, then you don't need to seal the end's right now,
Now If you plan on forcing the acid out of the core of the solder, then you need to do It now, while the solder Is straight.
why unforgiven do we need to get the acid out of the solder?, because It will corrode, and will ruin all the hard work you put into building you're perfect header's, ONE OF TWO THING'S FORCE THE ACID OUT, OR SEAL THE ENDS WITH SUPER GLUE.

Now you will need to drill hole's In you're victim, 4 per side, and while you're at It do both side's, kinda like this, now like I said, use you're pin vice with a bit that Is as close as possible to the diameter of the solder you are using


Now what you're gonna do Is bend about 1/4" of the solder so It looks like this, do all 8 or 6 of'em the same. These ends will go into the block.



Now for the tricky part, put you're engine Into the frame of you're build, and starting from the front of the block, take you're bent solder, and line It up with the first hole in the block, from there you will have to eyeball all you're bends to fit the frame, even If you go outside the frame, take you're needle nose pliers, and make you're bends.

After you have all you're pipe's bent and lined up start super gluing them together, making sure to test fit while the engine Is In the build, now this really don't have to be perfect, because after their all glued together, you can use you're needle nose's to tweak the fit, you should have something like this.

NOTE: be sure to run the glue all the way down the pipe's, cause you will be cutting the excess off, and glue one pipe at a time, side by side, one on top of the other.

Now this only an example, you can twist an bend you're header's any way you want, so long as you keep TEST FITTING while the engine is in the frame


Now cut the end's off the header's like this, so you have a box pattern, and be sure they are all tight together, file the rough edges of the pipe's and file the end smooth as possible

.

Now take you're heat shrink tube, use a piece that will just go over the pipes, slide It over all 4 pipe's so It fit's kinda snug, then cut you're self a piece about this long, before you heat shrink it to the pipes you need to SEAL the acid in the header, yep put a drop of super glue on the end of where you made the cut, let It set for a few.


Now for our brother's across the pond


Now while the glue is setting remember that piece of plastic tree? well you will need a piece of about the diameter of the 4 pipes, no not match, just close,well you're going to cut a piece of it off about 1/8" long, now you're gonna take the heat shrink slide it over the 4 pipes about 3/4 of the way and insert the 1/8" piece of tree, and heat, not too much, and don't move to slow, this will take practice but you will get it, just enough to get a tight fit like this.


Now remember that flat piece of .030" or .040" thick plastic, well now you have to drill a hole in it, once again, you will need to match the drill bit size to the piece of round plastic you put on the tail end of the header, It's OK if It's just a smite smaller because you can use an exacto blade tip to open the hole, now cut it into a triangle, so you should have something like this,


Now get you're file and file the tips of you're triangle so there kinda round like, now super glue It to that piece of round stock sticking out of the heat shrink, you have something that looks like this

file It down so the round stock Is flush with the collector
.

OK now It's all said and done you should have something that looks like this


NOTE: now you can leave the pipe's like they are, for that polished look or you can paint them the kolor of you're choice, to paint them first use primer, then you can spray them any kolor, you can even just paint the collector, any kolor you want, I would suggest you tape off the header pipe's then primer the collector, and paint..

Here Is another example of scratch built header's now I know they are a lil rough looking and they are not correct, to be correct the pipes must all be the same length to the collector



NOTE: The length of you're headers an the angle's, are all decided by you're build, like how low It is and the way the frame is, now you may have to file some of the frame to get that perfect fit, or you may not,It will take allot of Patience, and allot of test fitting, but you will be building a set of kostom header's to you're liking, so have fun bend'em like crazy, how you do It Is up to you.

NOTE: Yeah I know mine are a little long to say the least but like I said you can build your's anyway you choose, and mine are only an example, to give you some sort of Idea...

Note: for you big scale builder's you will have to fit all this to you're scale, the process Is the same just the diffrent scale...

thats awesome, Iv lost a good amount of my stock headers so this is a humungous help. Thanks!!

Thanks Unforgiven. The rolling to straighten tip alone is worth the price of entry.

awesome tip.. thanks for that one