Easy Eight No22

[David Hartwell]

Hi Martin,
I use an iPhone to take the pictures but it is linked to my iMac. I don't edit the photos on the phone,I do all that on the Mac. Mainly because I am of an age where I need a screen that I can actually see, it comes to us all unfortunately. As far as I know if you want to resize them on the phone you will need the appropriate app. Hope that helps and good luck.
Regards,
Dave.

[David Hartwell]

Finally after a bit of practice with various ideas came up with a plan for finishing the front mudguards.

Started with a 3x3mm bar. Marked out for a 1.5 mm radius curve.

Filing the top curve moving it out of the vice as I worked along it.

Until I had a bit long enough.

Applying the curve of the second one to match the first one. Not quite the way a panel beating dolly is supposed to be used but did the job.

Second one done.

Now the tricky bit. Going across a curve at an angle requires a twist to get it to sit flat. Marked little increments then moved it out of the vice each time after applying a tiny twist to each segment.

Until it sat nice and tight all the way across.Then cut to required length and filed curves to the ends.

Then positioned and spot welded.

Cleaned up the welds and filled. Quick coat of primer to check the lines.

Then a small skim of filler. Sides first then the ends.

Blocked with a 3mm piece of round bar to give a 1.5mm radius.

Tricky photo to take but you can see the little curve at the far end.

Quick coat of primer to check if it looks ok.

Into final prep and paint and that's them done. I must admit those front mudguards pushed me out of my comfort zone but I'm pleased with the outcome. Onto the next challenge.

[David Hartwell]

After a considerable delay in parts I was having made, a box of goodies turned up. I can get back to the modifications which I enjoy the most. So to the loaders hatch.

Although perfectly ok as it is, I dint want that bevelled edge or the slotted fixing holes. Fixed the original hatch to a piece of plate then cut and filed to match it.

Like so.

The hinge unfortunately didn't have enough height to get the link bar pivot point. So had the basic parts for the replacement hinge made.

Before rounding off that part of the hinge, drilled and tapped for a grub screw to retain the shaft.

Then filed the top and bottom curves.

Drilled and tapped turret for new fixings.

Then drilled and tapped hatch. The rear corners of the part on the turret will be cut off last.

Pivot points drilled and tapped.

Marking out for the slopes.

Filed like so.

Then filed the top curve.

In the open position. The fixings will be replaced with shorter ones and filled.

Link bars.

Corners cut off on the hinge and the link bars fitted.I will fill the cap heads once they have been thread locked in to hide the hex. That's it so far, must spring into action and carry on, back soon.

[David Hartwell]

A little bit more.

Made the spring tensioner hooks out of some RC car steering rods.

Then the brackets are from a piece of 5mm plate.

Drilled and tapped for fixings then the holes for the hooks.

Cut and filed a curved top. The threaded bit will be cut to the required length further on and the holes in the top of them will be filled. Unfortunately I can't position and fix them yet as the springs I had got in advance I decided looked to long so shorter ones in transit from our friends far away.

While I'm waiting for them will carry on with the other bits. 1.5mm for the padlock bracket.

Fixing holes drilled and countersunk.

Cut to size.

That's the max bend I can get in my folder so that's what it is going to be.

Folding the other half to match.

Drilled and tapped for fixings and the height required marked.

Cut to height then the hole/slot drilled and filed in both parts.

Finally rounded off the corners. Back soon.

[David Hartwell]

Moving on to the machine gun pedestal.

Decided to replace this one with one that pivots.

Starting with the base, I hade these parts made.

Fixed the two parts together and marked for the curved corners. Then filed so that they match.

The base part now fits snuggly in the existing hole.

Like so.

Then drilled and tapped the turret and csk fixing used.

Then the two pieces were fixed back together and the fixing screw holes were drilled through both off them. Finally tapping the bottom holes and clearance holes in the top part.

The counter sunk screw sticking upwards will be for fixing to the round part.

Then filed the corners at the pivot point so that it hinges.

I have used a pin for the pivot but I have also seen photos of a bolt there so not sure which is correct. It can easily be changed if required.

So now by removing the four screws.

It can pivot like so. After final assembly the two csk screws will be filled. Still working on the round part at the moment so will be back with those pics another day.

[David Hartwell]

Just a little part that kept getting pushed to the back of the bench because I didn't really want to attempt it.

I showed you the turret periscope earlier on and said I would go with those guards if I could drill and pin them.

Managed to drill 1/32 holes in those tiny feet.

Now I can use some 1/32 rivets as pins.

Drilled the corresponding holes, prep and prime.

Then final colour and loctited the pins in.

Really pleased how that came out. Sometimes the fear of failing to attempt something is worse than getting stuck in and doing it.

[David Hartwell]

A quick update. Springs arrived.

Now I can position the tensioner blocks.

Couple of csk fixings.

Shim washers to prevent the hinge from binding.

Springs fitted.

Nothing jamming up underneath when in the open position.

Happy how that's worked out so far.

[Robert E Morey]

Excellent detail on the hatch- looks perfect!
Bob

[Derek Attree]

Hi David
That's impressive.

Regards Derek

[David Hartwell]

Thank you for the kind comments Bob and Derek.
Onto the spring loaded catch.

Started off with a piece of 12x12.

Cut and filed into a square block then drilled for the eventual fixing hole. Forgot to take a photo but then drilled through for the pivot , it will make sense in a moment.

Then marked and filed the angled sides.

Then marked for the curved top.

Then marked for the flats on the bottom and a rough guide for the depth off the slot.

Then marked out the slot and some hacksaw cuts.

Then filed the slot square leaving a little wiggle room because at this point the springs were coming from far away. Checking for clearance under the hatch when parallel to the turret.

Then cutting and filing etc the hook bit. That's just a temporary pin I was using there until the one I had ordered arrived.

A bit more filing.

Then these dinky little double torsion springs arrived. The sticky out leg bits required bending and cutting.

I needed to increase the width of the slot now I had the measurement then positioned and fixed to the turret with a csk screw.

Assembled like so.

It surprised me how strong that little spring is.

All works nicely and snaps into place. Another small part ticked off the never ending list.

[Robert E Morey]

David,
The hatch catch is superb! Can you share where you found the small springs? I was thinking I'd have to make those! Very nice details.
Bob

[David Hartwell]

Hi Bob,
Thank you for the comment. I am always happy to share info. I found them by accident when I was looking for the other ones. They are on eBay. No 155387069179. I am not connected with this seller in anyway but I had a smooth transaction and I was impressed with the quality. They fit snuggly on a 3mm pin.
Hope that is of some help.
Regards,
Dave.

[David Hartwell]

Moving on to the side hatch. This is definitely going to be over several posts.

Starting with the bits I had altered/made. The insert piece I had the whole recessed cut out machined down a further 2mm to sink the hatch and pivot point in lower. It will make sense further on why I have done that, hopefully. Then had a groove machined all the way round.

Like so.

I also had those two pieces made to go on the back of the hatch.

Started off by marking and filing those eight corners.

Like so.

Then turned the stepped piece over and marked and filed the corners so that it fits snuggly in the back of the hatch.

Like so.

Then the other part was positioned squarely on top of that.

Then drilled through all the pieces with the tapping size drill. Dissasembled, then clearance holes through the first two pieces and tapped the last part.

I have left the other corner fixing at that point because I needed to work out the position of the block that the bar for opening and shutting the hatch is going to be. Again it will make sense further on.

Fitted a grub screw to retain the pin and a clearance hole through the insert so I can access it from inside the turret.

Had to file a small groove in the turret so the grub screw could be inserted. Unless you are a mouse sticking your head in the hole and looking up it isn't really noticeable from the outside.

There is still more shaping to do to the hatch edges at this point, I shall deal with that further on, but I can now work out the operating bar thingy. First I will sort out the insert piece which will be in the next episode.

[David Hartwell]

Initial shaping of the insert and fixing it in the turret.

I wanted to reduce the amount of flat area on the front face. So started off by marking a line all the way round.

Then marking all the way round where it meets the turret.

Then filed the bottom and sides to the lines.

Finally the bottom corners. The new outer edge on the front face will have a small curve added once the filling is done.

Then filed the slots for inserting the pin and finally shaped the top to the marked lines.

Happy with the initial shape so onto the fixing before the filling begins.

Marking out for the fixing holes.

Must admit I wasn't looking forward to drilling this.

Fixing holes drilled. A little note here, if you look in each corner there is a raised tooling mark that stops the insert from sitting in flush. That is not a complaint by the way. If you are bonding the insert in the only contact area is those four little raised bits. You can see the gap it leaves in one of the photos in the previous post. It takes a couple of minutes with a small file to nib them down flush.

Like so.

Marking where the holes need drilling in the insert.

Then drilled and tapped for m2 cap heads.

Fixed in like so. A nice snug fit between the insert and turret.

Ready for the filling to begin.

And sort out the operating bar thingy which is proving quite a challenge. Now where's my tub of filler.

[David Hartwell]

Filling and initial shaping.

Started off by skimming all the way round, then shaped the bottom edge and rounded the bottom corners.

Then the top corners.

Then temporarily loctited a piece of bar under the pivot point and loctited a couple of dowels to the bar. Clingfilm round the end of the dowels to stop the filler sticking to it.

Filled and flatted.

A bit more filing required.

A smalll flat above the hatch pivot then marking guide lines to file the next slots.

Should have had those bits machined out of the insert at the start. It would have made life a lot easier. It's all a learning curve.

Same as before to get that curve.

Getting there.

Same the other side.

A bit more squaring up then nib off some of the sharp edges.

A quick coat of primer to see what its looking like.

Reasonably happy with that. I think once it is textured it will be ok.

Next to sort that hatch out.