Centurion #44 received

[mick whittingham]

Hi all,

I rolled my sleeves up and moved the filing machine this afternoon, must have been feeling fired up for it as I did it myself using a little trolley I fabricated to carry it down the garden.

It wasn't as hard as I expected and I now have a powerful machine to help with profiling and shaping parts. Plus another flat surface to cover in bits and bobs as so often happens in any workshop

The Cent is progressing and I will get on with the water tank caps on Saturday now the filing machine is moved.

Best regards all,

Mick

[Tim Bowman]

Very nice Mick!

best regards
Tim

[mick whittingham]

Hi all,

Just been fabricating a cap for the water tank. A nice little milling job and then plenty of filing and silver soldering.

I could not find any old ball bearings laid around the shop so turned a 6mm diameter ball with my Hemingway kit radius turning tool. I didn't know it would go that small.

Quite happy with the work so far and just have to do the upstands for the hinges tomorrow.

Hope all are going great guns.

Mick

New water tank cap

[mick whittingham]

Hi all,

completed the water tank filler cap and fitting today so thought I would share the images. I am working on the fuel filler caps now after having milled the individual parts previously and made up the ball handled pins today.

Drilling the 1mm diameter holes for the split pins in a 3mm shaft was fun! Now I know how to handle the job the next two will be much easier.

I hope to finish them off by the weekend so I can paint them.

Does anyone use artists oil paints for their weathering and finishing? I used them on 1/35th scale ad wondered if anyone had any views on their use.

Regards, Mick

[mick whittingham]

Hi all,

finally finished off the fuel filler caps and did the final fitting tonight.

I bought some 2mm plastic numerals and I am going to have a go at fixing them to the items as casting marks.

I also managed to source some 6mm half round brass rod which may lend itself to the reinforcing pressings on the tool boxes, more on that when it arrives in the post.

I may have a break now while I design and build a metal folding machine to assist with the fabrication of sheet metal work for the mudguards and drivers foul weather hood storage box.

All the best, Mick

[Iacopo Di Giampietro]

I really like them a lot.
Congratulations: nice work.
It would be nice to find a way to replicate them to other users.
Have a good weekend.

[Robert E Morey]

Mick,
Beautiful filler caps. Miniature works of art. I like the sand colored "Cent". Looking great.
Best regards,
Bob

[mick whittingham]

Thankyou for the kind comments, makes it all the more worth while when your peers comment on a job well done.

I have sourced some 6mm half round brass bar which look ideal for the strengthening ribs on the tool box lids, I have cut and shaped some to see what you all think before I commit to fitting them but it looks ok by eye.

Hope to chat more later, Mick

[mick whittingham]

Hi all,

just a quick update to say the foul weather hood storage box is coming on nicely, some good practice for my tin work. The sheet bending tool I made works well but needs scaling up if I want to do any serious work, I am thinking about that.

I will be off on my holidays for a couple of weeks from this weekend so will see you all mid December when I get home. May sneak the Cent manual in my suitcase for poolside lol.

Take care and see you all soon,

Mick

[mick whittingham]

Hi all,

home again after the hols and yes I was bored rigid when I have all that work to do in the workshop.

I am adding the finishing touches to the drivers hood stowage box and will post photo's when its done.

I have five whole days off in the workshop over the Xmas break so hope to make some more progress.

All the best to everyone,

Mick

[mick whittingham]

Hi all,

with the little time left over the X-mas holidays I have only managed scant work on the Cent, but have made some progress.

With a little luck the stowage box looks ok as I have only had photo's to work from so have tried to size it by eye. Just a couple of bin catches and hinges now and it will be finished.

Not sure where I will go next, maybe some more tin work modifying the front of the mudguards by adding the extra depth of skirt apparent in photo's of the Suez Centurions.

That's all for now but more will follow,

Best regards as ever for the New Year, Mick

[Tim Bowman]

Looking good Mick!!

best regards
Tim

[paul&robinmargle]

Excellent, I'm spotting other little things you've done in the photos.

Robin

[mick whittingham]

Hi all,

Well fed up with my Cent looking like it was never meant to move I decided to fit the suspension units and tracks today just to feel like I had achieved something. I know they will have to come back off again for some work but it seems so long since I dry fitted them together I was worried I would have forgotten how it went. Plus the hull now has various other bits and bobs in the way and I want to make sure I could get the spring units and swing arms in without too much blasphemy.

All worked out OK and I have a rolling chassis which looks so much better than when it was sitting on the stocks I made for it.

I think the tin work for the mudguards will come next even though the tracks will be in the way a bit, they do have to come off when the weather clears up so I can paint them properly on the ground.

Model club tomorrow so I will try to impress the steam enthusiasts with some military engineering.

Will post more when I make some headway,

Mick

[mick whittingham]

Hi all,

curiosity got the better of me and I had to sit the turret in place for a first real look at how my Cent would look as a unit.

When my wife dropped in for a look she was stunned by the size and visual impact of the model even though she came to the Bovington open day last year.

I think its because all the models on display were on the floor and this one is up high and in your face so to speak.

It's nice to take stock and see how far I have come in 14 months, but its also a sobering thought how far I still have to go until I finish her.

Can't wait to get started on the motion pack and all its intricacies.

More later,

Mick