Help with PAK 43/41 Build

[Scott Hickey]

Hi all,

Having moved up from 1/16 this is my first Armortek so please excuse any “eye-rolling” questions I may have.

Am having a bit of a nightmare with my PAK 43/41 build. Right now with the breech block.
If I break it down into 3 main components that we have the
Breech Rear
Breech Block
Breech front.

Photo show this assembly BUT the Breech block is so tight and hard to move that I’m worried it will break the breech lever and/or pinnion.
I have tried filing, sanding, smoothing and polishing the breech block all round and when inserted into the breech rear it now glides beautifully. When I attached the breech front it starts to stick, but still moves. As soon as I insert the four M3x20 screws (top and bottom) then no chance of it moving - even with the screws just finger tight (which is not going to work further down the build)

So I’m looking for some help on what I need to do to get the breech block working easily once everything is fully assembled.

UPDATE: The M3x6 Grub into the breech lever would hardly go in - at least not far enough to grab the pinion so I had to tighten it more and now that thing is completely stuck and I can’t get it out.
Not particularly impressed with the fit quality of this kit up until now

Thanks for any tips guys,

Scott

[Armortek]

Hello Scott

I think you need to bear in mind that plastic 1/16th scale modelling is entirely different from fitting and assembling one these metal models. I know that you have had other issues with your build of this kit. Do not be timid with the file, if you wreck something we will always replace it. Make sure things are clean before you try to assemble them. This will be the root cause of your problem with threads. Remember anything that you can't cope with, you can always return to us, and we will assembly it for you.

Mark

[Scott Hickey]

Thanks a lot Mark. Indeed totally different and am learning new skills on this kit all the time.
Great to know you guys are there if things go totally wrong.

On the breech block I see on your product photos from the PAK that there seems to be something different screwed into the breech level rather than the grub.
Once I am able to get the grub out again should I be using something else?

scott

[Armortek]

Hi Scott

No, you should use the grub screw. That one on the prototype was a temp fitting.

Mark

[Adrian Harris]

> there seems to be something different screwed into the breech level rather than the grub.

Knowing the timescales some of these demo kits are built, that was probably just the closest screw to hand

Aluminium expands more than steel when heated, so if you can gently heat the breech lever with a small butane torch or hot air gun, you may find the grub screw will free up enough to unscrew without causing any damage.

I use an A4 piece of granite with water soaked wet&dry paper to gently remove material.

I also use a large chisel tip permanent marker pen as an alternative to engineer's blue. If you use it during assembly, it shows the relative pressure points, where things are rubbing. If you cover the side of a flat piece, it shows any high points after gently sanding.

Adrian.