Panther G 2022 #15 Build

[Malcolm.Plumb]

Quite a productive day off today with the hull base primer coat done, interior painted and the basic hull assembled.
Pretty pleased so far

[Malcolm.Plumb]

Getting the deck parts more or less aligned so I can tighten up all the hull fixing bolts.
Somewhere near I think without any removal of material needed.

[Gary Rafferty]

Getting the deck parts more or less aligned so I can tighten up all the hull fixing bolts.
Somewhere near I think without any removal of material needed.

Hi Malcolm

Nice job,Looks cracking I'm building the rear deck today to check for fit.

Cheers
Gary

[Malcolm.Plumb]

It is so easy to slightly over tighten the fixings on the top side hull sections and close up the gaps on the top deck too much.
I’ve been using plastic card as a gauge to try to get the gaps as even as possible.

[Malcolm.Plumb]

Bump stops started and a few parts I wanted to paint before fitting to the hull later.

[Malcolm.Plumb]

Still working on the main hull trying to get it ready for the second primer colour and lower hull top colour.
Main fixing screw holes are now covered up and on to the weld beads next.

Best have a practice somewhere first I think

[Malcolm.Plumb]

First attempt at weld beads on the main hull with just a few remaining to do.
This is about 5 hours of work today

Many thanks to Vince for the heads up on the extrusion tool - very very handy indeed

[Gary Rafferty]

First attempt at weld beads on the main hull with just a few remaining to do.
This is about 5 hours of work today

Many thanks to Vince for the heads up on the extrusion tool - very very handy indeed

Hi Malcolm

Very nice looking weld beads, were did you get that extrusion tool it will save a lot of effort

Cheers
Gary

[Malcolm.Plumb]

Hi Gary

Off Amazon if I remember correctly.

A really useful and not too expensive tool giving such a variation of even bead diameters to work with.

The very smallest ones I think you would maybe have trouble with without it.

You just have to make sure to get every thing you think you will need through the device early on and get it cleaned up. Not a problem though.

[Malcolm.Plumb]

Just a little bit done over the weekend.

Basically the hull has been flipped over and more weld beads added.
The machine gun ball mount to be added next and given the same treatment.

[Charles A Stewart]

Hi Malcolm.

Are going for the access hatches as you are inverted?

Cheers Charles

[Malcolm.Plumb]

No not this time Charles.

[Malcolm.Plumb]

Very busy at work so only a little bit done this evening.
Done but going to be covered in Zimmerit anyway.

[Malcolm.Plumb]

Quite a few days later and the hull is now ready for its all over Red oxide coat and base colour painting on the floor and hull sides.

Quite a tedious and lengthy job though to fully mask of the cream painted interior to stop any red getting in to it

Lets see if we get some good weather over the weekend.

[Malcolm.Plumb]

A busy day at work but some nice weather this evening so managed to get a bit of painting done.
A bit more to do to this tomorrow hopefully.