Am I being too critical?

[Dave Goodwin]

This being my first kit, I find myself wondering if I am being over-critical about the condition of some of the parts in my Tiger I kit. Here's a couple photos of some shipping damage I discovered tonight when I unwrapped the lower hull plate to get ready for the first steps in the manual.

The way that corner has been crushed in and raised, I'm not sure how I'd ever get it back to square. How would you experienced builders handle that sort of thing? I guess it could be reformed as best as possible, then fair it in with bodywork?

Is it unreasonable to look into getting it replaced? Given the UK-US shipping, I could see this easily happening again also with a new part. What would you all do?

Thanks for the feedback/advice.

[Brian Ostlind]

That’s too bad. It’s a little heartbreaking but I don’t think I would ask for a replacement. Just bend it back into shape and move on!

[Dale jordan]

Put it on a flat hard surface and peen it down with a hammer and then file the straight edge , It will be fine as you will fake weld over it all good .Dale

[Jerry Carducci]

I don't know about being too critical but I'd also say if that's the worst that ever happens I'd count my blessings and run with it.

As the others said use a ball pein (peen) hammer and a steel plate/anvil to flatten it out and files it need be to dress it.

Don't have such a hammer? Buy a good quality one; in fact buy 2; a 12 oz and a 2 oz. Such hammers come in many weights- 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 24oz and heavyweight 2 and 3 lb hammers.

Don't have a steel plate or anvil - buy one. Even a section of railway rail is useful as long as it's a piece that's been discarded - not just appropriated. Apparently even a piece of railway rails can land you in the clink if its provenance is questionable. I have a piece that was purchased at a scrapyard and some very large heavy steel blocks that I use for tasks like your plate.

Tools will set you free...

Jerry

[Dave Goodwin]

Thanks guys! I know myself pretty well and I have a very strong perfectionist tendency, so I rather thought I might be overthinking it. I do have access to the tools at our local makerspace, so I'll haul it down there and take a whack at it, literally I just had a chance to use my new deburring tool tonight as I started to look at installing the torsion arm bushings. That one is going to be VERY helpful!

[Gerhard Michel]

Hi Dave,

with my Jagdpanther I had much bigger issues: the taper lock socket in one of the sprockets was machined wrong, so the taper lock could not be mounted because one of the two screws didn't fit its drill hole. I had to enlarge the hole by milling the sprocket sideways. At one drive wheel the 'hub cap' didn't fit the wheel thread and became loose. So I had to alter the complete kind of mounting of this cap. Some drill holes were not threaded deep enough and had to be rethreaded, and so on.

All these works are acceptable to complete such a complex model, so I mean. Only the slogan '.. can be fitted with home tools...' should perhaps be reconsidered.

[Dave Goodwin]

I guess I have nothing to complain about Gerhard! Here's hoping I don't have too many problems of that level. I went into this knowing my metalworking skills are not all that great, but maybe I'll be forced to learn more about it. That's not a bad thing. I have been considering taking the various machining courses offered by our makerspace. Maybe it's time for that...

[Donald Suttie]

Dave
i think this is just a learning curve on these models,like the others said a quick redress and a file and rub with wet and dry and you will never notice once painted
originally i got hung up on this small stuff like this but as you progress you will find much bigger issues to deal with,like broken or rounded off bolts in blind holes which all need approached with in different ways.
the guys on here are really fantastic at sharing their information and my build would still be in the box if it hadn't been for them,i cannot thank them enough
i have replaced or modified a lot on my tank and took things quite far at times,like painting my tracks 4 different colors before getting the look i wanted,again it was just a case of looking back at threads on here to find the answer,which could have saved me a bit of money on wasted paint

for me the construction of the tank is the real buzz,i will probably only run the thing a few times after its finished,but the fun for me is building it
i have learned a lot and improved my metalwork/woodwork (i had to convert the lift table)and painting skills

best to slow down and take it at a slow pace,as i said before i am now into my 3rd year of building and very happy with my tank
i see a lot of builds take off at a great pace only for posts to dry up because life/work/health or just burnout has taken place
for me these kits are a big stretch financially and i want something i can be proud of at the end of the day
the build is not a race,and with model making in general its easy to lose your mojo
try not to let small things like a bent edge get you down,if you look at any tank,it just adds to the character of the tank,like scratches in fine leather

happy building
Donald

[johnny johnson]

I have straightened out many corners but usually my own fault for dropping a part, I usually put it on my basement floor and tap it back into place with my regular hammer, aluminum is easy to reshape and fix but it does suck to receive a part that was bent before you get it.

[Aaron Taylor]

Like others have said place it on a nice hard flat surface and peen it down you can use a file or sandpaper to dress it up (lightly).......if you think about the real tanks and parts went through this the militaries fixed them and finished production. Real tanks have blemishes so don't stress about it.

[Dave Goodwin]

Yeah, that's the one thing that's going to save me fretting about this too much. Tanks were. by nature, rough and tumble machines so I'm already primed that it doesn't have to be showroom perfect. In fact, you don't want that. I've already had a go at that corner and, while not nice and square like the others, it's OK and will look fine once bodywork and weld details are applied. Onward we go!

[John Clarke]

Dave, your build story will be a parable similar to that of Monty python sketch "The Black Knight"
And at the end you'll call it a draw.
The bottom plate, "tis but a scratch"