Neil's early Tiger 1 (2023)

[neil graham]

Well, the cone could grind down quicker than the flat. Interesting on both of my kits the grubs are M4 x 6. I checked both manuals. M4 x 6.

Glad to see you got that book. Not sure which may have cost more the shipping or the book. But lots of great info and pics and drawings on the early Tigers.

I've used that type of spray booth several times.

Nice lifting table. Someday, not this year. Maybe next year, wait that's just a few days away.

Enjoy the build. I'm off to walk the Dog. Then I'll be reviewing the back grill plate on my Tigers.

Later Tim

Yep, typo from me....definitely M4 not M3, i edited my post.

[Tim Carr]

Better now than after you ordered them.

Enjoy the Build

Later Tim

[neil graham]

It has been mostly a week of waiting, for shops to reopen or stuff to arrive in the mail. One thing I did manage to purchase over the Christmas break was a proper solvent based degreaser. It isn't UPOL 20:01, but it has all the same characteristics. The water based one I had was ok to start with, but I wasn't happy about using it.

My specialist fastener place opened and indeed had stock of the M4 x 4mm cup grub screws. I had asked previously about the type of grubs, and I found this standard 'cup' type in Vince's build thread and was happy to follow his lead. Installed (tight!!) & primed

Grubs up chaps!

While I waited I have been scratching, masking, etching & priming my wheels.... a slow task but satisfying.

Scratched, masked & degreased

Neeeext!

Laura Palmer style

I have been covering the parts I have that are ready for painting with cling wrap to protect them from any dust/particles. I have ordered the air compressor, high volume airbrush & some dunkelgelb, they should arrive in the next few days. Then I can paint & varnish the swing arms (& wheels).....and assemble the suspension. Fixed ends are (loosely) in place, torsion rods & exterior of the hull have been primed.

Is my skirt too short?

I wonder if this primer will stick once these start twisting?

Interesting thing I noticed today. I had believed that most of the priming I had done was small quick jobs, and I then leave the shed.....but check out the filters on my breathing mask!!! So glad I got this and will continue to use.....now I need new filters!

Don't breathe this

Don't breathe this

[Adrian Harris]

Definitely need a face mask when using rattle cans.

I use the 3M 4255 face mask, with an overspray cover on it to catch the worst of the paint particles, as the mask doesn't have replaceable filters.

Adrian.

[Tim Carr]

Neil
Looking Good.
Keep that spray out of your system.
Some folks add some dryer hose and a fan to the back of their paint booth to direct the spray outside. Sometimes with an ac filter in place.

And others just enjoy the fumes. Not us from the looks of it.

Enjoy the build.

Later Tim

[neil graham]

My latest toys arrived today. The first I should have done a while ago, but convinced myself I wouldn't need to.....but I bit the bullet and got myself several interlocking little organisers for all of my nuts & bolts. I haven't done the 2.5M bag yet....but will soon. I have a '2-tray' version the same size that I will place 'Hex Tools' & 'Screwdrivers'. I am going to buy several more of course

Labeling is more fun than it should be!

My other new toy is super exciting, but its a little scary I will admit. My paint station is still working through the batches of wheels, so as tempting as it was to get right into painting my swing arms in dunkelgelb....I resisted! I will finish the priming of the wheels and maybe even paint them first.

The airbrush comes with 0.3mm, 0.5mm & 0.8mm needles, as well as several cups: 2, 5 and 13cc with lids for 5 & 13cc. I plan on going with the 0.8mm needle when I paint large areas like the hulls. Just visible in the first photo is a bottle of Mr Surfacer 500 which I am going to use to try give a 'cast' look to the front and rear plates. I was sure I could find an old kids paintbrush at home to do it....but no, they must have been thrown out years ago. If the Mr Surfacer 500 goes well I will buy several more pots.

Sadly the shop I bought the compressor & airbrush from only had 3 paint pots of the 71.025 (dark yellow) in stock...I tried to buy 10. Maybe this is best as it is enough for me to find out if the colour is right.

Oh yeah.....

[Tim Carr]

Like your labeled storage bins. I used a felt tip marker. Yours looks much nicer.
If you have never used an airbrush, then look forward to enjoyment.

Enjoy the build.

Later Tim

[neil graham]

I have now completed 40 wheels in etch primer & 2 coats of red oxide primer, both sides....only 8 to go, but I am sure everyone is sick of pictures of wheels.

Today I tried something much recommended amongst the threads: Mr Surfacer 500. I have to say its very easy to use and I can already see its going to be great. Brushed it on and then 'dabbed' the crap out of it with the cheapest big brush I could buy that fit in the pot. The pics included are all 'action' shots and not the finished article.

Fingers crossed

This seems to be going ok

Almost there...

[Dave Goodwin]

I'll be interested to see how that looks when painted up. I wasn't going to use it, but perhaps I'll reconsider. The only place I was going to attempt a cast texture was on the sprockets.

With your new airbrush, a great tip I got when starting was to go buy a cheap artists sketchpad, a big one, and practice on that. Work on drawing straight even-width lines, tapered lines, the same with arcs and circles. Try drawing lettering with it. Make geometric shapes in various sizes. It really helped me come to grips with the double-action trigger and the effects of various nozzles and needles.

[neil graham]

Here are the results from the Mr Surfacer... I am very pleased overall. Maybe some noob mistakes around the tool clip, but it largely gives a real texture to the otherwise very smooth, CNC looking armor plate. I am definitely applying this to the upper hull.

These are the last wheels..... next to the chassis which I have given the red oxide primer treatment, except for the torsion bar that is waiting for the suspension to be fit (yes, it has been long promised....but its coming soon)

Last wheels....

Current re-org:

Is this getting out of hand?

[Dale jordan]

Hi Neil . A Tip for when you use Mr surfacer next time once it's dry use a very small sanding block and block sand before you over spray rolled armour plate was smooth on the surfaces but had small indents in it . if not it just looks like dirt under the paint ... let us know how you go ? . Dale

[neil graham]

Finally finished all of the wheels....and I have started with the airbrush. I practiced for a bit as suggested, but when I started on the tank parts I immediately reverted back to rattle-can style..... but by the time I finished the last arm I was fully into the swing of it (bad pun intended!).

After doing the dunkelgelb I cleaned my airbrush for the first time and was convinced I broke it.... after I put it back together it just blew bubbles. Several youtube clips later..... ahhh, its probably not tight enough, so I tighten.....now no bubbles but no water comes out at all....just air. Put my big boy brave undies on and started adjusting everything, including the needle position....and that did the trick! Phew.

I can't paint very well with it but I can now dismantle & reassemble it blindfolded

This is just the first coat and I know I am missing a few bits here and there, will tidy that up on the second coat before putting a matt varnish over the top.

I need to clean my floor!!

[Tim Carr]

You are just moving on!

Later Tim

Tiger 131 thread

viewtopic.php?t=9876

[neil graham]

Spent some time this weekend battling the suspension.

I discovered a few mistakes that I had made and needed to fix:

1- Do not prime the entire torsion rod....mask off the end and save yourself some sanding

These do not fit unless they look like this

2- If you prime the fixed ends.....you are going to have to clean up any primer/paint that got in to them

Perfect fit

Something that wasn't my mistake but I needed to fix was that several of the torision rods had untidy cuts that distorted them a little. I needed to file down 4 of the 16 ends of the rods so that the rods could fit into the fixed ends/swing arms.

Another thing I thought I screwed up but didnt was how much the swing arm sits away from the armor. This is normal!!

Mind the gap

I found a nice way that worked for me:
- make sure fixed end main screw (inserted through side plate) isnt tight
- double check the rod fits the swing arm, then remove.
- insert the same rod all the way into the fixed end, leaving the end of the rod you tested in the swing arm free.
- insert swing arm
- add loctited grubs to fixed end (if you need help to line up the flat part on the fixed end, use a temporary grub on the swing arm to help position the rod)

Starting....

5.5's in place

Rods all in....

This is the plan for tomorrow:
- position swing arm to allow grubs, add loctited grubs
- set arm at 30 degrees (my table is wide enough I can use a bit of wood on each side and lower the jack to achieve this)
- tighten fixed end main screw
- add screw in torsion bar to hold down fixed ends
- vacuum / blow out debris
- prime torsion bars and baseplate

[neil graham]

Not much chance to do much the last few days.

I have now loctited in all of the grubs for the torsion rods. Jack really showed its worth today as I could sit very close to the table and swing the chassis around to allow me to get into good position for each swing arm. However the lazy susan did crab walk very slowly up the table....maybe I will get some low profile flat button bolts and fix it to the table.

The arms are all facing up as that was the angle that allowed the grubs to be done, and it allowed me to do a coat of red oxide primer.

Will loosen and rotate around to the 30 degree angle tomorrow, and prime the other side of the fixed ends/swing arms.