Dave's Tiger I (Early) Kit Build Thread

[Dave Goodwin]

Wondering what folks think of this problem…

I’m assembling the jack clamps on the rear hull and the top, hinged pieces are simply nowhere near long enough.

Both clamps are like this, so it’s not a one-off. I also double-checked the part numbers and they are correct as called out in the build guide.

Outside of slotting these, I can’t see a way to fix these.

[Dale jordan]

Yes just slot the end . Dale

[Klaus Uschkurat]

Hallo,
es sieht so aus das die Schraube nicht im rechten Winkel ist ?
Gruss Klaus

[neil graham]

deleted

[Adrian Harris]

Is the length of the top the same as the bottom ?

I put a finger and thumb either side of the clamp, squeeze the screw backwards slightly to allow the lid to drop down, then fit the wing nut.

Adrian.

[Armortek]

I haven't checked mine yet, but if what you posted is accurate (and I trust you when you say it is), then that is a bit crap!

This wasn't a $100 model, or a $1000 model.....it was a $10,000 model! (AUD). I clenched my arse cheeks when my wife found out how much I paid (.....and that was before options )

Do I believe I have got value for money.....100%, I have loved every minute of my build....even when recovering from my own stupid mistakes or of minor manufacturing issues. I love the "Oh bugger, that doesn't fit" moments....and making it work, it is exhilarating...(OK, its only exhilarating once I have succeeded, but you know what I mean). I love being able to decide to upgrade nuts/bolts/parts as I see fit. I thank AT for giving me this! I have read enough to know that AT is the highest quality 1/6 models out there.

Dave & I have made observations about what would seem to us noobies, who paid $10K AUD for a Tiger 1, the most reproduced and surely refined model AT has ever done, to be the occasional disappointing pieces. Like the casting pieces with flaws, drill holes that were messy, instructions not matching supplied pieces...now this, the parts don't even pretend to align.

The community's main response to previous criticisms seems to have been: "deal with it, its better now than back in the day".

Yeah, I mostly agree....but some issues are just simply untested design issues. If this was a first run of a model, that's understandable....but how many Tiger 1's has AT produced?

I will check my parts....and update accordingly

I strongly suggest that if you want to have a rant then you email us directly. Furthermore, criticising people who are offering their experience and advice on this forum is definitely not a good path to go down.

If in doubt - have a read of the rules : Forum Rules

[Dave Goodwin]

New computer finally up and running. Thanks for the comments all.

Personally, I would not have remotely considered Neil's comments a "rant". I thought it was quite respectful, with both constructive criticism and compliments. I see he has deleted it now, so I guess the point is moot.

Anyhow, a progress report is in order. I had my young friend over, who will move the beast out of my basement once Spring actually settles in. I wanted him to confirm that he could carry it before I assembled the hull for good. He had no trouble with it at all, so final alignment and assembly of the lower hull is the order of the week. I'm just about finished, with only the lower floor pan bolts to do and those associated with the front upper glacis area. I am leaving those loose until the motion pack arrives in case I need more access to the area than I can get at the moment. I "think" it'll be OK, but better to wait. Like Neil, I am using lock nuts where I am able and they don't show, regular nuts and Loctite elsewhere.

I've test fit one torsion bar and suspension arm assembly to see how it works. Pretty straightforward... I can't do any more with those until the hull gets painted, however. That's not likely to happen until mid-late April, at the earliest.

[neil graham]

Thanks Dave, I appreciate the support. PM's down make this awkward.

I sincerely apologise for putting my 'rant' in your thread.
I have now read the 'rules'

edit: your hull looks awesome btw, I am looking forward to your painting!
edit2: have you bought a Leopard?? the image shows some Leopard stuff

[Dave Goodwin]

No Leopard parts in that photo, my friend! I've got my hands full with this one

[Dave Goodwin]

Sadly, another month-long delay in shipping Option Packs. Originally estimated for early February, then mid-March, I'm now getting a late-April estimate. I hope it doesn't go any further than that as I really need to get those interior components mounted to the hull.

Anyhow, on to happier news. I've gotten the idler shaft bearings and housings assembled and installed onto the hull. Today, I'm putting on the front drive armor guards. For those building the Early Tiger, there may be a mis-called part in the build guide for this. It calls for an M3x20 CAP screw but that bottoms out in the hole on my kit. I used an M3x16 temporarily and queried ArmorTek about what it should actually be. Next after that will be the side skirt mounting posts.

I then must decide whether to use the kit bump stops, which are decidedly clunky and unrealistic, or the new ones I bought from Mark. Those look the business but being scale obviously will not fit the original mounting holes, which means hole filling and re-drilling, a process I am not sure I want to undertake.

The goal here is to have all the possible parts that can be mounted prior to painting installed, moderated by the need to not add too much weight to the thing beyond where it is currently so my young friend can carry it up out of the basement.

[nikolas george]

Thats easy Dave.
Stick the part to the side with some water soluble glue .... drill holes ... remove part ... fil in spre holes with car filler ... sand down .. refit part.
Once painted you will never know.

[Dave Goodwin]

That's a great idea! I was trying to figure out how I was going to somehow clamp the piece in place while I drilled it, but that will work even better. I can easily set the location just by aligning a suspension arm with the standard bumper, then setting the new one down in the right place. Thanks for the tip!

[Dale jordan]

Hi Dave . You can complete the whole model and add option packs last if you wish . Dale

[Dave Goodwin]

Thanks Dale. I do know about doing the options later but I am a bit concerned about ease of access to the under-glacis area now that the lower hull is done. Hopefully I won't need to take it apart to get the drive system in.

I'm still plugging away at the lower hull. I'm putting the side skirts on and, let me tell you, what a pain this has been...

None of the square standoffs would take a screw from the square side. I had to sacrifice a longer 2.5mm screw to use as a tap and drive the screw through from the inboard round side to finish the threading. Then every one of them had to be fit. None would go into the holes drilled for them, so I hand-filed each one until they fit easily. I find it easier to attach the standoffs to the skirts as I fit them, so they go into the holes they were fit to, then when all 4 are done, I insert them all at once with Loctite on them, using the skirt as a handle, and clamp them in place until they set. Handling those M2.5x4 screws is very difficult and, for me, physically painful so when they go on for the final time after painting I am going to try sourcing some M2.5x6 hex screws instead to give my fingers some gripping space. The standoffs are more than long enough for the lengthier screw.

[Dave Goodwin]

Another build problem rears its ugly head.

I went to install the headlight bases onto the turret deck this evening and I've run into yet another problem.

The Build Guide calls for M2x6 screws for these locations, and indeed the headlight base appears to be drilled for that size. The problem is that the turret deck is drilled and tapped for M3, a screw whose head is too large to fit between the ribs on the headlight base. Given the proximity of the turret hold down bracket (the headlight base actually overlaps the screw head on the top of the deck), I'm not even sure if I can get a washer and nut on there. In any event, the M2x6 screw is far too short to protrude through the hole and I don't know that I can cannibalize any of the other M2 screws without impacting later steps. I'll have to look at that more closely tomorrow. Disappointing...