Armortek

Hi all!

And thank you guys for the kind comments, much appreciated.

Today some more work on the wheels again.

With much interest I have follow the customizing some of you have made on the inner wheel
at pair 2,4,6 and 8 and might try something similar myself later.
Sadly I do not have a lathe as a lot of metal has to be removed on them.

One thing that struck me is that no one have mention how to customize the outer wheel on pair 1,3,5 and 7.
Looking at the real thing you notice the darken row that appears on those wheels



Something our kit wheel doesn’t have but might get with not that much effort.



That row is there because the wheels are made up from steel profiles bolted together.



Here is a drawing showing how the wheels were built up.
(please note it is early Ausf D wheels with rivets and not bolts but the layout was the same on all Panthers)



As I mentioned above I do not have a lathe but that was not going to stop me as I wanted that row badly…
And raw hand craft was all that was needed (+ a lot of time and patience… )
A file, grind paper, Mr Dremel and a small sharp scribe tool was all that was needed.
(with a lathe this work would have taken no time at all)



The final result:
(only 8 units this time in need for custom)



A lot of work but I am glad I did this as they now look as I want them to look.

As always thanks for looking
Kind regards
Kent

Wow Kent, another magnificent detail - and one I missed completely! I could not have done a better job using my lathe! It looks great!
Best regards,
Bob

Kent.
Very nice job on the wheels, i wish i had your patience.
Regards
Steve

HI Kent
there you go again ,that extra mile ,it makes a big diferance looks great keep these extras coming always good to see . I also wish i had your patience and eye for detail and skill .
all the best,,,,,,,,,,,, nick

Hello Kent.
Very nice job as always you do have a gift for observation and correction.
If you don't mind I would really like to ask how on earth you managed to do the work with the tools in the photo? surely you must have had the wheel turning on something??
Cheers Paul

Hi all,

Thanks guys! Glad to see someone read my saga.

Colin:
That would might work but work better on a new wheel and not one with their dummy studs assembled.

Paul:
Yes I was as a kid the fastest one in the child game comparing 2 drawings and "find five errors"

No rotation device just rotating in my hand… honest



Begin with the scribe tool making a fine row and then after a while press harder to make it deeper.
Use the top of the file and widen the row.
Use Mr Dremel and flatten out that last 1/3 of the slope that has another angle then the upper 2/3.
Make the row deeper and grind the Dremel-worked surface into a smooth surface without any dimples.



Do a little distance at the time and don’t hurry!
To high lighten the row a 0,3 pencil can be used.
As the wheels are made of soft aluminium this is quite easy to do, if they was made out of steel… without a lathe forget this!

The first one took longest time but once made you never regret this started.
1 wheel/evening it took me and was not that hard to do.
(all 8 would be finish in an evening if a lathe was used… )

Kind regards
Kent

Hello Kent.

Well I have to say that is all the more impressive now! I take my hat off to you for painstaking attention to detail and determination you have to be the master .
I was sure you had spun the wheel on something . . . please don't be offended by that at all, its very impressive.
Kind regards Paul.

Kent,
I totally agree with Paul. As a machining guy I cannot fathom doing this by hand. I thought the same thing - how'd he get them so perfect without spinning the wheels? Its great inspiration to show just what can be done with a Dremel and hand tools. Between the muzzle break hollow out and these wheels its a tough choice to decide "best Dremel project of the year".

Keep up the great work Kent. Thanks for the inspiration,
Bob

Amazing job with a dremel and some small tools. Great to see what can be achieved.

Hi all!

First thanks guys for the positive comments, much appreciated.

Today something special in for the weekend, nothing to add my “pile of metal” but some information about the Panther tank bits and bobs.

Do you remember those 8/side plugs for threaded holes I wrote about here a year ago and wonder what they was used for?







And what were those threaded holes in the wheel centre cap used for?



Well they had something in common as they were needed together.

The Panzerfiebel (Panther manual) page 74 and 75 give a hint and explanation.



When changing road wheels or swing arm a device was used with the jack to lift the wheel above the track link guide horns enable the wheel to be removed.
That device was bolted to the wheel centre at those threaded holes.
There was at least 3 of those holes, 1 or 2 was hidden under the double lock tabs depending on how the tabs was attached to the bolts.

One hole:



Two holes:



When the wheel was jacked up high enough a shuttle bar (is this the English word for this? ) was assembled to a pin on the swing arm and then bolted to one of the 8/side threaded holes in the pannier floor above each wheel.



This was what the manual said the crew how to do…however wise guys at all time have always found their own way to do things and those German Panzer crews was no exception.

A crow bar and hard labour was a much faster way to do business:



Not that gentle to the Panther but time is money… …specially while under fire…

As always thanks for looking
Kent

Hi Kent.
Interesting piece of information, I guessed the holes in the lower pannier were for supporting the axles but was not sure how.
Please keep the info comming
Regards
Steve

Hi Kent,
many thanks for the interesting post . You help to understand some "strange things".

the kent" panther build saga" is one of the most viewed posts on the forum, and this is why, always interesting, regards simon.