Paul & Robin's Centurion

[paul&robinmargle]

Hello,

It's been two months, I thought I'd better let you know I'm still here. It's been the heat and a lack of inspiration
We tried the turret on:

I've got a video, what's the best way to post it? I guess youtube.
We've done a few other little things, gradually getting back into it.

Robin

[Kevin Hunter]

Good to see you back, and the Cent looks great with the turret mounted, even if not the finished article.
I suspect my first outing will look similar as I have to be ready for a show in 2 weeks!
Did you have much trouble with the rear deck hatches? I know that you had to "adjust" the beam to allow for the hinge bolt heads, but even then my hatch (just one so far) will not sit flat. Seems to be too tight agaist the hinge end and may need some filing.
How did you paint the tracks in the end? They seem to have a good colour in your photos
Cheers
Kevin

[paul&robinmargle]

Thanks Kevin,

We also filed out some more of the recess in the beam where the forward edge of the hatch sits. As long as you keep the hatches flat while the glue dries on the hinge centres we found it was fine if you don't mind the centres being raised a little.

With the tracks, I hung them assembled in the garage and airbrushed with thinned Revell enamel German Brown (I think), one pot for both runs. I didn't try to cover them all so they don't look like they're made of chocolate. Adhesion was fine on the bare metal.
Hopefully one day I'll find some mud to drive in

Robin

[Kevin Hunter]

Thanks for the tip re the hatches Robin. Blowtrorch at the ready to soften the super glue on the hinge centres, and start again!!

Plan at the moment is to do my tracks in a base colour, but then "wash" them with a thin coat of rust colour which should get into the recesses but leave the wheel paths and raised treads mostly clear where they are wearing against surfaces. I'm not very artistic, so choosing the base colour is a bit of a challenge at the moment. Like you I will paint them assembled, although I primed them as individual links. One track completed to 111 links, the other one getting there......
Regards

Kevin

[paul&robinmargle]

I suppose most people will stick the hinge centres first, but I assemble them as front and rear hatch pairs - making up my own build sequence there...

Robin

[paul&robinmargle]

Just a quick post for my turret drive video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TO5qUyaG-mU

Hope it works.

Robin

[paul&robinmargle]

A little bit of progress, I only have a couple of shots of the exhausts and it's not too clear what the dividers look like, here's my basic idea:

Fish tails

I also added dummy brackets for the mud guards and reflector mounts:

Mud guard rear

Robin

[paul&robinmargle]

Just spent a bit of time casting bin catches, I had been putting it off cause it's so time-consuming. Each one takes half an hour - I suppose I could make another mould, but I want to save the silicone for any future project.

Robin

[Adrian Harris]

Nice little details Robin.

> but I want to save the silicone for any future project.

The older I get, the more I realise you should use what you have to make life easier now, rather than save things "just in case", as, more often than not, "just in case" never happens...

Adrian.

[paul&robinmargle]

I steadily carried on with the catches:

Catches

The more observant may notice two missing - they were stuck to the bins months ago.
I few may look a bit wonky, but thankfully I'm not a perfectionist. I thought about soldering on the extra bar on the wire part but the heat would probably melt the resin
Hopefully more significant painting will be done on the bank holiday weekend.

Robin

[paul&robinmargle]

We got plenty of painting done this weekend. during the rain on Saturday I attached all the catches to the bins, then today and yesterday got them under-coated:

You can only really see what they'll look like when the paint's on and I'm happy, they look OK . There's a small external cable between the side-light and box side yet to do when the bulb is in (and fire extinguisher handle).
I also green painted the mudguards.

Robin

[Kevin Hunter]

Excellent Robin
I particularly like the front sidelights.
Will you be at Bovington on 28 Sept?
Kevin

[paul&robinmargle]

We haven't decided yet about Bovington - if we should take the unfinished Cent or just go on our own. I know we need to hurry if we want a pass from Armortek.
It's a bit scary thinking about driving the tank around when it's only been in the garden so far

Robin

[Stephen White]

Robin - it would be great to see you and your Cent. The more Cents the better. Good luck. Stephen

[Steve Stuart]

Hi Paul and Robin
Please do bring your unfinished Centurion, it will be interesting to see the work in progress in real life It would be good to Stephen's Centurion as well...
Steve