Armortek

Stephen,

Paul's excellent photos show an interesting detail of the tow point leaf spring construction. It is symmetrical in both axes but the inner leaves extend to a point midway between the staples. I assume the symmetry is to limit deflection or twang under load, but would the leaf offset spread the dynamic loads more equally? The design is very different to a typical cart-sprung suspension assembly as you might find on a truck or locomotive.

The tow hook is interesting as it is made of two halves, quite crudely welded together. Are they forged parts or castings?

Look forward to details of the tin work as the underside of the track guards in the 1/35th kits seems to have a continuous reinforcing strip, while the upper part shows seperate sections with indented stiffening ribs. Can Paul clarify the details?

Thanks
Fabrice

Hi, Fabrice, interesting comments.

The tow hook is in fact a single pressing, doubled over and welded to the base plate.

Paul has just sent me some photos of the relevant bits of the track guards and I'll post them once I get them organised.

Just started the air deflector:



I've used as a pattern a 1/35th photo etch, scaled up:



Start of fabrication but a lot more detail like the ribs and eyes to come:






Regards

Stephen

Fabrice, you asked about the undersides of the track guards. Paul Scott has sent the pics below.

Firstly, the front and rear panels were different:



These are the reinforcing strips underneath:





Here fitted:









Incidently, Paul's tank had its Vietnam reinforced track guards fitted and he's sent me a few photos:



Thanks Paul. The quality of your restoration really shows in these details.

Regards

Stephen

Stephen,

Great photos! Many thanks to Paul and many thanks for sharing.

The indented stiffening ribs will be a challenge. Perhaps milling/slot drilling some of the metal out then repousse hammering to form the u section. This scales up the technique used in the 1/35th photoetch sets. Are you thinking you might cut the trackguards into sections for detailing or keep it whole and scribe in the join lines?
I would never have thought a folded sheet metal hook would be strong enough, one learns something new evey day!

regards
Fabrice

Steven,
Great looking tow hooks. I love the rough looking "forged" texture. I need to make some similar ones for the Sherman. Fantastic work on all the other parts you are making as well - they will make a huge difference on the finished model. Thanks for the inspiration. Keep up the great work.
Best regards,
Bob

Fabrice - when I get to the track guards, which seems an age away, I might contemplate making them in a softer material such as brass, given that the Aussie Cents had lots of reinforcing such as angle iron along the sides. (Fabrice put me onto a great book on brass technicques):

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Model-Building- ... 0764340042

I'll certainly split them into the correct sections.

Bob - great to hear from you and thanks for looking.

Only one day's shed time this weekend so completed the air deflector.





The attachment bolts are 10BA one size smaller ie 12BA heads.







Next step will be to make the distance pieces which held the bottom of the deflector at the right angle. It was secured with butterfly nuts with bolts through the two small slots.

Regards

Stephen

Simply fantastic, congratulations!

Hi Stephen,

If you are planning to use alot of brass in your build then may I suggest a resistance solder machine. Have you ever heard of it ? It works like a mini spot welder but the solder runs freely like water.
I dont know if you have come across this machine before but I do stress its quite expensive A touch with the electrode melts the solder instantly forming a very clean bond.

Best of Wishes

Rob

Robin

I recall something on resistance soldering on the Forum a while ago, maybe from Fabrice? The principal sounds great but I see a lot of DIY stuff on the net which frankly frightens me given my electrical ineptitude. There don't seem to be that many available commercially and as you say, expensive. The leading brand seems to be American Beauty, who've got a very wide range and I have found a supplier in UK. There also seems to be a UK home grown offering used by the model railway guys. Micromark in the US may do one at 240v by special order.

Fabrice - can't recall now if yours was a home grown model?

What do you think about sources?

Regards

Stephen

Stephen, Robin,

Yes I built a resistance soldering machine, inspired by the description in Gerald Wingrove's Car Modelling book, but prompted by the extortionate price I was quoted for a UK compatible unit by the European distributor of the American Beauty devices. Basically this was getting on for £600 including Duty, VAT etc. Silly money.

With help from a BBC-trained electronics expert at my ME Club, I converted a scrap 500w theatrical lighting transformer and spent £150 on parts. The most expensive item was a big Variac from RS. I would not have undertaken this without Bob's advice. Stephen is wise to be leery of DIY mains projects and mine looks like a prop from Frankenstein's lab.

There was someone building and selling units a while ago but gave up, probably due to the product liability issues (electric shocks, burns and fried model parts for starters). However caveats aside, the machine works well but you have to practice the techniques eg Contact on, Power On; Power Off, Contact Off. Getting this wrong and the arc created will pit larger components or vapourise smaller ones!

Brass model train kits seem to have created a demand for resistance soldering machines and the smaller units work well with solder paint.

I will post pics if there is interest, but we are way off topic, so I might start a new thread. Anyone can PM me, and I will try and help.

cheers, Fabrice

These are the air deflector support brackets:







Regards

Stephen

With the air deflector made to accurate size, the two towing attachment brackets needed to be moved outwards, guided by the slots for the retaining bolts.

The towing attachment is a bit wider than the kit parts and the six leaves are of slightly different lengths.





I chose to re-make the whole thing, using aluminium strip and fabricated brass brackets. I won't be towing anything with this, not least because it will be inaccessable behind the 100 gall fuel tank.









Now for the towing hook itself.

Regards

Stephen

Hello Stephen

Incredible craftsmanship and detailed add-ons. Not surprising coming from you but still amazing to watch.

kind regards
Tim

Hi Stephen,

I echo Tim here, outstanding work (as usual).
Thanks for posting this most enjoyable and inspirational build of yours.

Kind regards
Kent

Tim, Kent great to hear from the US and Swedish master builders.

Thanks to some great reference shots from Paul Scott and the Illustrated Parts Catalogue:





I was able to fabricate a working tow hook:















Rear plate almost complete - just needs the texturing.

Regards

Stephen