The rear plate on this Panzer IV has suffered quite badly from rust during storage.
I could probably clean it up but it would be pretty pitted, so I've had some replacement parts water-jet cut from aluminium:
I filed a 45 degree chamfer on the parts, to make a groove to retain the Durafix aluminium rod once molten, then clamped them into position, with a piece of square steel to hold everything true and to retain the heat, as the workshop was at about 5 degrees
Once the part was fixed I filed off the bulk of the overfill and then finished on the Proxxon disc sander to get a nice flat and true finish.
Here's the two parts together:
All that's left is to drill the mounting holes and some clearance holes for the idler fillet mounting bolts.
The steel part weighs 850g, whereas the aluminium one weighs just 307g, so over half a kilo of weight saved in just one piece.
Adrian.
Aluminium replacement CD0104 rear plate
- Adrian Harris
- Posts: 5051
- Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2007 10:46 pm
- Location: Berkshire (UK)
- Has liked: 1363 times
- Been liked: 1556 times
Aluminium replacement CD0104 rear plate
Contact me at sales@armortekaddict.uk for details of my smoker fan control module
- Robert E Morey
- Posts: 2295
- Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2007 12:59 am
- Location: Seattle, WA USA
- Has liked: 122 times
- Been liked: 753 times
Re: Aluminium replacement CD0104 rear plate
Nice Work Adrian,
Looks like the Durafix works well. I have yet to try it. I didn't know you had a PZ4. Good to see.
Best regards,
Bob
Looks like the Durafix works well. I have yet to try it. I didn't know you had a PZ4. Good to see.
Best regards,
Bob
- Adrian Harris
- Posts: 5051
- Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2007 10:46 pm
- Location: Berkshire (UK)
- Has liked: 1363 times
- Been liked: 1556 times
Re: Aluminium replacement CD0104 rear plate
> Looks like the Durafix works well. I have yet to try it.
I can definitely recommend it as a fastener free method of joining aluminium.
With chamfers on both sides, to create a V shaped canal to retain the molten rod, it's really easy to build up the joint so there's the minimum amount to file back, plus there's no build-up on the inside, so you get a very clean finish. I gave it a tug once it had been filed back and there's no give in it at all.
> I didn't know you had a PZ4.
It wasn't part of the plan but I took a punt at the Open Day
It's a bit of a mixture of old and new kit, so I'll probably be making quite a few replacement bits for it, especially like this one where the steel has rusted from being in storage for so long.
I'd like to make it into an F1 / F2 hybrid, so I can change turrets between the long and short barrelled guns, but that relies on me being able to make the necessary bends and curves
I'd really need to use same idlers as Günter did for his F1 but I can't get Jürgen to understand his website doesn't seem to be set up to permit ordering from mainland UK.
Adrian.
I can definitely recommend it as a fastener free method of joining aluminium.
With chamfers on both sides, to create a V shaped canal to retain the molten rod, it's really easy to build up the joint so there's the minimum amount to file back, plus there's no build-up on the inside, so you get a very clean finish. I gave it a tug once it had been filed back and there's no give in it at all.
> I didn't know you had a PZ4.
It wasn't part of the plan but I took a punt at the Open Day
It's a bit of a mixture of old and new kit, so I'll probably be making quite a few replacement bits for it, especially like this one where the steel has rusted from being in storage for so long.
I'd like to make it into an F1 / F2 hybrid, so I can change turrets between the long and short barrelled guns, but that relies on me being able to make the necessary bends and curves
I'd really need to use same idlers as Günter did for his F1 but I can't get Jürgen to understand his website doesn't seem to be set up to permit ordering from mainland UK.
Adrian.
Contact me at sales@armortekaddict.uk for details of my smoker fan control module
-
- Posts: 344
- Joined: Sun Feb 28, 2010 12:54 pm
- Location: The grim north
- Has liked: 59 times
- Been liked: 33 times
- Adrian Harris
- Posts: 5051
- Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2007 10:46 pm
- Location: Berkshire (UK)
- Has liked: 1363 times
- Been liked: 1556 times
Re: Aluminium replacement CD0104 rear plate
Thanks Peter - now replied.
Adrian.
Adrian.
Contact me at sales@armortekaddict.uk for details of my smoker fan control module