Pete's Grant No.9

[Pete Nash]

A mate asked to see a few tracks joined together, so last night I spent half an hour making up a few tracks.

What a palaver!

I've got pigs teats for fingers so fitting ED0506 into EDO0501 (needed a little needle filing so that 0501 slipped over the pins), then fitting a M2 x 8 cap screw and an M2 nut had me trying to hold a three fingered job with only two Only 160 to Go

And then I found I was fitting a Track Pad EN0502 upside down, I hadn't noticed that the holes are off set to one side !!! Next Time I'll look at things under a 100 watt lamp with a magnifying Glass.

This afternoon while waiting for paint to dry I tried assembling a Road Wheel. A word of caution here chaps.
I put the two bushes, ED0108 in the Hub EN0109 and tried to fit the axle, ED0107. Didn't go in. Ah, I thought burrs. Did a bit of deburring with a file, no joy.
Micrometered the shaft, a tad over 8 mm, so we might have to put an expanding reamer through the bushes to make sure that
A) the axle will go through without binding and
B) that the bushes are lined up,

I find with experience that this is not unusual, although Bar stock is nimolly 8 mm (or whatever) it is often a few thousandth out while the bushes may be made to size.

This will probably NOT surprise many of you.

paint should be dry now so back to that


PS, ONLY 753 rivets, the Mk.IV has nearly double that..............Have lots of Fun Chaps, I'm going to.........every time I hammer a rivet i'm thinking of someone.......

[Nige Dalton]

Hi Pete

Did a couple of road wheels as well today. Same problem. But got around it by just putting an 8mm drill bit through the bushes. Did it by hand i.e didn't put the bit in a drill. A couple of minutes a bush and finally alls is well. I seemed to have a bigger problem fitting the bushes in the wheels. The outer bushes go in ok but for some reason I am having trouble with the inners. Almost as thought the wheel centre hole has a taper! A bush that fits the outer side will not fit in the inner.

Nige

[Vince Cutajar]

Great. A new build. Will be following your progress Pete.

Vince

[Pete Nash]

Nige.

I found that I had to tap the bushes in with a nylon hammer. The tight fit could be the reason why the axle is stiff to go in, the bore gets squeezed.
I also noticed that there is a variation in finish, some have a lip on the outside, some on the inside. No doubt that this is due to the manufacturing process where the bushes have been machined and cut off. Nothing that a little fettling can't fix.
It why we make models

I also ran an 8 mm drill through by hand but although it says '8mm' on the shank it may be under or over depending on the quality and the manufacturer which is why I have ordered an adjustable reamer. I can adjust it from sliding in nicely to shaving off a thou at a time until the axle slides through nicely and the wheel turns.
The other advantage of a reamer is that they cut accurate and parallel holes.

My lubrication of choice is going to be copper grease to prevent seizing.

I showed some of the machined parts to my mate, he was very impressed with the quality. We dropped the turret into its housing, it went in 'sweeter than mom's apple pie'.

Vince, there's a long way to go.........

[Nige Dalton]

Pete

Next problem for me is the Radius pins ED0106 Not quite hitting the recess in the Bogie frame EN0104. Not sure if its an alignment or Diameter issue. Too nice a day here to investigate though, so its primer day on some of the parts I think needs priming before assembling.

[Pete Nash]

Nigel.

I'm not saying it is but it could be a combination of both. Although CAD is used the machines make two parts somtimes the alignment is a few thou out so an 'adjustment' might be needed with a drill or needle File.

You must have overcome the 'problem' of the bushes being a tight fit in the wheels. I said 'tapping with a nylon hammer' might be needed.
The thought of 'application of impact technology with a 'Birmingham Screwdriver' might send some people into apoplectic frenzy. The ideal solution is a Fly Press or Hydraulic press to fit them.
But not everybody has them, so chaps here is a solution.........Use your Pedestal Drill!!! It makes a great Press.

[Pete Nash]

Late last night I found a 'new challenge' (we don't have problems, do we chaps?)


I started putting the Diff Case together (Step 3). 'Challenge' is that the last M3 x 10 Hex and nut to go in on the underneath wont go.
As you can see from the following image one has to remove some of the casting to give clearance for the nut and Hex head, in all four places.

Also, I'd recommend fitting the Towing Eyes ED06222 now instead of at Step 24. By then one would have most of one's tank (getting POSH here ain't I ?) and it might be a tad difficult.

Not much Tank building scheduled today, Housework...........

[Chris Hall]

Pete -

I've just finished the Diff case too. You're right about that last hole - I'd be interested to hear how Chris Fry did it on the prototypes. I can think of two possible solutions: (a) I think an M2 bolt might just fit, or (b) leave it blank, and just fill the hole. It's right underneath, so not really visible.

All the best,

Chris

[Nige Dalton]

Pete

Overcame the bushes fit with a good clean up and overnight in the fridge. But as you mentioned earlier I'm a little worried that it might squeeze the bush so fitting the shafts might need work now.

Looking way ahead have you or Chris tried fitting the 37mm gun tube (EN0458) into the inner mantlet (EN0457)? I see another challenge a head there. Grandson came around over the weekend so we had to play with the Guns!

Nige

[Chris Hall]

Looking way ahead have you or Chris tried fitting the 37mm gun tube (EN0458) into the inner mantlet (EN0457)?

Nige -

Slow and steady ..... we've only had these things a few days ! I'll be months with this one - that way, you maximise the enjoyment .

The only thing I would say is that Kian said the 37mm would recoil, like the 75mm. So it might be best to leave it until the gun pack is released into the wild (unless, of course, you're building a static model).

All the best,

Chris

[Pete Nash]

The Reamer I ordered came today.

This is what was removed from the bushes of two road wheels. Just a minor shaving of the insides but enough for the axle to to fit smoothly and allow the wheel to rotate. You also get a parallel hole.

Sorry its a bit out of focus, using a tele lens with a macro function. But is still shows just how much was removed, and no slop either.

[Pete Nash]

Idlers Done.

Hiccups....None really except for me not noticing that the Bearing Recess is deeper on one side, that is the side that goes on the outside of the tank.

When it cam e to fitting the 1.6mm rivets throught the hub cap ED0212 I took advantage of the rivets being longer than the depth of ED0212, so I drilled 1.5mm through the cap into the Idler, EN0207, and Pushed the rivets through so they were a tight fit.

Only question is, why weren't the holes for the three M3 X 8 Hex tapped instead of having to use Threadlocker to hold them In.......b but 'that's life'

'Glued' (i.e. Loctite 6000)the 2.5 rivets into the side frames earlier this afternoon, now waiting for it to set. Next job will be to go back to Step 1 and do the Running Gear but that will have to wait until Friday at the earliest.

[Pete Nash]

Diff assembly progressed a little more.

Bolts turned round so that nuts face inwards, EN0201 Gear Cases fitted and the whole thing given a light coat of etch primer.
So far I have etch primed all the running gear parts, but before I assemble it all I'm going to start on the Hull. When all is primed I'll give it a coat of BS 381c 361 Light Stone before utting the tyres on and building the road wheel assemblies.

Note that I have swapped the M3 Cap head screws on the Gear Cases for Hex head screws as I think they are more representative of 1942 fasteners than cap heads.

[Armortek]

Good to see your progress Pete.

Please note however, the Cap Heads for the drive case are there for a reason. There are significant forces at play inside the drive casing and Cap Heads have a far greater tensile strength than the Hex Heads. By replacing the Cap Heads you do run the risk of the fasteners failing if the tank is motorised.

[Pete Nash]

Kian's reply about the cap screws have been duly noted, but I think I'll take the risk and pay the penalty if I'm wrong

This morning was calm and bright, though a bit on the chilly side, so i tool my bits' and gave them a non biblical 'Light Stone(ing)'. A couple of hours drying and hardening and if the weather is still clement i'll turn the hull and running gear over and do the other sides.