My Sherman - a 14 year project

Forum for discussion relating to the Sherman.
Phil Woollard
Posts: 4269
Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2010 4:48 pm
Location: Cornwall
Has liked: 2262 times
Been liked: 7149 times

Re: My Sherman - a 14 year project

Post by Phil Woollard »

Very interesting thread, keep it coming! interesting that my pla printer managed to print the Chieftain barrel insert with great detail.
I little tip for all those pots that get stuck lids, simply turn the pot to be used upside down for few hours before use, let the solvent base inside dissolve the set paint for you 8)
Mechanical engineer.
2 Youtube channels, Phil Woollard and Magpiespyro. Facebook/ Phil Woollard.
Commission builds considered. Pm for my email.

simon_manning
Posts: 2024
Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2007 8:51 pm
Location: new forest,hampshire,u.k.
Been liked: 1633 times

Re: My Sherman - a 14 year project

Post by simon_manning »

Nice to see the project coming to life again, add's another level of interest on the Forum, there has not been a lot of Sherman building on here lately, keep at it Bob, regards simon manning.

Derek Attree
Posts: 1272
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2007 12:44 pm
Location: london
Has liked: 218 times
Been liked: 178 times

Re: My Sherman - a 14 year project

Post by Derek Attree »

Hi Bob
Nearly bought a Sherman before going for the Panther G about 15 years ago when Mark and Gill
just were taking over the company.
Wish I had done as they never released the model again in that set up.
Dont like the look of the firefly.
So part of the reason I bought my Lee as its the same sort of footprint.
Love the parts you are making keep it up.

regards

Derek
we must stop making stupid predictions

User avatar
Robert E Morey
Posts: 2295
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2007 12:59 am
Location: Seattle, WA USA
Has liked: 123 times
Been liked: 754 times

Re: My Sherman - a 14 year project

Post by Robert E Morey »

Phil, Derek, Simon - thanks for looking and for the encouraging comments. Its great to see some progress on this sorely neglected model.

Some more bits added. Got the Lazy Susan bearing fitted under the deck plate. Very smooth rotation now, just need to fit the tooth ring for the drive motor:
Image

Close up of the mounting block - spacer. Screw is M4 from below. The brass block spaces the turret and provides 3 location for mounting. Only 2 location are used with wingnut for holding turret on. The front acts only as a pin since the hole is directly under gun barrel (cannot be reached easily).

Image

Inside turret - 2X M4 wing-nut to hold turret to ball race.

Image

Made a new CDR's MG mount from brass to replace the kit part:

Image

Decided to improve the look of the hull MG mount by removing some material:

Image

Made some periscope covers for the front locations on sponsons. Will 3D print some scopes for the hatches for driver and MG gunner. Haven't decided whether to keep the kit white metal drivers hatches or print new ones. :roll:

Image

Hopefully more to see and show soon.
Best regards,
B

User avatar
Robert E Morey
Posts: 2295
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2007 12:59 am
Location: Seattle, WA USA
Has liked: 123 times
Been liked: 754 times

Re: My Sherman - a 14 year project

Post by Robert E Morey »

Hello AT forum. Posting a little more progress on Sherman detail parts. I've been printing some of the smaller detail parts with pretty good results.

Gas caps of all kinds. Experimenting with printing text on the parts with good results.

Image

Image

Image

Designing the M4 air cleaner boxes for the back end. The detail bits will be printed. The square box will be Aluminum tube.

Image

Took a crack a designing the drivers hatches. I like the kit metal ones, but they need quite a bit of parts and detail added, so may use these printed ones. If I break one, I can print another.

Hatch with my lower periscope installed:

Image

With upper periscope installed:

Image

Image

Image

Image

Test printing some parts from Shapeways in Brass. We'll see how they come out. I can make the Periscope guards - they are just very time consuming. Always wanted to try their printed - brass lost wax process. Note the rear lamp housings have an extra pin for mounting support - the original housing only mounted from rear. I didn't want these to be too fragile.

Image

Image

Image

Till next time, stay safe everyone.
B
Last edited by Robert E Morey on Sun Sep 13, 2020 10:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Adrian Harris
Posts: 5060
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2007 10:46 pm
Location: Berkshire (UK)
Has liked: 1365 times
Been liked: 1567 times

Re: My Sherman - a 14 year project

Post by Adrian Harris »

Loving those parts :D :D :D

Your lettering came out very nicely. What layer size were you using ?

Adrian.
Contact me at sales@armortekaddict.uk for details of my smoker fan control module

User avatar
Robert E Morey
Posts: 2295
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2007 12:59 am
Location: Seattle, WA USA
Has liked: 123 times
Been liked: 754 times

Re: My Sherman - a 14 year project

Post by Robert E Morey »

Hi Adrian,
Thanks! I think so too. Really nice on the Elegoo. Layer height 0.04mm. Text height (from or into surface) 0.25-0.30 mm, Text size 1.5 - 2.5mm high.

Getting ready to try the water washable stuff on the next prints.
BR
B

User avatar
Robert E Morey
Posts: 2295
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2007 12:59 am
Location: Seattle, WA USA
Has liked: 123 times
Been liked: 754 times

Re: My Sherman - a 14 year project

Post by Robert E Morey »

Few more progress pictures of the Sherman hatches. Coming out nice with paint. Next detail part will be functional tow hitch.

Hatches with details added and some paint:
Image

Image

Image

Tow hitch CAD and prototype parts:
Image

Image

Till next time, happy building!
B

User avatar
Robert E Morey
Posts: 2295
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2007 12:59 am
Location: Seattle, WA USA
Has liked: 123 times
Been liked: 754 times

Re: My Sherman - a 14 year project

Post by Robert E Morey »

Hi all,
A few new updates on the printed tow hitch prototype. Finally got the design how I want it. Also included some "as printed" images for interest.
Hitch closed:
Image
Hitch opened:
Image
Overall assembly:
Image
Test fit on rear of model:
Image
As printed parts:
Image

Image

Nice detail brass printed parts from Shapeways. Actually these are investment cast from 3D printed wax models.
Periscope guards:
Image
Tow Cable cleats:
Image
Tow cable blocks assembled:
Image
Rear tail lamps - non functional:
Image
Mini wing nuts. Still need to drill and tap:
Image

Till next time, thanks for looking.
Bob

Christoffer Ahlfors
Posts: 683
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2010 5:19 pm
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Has liked: 704 times
Been liked: 306 times

Re: My Sherman - a 14 year project

Post by Christoffer Ahlfors »

:shock:
A little too much is about right...

Steve Norris
Posts: 1225
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2007 11:42 am
Location: Manchester
Has liked: 8 times
Been liked: 688 times

Re: My Sherman - a 14 year project

Post by Steve Norris »

Robert
Those brass parts are fantastic, great idea 3D printing the masters.
Regards
Steve

User avatar
Robert E Morey
Posts: 2295
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2007 12:59 am
Location: Seattle, WA USA
Has liked: 123 times
Been liked: 754 times

Re: My Sherman - a 14 year project

Post by Robert E Morey »

Happy Thanksgiving to all in the USA. Greetings to everyone else - stay safe and warm and Covid free! Some updates for my Sherman.

Finally finished the 3D printed hatches. Ready to install:

Image

Image

Image

Added some casting numbers:

Image

Some printed gas caps. They really look good once painted.

Image

Image

Made a mount for the rear hitch and moved the tow shackle mounts:

Image

With prototype hitch installed. Will make this all in metal.

Image

New rear deck as converted to M4:
Image

New 3D printed rear lamps and new steel guards:

Image

Finished the gun travel lock:

Image

Close up of 3D printed aluminum barrel lock part:

Image

Till next time, stay busy and keep building <tanks>.
B

simon_manning
Posts: 2024
Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2007 8:51 pm
Location: new forest,hampshire,u.k.
Been liked: 1633 times

Re: My Sherman - a 14 year project

Post by simon_manning »

Great work Robert, these 3d printed parts are really helpful, they are turning up more and more in builders project's, very time saving and accurate, i like the look of them, regards simon.

Stephen White
Site Admin
Posts: 3110
Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2008 7:05 pm
Location: Dorset
Has liked: 1023 times
Been liked: 2093 times
Contact:

Re: My Sherman - a 14 year project

Post by Stephen White »

Bob, you've certainly put Turkey Day to good use. As Simon says, the 3D printing is catching on and you've got very skillful eye. The details look superb. It still feels a bit like "cheating" though, despite the skill that goes into the design work. It's a bit like autopilots in aviation. I always wanted to fly manually and with the more challenging old aircraft. Must be mad. 3D is the way ahead. Regards. Stephen

Vince Cutajar
Posts: 2180
Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2017 1:43 pm
Location: Malta
Has liked: 763 times
Been liked: 1739 times

Re: My Sherman - a 14 year project

Post by Vince Cutajar »

I consider 3D printing as the latest tool in a modeller's tool box. I remember many years ago when CNC started getting in home workshops, many people thought that it was cheating. Now if you are lucky to have it in your home workshop, it it considered as another tool. One uses these tools as and when required depending on the situation. Just like autopilots. If you are doing a private flight on a small airplane it is a very satisfying feeling flying it manually but if one is doing a commercial flight on the large aircraft it is not even allowed to start the flight without at least one operable autopilot. Think busy airports like Heathrow, Frankfurt or New York.

As Stephen said a certain amount of skill is required to use these new tools.

Vince

Post Reply