Easy Eight No22

[David Hartwell]

If my memory serves me correctly it has been nearly three years since I started this build, where has all that time gone. Lots done but more to do. I have been meaning to post the progress along the way but just never got round to it. This is the first time I have ever posted on a forum so please be patient as I find my way round it. So let us get going with the underside detailing, increased front floor thickness, escape hatch, engine access cover and support ribs.

[Kenneth Hartsfield]

David,
I am looking forward to following this build thread.

v/r
Ken

[Robert E Morey]

Nice to see another E8. Always love the Shermans!
Keep up the progress!
Bob

[David Hartwell]

Many thanks for the comments.

[David Hartwell]

Moving on to the inner wheel cutouts.

Also countersunk that fixing hole.

6mm diameter file to get a 3mm radius.

Lots of filing.

9 more to go.

[David Hartwell]

I found the main hull assembly a little frustrating at first but with a bit of thought it finally went together. Here is what I did, hopefully useful.

With the diff casing level and square to the lower sides and the floor level to the underneath, I had a gap between the diff casing and the floor. I measured the gap and fitted a spacer piece.

Temporary fixings for now.

With the lower side removed you can see the end of it.

Next I found the glacis wouldn't bolt nice and square to to the diff casing. The bolts were pinching in the holes making the glacis lean back. The result of that meant the upper hole sides were to low to line up with the rear plate. I had two choices. File the top edge of the diff case or slot the holes in the glacis. I slotted the glacis holes, as in the photo. This worked and it all bolted together and at the correct angle.

So with it all nice and square and level at the front, I had this problem at the back.

Tight to the lower hull side but not joining the upper. I double checked by fitting the upper decks and that gap would have been on top as well. So measured the gap .

Out with the hacksaw and chopped a bit off the lower hull sides.

I fitted new blocks in the corners with two fixings to the rear panel. That made a big difference keeping it nice and square.

No more gap and the top panels fit nicely. I used the outer hinge holes on the rear panel for the lower corner bocks as I won't be using them for the hinges. More on that another day.

[Dale jordan]

IMG_4391.jpg (129 KiB) Viewed 4090 times

Excellent thread so far David . Hope you don't mind me adding this photo I'm at the same stage as you at the moment ! lots of thinking and checking which parts need attention without moving the problem down the line , I made new alloy angles and blocks as well The lower hull fit is very important just like a house you need a good foundation . Are you going to fix down your decks permanently . Dale

[David Hartwell]

Thank you Dale. Yes the decks will be permanently fixed. I see in your photo you have the same issue with the engine access door that I had. It is hinged on the wrong side. I can only assume that the floor was upside down when the upturns were folded. Sorry for adding another job to your list if you hadn't noticed it. Good luck with your build.

[David Hartwell]

Idler Brackets.

Marking out the new shape.

Filed the pointed bit into a slope.

One of them came with that flat bit rather than the circle. I would have preferred them both to be round but couldn't think of a way to do it so I filed a matching flat on the other bracket.

That shows the three holes threaded and a little counter bore into the curved section so that the fake clamping bolts sit level.

This is a bit further on in the build showing the slot across the bracket.

That shows the slope bit I referred to.

I thought I would add these for a bit of interest rather than just a bracket. I will cover the idler wheel and bits later on.

And the front side.

[David Hartwell]

The Main Bogie Frames took a bit of head scratching. They are functional but didn't appeal to my eye. So there was a bit of compromise between what I would have liked to have done and making them too thin and weak. There is not a lot of material to work with on the ends.So here goes.

Five extra fixing holes.

A bit more to go but getting there.

Blocked the underside.

Rounded off the corners.

Onto the filling, blocking out and skimming the machining marks.

Ready for painting.

Shouldn't have used the flash on the camera. It. looks like some sort of Alien colour.

That is it . Sorry it was a bit long winded.

[Dale jordan]

Excellent workmanship David .. you have a steady hand with your file , very good lead for me to follow Dale

[David Hartwell]

Many thanks for your comment Dale. I am very lucky to have the time since I retired and these eat up an awful lot of that. Weeks and months just fly by. I hope this does help others. Even if it is only one then it is still worthwhile. Onwards we go.

Spring Seats.

I needed that bit cut out but I haven't got the equipment to do that so I sent them to a company I use and they did them.

drilled and tapped and made a little stud. I am not doing this at the other end as it won't be seen.

Casting support webs I think you call them.

Lots of drilling and countersinking on the reverse side.

triangle bits drilled and tapped.

fixed on.

Filed off the overhanging bits.

ready for filling and painting.

Not sure I want to do that again.

[David Hartwell]

On most of the historical pictures I noticed the outer towing eyes look narrower than the inner ones. I decided to copy them, hopefully correct.

I scribed round the ones supplied on a piece of 4mm plate then cut them out and filed them to match.

If I remember correctly I tapped them m2.5.

Little counterbore so the fixings sit level.

Decided to carry on and do the back ones. Made a template to check the angle then copied it.

Lots of fiddly cutting and filing. Two 4mm ones and Two 5mm ones.

More fixings.

Then the towing hook bracket.

Now to sort out that back door. If you look way back in this build there is a photo showing that rear panel without the door. The fixing holes are reversed. I assume the floor was upside down when the upturns were folded.

Plate made for the closing bolts and to fill against from the other side.

Dogs dinner of holes clashing. Thank heavens for filler.

Grub screws added to secure the pins.

Added a plain washer with the sides filed to stop the door binding.

Dogs dinner now hidden.

Running out of room for fixings in here.

[Robert E Morey]

Nice details you've added David. Looks really good. No end of things to tweak now!
Keep up the good work.
Bob

[David Hartwell]

Thank you for the comments Bob. On with the tweaking.

Although perfectly functional , visually the 3mm studding didn't appeal to me.

Made two brackets.

And fitted there. I needed the width measurement for further on.

Drilled new mounting holes.

Cut off these bits.

Used a cap head as a filing guide.

The hinges were made thinner by filing the backs of them..

Cut off the old lug.

Filed a new slot after calculating its position from the width measurement I got earlier.

The bottom of the grill casting is very thin to attach to. So I did this. Made two brackets.

Mounted on some little plates.

Then fixed with little cap heads.

Marking the new holes.

drilled and tapped m3.

Used the new holes to clamp the hinges in place, then checked alignment and made sure they pivoted freely.

Then drilled and tapped for the replacement countersunk fixings. The 6 button heads were replaced with grub screws. Once filled that should make sure the hinges don't move. So with the grills in the down position I now have the measurement between the bracket on the back panel and the one on the grill and I can make the replacement adjustable stays.

Little U bracket ready for filing.

I can hardly see the marking lines let alone file them.

Then the other components.