Easy Eight No22

[Nick Chiocchio]

The Pershing tank has the same play on the gun barrel, I'll have to do a similar mod. Thanks for posting!

[Antony Selwood]

Been following this build with great interest, such well thought out detail and clever solutions,
I've almost finished my Sherman, like to know where you got your antennas from?

[David Hartwell]

Thanks for the comments Nick and Antony. In answer to your question about the antennas, they are very much a prototype at the moment. I found a drawing on the internet that showed all the height and diameter measurements, in inches, of the real thing. So I scaled it down, did some drawings and had the parts made. I shall get back to these as time allows. I really need to find some 2mm slotted head screws to replace the grub screws, the coaxial clamps need adding, and ideally I would like a slightly stronger spring. I can't find one with a suitable diameter. I shall add a few photos with a few questions if you or anyone else can help out with.

That's the parts I had made. Its m4 thread on the base part. According to the drawing they are 15 inches high, so just over 63mm I make it.

Tapped the turret m4 thread. So my first question, is that round disc that comes with the kit on a real one ? and is it fixed with csk screws? I cannot find a nice clear photo anywhere.

Does the real thing have one antenna or two? If one which side ? and what goes in the hole that would be left?

If anyone can help out with any of the questions it would be hugely appreciated. Regards, Dave.

[Robert E Morey]

I like your antenna too. Those are excellent. Wonderful build overall.
Best regards,
Bob

[David Hartwell]

If I remember there was some chat on here about the little return rollers but I can't remember the context. Anyway I decided to add another bearing to them. Perfectly fine as was but made me happier.

Housing machined for the new bearing and the centre enlarged to clear the anti crush spacer.

Spacer slightly longer than the measurement between the two bearing seats in the housing and shaft just below the level of the added bearing.

Production line.

Done up nice and tight. I used the same principal of enlarging the centres and adding the spacers on the main idlers, which I forgot to show when I covered them, and on the large return rollers.

Same as before, centre enlarged in the gear casing for the spacer.

Circlip groove added to the shaft.

Shim washer and circlip added.

Just the main drive sprockets to go then that's all the running gear covered.

[Aaron Taylor]

It's looking really nice

[David Merritt]

Hi David,
Have you tried Accu Ltd. at accu.co,uk for the required M2 screws?

David

[David Hartwell]

Thank you David for that information, really appreciated. Looks like they have exactly what I am after.
Once again thank you.
Regards,
Dave.

[David Hartwell]

I didn't want to see the m5 csk screw showing on the front sprocket caps so an additional, disc was made.

I clamped the new disc to the original one and drilled through the little holes in the original one into the new one. Then made them m3 clearance. I decided to go for m3 fixings because all the pictures I have seen the nuts holding the hub on are bigger than the ones holding on the sprocket ring and the little push in things that come with the kit are smaller.

Holes in the original disc drilled, tapped and countersunk. Then fixings loctited in and done up tight. I have done that so that should the m5 screw ever get rounded off I can undo the nuts from the other side to gain access.

Fixed together with M3 nuts.

If anybody is interested that's the dimensions of the front disc.

No more Allen key fixing on show.

[David Hartwell]

A few more bits and pieces from the archives.

I decided to add some brackets to support that front edge of the deck.

Fixings.

Csk fixings used.

Nice and solid.

Then added brackets to support the rear corners.

A more recent photo. They were the brackets I didn't use for attaching the rear panel. bent slightly to the angle required.

Onto the middle. A little more countersinking required on the deck bracket fixings. Nice and level in the middle join.

But sitting proud on the corners. Extra support required.

Ordered another deck bracket and marked up for what I needed.

Cut out like so.

Temporary fixings.

Looks simple but lots of other fixing holes to take into account.

Checked the turret motor mounting bracket had enough clearance.

The join pulled in nice and level.

Lots of countersinking to do once it is taken apart.

[David Hartwell]

After lots of distractions recently a little progress on the front mudguards. I showed you one of the new front mudguard sections earlier on and that was where I left it some time ago. So first job make the other front section.

As I said before that is the rear section cut off from the other side. Side fixing holes drilled, then the angle cut and filed to match the support rail end. The width was cut to where the bend radius of the upturn ends.

Then cut to the length I require for now and marked for the cuts.

Cut, filed, little hole drilled and swaging line marked.

Now the top surfaces of front and side mudguards will be level.

Next made the fixing plates. Swaged to match.

Temporary fixings for now. Fixed into the underside of the glacis and the pannier floor.

All the front edges will be trimmed back further on.

Decided on the length of mudguard I required and cut out of the original ones like so.

Side cut to required width and holes drilled.

Before and after.

Just to give you an idea of what I am up to. Very temporary fixings. Next step will be the mudguard sides.

[David Hartwell]

A little more on the front mudguards, just slow and steady.

First made a cardboard pattern.

Checking I can get them out of the old rear mudguards.

Then made a working pattern, checked it was ok for both sides and did any final adjustments etc.

Then cut the upturns off the old mudguards. Fixed the two together then drilled and fixed the pattern to them.

Then worked my way round cutting and filing to match.

Attached like so. The bit at the back will be cut and bent backwards at an angle to avoid a sharp edge there. It will make sense further on.

And the other side. Checked they are level etc. The front edge is now at right angles to the gear casing.

You can see why I added the piece to the gear casing at the top, which I showed you earlier on in the build. There would have been a gap there when the support piece is added to bridge the gap.

A couple of pics showing the old side compared with the new one.

Happy with them.

Then cutting the other top mudguard piece to match the other one.Filed the sticky out bit level.

Marking the top cut.

Top and front edge done. One more cut at the side then onto drilling and fixing which I'm looking forward to, nearly all cut and filed out this week.

[David Hartwell]

Front edges trimmed back and fixing holes drilled.

The tops needed a little more curve.

New curve and a temporary angle piece spot welded to hold the parts in place.

A few tacks then grind off the temporary bracket. Then carry on tacking along the edge.

Side dressed back square, then repeated on the top.

Will require some making good at the prep stage. Then dressed the two front edges back nice and level.

Fixings.

Checking track clearance etc.

Next part will be the side supports.

[Dale jordan]

Excellent workmanship . Dale

[David Hartwell]

Thank you for the comment Dale. A little update on the side supports. These are a little tricky but slowly getting there.

Using the upturns from the old rear mudguards.

Cut and shaped a piece like so.

Then cut and filed two pieces like so.

Then applied the little bends.

Cut a slot in the mudguard side to match the angle of the bend.

That will be tacked and dressed back eventually.

Checking position etc. These will be spot welded to the mudguard side further on.

These two parts were then spot welded together.

Cut the top edges at a slight angle.

Marking the centre line for the upright supports. That is it for the moment, back soon.