M3 Grant (Lee?) scratchbuilt... or that's the plan anyway...

[Rob1970]

Another test print...

[Rob1970]

Tinkering with Tinkercad, tinkering with my 3D printer, tinkering with the pieces itself... and you end up with something that looks like a road to success...



Still some test prints to run (this was... number 5 in a row?) but in the end I should get a piece that will slot right in. And when done I will share everything somewhere for other to have fun with. I see no sense in suffering alone...

To Be Continued...

TTFN,
Rob

[HERMAN BIX]

What a mission !!
Glad you are getting it though, must be frustrating when prints dont work out like you want first go.

[Rob1970]

What a mission !!
Glad you are getting it though, must be frustrating when prints dont work out like you want first go.

Actually, it's not frustrating at all. My printer is my own, the average test print (in low res settings) takes about an hour, and it's easier to fine-tune the design with an actual print in hand than eyeballing it.

In fact, just sitting down with my latest print on the actual tank and turning it over and looking at it from all sides gave me another brainstorm. I have since then re-designed the 3-piece gearbox cover (and more specific the piece at the top that screws to the hull) so I can screw it down way back under the hull top, thus removing the awkward screw you need to cover with the fender bits.

Tomorrow another day of test prints and fettling on the way to a snap-fit result.

[43rdRecceReg]

...and if at first, you don't succeed... as the saying goes.
Well, it looks like you're pretty close to getting the part you need. Now you can print yourself a large scotch, and a pat on the back!

[Rob1970]

...and if at first, you don't succeed...

...maybe skydiving is not for you?

And don't worry about the Scotch... I do my best brainstorming under the guidance of Mister Laphroaig and Sir Glenlivet...
And this is what they helped me with last night...


Fresh off the printer after a mere 40 minute print. Enough to see where I need to fiddle with it...


Add a hole here, remove a hole there. A little bit taken off there...


...and as you can see, Generation 3 fits like a glove. And that's not even the last one, because I have decided to make the left fender part of that piece as well.


Something like this... I will model the bent part seperately.

To Be Continued...

TTFN,
Rob

[Kaczor]

Very nice clean prints. And you design it in Tinkercad

[Rob1970]

Very nice clean prints. And you design it in Tinkercad

"If you give a fool a simple brush and a lot of paint, you get a mess. If you give the same to Michelangelo, you get the Sistine Chapel..." -My mom...

Disclaimer; I consider myself at least to be no fool...

[43rdRecceReg]

Very nice clean prints. And you design it in Tinkercad

"If you give a fool a simple brush and a lot of paint, you get a mess. If you give the same to Michelangelo, you get the Sistine Chapel..." -My mom...

Disclaimer; I consider myself at least to be no fool...

...and if you give tins of paint to Jackson Pollock, you get- 'Jack The Dripper'.

[Raminator]

Terrific progress on the build, Rob. The M3's a collection of weird shapes and angles, you've done well to put it all together like that.

Nice CAD work, by the way. It's nice to follow along with the iterative design! Are you planning to make the 75mm in the sponson traverse and elevate?