Cromwell Mk 4 1:16 scratch build Ludwig kit

[jhamm]

Yesssss!
Another Cromwell....

[Raminator]

Glad to see you back at it again, Roy. The weird TV remote programming is what's always put me off from trying a Clark board, it seems needlessly overcomplicated compared to the other offerings out there! I don't blame you for sticking with a more tried-and-tested solution, especially when it'll match your Comet. Looking forward to seeing you get it up and running!

[43rdRecceReg]

Many thanks, Brett, Jürgen, and Dan!.
Yes, I'm not keen on programming the Clark either, even though I have the Sony remote for that purpose. Then, there's the process of fine-tuning the trims, etc., on the TX. Too much hassle, in other words.
Worse still, I found I had too many wires to tuck away, when mating the upper and lower hulls- a bit like packing an overfilled suitcase.
I also like the fact that the TK 6.1s dispenses with the ribbon cable, and also allows all electrical pathways ( they all go directly to the MFU) to be disconnected: lights,smoker, motors, servos, and so forth. There's also plenty of scope for adding extra lighting and effects, should the wish arise (and the finance ). Quite why HL have taken a retrogressive step with theTK 7.0, mystifies me.
Four sound packages certainly trump two 'modern' ones. Okay, the Tiger sound will have to stand in as an ersatz Meteor, but at least it's proportional, and also I'll be- most times- the only critic around here in the garden, so who cares?
I'm just working out the optimum positions for the interior components, and then I'll take a few shots of the progress.
The weather has been dreadful here lately, and I could have sworn I saw Noah's Ark 2, floating along the Loch this morning (days of unremitting rain). The Bedouin might well envy me all the H2O, but making a wee film clip
is becoming a very, very remote possibility- outdoors, anyway.

[maxmekker]

Remeber 'clark' user/owners. I'm here to help dont matter who you got the board from

Really liking this build tread .

I have alot on the plate atm, but I have gathered up some Cromwell samples I hope to be able to make a new soundset of later on

[43rdRecceReg]

I like to have the equivalent of Tamiya's 'Mechanism Deck' in my tanks. The deck supports their MFUs, and helps to optimise the arrangement of internal components.
I make a longer deck, or tray, which can be lifted out, along with the attached main electronic units. This makes maintenance and repair much easier. The units are attached with double-sided pads, although the smoker also has a screw in the base of the reservoir for additional stability.
Click on images to ENLARGE them. The empty front portion is designed to hold a compact NiMH battery pack. There is a space for the longer type, but I'll be using the compact pack. You'll also notice the Dean's-to-Tamiya battery connector adaptor in place. The 6.1s comes with a Dean's connector. Adaptors can be had cheaply on Ebay.

Removable tray with attached components

Cromwell 'mechanism deck', or device tray.

This is what it looks like in situ. It's just a little step forward...

[Raminator]

Good thinking with the equipment tray Roy, it's a convenient way to keep the setup neat and tidy. Just a thought, could you rotate the smoke unit 90° anticlockwise or maybe raise the speaker up over its protruding motor? I feel like you'd get much better sound out of it if it were aimed up and out of the tank rather than into it.

[43rdRecceReg]

Good thinking with the equipment tray Roy, it's a convenient way to keep the setup neat and tidy. Just a thought, could you rotate the smoke unit 90° anticlockwise or maybe raise the speaker up over its protruding motor? I feel like you'd get much better sound out of it if it were aimed up and out of the tank rather than into it.

Thanks, Dan! The short answer is- No. I tried various configurations, with a view to having the shortest smoke-tube runs, as well as neat stowage and pathways, for the wiring. The speaker should be fine, as I have a similar arrangement if the Comet, and it sounds acceptable. It has a little more bass when pointing inward, but there is a gap behind the speaker (necessary because of two bolt heads acting as intruders...) there I've added a supporting adhesive pad.The effect will be to use the hull itself to carry some extra sound. The main speaker cone isn't actually impacted by the smoker motor, as it booms into free space.
It's not perfect- but it will work. If I go back into my erstwhile obsessive, meticulous, mode it will never be finished before Winter...
Then... I won't be able to get started on this below (inspired by your own handiwork! (...he says, carefully shifting the blame onto Raminator for any shortfall in perfection ):-

The T34/76 box only arrived yesterday. The Taigen T34/85 alloy/abs hull the Trumpeter upper hull will sit on, has been languishing under the shelf (to the top left of the box) for almost 3 years!.

[43rdRecceReg]

A little progress. I need to make and fit the exhaust pipes. Then I can complete all the wiring in the lower hull.

Cromwell 'exhaust' pipes

Cromwell exhaust pipes completed

Click on smaller images to ENLARGE them.
This is the process I used to make exhaust/smoker outlets for the Comet. The difference is, I used a piece of styrene tube one size up from that fitted to the clear tube, to support the mitred joint of the main tube, instead of a sealing ring made out of Milliput.

[43rdRecceReg]

Another small step forwards. The exhaust 'manifold' is now complete and in situ. I shall paint the tailpipes later, in suitable colours, so that they're not so obvious when seen from the rear. I also need some mesh to put in the cowl, as this will also disguise the pipes to some extent. As far as I recall both the Comet and Cromwell types sporting the 'Normandy Cowls', had a base of mesh within the cowls through which the exhaust was vented. I guess it was there to prevent animals from getting in, and making a home there.
I've also cut the motor leads to a convenient length, and crimped on the bullet connections needed for the TK 6.1s
One observation here, I've assumed that the terminal 'M1' is for the R/H gearbox, and 'M2' for the L/H one. In the accompanying instructions, the only hint at which to use applies solely to the 'Dual-current Driving System'- and here 'M1 is the 'main motor, and M2 the 'steering motor'. In any event, I designated 'M1' as the R/H gearbox connector on the Comet, and it worked fine.

Click on images to ENLARGE them. I'm not using Imgur images much now (they appear here full-size and un-compressed), as there's always the risk that when 3rd party sources go bust- or begin to charge, hundreds of pics can disappear from here. Even where the photos remain, they're often tainted by the logo of the company superimposed on them.

Cromwell exhaust 'manifold'

Cromwell-exhaust manifold in situ

The ends of the tailpipes are cut to a slope to direct the smoke outwards. This arrangement also makes it easy to refill the reservoir, via the tailpipes, without having to tilt the tank at a silly angle (as with a lot of recent HL releases...)

[HERMAN BIX]

Smoke direction
You think of everything !