Maus

[MichaelC]

First of all Merry Christmas to everyone and thanks for all the kind words. I am quite happy with it now that it is running properly.

sassgrunt, its been a long journey. It started off as a Juckenburg static kit, fitted with HL KT plastic tracks. The boggies are Juckenburg stock but I have to scratch build axles so that they will at least roll. The stock kit has working swing arms but not sprung and I left it as is. The KT tracks are not quite wide enough, so the inner boggie wheels are not sitting on tracks. I used two sets of HL KT sprockets, one set as idlers and the other set as the drive sprockets. As some if you know from my other thread, I had originally selected a set of Mato 5:1 brass gear set that was fitted to my Matorro KT as the gearbox but had all kinds of issue with it. Basically with any resistance the drive gear would slip. The problem is that I had cut the lower chassis specifically for that gearset, so many nights were spent on trying to make it work but to no avail.

I finally bite the bullet and put in a brand new HL low profile stock metal gearbox and re-cut the lower chassis to make it work and it is finally running properly just in time for Christmas !

MichaelC.

[sassgrunt]

Thank you for the info, Michael. I looked at the stock mounts for the swing arms, and was put off by the fact that some had the "ears" broken off just in shipping. I figured that they were simply too fragile to use for a working chassis. But, you've done it, and made a great job of it, to boot.

Yeah, I hear you about the width of the tracks - that has been the biggest roadblock to starting mine, (same for his E100 kit). I tried cutting apart KT tracks and reassembling the parts in various ways, but wasn't happy at all. If there was a way to just make a curved end piece that would fit on the ends of the larger track shoe, that would look right and be closer to the right width. (Of course, you'd need longer track pins as well). All in all, your build is going to be the one for anybody else to copy. Thank you for sharing it.

[EddyK]

Hi, Michael!
You have made awesome and big one tank!!!
Excellent job!!!
EddyK

[jackalope]

WOW that is one fine job you have done there, very impressive!

[tomhugill]

Michael you've done a superb job on your Maus, it looks to run really nicely now!

If anyone else is considering a Maus conversion MK-modellbau.de have a few bits, this includes a set of sprockets and idlers which fit the tracks off a kysho blizzard snow cat and happen to be pretty much a spot on match for the Maus tracks!

[MichaelC]

Thanks guys.

Thank you for the info, Michael. I looked at the stock mounts for the swing arms, and was put off by the fact that some had the "ears" broken off just in shipping. I figured that they were simply too fragile to use for a working chassis. But, you've done it, and made a great job of it, to boot.

Yeah, I hear you about the width of the tracks - that has been the biggest roadblock to starting mine, (same for his E100 kit). I tried cutting apart KT tracks and reassembling the parts in various ways, but wasn't happy at all. If there was a way to just make a curved end piece that would fit on the ends of the larger track shoe, that would look right and be closer to the right width. (Of course, you'd need longer track pins as well). All in all, your build is going to be the one for anybody else to copy. Thank you for sharing it.

sassgrunt, there were a lot of epoxy involved to make the swing arm and the "ears" reasonably strong enough to be driven on. That's the reason I used plastic tracks as metal tracks would probably smash them to pieces after couple for spins. Surprisingly, the KT tracks looks reasonable on the tank so I never bother looking at making Juck's resin tracks to work or modding KT tracks. The sponson on the Maus is quite imposing and you really don't see much of the tracks anyway, so other than a straight on shot, you can't really tell the tracks are not filling the sponson completely.

I had thought about getting the duckbill Sherman tracks and taking the extra side pieces to fit onto the KT tracks, but as you said, track pins will have to longer etc. etc. Not worthwhile for the end look.

MichaelC.

[MichaelC]

machine, I have been eyeing the E-100 too but will have to think about it some more. The tracks was one of the biggest problem I had prior to ordering the Maus, and when I found out that it is totally static (It is not cast in individual pieces resin, but rather two long flat pieces and the individual ones for rounding the idlers and the sprockets like some of the 1/76 scales) I realized that I have to use something else to RC it. Since I am replacing the idlers and sprockets with KT ones, KT tracks was really the only choice. I am not a rivet counter, so as long as it looks reasonable, I am okay with the KT tracks and it certainly made things much simply. The track guards being as low as they are, the KT tracks actually doesn't look too out of place.

I think the problem with recasting it in metal is that the resin sprockets will not be able to handle it most likely. Also with the resin bogies they are not rotatable so you will have to fit axles to them as well. I didn't bother putting on a suspension so they are not sprung on mind. The resin is very brittle so I already have to epoxy 3-4 of them as they simply broke off the mount after running. Even with plastic KT tracks and sprockets I had a very difficult time with the gearbox etc which all has to be sorted out as well.

I made up my mind before I order it that I will not be using the resin tracks/sprockets/idlers so I ask Juck not to bother and give me a discount instead. Thanks for the offer as I don't even have the original sprockets and idlers so I won't be able to use the tracks.

Good luck with your build and let me know if you need any pictures or bounce any ideas on your build !

MichaelC.

[PainlessWolf]

Good Afternoon,
Michael, have you considered contacting someone like Woz that has a nice 3D printer to have him scan and print the parts that you need to make up workable plastic tracks and running gear?
Just a thought!
regards,
Painless

[MichaelC]

Painless, with the amount of work I put it to make it running at its current state, I am not going to touch it again......... I am considering opening the hatches and replacing all of the turret bits (hatches, fan, close defence and periscope mount) with metal ones and also then create an opening for the IR receiver and that will be the end of this baby.........

MichaelC.

[PainlessWolf]

Michael,
Very good, my friend. ;o) Following along.
regards,
Painless