Comet A34 Scratch build

[wibblywobbly]

Got a bit more done, things are a lot quicker and easier when its only styrene sheets to measure and cut up. also did a turret ring, complete with the sloped pieces that go down the side of the hull. Finding a pic of a Comet with the turret off was a challenge but the Isle of Wight tank museum had one. I took a flying guess between the Bronco 1/35 scale model, the guys who is building a 1/6 scale on the Armourtek site and various other pics to figure out where to cut the circle...if its wrong its too late now...

[wibblywobbly]

Not got a lot done, been faffing about with the new printer, and I'm on the verge of handing it to someone to get it configured properly for £50. There is something that I am not seeing in the software, and it is doing my head in.

Anyway, as the old one is still going strong, I have done a bit more.

[Glasgowtanker]

Awesome build, wish I had your drawing skill mate, watching with interest. There's really not enough British tanks about

[wibblywobbly]

Thanks, the designing is definitely the time consuming part. I should really get on with it but I keep having to do other things, and I never leave the printer while it is running in case something goes wrong. The turret ring is all in, I used a Bulldog ring which just about fits. The recoil will be easy, I will just edit an existing file.

[AlwynTurner]

I know exactly what you mean about not leaving the printer Rob, especially after the recent problems with mine. I finally got a response from my printer supplier and they sent me the STL files to print off new parts, but as I had already redesigned and printed them it was a bit pointless, at least I got a response.

The build is progressing brilliantly and I am following with great interest (and envy )

Alwyn

[wibblywobbly]

i was amazed at my supplier for the Smartrap. They are based in Eastern Europe somewhere. They fell over themselves to help me when I bought it, sent a replacement hotend as the original was faulty (not their fault), and 18 months later I asked them how much they would charge for some replacement bearing carriers ...they not only offered to send me a complete set of newly designed replacement parts, which I declined as the rest of the printer is ok, they also sent me free of charge two sets of the cracked parts. All of the parts are on their website, so I have downloaded all of them so that I can print anything I want at any time in the future.

The one thing that does amaze me is the difference in quality between what is printed on a home printer, and what the printer manufacturers can achieve, its like night and day.

[AlwynTurner]

Unfortunately it's the other way round with my components, the one's I've printed are far better quality than the supplied ones. I think they used PLA and also didn't print to a very high quality level whilst mine are ABS and with thin print levels and high percentage infill - I'm taking no chances this time.

Alwyn

[wibblywobbly]

Did the exhaust and rear, and in doing so solved a puzzle about how the upper hull was constructed, so had to do a bit of surgery, but its all back on track now. My printer nozzle has seen better days, I have a top notch hotend that has been sat here for weeks and should really fit it but I'll keep putting it off...

[c.rainford73]

This tank is really coming together nicely

[wibblywobbly]

After a couple of attempts I managed to get the drivers hatch and machine gun with all of the details on them. The rear side vents are also attached. There isn't a massive amount to now, it's just finding the time to do it.