3D Mark IV Tank build

[Kaczor]

Very impressive project!

[Raminator]

Great to see you back in action Alwyn, and what a hell of a build! I'll be interested to see how the tracks and chain drive go.

I've used this for track pins before, might be a bit easier than that coiled wire you've got there!

[AlwynTurner]

Thanks for the good words guys, and thanks for the tipon the ateel rod, it wasn't too bad straightening the wire but bar would have been easier!

Alwyn

[tankme]

Looking good. I agree with Ram, I use the rods for my 3D printed tracks and they are much easier to use.

[AlwynTurner]

Thanks Pavel, you are quite correct, if the tracks ran along the top of the sponson there would be too much stress on the track and thanks for the input on how to minimise this. The tank itself was designed with a dual guide and support rails on the top of the sponson:

SWhen I posted my last images I hadn't had time to print off and fit the rails so here they are.



Hopefully these will do the job

Alwyn

[Pavel]

That's great, we think alike!

[AlwynTurner]

The body is now panelled and nearly readyfor assembly proper. It's just pressed together for now (it does click together to enable assembly without gluing).





The top panels are removable for electronics/gearbox installation and maintenance



Next step will be installing the gearboxes

Alwyn

[HERMAN BIX]

Love it mate.
Best you think of sales prices too, just saying

[AlwynTurner]

Well I have been fretting for days about the strength (or lack of) of the tracks I so laboriously printed, cleaned and assembled and after a number of tests decided to scrap them and redesign. A few small tweaks following the design of the track plate in the Haynes manual and I have a solution. You can see that the black track simply pulled apart when slightly jerked - USELESS!

If you look closely at the joining point of the tracks I have added a link between the protruding cylinder and the main track structure. This link is only 0.5mm thick but the added strength is amazing. I printed the grey track in PLA+ and I cannot break them despite pulling, twisting, yanking and the strength of the pla+ appears to be greater than the petg I used.

The unfortunate result is that I have to bin the tracks I have already produced and start again.....

Alwyn

[AlwynTurner]

Time to play with the gearbox mountings, I need to try and get the weight fairly close to the centre of the tank




Some refinement to do on the width spacing of the sprocket, I had to mount the gearboxes higher up hence the plywood spacer in order to clear the suspension etc.

Alwyn