LVT 4 build

[littletankman]

Hi mate looking good .

Andy

[nickmow]

Hey Herman great pictures. Like the carbon tube idea, do you think CA will endure road use ?
Also how did you make the springs, Ive tried but only produced a clumsy looking effort. I had what you've expertly produced in my mind but had no idea how to get there.

[GreenAmphibian]

Hi Nick,
Here is how I am doing it. I made a jig out of plywood the same thickness that I wanted my upper bar of the spring to be. I cut a small slot in it to fit the size of piano wire I will be using. I then drilled two holes of about 3/32 dia. to fit my punch or section of rod threw. I then measured how much wire I would need for my spring, in my case it is 6 inches long. I found the center of the wire and placed it in the center of the slot in the jig. I wound the wire around my punch by hand, keeping the coils next to each other and I started from the bottom so that the tails would be on the top of my wheel bracket when the spring is installed.

[nickmow]

You see, its easy when you know how !! thanks mate, thats really a real clear description, I will investigate it in the morning.
thanks again

[nickmow]

nother' questoion, do you have to harden and temper the wire ? or will it function with out distorting as it is ?

[littletankman]

Nice method Herman

[GreenAmphibian]

It will distort under pressure, so it has to be hardened and tempered to keep its shape. I use a propane torch and a canteen cup of water. I wave the torch over it until it is red/orange in color, then quench it in the water. To temper it I use the same torch, but hold the flame back from it a ways and watch for the colors to run. I try to keep the coiled sections at a bluish purple color, and then quench it again. I'm sorry I can't give you temperatures, but I learned the color method of heat treatment decades ago while on active duty.

[nickmow]

Man I havnt done that since I was in metalwork class in school ! thanks Herman for the reminder. Im off to the model shop today to get more supplies. Raining this morning to time to fire up the LVT factory again. !

[GreenAmphibian]

Here are some pictures of my progress on my LVT 4. I have been working on the cargo bay area details and mounting my gearboxes.

[nickmow]

Fantastic Job Herman, a real quality build you have going on there. Mines lagging a bit due to a busy work schedule but a couple of days of this week should see a bit more done. You know your going to have to get a Jeep to ride in the troop compartment and deploy out when she hits the beach
keep us updated
Nick