1/8th Merkava Dor Dalet

[john]

Absolutely amazing

[jonger]

I started work last night on the headlights
Can anyone guess what I started with?
Jd

Hey some ones nicked my earphones from my mp3 player

[jdflute]

Good guess, but you're wrong.
I stole some lego lights off my boys, not that they would notice,



So I reworked them a bit to get the overall shape right, I am working on the lens fixings at the moment and then they will be ready to mount.
The control servo will have to change again as I took delivery of a smoker today.



A nice snug fit but it does mean I have no room for the headlights servo, I think I will gang a couple of mini servos as per my original setup.

Jd

[jdflute]

I chose it because I like it and no one else had done on I guess. As for kits,a 1/16th is a long way off I recon
Jd

[jdflute]

Had a bit of a spurt on and sorted out the headlights....



I wasn't happy with the original flaps so remade them in a thinner aluminium.







A little bit of adjustment and it should sit quite nicely, I'll then have to sort out the servos to finish it all up.

Jd

[sunray]

What an excellent piece of kit! I can't wait for more and thanks for sharing the build.

[jdflute]

I have been busy with the internal of late, mainly wiring and re-jigging components so that they fit together but an exciting development for me occured at the weekend when I successfully tested both the smoke and sound components. The smoker uses an ultrasound water mister which is designed not to upset the wife, but provide at least the sembelance of exhaust smoke, albeit white.
The sound is definitely loud, I need to programme the unit before I can really test its potential, and I will have a go at that tonight if I can keep my eyes open long enough. Trouble is that it is quite a complex system so I expect a lot of trial and error.
The headlight system is pretty much complete with just a 5 minute job to install a microswitch remaining
The other internal part I have spent a bit of time on is the interior as viewed from the rear door.



As seen from above



Not great photos but you get the idea.



I have only given it a rough paint job for now so that it looks approximately right, but I am reasonably happy with the results.

After all of that, I am left with the reprogramming of my transmitter which will allow me to control all of these bells and whistles. I am hoping to recieve the new board this weekend from Canada and then I will change the firmware as quickly as possible.

Jd

[Hein SA]

Very nice build Jd!
Cool suspension system you have there and super deatail all round.

Hein

[NickDonitz]

A fantastic build its like watching a great tv series pan out. Re the nylon wheels etc Pete (971wright) mentioned coating them however if you take the paint off or start with the bare nylon and then put them in a pan of hot water with 'dylon' in then they will be dyed to the colour of your choice you will never see white again then when you paint them if they get scraped you have a permenant under colour, This is such a great build i just had to help a little.

[jdflute]

Well it's a mixed bag for you all today,
This first bit is a little off topic as I took delivery of a programming board to install into my Transmitter, it's a 9 channel chinese built unit from Turnigy, and with the help of the new board and some Linux code writers I have been able to replace the firmware (Software that is hardwired into every electronic devise) with my one custom specification. I also changed the start up splash screen, I wonder if you recognise it?



I spent some more time working on the side armour for the left hand side sorting out the leaf springs and rivets



I should have a package waiting for me at home with chain and numerals to add detail, and after a bit of work this weekend they should be ready to mount. One thing I haven't worked out yet is the shackles mounted to the ends of the springs, they need to be around 3 or 4mm long by my estimate, does anyone know where I can get them. The smallest I have found is 7mm beautiful detail, but just a little too big! If I can't find any I'll have to make them from scratch

I have also done a little work on the stowage bags at the back,



I fabbed up a second bag in copper sheet, but decided that this metal would be too stiff for the top and chose to use the thin lead sheet instead



I did a test fit into the stowage frame, I noticed afterward that I put it on back to front



And finally I started making up the buckles with epoxy resin.



Tonight I should carry on with shaping the buckles and later I might play around with the idea of making the bags in lead sheet as well, but I need a reliable glue first.

Thanks for the tip on dying nylon Nick, I used a really nasty green enamel paint (all that I could find at the time) just so that I could see imperfections and it seems to have burn't itself intothe wheel, so I don't hold out much hope forgetting it off!

Jd