Crazy Joe's Sherman Rehabilitation

ALPHA
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Re: Crazy Joe's Sherman Rehabilitation

Post by ALPHA »

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PainlessWolf
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Re: Crazy Joe's Sherman Rehabilitation

Post by PainlessWolf »

Alpha,
Noted and acted on. I also needed a new set of the plastic Mato tracks for the M4A1 and Dave has the best prices as usual. ;o) Thank you for the heads-up, Sir. Joe's Sherman will get a belt of the brass ammo tho', the ones you so kindly provided with the know-how to make more.
regards,
Painless
...Here for the Dawn...
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PainlessWolf
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Re: Crazy Joe's Sherman Rehabilitation

Post by PainlessWolf »

Sassgrunt,
Thank you, Sir for the link to that thread. Useful and thought provoking. I would love to have a recoiling airgun one day. ;o)
regards,
Painless
...Here for the Dawn...
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PainlessWolf
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Re: Crazy Joe's Sherman Rehabilitation

Post by PainlessWolf »

Waiting for some parts and a sprue or two of Tamiya extras to arrive ( Hull guards and tools and a new .50 MG ) Tonight, I decided to get one of the ( for me ) hardest parts of this redo out of the way. I went out and bought a micro hacksaw and a good medium to fine broad file and went to work on removing the extra height on the turret ring that gives this tank much of it's off appearance. Pictures:

P.S. Only the front two mounting posts inside the turret upper require any material removal. The back two turret mounts are not on the bottom portion getting cut and sanded and still fit correctly without any adjustment in height.
Attachments
The other side of the turret  mounting posts showing the corresponding quarter inch height removal.
The other side of the turret mounting posts showing the corresponding quarter inch height removal.
The other side of the turret mounting posts showing the corresponding quarter inch height removal..JPG (84.9 KiB) Viewed 5911 times
Remove the extra post mount height on the ones inside the turret, not the posts on the bottom section.  Those have a lip to hold them tight against these posts.
Remove the extra post mount height on the ones inside the turret, not the posts on the bottom section. Those have a lip to hold them tight against these posts.
Remove the extra post mount height on the ones inside the turret, not the posts on the bottom section. Those have a lip to hold them tight against these posts..JPG (84.03 KiB) Viewed 5911 times
A perfect fit achieved by putting the upper piece back on the turret then laying a line of glue on the flat bottom and lining it up using the mounting posts.
A perfect fit achieved by putting the upper piece back on the turret then laying a line of glue on the flat bottom and lining it up using the mounting posts.
Glued using the Ultra Control Gel by Loctite.
Glued using the Ultra Control Gel by Loctite.
Five minutes of careful sawing and 30+ minutes of medium to fine plastic removal and smoothing yield the desired flat surface.
Five minutes of careful sawing and 30+ minutes of medium to fine plastic removal and smoothing yield the desired flat surface.
Five minutes of careful sawing and 30+ minutes of medium to fine plastic removal and smoothing yield the desired flat surface..JPG (95.17 KiB) Viewed 5911 times
Sometimes, only hand tools will do.
Sometimes, only hand tools will do.
Cut flat and neat with the mini Hacksaw with a 24 tpi blade.  Time to file it down...
Cut flat and neat with the mini Hacksaw with a 24 tpi blade. Time to file it down...
Starting out to remove the quarter inch rise that gives this tank much of it's toy-like appearance.
Starting out to remove the quarter inch rise that gives this tank much of it's toy-like appearance.
...Here for the Dawn...
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PainlessWolf
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Re: Crazy Joe's Sherman Rehabilitation

Post by PainlessWolf »

Nothing in the post today but I sense a nearness of neat stuff. ;o) Tonight was a fun night after the tense work I did yesterday. I thought over how to put clear covers in the empty vision ports in the commander's cupola while I had access to the underside of it. I was about to cut and glue some clear acetate when I saw the thicker frosted and self adhesive large slider disks left over from the Maxene build. Large ones don't usually work as turret race sliders so I always have a few left laying around. I cut them in half and used a couple of drops of glue for a permanent mount. I drilled out the storage mount for the .50 cal next and then added a periscope guard to the loader's hatch as well as a workable MG barrel brace. Fun, easy stuff. Looking forward to tomorrow. Pictures:
Attachments
Brace lowered for combat
Brace lowered for combat
Brace lowered for combat.JPG (86.05 KiB) Viewed 5878 times
Some Loader Hatch detail, a periscope guard and a workable MG barrel brace
Some Loader Hatch detail, a periscope guard and a workable MG barrel brace
Some Loader Hatch detail, a periscope guard and a workable MG barrel brace.JPG (94.37 KiB) Viewed 5878 times
Drilled out the .50 cal MG storage mount just in case it is ever needed
Drilled out the .50 cal MG storage mount just in case it is ever needed
Drilled out the .50 cal MG storage mount just in case it is ever needed.JPG (80.78 KiB) Viewed 5878 times
Ready made vision blocks, cut a self adhesive slider disk in half and use a couple of drops of SG to make sure it stays put.
Ready made vision blocks, cut a self adhesive slider disk in half and use a couple of drops of SG to make sure it stays put.
Ready made vision blocks, cut a self adhesive slider disk in half and use a couple of drops of SG to make sure it stays put..JPG (85.24 KiB) Viewed 5878 times
Corrected turret height
Corrected turret height
Corrected turret height.JPG (95.49 KiB) Viewed 5878 times
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ALPHA
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Re: Crazy Joe's Sherman Rehabilitation

Post by ALPHA »

Lookin Good Painless :thumbup:

ALPHA
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PainlessWolf
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Re: Crazy Joe's Sherman Rehabilitation

Post by PainlessWolf »

Alpha,
Thank you, my Friend. ;o) I made a list of things that I wanted to do this time so I wouldn't space anything out.
regards,
Painless
...Here for the Dawn...
ALPHA
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Re: Crazy Joe's Sherman Rehabilitation

Post by ALPHA »

PainlessWolf wrote:Alpha,
Thank you, my Friend. ;o) I made a list of things that I wanted to do this time so I wouldn't space anything out.
regards,
Painless
:haha: :haha: :haha: That's way better than what I do Painless... I build by the "fly by the seat of your pants theory" :haha: ...and go in with a lot of reckless abandon 8O
probably why I have to fabricate so much :haha:

For me it's fun...part of the adventure..and learning experience :D

Now.. did you fabricate your own periscope guards or where they left overs from your previous build? :think:

Carpe Diem SirImage

ALPHA
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PainlessWolf
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Re: Crazy Joe's Sherman Rehabilitation

Post by PainlessWolf »

Alpha,
The periscope guard on the turret is left over from Maxene's build. The MG brace is part of the lot of spares that you sent me. ;o) I reuse and make what I can. I'm happy to say that help from you and Sassgrunt and the overall condition of the tank and availability of cheap spares have kept costs low.
warm regards,
Painless
...Here for the Dawn...
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PainlessWolf
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Re: Crazy Joe's Sherman Rehabilitation

Post by PainlessWolf »

Nothing in the post today but it's all close, I can feel it. I've switched plans to having this redo complete in two weeks when I am ready to start buying KV-2 parts. I am not a Tanking Machine like Phil, Sassgrunt or Tom to run and keep track of multiple builds. Tonight, I had some more fun working on the turret and beginning on the upper hull. I managed to make a couple of grab handles out of a spare Tiger 1 track pin and mounted a new Commander's vane sight I had prepped some time ago. I drilled out the smoke grenade launcher and fitted an inside barrel to it since 'In The Mood' did not have the external tube and cap like 'Maxene'. I put a pad on the Commander's hatch and finished up by drilling out the bow MG to accept a Tamiya fiberoptic piece to brighten up that gun when it fires. Pictures:
Attachments
Tamiya mod on the bow MG
Tamiya mod on the bow MG
Tamiya mod on the bow MG.JPG (93.3 KiB) Viewed 5825 times
Commander's hatch pad
Commander's hatch pad
Commander's hatch pad.JPG (71.72 KiB) Viewed 5825 times
Drilled and barreled smoke grenade launcher   After I saw this picture, I sanded the shaft edges smooth
Drilled and barreled smoke grenade launcher After I saw this picture, I sanded the shaft edges smooth
Drilled and barreled smoke grenade launcher After I saw this picture, I sanded the shaft edges smooth.JPG (77.85 KiB) Viewed 5825 times
Turret hatch handles
Turret hatch handles
Turret hatch handles.JPG (99.6 KiB) Viewed 5825 times
Drilled Commander's Vane Sight
Drilled Commander's Vane Sight
Drilled Commander's Vane Sight.JPG (76.92 KiB) Viewed 5825 times
...Here for the Dawn...
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