RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

Hi mate looking good .

Andy

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.

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.

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

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

Nice method Herman

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.

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. !

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.

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