RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

Take some measures and we compare what is going wrong... The gap in the front in my PIV is less than a milimeter...

Edit: just noticed you glued the small side hatches the inner side out.

Rad_Schuhart wrote:Take some measures and we compare what is going wrong... The gap in the front in my PIV is less than a milimeter...

Edit: just noticed you glued the small side hatches the inner side out.

I haven't touched the hatches, Rad, they came like that from heng-long-panzer.de
The rear panel is around 7mm short of where it should be. Put another way, that means when the back panels are aligned correctly (i.e. flush), the upper deck leading edge is at least 7mm (over 1/4 in) short of where it should be..i.e. flush with the edge of the bow.

Hi, I guess by now you have checked to see if the hatches are glued in place,
I suspect not,
A tip, after you remove them you will obviously be aware how tight a fit in the hull they are,
I put the hatches in place (the right way round) after first cleaning up the hinge points then I cleaned the hinges and carefully pushed the legs of the hinges through the hull and touched the tips of the legs of the hinges with Superglue,
Even though the doors are a tight fit they are now working doors.
By the way my measurement for the rear panel is a smidgeon over 6mm.
Shaun.

jarndice wrote:Hi, I guess by now you have checked to see if the hatches are glued in place,
I suspect not,
A tip, after you remove them you will obviously be aware how tight a fit in the hull they are,
I put the hatches in place (the right way round) after first cleaning up the hinge points then I cleaned the hinges and carefully pushed the legs of the hinges through the hull and touched the tips of the legs of the hinges with Superglue,
Even though the doors are a tight fit they are now working doors.
By the way my measurement for the rear panel is a smidgeon over 6mm.
Shaun.

Hi, Shaun
After a spot of head scratching, I think the 'hatches' Rad is referring to are the little ammunition loading portals in the side of the lower hull? If so, he's right on that score...and so are you, if you are Rather than remove them- having pressed them into place with a 'g' clamp, together with a spot of glue..and risk breaking them, I shall just sand them flat (as per inside), and glue some little discs of ABS to the inside. 'Mother of invention', and necessity come to mind. The hatches on the turret are perfectly correct (Having seen photos to prove it..) This week, I've invested in a magnifying desk lamp to assist with objects that are becoming vague, lilliputian and elusive to my ageing retinas . Those tiny loading portal covers are evidence of the need..
Do you happen to know whether debonding agents will work on the (ABS?) cement used by Heng Long to fit that rear panel? I've ordered one, anyway, but most seem targeted at undoing superglue gaffes. That, in turn, reminds me of a rib-tickling case in the news some years ago about some hapless guy who kept superglue in the same cabinet as his 'Preparation H' (for piles). One night, when he had a bad itch in that dept- without switching a light on- he reached for his
trusty reliever..with dire consequences ..
I've ordered some 2.5mm plasticard from Station Road Baseboards. Two layers, maybe three, should just about make up the gap. 3mm didn't seems to be available.In any event, it can't be as bad as the existing arrangement. Whoever drew up the spec for the Asiatam alloy hull clearly didn't have the dimensions of the HL upper hull to hand... or did Asiatam ever offer their own upper section, I wonder? That would explain the gaffe of the gap.
Roy..really frustrated

Sir,
I and I suspect Rad was referring to the "Ammo" loading hatches in the hull,
I have been the happy user of a desk magnifier lamp for a couple of years,
Indeed there was a discussion on which one to buy in a thread on the Forum at the time,
See what happens when your off sinning or whatever you young folks call it
You miss all the vital stuff.
I used "ZAP 7" Debonder on the earlier Heng Long Plastics and it was most effective, but the later "ABS" is a different kettle of fish and there are 2 different products that I now use "BONDLOC" which comes in a 20ml bottle with an attached applicator brush and "EVERBUILD" Debonder,
Both can break down Superglues on ABS but do watch them in case the plastic starts melting in which case cold water neutralises it, When you have finished using the product do wash the area with running water using either an old tooth brush or the guests one in the bathroom cabinet
(A Joke My Sweet Honest).
If you want 3mm Plasticard I have always got it from an Australian Company, on E-BAY, Yes I did say Australian, I got this superbly packaged parcel 10 days after placing an order,
I cannot remember the name but type in plasticard on E-Bay and you will find them.
What I have always liked about our hobby is the relaxing and unchallenging way it lulls us into nirvana.
I think the word is FUN!!! But I might be mistaken.
Shaun.

Yep, I mean the small ammo ports in your metal hull.

Again, we could take some measurements and compare our upper and lower hull. We might discover something.

jarndice wrote:Sir,
I and I suspect Rad was referring to the "Ammo" loading hatches in the hull,
I have been the happy user of a desk magnifier lamp for a couple of years,
Indeed there was a discussion on which one to buy in a thread on the Forum at the time,
See what happens when your off sinning or whatever you young folks call it
You miss all the vital stuff.
I used "ZAP 7" Debonder on the earlier Heng Long Plastics and it was most effective, but the later "ABS" is a different kettle of fish and there are 2 different products that I now use "BONDLOC" which comes in a 20ml bottle with an attached applicator brush and "EVERBUILD" Debonder,
Both can break down Superglues on ABS but do watch them in case the plastic starts melting in which case cold water neutralises it, When you have finished using the product do wash the area with running water using either an old tooth brush or the guests one in the bathroom cabinet
(A Joke My Sweet Honest).
If you want 3mm Plasticard I have always got it from an Australian Company, on E-BAY, Yes I did say Australian, I got this superbly packaged parcel 10 days after placing an order,
I cannot remember the name but type in plasticard on E-Bay and you will find them.
What I have always liked about our hobby is the relaxing and unchallenging way it lulls us into nirvana.
I think the word is FUN!!! But I might be mistaken.
Shaun.

I like your highly developed sense of irony, Shaun...'relaxing' and 'unchallenging'... This serenity-inducing, therapeutic hobby has got me pacing the room (actually, clumping as I'm still using a walking stick)..and looking like a tortured Michael Redgrave as Barnes Wallis, awaiting the results of the dam raids..gnawing his nails to the knuckles I think it was the 'Everbuild' I ordered..

Rad_Schuhart wrote:Yep, I mean the small ammo ports in your metal hull.

Again, we could take some measurements and compare our upper and lower hull. We might discover something.

Hi, Rad
Pertinent dimensions appear to be:
Stem to stern- Asiatam hull: 330mm
Stem to Stern- HL upper hull: 323mm
That's a shortfall of 7mm, and the reason why the two halves can't become a whole without some intervention. Intervention meaning the removal of the stern panel from the upper hull, and packing it out with 5-7mm of styrene...otherwise the tank will look dreadfully inaccurate.