ABE'S EARLY TIGER 1 BUILD

[Abe Froman]

The ABER cable sets are metal but really soft and pliable, They are easy to put together. The cable as provided in the kit is too long for Tiger1 tow cables. I made a simple jig of two nails banged into a piece of wood to get the correct length. The thinner track mounting cable on the side of tank is also easy and again benefits from making a jig

I see you have a reference diagram which is good, but just be advised there are lots of very subtle differences with tool and cable layout during the Tiger production run. This layout was often changed by units in the field. From memory there are about 7 or 8 different layouts of the thinner cable.

Hi Dogberry, on the thicker cables Aber suggest the cable should be cut at an angle to help both cables fit into the brass tube.



What did you use to cut the cable? Would scissors actually do it as the pic shows?

Derek

[Dogberry]

I used heavy duty kitchen scissors the type used for cutting chickens in half. The type of scissors you find in the wife's kitchen knife block. Heavy stiff blade. Cutting the cable flattens it and splays open the strands which is good. Fold the cable round the eyelet and roll the flatten end round the live cable and feed it into the brass tube. It is bit of a fiddle. When it is just in pull the live end of the cable to tighten it round the eyelet then use very thin CA glue squirted liberally down the brass tube to hold it together, use an activator to set the CA and that does it for me.

[Dogberry]

Sorry I did not the photo of making them just them on the jig- these are mine.

[tankme]

If I'm going to cut a steel cable for my tanks, I dab some CA glue over about 5mm of cable where I'm going to cut and let it dry. That way the cable doesn't fray when I hit it with the Dremel. Just a thought.

[Abe Froman]

Great posts. Thanks. Like the 5mm glue one, will try that.

Turret attached tonight. Tank on revolving cake stand. Time for detailing. Probably cables first (jig to do). Thinking last of all will be the skirts as can see these getting knocked and falling apart. Kitchen scissors worked on test cable cut, so thanks.

In addition to glueing (epoxy) the skirts on I will also pin them in place with small bolts and superglue into the hull as well so double secure. Prime miniatures make some tiny bolts so just need to decide the bolt head diameter that looks best.

Onwards and sidewards...

[jarndice]

www.prime-miniatures.co.uk
www.modelfixings.co.uk
I use both regularly and they are timely and helpful.
Recommended.

[Abe Froman]

Peeps, the Aber set for the barrel cleaning rods says that 1 of the 6 rods should be 3mm shorter than the rest. So in reality 4,8cm shorter overall in real life. Is this correct? Cannot see the point of this. Any help appreciated.

Derek

[Dogberry]

Abe, Unfortunately this is one of those thing you are going to have to research. On the Tiger 1 the lengths and number of cleaning rods altered according the date of production, some had 5 rods some 6. Some were all the same length. Some had rods of different lengths. A late tiger 1 had 6 rods, 5 980mm one 918mm.

Why the difference, I would not like to hazard a guess. Not without hard facts.

[Abe Froman]

Cheers bud.

Heading to the books and the web. My version is 6 poles..its just that one shoter one. Will see what i can find.

[Dogberry]

I appreciate you have some Tiger reference works but if you can get hold of a copy of Germany's Tiger Tanks D.W. to Tiger I: Design, Production & Modifications by Thomas L. Jentz, Hilary L. Doyle
It is a brilliant reference work for the Tiger 1
It has one page which is a time line of all the changes to the Tiger from initial production to final tank. If I had access to my copy I could look it up for you.

As with the Tow Cables depends whether you want factory fresh or used condition. No doubt cleaning rods were swapped between tanks so you could have licence to improvise a little