Renault FT 1:6

[jee]

absolutely impressive!!

about your pictures, I think you are trying to post pictures that are too big. Maybe to try to use a program like faststone (free), to reduce the size.
Usually I post pictures with a width of 1900 pixels on internet, for landscape this is more than ok. For portrait I think something like 1200 should be ok.

My internet connection will also be happy with that

[MikeN]

What are the end plans with this, a static model or do you plan to RC it?

Originally I thought I was going to build a static model with a detailed interior. However, I realise that this wont impress my 2 young grandsons for very long so its going to be RC. I dont know much about r/c which is the main reason that I joined this forum.
Ive bought a couple of these beautifully made and ridiculously cheap 12/24v motor gearboxes from china. They have all metal gears (apparently, I havent looked inside)a lovely hardened and ground output shaft and i think I paid £6.05 for them each. Plus shipping. I gripped the shaft with a pair of pliers and connected it to a battery and i couldnt stop it. So they are quite powerfull.
Also bought a smaller and equally nice similar item for the turret traverse £2.70. They were so cheap I bought a couple of different ratio ones because I wasnt sure which would be best for my application.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/32568040 ... ry_from%3A

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/22518327 ... 15059306_5

[tankme]

The second motor probably won't have enough power for an all metal FT in 1/6th scale. Looks like it's about a 370 size motor which is normally better suited to 1/16th scale tanks. For smaller 1/6th scale tanks I wouldn't go with anything smaller than a geared 550 and would prefer a geared 775, 795, or 895. You can always slow a tank down, but you can't (easily) speed it up or add torque if the gearbox/motor combo is weak. For larger 1/6th scale tanks like my KVs, I prefer the 350-450W scooter motors running at 24V.

[MikeN]

The second motor probably won't have enough power for an all metal FT in 1/6th scale. Looks like it's about a 370 size motor which is normally better suited to 1/16th scale tanks. For smaller 1/6th scale tanks I wouldn't go with anything smaller than a geared 550 and would prefer a geared 775, 795, or 895. You can always slow a tank down, but you can't (easily) speed it up or add torque if the gearbox/motor combo is weak. For larger 1/6th scale tanks like my KVs, I prefer the 350-450W scooter motors running at 24V.

Thanks Derek, Im hoping to use the smaller motor for the turret traverse. The turret is going to turn on a big ball bearing so Im hoping it will be up to the job.

Sorry, Im a bit of an electrical dimwit. What does the 795 and 895 you mention refer to in this case?
also
what does a 350-450w scooter motor look like?
Thanks

[tankme]

I've used these exact motors for my large tanks. They are designed as scooter motors and have tons of torque and power: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/22518324 ... ry_from%3A

I thought about it after I wrote it that you were probably going to use those for rotation which should work just fine.

The 795 and 895 are larger iterations of the 775 motor, but typically only the 775 will come with a gearbox, but I believe the same gearboxes that fit the 775 fit the larger 795 and 895:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/22557999 ... ry_from%3A

I couldn't tell by the listing you posted if the first gearbox was a 550 motor or a 775 motor attached to the gearbox. It also didn't say in the listing.

[MikeN]

Thanks Derek, for that information.
It appears that I have a 550 motor which I think you are suggesting may not be powerful enough.
Looking at the specs it looks like the 775,795 and 895 motors all have the same dia shafts but my 550 is slightly smaller (3.2mm).
So fitting the more powerful motor may require a bit of re-work.
Yesterday evening before I came on here I had just finished fitting my to motor assemblies and had run them (one at a time) and saw the tracks go round for the first time.
A bit disappointing if I now have to change it all.
So, I think I will continue with my set up for the moment and see how it goes.
Or doesn't.
FT's aren't known for their high speed, so we'll see.

When I first fitted the motors they were held on with hex head screws which showed on the outside and looked awful.
You can see in the picture that I have welded up these holes (I clean up the welds later) and mounted the gearboxes on studs with nuts on the inside which wont show.

[MikeN]

Thanks Derek, for that information.
It appears that I have a 550 motor which I think you are suggesting may not be powerful enough.
Looking at the specs it looks like the 775,795 and 895 motors all have the same dia shafts but my 550 is slightly smaller (3.2mm).
So fitting the more powerful motor may require a bit of re-work.
Yesterday evening before I came on here I had just finished fitting my motor assemblies and had run them one (one at a time) and saw the tracks go round for the first time.
A bit disappointing if I now have to change it all.
So, I think I will continue with my set up for the moment and see how it goes.
Or doesn't.
FT's aren't known for their high speed, so we'll see.

When I first fitted the motors they were held on with hex head screws which showed on the outside and looked awful.
You can see in the picture that I have welded up these holes (I clean up the welds later) and mounted the gearboxes on studs with nuts on the inside which wont show.

[MikeN]

Here are some pics showing it loosely assembled, with a temporary back axle.

[MikeN]

This shows the articulation of the suspension




I would have liked to have made the wooden version of the front idler wheels.
But they were a bit too hard (for me) to make in miniature and I couldnt think how to do it.
So I opted for the slightly simpler all metal versions.

[Ecam]

Wow, this thing is amazing! Have you weighed it yet? The suspension is very good. Probably first time many of us have seen a FT's foot work.