Tiger I Late #133 Normandy Taigen/TK7.0 swap

[HERMAN BIX]

NAILS !!
Nope, use dress making pins, they have small dome heads that I have filed flats on as required to fake bolt heads, but nails will be too big for sure.

[MrChef]

NAILS !!
Nope, use dress making pins, they have small dome heads that I have filed flats on as required to fake bolt heads, but nails will be too big for sure.

Yeah "Nails"... Left over from my misadventure with the spare track mounting on my Jagdpanther back in the day...



NAILS



H'mmm only 800 pieces,,, I'm sure I'm missing one or two. I wonder if I'll have enough

You know what I meant

[Herr Dr. Professor]

As to "Insta Set," I use it when the part refuses to stay in place on the model even for a quick-setting CA.

A physical chemist explained to me the way CA glue bonds. CA molecules aligning mostly in once direction causing it to be very strong in that direction, but weak crosswise. (E.G.: in the CA glue advertisement of years ago, a tiny drop creates a bond strong enough to pick up a bowling ball. However, one could knock that bond apart with a pinkie finger just by pushing tangentially to the bowling ball.) I wonder if "Insta Set" exacerbates the effect.

[MrChef]

As to "Insta Set," I use it when the part refuses to stay in place on the model even for a quick-setting CA.

A physical chemist explained to me the way CA glue bonds. CA molecules aligning mostly in once direction causing it to be very strong in that direction, but weak crosswise. (E.G.: in the CA glue advertisement of years ago, a tiny drop creates a bond strong enough to pick up a bowling ball. However, one could knock that bond apart with a pinkie finger just by pushing tangentially to the bowling ball.) I wonder if "Insta Set" exacerbates the effect.

BSI is my current CA brand of choice.

[Panzermechaniker]

As to "Insta Set," I use it when the part refuses to stay in place on the model even for a quick-setting CA.

A physical chemist explained to me the way CA glue bonds. CA molecules aligning mostly in once direction causing it to be very strong in that direction, but weak crosswise. (E.G.: in the CA glue advertisement of years ago, a tiny drop creates a bond strong enough to pick up a bowling ball. However, one could knock that bond apart with a pinkie finger just by pushing tangentially to the bowling ball.) I wonder if "Insta Set" exacerbates the effect.

Of course CA Insta-Sets to fingertips to the exclusion of every other material I'll definitely look out for the product. I like the BSI CA but even the insta cure seems to take forever compared to the run of the mill Gorilla product.

That turret protection ring should work fine on the Taigen/Torro Tiger but I have heard in the meantime since I had long abandoned the late Tamiya Tiger conversion project it (and I can well believe it) can cause even more rotation problems on the Tamiya Tiger than normal which like most Tamiyas is beset with rotation problems due to the idiotic mechanism and super flexy upper hull and the realistic clearance compared to the vastly more robust Taigen/Torro

[MrChef]

Of course CA Insta-Sets to fingertips to the exclusion of every other material I'll definitely look out for the product. I like the BSI CA but even the insta cure seems to take forever compared to the run of the mill Gorilla product.

The brown BSI pump spray bottle is their accelerator or "kicker". Stuff is pretty amazing, dab some CA glue, spritz the kicker and it;s set instantly. Works well for the thicker stuff. The super thin blue topped stuff freezes in 1-2 seconds. Tis why I also have the debonder because it's so thin it runs like enamel panel liner.

That turret protection ring should work fine on the Taigen/Torro Tiger but I have heard in the meantime since I had long abandoned the late Tamiya Tiger conversion project it (and I can well believe it) can cause even more rotation problems on the Tamiya Tiger than normal which like most Tamiyas is beset with rotation problems due to the idiotic mechanism and super flexy upper hull and the realistic clearance compared to the vastly more robust Taigen/Torro

We shall see. The Taigen turret sits pretty low compared to the Heng Long, not as low as the Tamiya but I'm working on fitting to eliminate any interference. Another reason I want to peg the ring with the pins.

[MrChef]

Since it's all apart and I'm just messing about contemplating the turret ring. I thought I'd share the benefits of the Tiagen Turret bearings-

phpBB [video]

[MrChef]

Progress and observations.

1st

Did some tool placement before I resurfaced the upper hull and turret top. Felt like forever to fit the turret ring. In short it needed massaging. If ever was there a time to actually do the turret/hull job it would have made installing the turret ring and tool placement a lot easier. But if I re-positioned the turret bottom I found that I'd lose the cool bearings. Soo Nope.



Turret Ring Install and Weld beads. Mr. Bix those nails were such a pain in the ass to do BTW. I lost count how many holes I have in my finger tips now.



Almost forgot when I finally get into doing the weld beads I actually like doing them. Kinda mindless therapy.






2nd, Sooo the observation part is definitely the turret position this time. I'll do it on one of these things eventually The metal turret would be a major pain to modify the commanders copula. Adding the roof panels to indicate the 40mm late roof armor would be potentially a lot easier with a plastic turret. Looked at trimming the front hull extensions to the later cut out look but discovered that they are also metal so cutting them up would again be a pain. And something I missed but could have replaced was the later Loaders Hatch with its offset handle, center lock and counter sunk mount.

Onward and upward

[Meter rat]

Looking good. You definitely have more patience than I do.

[HERMAN BIX]

Supeb work Mr Chef, those welds are mint .
You could try adding a styrene sheet to the roof to give the impression it is a thicker plate.
Marking it all out to miss the big bits would be a pain but doable.
The loaders hatch would then be recessed and the cuploa would appear lower.
Just a thought