M1A1HA, 9/18/23 update. Delay of Game, two week penalty!

[BarryC]

All 34 ART Retainers fabricated but not finished!

Here's the look I'm working towards.


Two weeks worth of work.



Overall view of right side, 17 retainers per side.




The one on the right is complete except the Retaining Chain and Washers under bolt heads. The one on the left has the Washers.





Not counting the washers or retainer pin there were 1086 individual steps (cutting, shaping/filing, drilling and soldering) accomplished to make the 34 retainers. That is what I have been doing for the last two weeks.

You know where you get 1” 1/16 scale washers; you make them! That’s a total of 68 washers punched from .007” brass sheet annealed to dead soft. Then require a #76 hole in the center of the washers to accept the simulated bolt stem.



Thanks for looking in!
Barry

[c.rainford73]

Barry I'm now convinced that you are either Mad ( I mean completely bonkers) in a good way.........

or a very sane alien creature residing here in the states toying with the idea of using your space craft building skills to fool all us humans into thinking you are an innocent man with above average other worldly modeling skills....im not buying it....

I'm going with number 2

Hmmmm:think:

[BarryC]

Thanks Mick and Carl you guys are too funny!

There is still quite a bit of work to do before I can step away from the Reactive Armor tiles and their mounting but making and drilingl the Retainers is a major "milestone"!
I made 4 different holding and soldering fixtures that really made the difference. The fixtures help immensely in "trying" to make 34 like pieces, though they are not all exactly the same. Without the tooling fixtures the task would have been almost impossible!

I think I need to take a short break from the Abrams before moving onto the changes and detailing of the turret. Dave at Forgebear will be sending me a set of Mato bogies for my Firefly today. When they arrive I think I will take a break from the Abrams and get them install and possibly do some more work on the Firefly.

Thanks again!
Barry

[c.rainford73]

Barry the idea of a break is well deserved and warranted for sure Sometimes the creative juices start flowing again when I turn to another build and can sit back and appreciate all that I have accomplished so far....

In the case if this build it is probably reccomended you take a year or two off just to let the rest of us catch up

[BarryC]

Carl,

I think I need a break from the tedious work. Installing the bogies on the Firefly will be less fiddly and will move the Firefly build along.

Barry

[c.rainford73]

Carl,

I think I need a break from the tedious work. Installing the bogies on the Firefly will be less fiddly and will move the Firefly build along.

Barry

I hear you Barry have to keep it fun

[c.rainford73]

Hi Barry how do you plan on replicating the textured finish on the applique armor that I see in the photos? (unless it's already there and I haven't seen it on the photos) I'm assuming a mix of fine sand and paint?

Also I came across an excellent video on YouTube showing a crew assembling your armour plates and sliding them into position on the sides of an Abrams quite impressive!

[c.rainford73]

Where's the video then? No good teasing the poor man with no show lol.

Only cos I want to see it too lol.

Mick.

Here you go Mick interesting stuff!

https://youtu.be/LjMq7_l55iQ

[c.rainford73]

Something tells me Barry will now reconsider his elaborate reactive armor kit and make each individual block removable with latching system. A feat only he could achieve

[BarryC]

Something tells me Barry will now reconsider his elaborate reactive armor kit and make each individual block removable with latching system. A feat only he could achieve

You laugh but my original plan was to make and detail 6 individual ARTs. Then have a friend cast them in resin and then assemble them in much the same as seen in the video.

I do have to figure a way to make them look more individual. Looking at photo them are not all in perfect alignment to one another as mine appear. They will also need to have some damage done to them to really look the part. I can still make them into individual blocks it will just require more mounting screws, one for each tile. Then I will be able to vary the way they fit to each other.

Barry