RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

Received the brass tube yesterday to reinforce the barrel and got it all superglued together, I feel much happier now that jobs done and the barrel is nice and strong. The main problem is the weight of the barrel as I suspected it would be. I am going to have to build real dampers to support the weight to enable the servo to raise/lower the barrel.



I had to go back and reprint the cradle support in order to sink the nuts into the pivot poimt, that was a time consuming exercise but it wouldn't have looked right with a couple of M3 nuts sticking out




The assembly is coming together nicely now



Started work on the damper mountings



I'm totally impressed with the quality of the prints of quite tiny components, and also with the strength of them. I am slightly over-engineering these pieces as they have to carry the weight of the barrel.

Anyway back to the grindstone.
Alwyn

The best part of all the hard work you have put into it is the amazing results!

Got dragged off my build to replace the roof on the bike shed which was pretty much rusted away. Anyway the domestic management has released me back to work on the nashorn so I managed to complete the prototyping and build of the damper units. I wanted them to be as close as possible to the real thing and to fullfill the same purpose i.e. balance the weight of the barrel.

The components were very fiddly and the size/tolerances quite tight, so there were several iterations of prototypes before I found a design that worked.

The bottom one was the final working version, here it is installed


Fully depressed barrel

With just one damper the barrel is raised and the servo will have very little work to do to raise/lower the barrel.

Now to print the parts for the other damper

Alwyn

Impressive work as always, Alwyn. You've taken to 3D design and printing like a duck to water; the gun and mounting look fantastic.

It's down to the fiddly bits now.

the barrel support required some careful planning before the cad work started


It just took one redesign and reprint to get it right though




I want to get the front superstructure complete so I can get a first coat of paint on.

Alwyn

The advantage of printing your own components is well illustrated by your ability to print a part that includes a captive nut.
Such luxuries cost a great deal more in the commercial world,
Lovely build Al. my progress with the PZ4 body and Turret are being hampered by outside influences including dealers cancelling orders that I had got all my other work relying on, and another dealer who so far has taken 14 day's to get my order to me,
And my Lady keeps on about some holiday/Festivity that she insists has an element of importance in our lives.
Shaun.

Thanks for the kind words Shaun. I know what you mean about the holiday/festivity thing, I don't know why it is that women cannot appreciate how vital it is to get work done on our tanks, I mean where is their sense of priorities??
Alwyn

Some progress despite considerable interruption with this festivity nonsense, putting up trees, moving furniture, connecting lights etc... Bah humbug!

Did some detailing on the barrel:



Put the treadplate on the front.



Now I'm waiting for a set of Panzer III lights and a metal jack. Just have to make a jack pad for the rhs front fender, and then I can get the first coat of paint on the outide.

Alwyn

Major progress tonight, I have managed to print a functional hinge 8mmx6mm so I'm having a small libation to celebrate!


I need about 8 of these things so getting a working design/print is a bit of a breakthrough.

We should start an OPENSCAD download section where designs for things like this can be uploaded and shared, I am happy to donate this one anyway.

Now for some more full-bodied Spanish Rioja!

Alwyn !

GLORIOUS

Right now Im sitting here drinking a morning coffee, wanting to celebrate along with you with something a bit more shabang !!
A good idea for the new section. Reflects the changing nature of the hobby.

Can you do me a favour & open a thread in General Discussion regarding this so everyone can chime in without disrupting your build.

While your kicking print goals, can you knock up a few Tiger 1 engine hatch hooks and King Tiger engine cover hinges !!