RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

Shipping costs are a fly in the ointment for nice parts these days.

Herr Dr. Professor wrote: ↑Fri Jan 26, 2024 1:27 am With the "cast" texture complete (I think), I want to try adding a delicate detail. The T26E3 has four--count 'em--four periscopes up front, each protected by a cage. Here's a photo of the real thing:



guard 02.jpg


And here is the 1/16 version, begging for me to add guards.


Undo 14.jpg

I have considered trying to make the guards out of brass wire, but making one, much less four identical sets, certainly provides a challenge. I also considered that someone might have aftermarket ones available or 3D printed ones. What do you recommend?

You can make a jig to bend the brass and another jig to old the parts while soldering them, this way you'll get perfect identical parts. That's what I'm planning to do on my Shermans.

I can 3D model and 3D print some for you but they would be quite fragile.

[edit] Did not see you already ordered the Schumo ones. Ouch, shipping costs hurt !

Thank you for your kind offer of 3D printing help. "You can make a jig to bend the brass and another jig to old the parts while soldering them." Indeed, MonsieurTox, that's what I thought I might need to do. Another idea I had was to solder pieces brass wire together side-by-side, bend them simultaneously over a jig, and then un-solder them. That would have been less expensive, but creating the jig would not have been so easy for me. So I settled for the painful cost of shipping and made sure to add in goodies I could use while still holding to the minimum shipping cost to the U.S.

I am going : in my 1/27 update, I explained that I had ordered goodies for the Pershing. They were shipped about a week later, but depending on the USPS link I click, the parts either are still in customs or should have been delivered to me yesterday.

Anyway, I have all new road wheels and idlers painted and installed. Everything fought me all the way, mostly because parts tolerances for HengLong are, well, a bit sloppy. (I had to get HengLong metal parts because no Taigen parts are available.) Then atop it all, I had to add a track link to each side, apparently because the metal road wheels/idler are just a tad larger than the plastic ones. Drifting the track pins out and back in through six holes was a riot.

The result is excellent! The lower hull runs and steers as well as a stock Taigen transmitter will allow, and with the good Taigen sound. I am pleased with the result.

Herr Dr. Professor wrote: ↑Sat Feb 17, 2024 3:33 pm The result is excellent! The lower hull runs and steers as well as a stock Taigen transmitter will allow, and with the good Taigen sound. I am pleased with the result.

Good to hear Herr Dr.

It is funny though about the different levels of tolerance between and within each company. Sometimes it all just fits. But more often than not it needs to be massaged. Now that I'm learning it all I measure things at least 3 times, pre-fit things easily 2 to 3 times and always sand and smooth things out.

Keep it up sir.

I tried to use 3D printed ones on my Pershing that were made for the Sherman and for some reason they were too long to fit on the HL Pershing. I will be 3D printing some personally from resin. I can adjust the length that way.

MrChef: if you don't already have a calipers, I recommend getting one. They are inexpensive and I use mine frequently:
Digital Caliper, Qfun 6 Inch Caliper

And while you are at it, I have found these to be remarkably useful. All are available online here in the U.S.

G.T. Power Servo Tester Multi 3CH Digital Servo Tester
Hakko FX888-23BY Soldering Station
DC Power Supply Variable 30V 5A 3-Digital Single-Output 110V

Just the day after the happy post immediately above, I got the the electronics installed so there is room for the turret mechanisms. That very day, I found the goodies from Germany finally in my mailbox, and dove right in. Here are the results, coated with spray MrSurfacer 500.

Those guards add lots of nice surface intricacy to the front end!

Mike.

Ohh YES Herr Dr. now we're getting along. Nice details sir.