RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

Hi folks!
I managed to make a little more progress. After having moved most of the Electronics including the 3S Battery into the Turret I was concerned about the amount of drag that would be created by the plastic surfaces sliding against each other. I want to add bearing between the Turret and the Upper Hull Turret Ring.



After looking around I found Bearing for the Taigen Tank(s) on the Taigen USA web site. Price is reasonable and shipping was free! Being in Georgia and they being located in Florida it only took a couple days to make the trip.



It took me a couple of days to figure how best to mount them and chain drill the location after laying them out every 45 degrees using a Protractor. Once drilled I connected the “dots” with the X-acto knife and files it was straight forward.

I had to cut all the way through the ring to set the outboard axle end at the desired height. This required the creation of a lower mounting surfaced that also needed to be spaced .020” deeper that the lower surface of the ring.



I filed the original raised bearing surface of the plastic ring down so the Turret would ride on the roller bearings. The Turret now rides mush smoother and will not wear down with use.



Thanks for looking in!
Barry

Very tidy, Barry.

Estnische wrote:Very tidy, Barry.

Thank you sir!

Barry

Hi folks!

I have been prepping the tank for paint, I know, you can’t believe it LOL!!
In doing so I have been inspecting and repairing as necessary. After finishing the turret, it is now ready for a good scrubbing, and it will be ready for the first coat of primer.

I started on the upper hull and got around to removing the seals that fit between the side skirts and the main hull.



When I went to remove the first one, I found that the latex material I used to make the seals had molecularly reacted (bonded) to the bare plastic both Held Long as well as the Evergreen strips I had used. In fact, the reaction was greatest to the Evergreen material.











Cleanup has not been too bad but what to use in its place, or perhaps as coat of a water based acrylic paint coat first.

TAFN,
Barry

Possibly a good quality UV resistant black electrical tape? One that has minimal shrinkage with age/UV/etc...

Example 3M 33+ electrical tape

Love the bearings, Barry (...and everything else, of course, ). Quite a few Tamiya tanks have bearings between the turret and upper hull, and I think they would be a great addition to all commercially available models!. They're not easy to improvise, however, but you have demonstrated a skilled and enviable solution to fitting them. One I shall attempt to copy in future. ..

43rdRecceReg wrote:Love the bearings, Barry (...and everything else, of course, ). Quite a few Tamiya tanks have bearings between the turret and upper hull, and I think they would be a great addition to all commercially available models!. They're not easy to improvise, however, but you have demonstrated a skilled and enviable solution to fitting them. One I shall attempt to copy in future. ..

I did something very similar on my 1/6th KV-2 a few years back since the turret is so heavy. You can see them in this pic:

Jarlath wrote:Possibly a good quality UV resistant black electrical tape? One that has minimal shrinkage with age/UV/etc...

Example 3M 33+ electrical tape

That was my first thought, I'll need to remove all the adhesive before giving it a try and see how it comes out.

Barry

43rdRecceReg wrote:Love the bearings, Barry (...and everything else, of course, ). Quite a few Tamiya tanks have bearings between the turret and upper hull, and I think they would be a great addition to all commercially available models!. They're not easy to improvise, however, but you have demonstrated a skilled and enviable solution to fitting them. One I shall attempt to copy in future. ..

It works well without too much hassle! I saw the method used by someone here, I can't remember who it was but not an original thought on my part.

Barry

tankme wrote:

43rdRecceReg wrote:Love the bearings, Barry (...and everything else, of course, ). Quite a few Tamiya tanks have bearings between the turret and upper hull, and I think they would be a great addition to all commercially available models!. They're not easy to improvise, however, but you have demonstrated a skilled and enviable solution to fitting them. One I shall attempt to copy in future. ..

Barry