Cutting into the cast metal turret of a Tiaigen Tiger

[alamein]

I need to cut a largish round hole in the turret to add realism for the hinged escape hatch I have purchased from Forgebear. Any ideas how to proceed on this venture?

[jarndice]

Al Hi, I have fitted working escape hatches to a number of Tiger 1 turrets,
I am not certain, but if the turret that I have in mind is the Taigen, then when you remove the faux hatch you will find an escape hatch sized hole underneath.
Please someone tell me because I have modified the Taigen turret so I am not able to check my own Taigen Tiger 1.
If I am wrong (Again) look at "Toolstation" or "Screwfix" or similar outlets for a "Bi-Metal Hole Saw Kit" Making sure it includes a 22mm or 25mm bit. (About £20 complete kit) This kit also allows the Drivers and Radio operators hatches to be cut out prior to fitting the metal hinged working ones.
Shaun.

[alamein]

Thanks for your informative reply jarndice. :

Unfortunately there is no round hole, just solid cast metal, and after my recent experience of drilling just small, shallow holes for the loaders hatch I guess this will be equally as hard and difficult to cut into.

I'm rather limited and without the use of a reasonable workshop nowadays, as we now live in minimalistic in many respects, retirement accommodation.

[jarndice]

Al HI,
All is not lost, In the past I have found that as the hinge holding the escape hatch works free after use the hatch no longer remains shut simply because the hinge is not powerful enough, you are then forced to glue the door in place which makes you wonder why you went to the trouble fitting the thing in the first place,
As to drilling a circle into the Turret why not paint a Matte black disc instead to create the illusion of depth.
Shaun.

[alamein]

A couple of good suggestions there Shaun which I may deploy at sometime.

At the moment we are waiting to have our central heating boiler fixed which decided to break down some two weeks ago now.

Fan heaters have given us some comfort, and fortunately we have a working immersion heater with an efficient working thermostat so it could be a lot worse, ie. I could of been on the Northern Trg. area, Soltau, as was in the late 50's early 60's, when we were practising Winter Warfare?

[jarndice]

AAH Winter in Northern Army Group/BAOR such fun.
I am afraid we were spoiled because we usually went south to Smitheim on the German/French/Swiss borders for Winter Training with a German Army Alpine Regiment,
They refreshed our Skiing abilities which was supposed to be concentrated Langlauf, fortunately my boss was rather more interested in off Piste "black" runs, And as I drove the Landie, I found that I was eating a lot of Strudel and drinking "Ein Tasse Kaffee Bitte between downhill pure adrenalin exercises.
I remember one year toting a Belgique Army Captain with a broken leg back up the Autobahn past Heidelberg when a large Merc limo with a ski-doo strapped to the roof went past at high speed, We over took it a few Ks up the road when the straps failed and the Ski-doo destroyed itself, I think the most apt expression amusingly enough is the German "Schadenfraude",
It is always the same isn't it you switch off the central heating in the Spring when it was in good working order and you switch it back on in the Autumn and the thing doesn't work.
I think if you have an affection for Horror Films one I would recommend for unadulterated Terror is watching your electricity meter when you have a Fan heater on, You couldn't burn Tenner's as fast as the bill is being racked up.
Good luck raising the second mortgage to pay the bill.
Shaun.

[Raminator]

Unfortunately there is no round hole, just solid cast metal, and after my recent experience of drilling just small, shallow holes for the loaders hatch I guess this will be equally as hard and difficult to cut into.

I'm rather limited and without the use of a reasonable workshop nowadays, as we now live in minimalistic in many respects, retirement accommodation.

Having just spent the better part of 45 minutes hacksawing through the cast metal backplate of a KV-1 hull, I'd strongly recommend some kind of power tool. Something like a Dremel (or one of its cheap knock-off equivalents) would do the job and take up very little workshop space.

[alamein]

Thanks for the advice, appreciated Raminator.

I have an 18V micro drill which I used, but as stated earlier I made only a shallow attempt with that using a decent HSS micro drill bit, when drilling holes for the pegs on the loaders hatch pins?

However I have a more powerful drill which I may try in the very near future, but, 'By the centre' that pot, monkey, die cast alloy metal is a hard one to work?

[alamein]

Well I treated myself to an 18V Lithium-Ion re-chargeable drill which achieved the desired effect, using a suitably sized hole cutter.

I have affixed the replacement emergency hatch which I acquired from Forgebear which opens and closes nicely without flopping down I'm pleased to say.

I'll have to give some thought as to how I illuminate the inside of the turret and what I decide to depict on the now exposed face of the elevation gear and cam enclosure?

Fraulein Monika G perhaps?