Rednjoey Posted September 10, 2023 Share Posted September 10, 2023 Sorry Johann I was referring to the amount of destroyed tanks in Ukraine at the moment. Its a scrap merchant's dream. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johann morris Posted September 11, 2023 Author Share Posted September 11, 2023 That's ok, I thought for a minute that my prayers had been answered. Evening All, The turrets on and I have started fitting out the inside, my goodness it's a cramped environment. I think the only thing that they forgot when they designed the tank, was that three men have to fit in, as well as all the equipment. Sorry for the picture quality, I will try and get some better pictures when it's all fitted out. It's certainly a lot slower doing things with the turret on as I have to keep climbing in and out but it's coming together now. Jon 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon_M Posted September 11, 2023 Share Posted September 11, 2023 Excellent work, as usual. People tended to be a bit smaller and thinner back in those days too. 8-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
67burwood Posted September 11, 2023 Share Posted September 11, 2023 Looks fantastic Jon 👍👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trcktfkt Posted December 19, 2023 Share Posted December 19, 2023 Any further progress Johan ? Great thread an outstanding work, very very impressive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted170 Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 Outstanding progress, Jon! As for the tracks, have you tried contacting the Goslings here on the forum? In their WW1 trucks restoration threads (about the Dennis, the Peerless, etc.) they show photos of all kinds of parts, for which they make patterns and then someone casts these. So, they know a foundry, which does take strange requests. Maybe worth asking them for the contact? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mk3iain Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 On 1/30/2024 at 3:55 PM, Ted170 said: Outstanding progress, Jon! As for the tracks, have you tried contacting the Goslings here on the forum? In their WW1 trucks restoration threads (about the Dennis, the Peerless, etc.) they show photos of all kinds of parts, for which they make patterns and then someone casts these. So, they know a foundry, which does take strange requests. Maybe worth asking them for the contact? Just a thought that may already have been mentioned. There have been adverts selling BMP 1 track lately from Poland I think. Do you know if that would be a possibility ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johann morris Posted February 2 Author Share Posted February 2 Evening All, Sorry that i haven't been posting but I have been busy on other things. I have looked at several other types of track links but I can't find anything suitable and I can't afford to have a set made, so I am make a set. I know, it won't work, I am wasting my time, I have heard it all but that is what I am doing. I have made 5 part links, they are not pretty but then they are only first samples, to see how things will work. The first and obvious lesson was that if I am to make the 216 + spares I need to automate the process some what. So i have bought a capstan to make the spacers, and a cnc milling machine to drill the holes in the link bars. Both machines are obviously old and needed some love and care before I started but they now work. It's like going back to the eighties when I started life as an engineer and very enjoyable but to be honest these machines are for my work life. I haven't programmed a machine for 34 years but it's surprising how easy it all comes flooding back. Getting the machines is only the start of things. The CNC came without any guards so they had to be made and then a drilling jig had to be made so that 4 sets of link bars can be drilled in one operation. The capstan was used and abused so needed stripping before I could even start to organise things. I tried bending the link bars with a manual press but it would take me ages to do the 920 required so I have made some very basic press jigs and modified my press by adding a air over hydraulic ram and hydraulic ejection fed from a hydraulic power pack that someone had thrown out as it didn't work. And then there's the welding, a very simple jig for the main frame but the jig for the horns is yet to be made. From what I have achieved so far, I don't foresee a problem manufacturing the links and I know that they will fit together to form a complete track but how long they will last is another matter but as they say, he who dares........ Jon 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon_M Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 Good to hear. It's not like you will be driving it hundreds of miles, after all. It does look like the sort of thing you could make as a Malleable Iron blank and then drill twice tho' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ltwtbarmy Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 Why won’t it work? You’ve built a tank FFS! Keep going, you are an inspiration. Now this really is stuff to emulate. Sheer determination, hard work, know how…….just keep doing what you’ve been doing all along, and if you don’t manage to give yourself a pat on the back when you’re done, send me your address, and I’ll fly over, pat you on the back, drool on your tank, and then take to your favourite pub, and buy you as many beers as you can drink. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rewdco Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 Fantastic thread! Love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johann morris Posted February 3 Author Share Posted February 3 (edited) 21 hours ago, Gordon_M said: Good to hear. It's not like you will be driving it hundreds of miles, after all. It does look like the sort of thing you could make as a Malleable Iron blank and then drill twice tho' I think that I have mentioned this before but If I haven't. There is a good book, well at least I think so, published in 1944 It answers lots of questions including that regarding the use of cast iron 12 hours ago, ltwtbarmy said: Why won’t it work? You’ve built a tank FFS! Keep going, you are an inspiration. Now this really is stuff to emulate. Sheer determination, hard work, know how…….just keep doing what you’ve been doing all along, and if you don’t manage to give yourself a pat on the back when you’re done, send me your address, and I’ll fly over, pat you on the back, drool on your tank, and then take to your favourite pub, and buy you as many beers as you can drink. Thanks for your support, if I didn't think that It would have a chance of success I wouldn't be doing it but I am quietly confident that it will, at least for the limited use that it will get. 7 hours ago, rewdco said: Fantastic thread! Love it! Nice of you to say so, I am certainly enjoying the project. I would have taken some more pictures but my camera has given up the ghost. Jon Edited February 3 by johann morris added text 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Hinton Dropbear Posted May 15 Share Posted May 15 Hi Just wondering how the track is progressing? Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johann morris Posted June 21 Author Share Posted June 21 (edited) Evening All, Sorry Terry I didn't see your post until now, the tracks, slowly. They are progressing but during the summer there's so much to do outside and after work in the winter......but they are on their way. Recently I have been getting the radio's, intercoms working. I had intended to use Clansman units but when I was browsing the net looking for rubber ear pads for the headphones, I came across the web site whrestorer. I bought a set of headphones and was so impressed that bought a complete kit. When you compare the headphones and throat mikes to originals, they really are the dog dangley bits, of course I have association with said company. Anyway the radios are in and the intercoms are working, I am happy to say that the slip ring / rotary coupling works well and the only problem that I had was with a Clansman cable. It was second hand and had, at some time, been repaired but before I soldered the new plugs on the end I tested it and all the wires were fine. However when I came to test the whole setup the commanders position coms wouldn't work. It turned out that one of the six cables had a break in it, I only needed three but sods law said that one of the three had a break in it, I suppose that is why the cable was binned. The radios are of course just covers, the main intercom box is in one and the other is empty, apart from cables. However, I have put 2 LED's in the wave length windows to light them up and so that I can tell if the units are switched on. The intercoms are turned on by the on/off button on the front of the left hand unit and the radio operators head set, throat mike plugs in to the front of the left radio, as per the original. That's it for now. Jon Edited June 21 by johann morris altered picture sizes 9 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Hinton Dropbear Posted June 22 Share Posted June 22 Hi Johann Thanks for the reply love the project keep up the good work. regards Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johann morris Posted Sunday at 07:04 PM Author Share Posted Sunday at 07:04 PM Saturday was supposed to be hay day buy the weather wouldn't play game so I decided to use the time wisely and give the tank it's final top coat of paint and then today I removed the masking tape from the wheels and attached all the pioneer tools, i have just got to now reapply all the markings. In the afternoon we played making hay. Jon 14 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatboy Posted Sunday at 08:27 PM Share Posted Sunday at 08:27 PM That is just incredible! Amazing work, I'm speechless!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolling-thunder Posted Sunday at 10:02 PM Share Posted Sunday at 10:02 PM Outstanding work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Preston Posted Sunday at 11:55 PM Share Posted Sunday at 11:55 PM Simply SUPERB! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
11th Armoured Posted Monday at 12:01 PM Share Posted Monday at 12:01 PM Absolutely astonishing what you've achieved there - wonderful stuff! 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Jeep Posted Monday at 07:10 PM Share Posted Monday at 07:10 PM Hi i have been flowing your build for some time i have a number of jeeps and i also make parts for 3 wheeler Morgan and i have the aluminium moulds to have them made with the lost wax castings if you took the track pad part you need to Congleton investment castings they could machine the mould for you then you can get 1000 made if you need photos of some of my castings 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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