Panzer 2 turret

[draganm]

I fab small things all the time but things on this scale, in a garage no less, are just amazing.

here's a little inspiration from some guys who do PzII Luch's to order 

Panzer II 20mm Kanon.mp4

 

 

[johann morris]

Track return rollers shafts manufactured and bolted in place.

 

Jon

[BRDM Driver]

I've said it once, I'll say it again, EPIC fabrication skills!  I am assuming you have a well equipped machine shop? (Don't tell me you're using some hand files, a pillar drill and an angle grinder....)

You should have got someone in to video the construction process from start to finish. A lot of people, me included, love to watch skilled people at work.

There's a project on Youtube which is a series of build videos showing the process of putting a 4WD toyota celica engine and running gear into a mini. It's been going on for maybe four years now and has a bit of a cult following. Project Binky.

It's so popular, they have sponsorship and merchandise now! Their videos get 500k views...

Sometimes they take a whole episode showing how they fabbed up a bracket for something! It's interesting as they show the whole process including cockups.

Anyway, keep it up, we are all waiting with bated breath to see the next installment!

 

[johann morris]

Well Brdm, you are not the first to mention youtube but i have to admit, that apart from 3 forums, where i post updates on projects, emails and purchasing bits, the internet is not really my cup of tea. Saying that since your suggestion, i am now investigating putting it on youtube, that is, when i work out how to do the videos and everything else.

I would consider my workshop as basic but thats compared to others that i used to work in. I have a lathe, a bridge port milling machine, another milling machine, 2 pillar drills, a basic bender and a compressor.plus of course a welder. No cnc's, although i would love a cnc milling machine and lathe as they make life so simple and quick. Maybe one  day i will make some money out of this and treat myself, who knows.

 

The beginings of the track return rollers

 

 

Jon

 

[BRDM Driver]

Well Jon, the trick is to get the video out there and the viewers. Sponsorship could follow, providing more tools and kit and of course you can get income from ads...

Bad Obsession Motorsport is a good example of not needing to be a natural entertainer and letting the metalworking skills speak for themselves.

Colin Furze only does Youtube videos now and he was just a plumber larking about in his shed making crazy stuff...

 

Roll on getting a some CNC kit and churning out a a load of Panzer Tank kits!    

 

 

 

[johann morris]

I have been busy making the track return roller hubs. As usual, I have been using materials that are locally available, rather than ordering specific sized materials, so a little bit of adaption is required. The main hub starts as a piece of tube cut and machined to length, then a flange is welded in each end of the tube and then set on the lathe so that the rings can be bored out to suit the centre bearing housing. This bearing housing is then welded in place. A ring is then welded on to the outside of one end of the tube for two reasons. Firstly to give the impression that the material is thicker and closer to the originals dimensions and secondly to give the polyurethane tyres something to bond to when I cast them in place. This assembly is the reset on the lathe and bored out to the bearing diameter size and correct internal lengths. A separate ring is then welded on to the opposite end of the hub, for the same reasons as the first. Reset on the lathe and then again faced to the correct lengths. Each time the hub is reset in the lathe, for each operation, it has to be adjusted so that the assembly rotates true to within 0.02mm, so you can see its a time consuming process.

 

Once the main hub housing is complete, the next items that need machining are the two retaining flanges. The rear flange houses an oil seal and the front flange locks everything in place, As with the main housing its not a quick or simple process, hopefully the pictures are self explanatory.

 

Finally, the finished assembly and a picture of an original return roller on the PZ2 at the Bovington Tank museum.

I hope that makes sense.

Jon

[Enigma]

Stunning result.

I especially like your approach of using of the shelve kinda items and alter them to fit.

 

[johann morris]

Thanks Ed.

To be honest, it's more off cuts / left overs more than shelf items. If i use off cuts i get the material that much cheaper. Makes sense to me and if i wanted to be 100% accurate i would have to have alot of these components cast and thats a no go for me.

 

Jon

[Enigma]

You are right.

Why spend more money than nessecary. But the result will be soo good in the end. I am sure you will get a lot of people interested in buying it.

[paul connor]

I have been following this thread with great enthusiasm. Your skill in fabrication and engineering is inspiring.  You certainly should try the 'YouTube' route, I am sure many companies would sponsor your work and want to be associated. I have seen various channels grow and become sponsored from the likes of Land Rover parts dealers, to the tool manufactures themselves providing tools for a quick 'plug' of their goods; it may cut your costs and become very beneficial.

I cannot wait to see the finished product, and hopefully someday at a show! 

Keep up the great work.

Regards

Paul

[johann morris]

Thanks paul its good to think that other are enjoying this process as much as me.

 

Wheels, wheels, thats what i have been mostly making. Well only the one to start with, just to try my production concept and manufacture all the jigs that are required. The first components that I made were the bearing houses and flanges, really that's just more of the same old, same old. Then came the wheel outer flanges / sides, these are convex / concave depending on how you look at them, a spare land Rover rim came in handy as a press jig. The whole lot was then welded together and machined to ensure that the flanges were concentric to bore of the bearing housing.  Finally  the outer strip was wrapped around the outer flanges and hay presto one wheel. Only another 9 to make   

[Highland_laddie]

Hi, 

what a clever idea!!! another great example of what is possible with a bit of lateral thinking.  

 

Julian

[johann morris]

Lateral thinking, desperation more like.

At last 10 wheels, not quite complete but nearly, I just need to add the rib that runs around the rim of each wheel. I have successfully made one, so only 19 more to make.

 

Jon

 

 

 

[johann morris]

The first complete wheel.

 

Jon

[Enigma]

Stunning. The project is progressing fast by the looks of it.

 

[johann morris]

Afternoon all,

I now have 10 complete wheels, that need their polyurethane tyres, 10 oil seal housings and 10 end caps. I am in the process of machining the shafts that go from the radius arms into the wheel bearings and hopefully by the end of the week I can finish the welding the shafts into the radius arms.  

 

For those keen gardeners amongst us, a nice picture of the turf/grass roof on top one of my buildings that I finished and planted late last year.

 

Jon

[eddy8men]

i'll be interested to see how you get on with the wheels,  polyurethane rubber is something i've considered doing on tank wheels.

hope it goes well 

[johann morris]

Its going to be interesting to say the least Eddy but only time will tell how successful it will be.

I am currently reading the "A13 cruiser mkv Coventanter a technical history" book and that's one hell of an interesting tank that you have.

 

Jon

[eddy8men]

i have to agree with you there, just got to get the buggar working

[Tarland]

19 hours ago, johann morris said:

Afternoon all,

I now have 10 complete wheels, that need their polyurethane tyres, 10 oil seal housings and 10 end caps. I am in the process of machining the shafts that go from the radius arms into the wheel bearings and hopefully by the end of the week I can finish the welding the shafts into the radius arms.  

 

For those keen gardeners amongst us, a nice picture of the turf/grass roof on top one of my buildings that I finished and planted late last year.

 

Jon

Like the roof!

Whats the plan for the tracks?

[11th Armoured]

3 hours ago, Tarland said:

Whats the plan for the tracks?

Cunning & incredibly well executed, if what we've seen so far is anything to go by!

[johann morris]

10 completed radius arms and one fitted just to see what it looks like. I will be visiting the tank museum in August to get some more dimensions, so I am going to have a break from the project and see how much I can achieve on my Morris.

Jon

[David Herbert]

Is that starting handle long enough ?

David

[johann morris]

I will be honest, apart from fiddling I have done bugger all but I have been down to the tank museum and got the measurements that I require to start again. The journey down there was hell, 7 hours, an hour of that was spent in a traffic jam outside Marlbourgh, which turned out to be caused by the bin men collecting the roadside rubbish bins, only in Britain could that happen. I am waiting for a metal deliver and then its offfff. I decided in the end to get a jaguar straight six petrol engine, so now I have a spare 300tdi Land rover engine to use somewhere.

 

Jon

[BRDM Driver]

48 minutes ago, johann morris said:

I will be honest, apart from fiddling I have done bugger all but I have been down to the tank museum and got the measurements that I require to start again. The journey down there was hell, 7 hours, an hour of that was spent in a traffic jam outside Marlbourgh, which turned out to be caused by the bin men collecting the roadside rubbish bins, only in Britain could that happen. I am waiting for a metal deliver and then its offfff. I decided in the end to get a jaguar straight six petrol engine, so now I have a spare 300tdi Land rover engine to use somewhere.

 

Jon

What are you planning for transmission and steering? I wondered if you were just going to drop in a complete CVRT engine and running gear? 432 engine and running gear might be  bit too big?