3 Ton Tank - Page 2

**kentyler** · #11 04-29-2012, 02:05 PM

looks like the "rivit" attachments didn't make it into their post... so i'll put them in this one

i painted the rivits to see how they would look,
and then cut out a side piece (which will have larger rivits) and held it up next to the bottom... just to get a feel of the size of the model

**kentyler** · #12 05-06-2012, 07:55 AM

i used some old foamcore to brace the sides, since this prototype won't get an interior

**kentyler** · #13 05-06-2012, 07:57 AM

these 2 pictures show that the side panels were a little short (judged by the length of the top plate) when i re-checked the plans they had were not drawn all the way out to the edge of the panel. So I redrew them.

the second picture shows the new panels in place

**kentyler** · #14 05-06-2012, 08:03 AM

first the plate that goes across the back of the driver's compartment...

then this next series shows the fitting of the rear panels, which all fit into each other at an angle.

i cut out a template to give the external shape in cross section in order to get the correct angle and used tape to fasten the panels together

in the end the last 2 side panels did not fit... they were a little short

**kentyler** · #15 05-06-2012, 08:05 AM

i ended up having to draw the angled side panels about 3 times, and then narrow down the rear panel that joins them... until i finally got them all to line up with each other

**kentyler** · #16 05-06-2012, 08:08 AM

then i had to add about an 1/8 of an inch to the rear of the engine doors, so that they would fit

the next step will be to mock up some of the sub assemblies, the engines the tracks and the drive chain

**kentyler** · #17 06-02-2012, 10:36 AM

somehow my last post missed the pictures

the general process
1) reverse the paper in front of a light source
2) mark the rivits with a pencil
3) turn the paper back over, punch out the rivits on a rubber matt
4) i tried "sharpening" up their edges by then punching again lightly with a piece of tubing, but it didn't have much effect

then a picture of the rivits painted

**kentyler** · #18 06-02-2012, 10:43 AM

when i came to the "idlers" i decided to try a new technique

they look like small wheel rims. rather than try to make them as cylinders and circles and end up with "square corners" i decided to make some "rounded" pieces

i cut a male/female mold out of some small wood (ice cream sticks), wet the paper and "pressed" it between the 2 molds

i found that i had to be careful so that the paper would not tear when being pressed into shape

after the pressed paper was dry i cut out the pieces... in some cases i drew a pencil line around the piece to help get a "clean" edge when i cut them

then i glued them together. i made the rims in 3 pieces, outer rim, inner rim and the raised cone that is in the middle of the inner rim

them still show a "seam" between the outer and inner rim, but i like the overall effect

**kentyler** · #19 06-02-2012, 10:46 AM

i cut small wooden spindles to join the 2 sides together

i tried the width against the track i'm in the process of building

then i glued them together

a coat of paint lets me see how they'll look
p.s. you can see one of the "molds" in the background of the painted shot

**kentyler** · #20 06-02-2012, 10:50 AM

the idlers are connected by what looks like the front axle spring of the Model T Ford

my pictures seem to show it with one end slightly shortened

i drew strips to the width (getting the width from the fact that it had to fit between the idlers) and then bent the strips against the side view drawing to cut them to length and glue up the spring... now i have to do it again but scan all the strips before gluing so i can get the lengths for the model plans

the ends of the spring bend round the spindles of the idlers