Re: Valentine Tank [TANKS]

["Marc en Wendy" <marcmethorst-at-zonnet.nl>]

Jon,

That looks like a solid frame, well done. I never thought of using the 
thread as a pivot point, that's a very good fresh idea! I think I have not 
seen it yet in this hobby ... the benefit is naturally the tight fit of the 
bolt and nut. Hmmm, very good ...
Keep up the good work!!

Marc


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "jon s kowitz" <jonskowitz-at-hotmail.com>
To: <tanks-at-rctankcombat.com>
Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2005 9:47 AM
Subject: RE: Valentine Tank [TANKS]


>  Here's the bare-bones start of a tank.  I'm designing "Be Mine" so that
> all of the track and engine components will be carried by the steel frame 
> so
> I can (hopefully) lighten up the rest of the body a bit (planning on 1/4"
> plywood, about 6mm).  The frame is sturdy enough to carry my own weight so 
> I
> don't see a problem (yet anyway).
>
>  I'm using a spring-loaded idler arm to automatically set and maintain
> track tension for me, hopefully it'll minimize thrown tracks and wander...
> The suspension system is likewise simple and (hopefully) robust.  The 
> pivots
> are just nuts welded onto the pivot points which are then threaded onto a
> bolt or stud and left loose so they can still turn.  I used fine-pitch
> threads (24) where possible to minimize side-thrust through jounce and
> rebound of the suspension components.
>
>  The wheel jig incorperates a handle at the top to keep my soft, meaty
> fingers well away from the sawblade while in operation (great galloping
> ghestapo grunts, I hurt myself often enough as it is).  Though it takes an
> extra minute to change wheel blanks for the next cut I feel the added 
> safety
> is well worth it.
>
>  Took probably two or three hours to make the first wheel (after turning
> out two scrap wheels before that, was having trouble drilling the hole for
> the bearings to sit in).  A lot of that was probably figuring out the best
> way to manufacture the bearing retainers (a soft metal 5/8" washer, though
> in retrospect a 3/4" one would've been a better idea).  After the first
> wheel was made I got three more turned out in the following two hours.  I
> probably would've continued working but by that fourth wheel I was 
> suffering
> a debilitating migrane and was forced to retire for the evening.  I'm 
> gonna
> try my darndest to get the remaining 10 roadwheels manufactured and 
> mounted
> tomorrow.  Then I can get started on the engine/transmission assembly, and
> then the track :)
>
>  On a totally random note, damn the universe for making Pi an irrational
> number... took forever to design a sprocket for the track (lol).  Well, 
> off
> to bed for me, or I'll be a little more irrational tomorrow than I 
> normally
> am...
>
>  TTFN
>
>