Special thanks to Tim @

Sunday, 30 June 2013

Finally got the jig sorted to be able to work on the tank much easier
Tank can be rolled to what ever angle I need to work on it
 





Put away to sleep in its house
 

Friday, 28 June 2013

Have cut all the suspension units and started assembling them

14 units, 13 waiting for springs then ready to install


Saturday, 25 May 2013

Have got the flat bar chopped up into 112mm lengths and made up a drilling jig to make the holes in the pieces.
Lots of flat bar pieces

Drilling jig for making sure holes are in the right place

The stack for one track

Cut out the jig for welding the plates to the chain and started welding. each track is using 80 pieces of flat bar, these are not light tracks :)
 
Jig to hold flat bar in correct place for chain to be welded to each link

Nate Sitting next to one complete track, 3.08mtrs (10foot)

One track rolled up ready for storage
 
Now to make the other one :)


Tuesday, 30 April 2013

Have finally received the two 3mtr lengths of 2060 chain for the tracks on the tank

Have started cutting the pieces to make up the main drive hubs for the tracks
 

Main drive gear cut from 10mm Mild Steel, the smaller plates will be threaded and will sandwich the hubs together 

Inside and outside track sprockets cut from 6mm, these are more for show as the main drive gear will be doing all the work 

 

Sunday, 24 March 2013

Video of cutting the suspension units



And the assembled units movement

Saturday, 23 March 2013

Finalised the suspension design and cut the first unit to confirm it working as required.
Am using a much larger spring in this version so that it is able to hold even more.
Version 1 and 2
 
 
Fresh of the machine as they are cut, very little wastage of 10mm Aluminium
Parts broken out, only a very small amount of filling on the tabs that held it all together while cutting

All parts ready for assembly, the spring is one of 3 cut from one bigger spring, the steel shaft is just for testing the unit, these will be spun on a lathe with a thread on the end as well



Version 3 which will be used in the tank, expected lift 17-18kg's