Once I have the top frame finished I will move on to the upper plate replacement.

Quite a good day today as I got all the heavy steel cut for one side.

I will have a lot of rivets to do soon.

That's about all the side steelwork done except for the rivets. All holes are drilled and I'll try and get it riveted tomorrow.

I gave my son Andrew a job to sort out some rivets but I think his artistic side took priority for about 10 minutes. Never mind. I will probably make the exhaust cover next while I'm on this side.

Colin Jones
 

Colin Jones, inspirational stuff
This is why us mere mortals hate you.
H
:salute: :salute:

Come on Howard, be nice now! There goes the Xmas list.
I'm in the process of replicating the exhaust cover and they certainly went to a lot of trouble.

I'm ever so glad to have an original to copy.

I had to put a hole in the 1/2" plate so I used my rotary table and milled it to the exact diameter.

A test fit and it's all good, So I'll put the holes in it tomorrow and do the rest of it.

Colin Jones
 

Great work, Mate :salute:
(grumble mumble mumble)
H

I'm having to make the cast exhaust guard which is quite thick so I found an old hydraulic ram of the right dia but it has a flair on the end. My cropper is 160 ton PSI so I know it had the power but it is a bit on the dangerous side. I'm fully aware of workshop accidents :confused But it worked a treat

I made the end flange, welded it to the guard and ground it to shape. I made a pair of hot rivet formers and riveted the guard to the end plate.

I needed an accurate distance from the bottom of the exhaust end plate to the mud guard so I jumped my program and made the guard. It had to be done anyway. It is 3mm plate with a 90deg bend on one side that bolts to the tank and the outer edge is 5mm thick angle that is riveted every 3" the full length. I was fortunate to have the old guards on this tank to copy from. As I progress with the fabrication of this little tank, I am understanding more about it day by day. By the time I have done the both of them I think I'll know them inside and out. Literally" It's quite exiting doing these instead of carriers. I'm looking forward to making a pair of turrets.

Looking good, I love to watch the progress and your manufacturing skills :thup2:

Thankyou Dave, you can't beat a good challenge.
I did the front part of the mudguard and drilled the end plates for the little bits and pieces to get bolted on. Very complicated for and air intake and exhaust guard.

Looks like it's coming together really well.
A great piece of military history being brought back to life.
Something to be very proud of.

Excellent workmanship! :thup:

Yes Ryan, this is some really good history here and thanks Petr.
I'm teaching my young grasshopper Andrew' how to use some machinery. I know some people might say he's too young but as he has a good interest and common sense I think it's good to get some introduction at a young age. He will have a much better understanding when he does this at school and I like his company in the workshop and hi inquisitiveness.
I have just about completes the fabrication on this side now.

The top section has a doubler for strength which is why there is so many holes there. I have put a few bolts in to keep it together, then I'll pull it apart, debur the holes then rivet the whole thing.

My grandfather had me working a lathe at the age of 6 (only a little Myford). It seemed perfectly reasionable at the time and nothing bad happened but I admit I would not have done the same with my son. It did however give me a lifelong compulsion to make things and an appreciation of craftsmanship such as this great display of ingenuity, attention to detail and hard work.

Really enjoying this thread. Thanks for sharing,

David

Lovely work Colin! As others have said...very inspirational!

Please keep the updates coming.
Alex

Colin.

Are those internal, longitudinal plates protection armour for the intake and exhaust openings in the hull, or airflow guides? Did you have to cut new ones, or were you able to salvage the originals? Certainly a complex item in its own right!


David

Thanks Alex, I will document and put up photo's as I go :thup:
Hi David, they are new plates and the original ones are still quite good but I have two of these tanks so I am just copying any part that I don't have on this tank. Between the two I have almost a complete tank less turret. They are pretty rough so I will be reproducing a lot of parts but that's the part I like to do.
Colin.

The part I made today is at the front of the engine and under the air scoop. It is quite a heavy little cover and made of some 6mm and 12mm plate. My press brake didn't like bending it at all so I had to form bend it a little at a time. Luckily it is only a couple of foot long. It took a wile to get the convex bend and concave bend in the exact location so I made the plate wider than required and cut both sides after I has happy with the profile.

Some parts I just have to cut with my angle grinder but it does a great job. There was a complex shape 12mm part which took a while to even work it out but I got it right at the end.

For a smallish plate to make it was most of the day.

That's the top part of it made. Now I need to make the rear angle parts for it and then rivet this part together. I did a test fit and drilled some holes and it is a very good fit. If only all parts could be made this simply it would be a 2 month project, but I would think it will be a 4-6month project at least.

..well said. Great thread!

Thankyou Frantisek!
I did some more of the front which now makes it quite ridged and really interesting part is a angle gusset that is hidden from view with the numbers 6 and 9 centre punched in it and it was probably done during it's time of manufacture. There is also a part number as well.