25 Pounder info needed.

[David Dunlop]

I got hooked on them a few years back, Tony. Have a Tiger I in the basement, along with a five drawer dresser full of upgrade parts for it, mostly Tamiya. Great fun, but a very long project in waiting I fear. While working on it I discovered there was also a huge interest in the 1/6 and 1/4 scale stuff, which looks quite impressive when on the move. Typically all metal fabrication.

Still not as much fun as the original 1:1 stuff, however.

Enjoy!


David

[Phillip]

Tony,

The grease seals are an off the shelf item - any good bearing supplier should have a modern equivalent.

The wheel nuts are the same as blitz, just watch the thread pitch as there seems to be some slight variation.

[Mike Cecil]

The 1/6th scale Armortek stuff is very impressive. I've been advising a guy in the UK with his Centurion Mk5/1 build - the basic kit then 'super detailed' to produce a scale model of a particular Australian tank as it was configured in South Vietnam in 1969.

If you are into models it is worth a look .....

http://www.armortek.co.uk/Forum3b/vi...4b79e8c#p51767

Armortek also produce a 1/6th 25-pdr under their Kompact Kit label. It's the closest to a 1:1 25-pdr that I'll ever have!

Mike

[Private_collector]

Thanks Phillip, I will speak with my local bearing shop early next week.
I tried a couple of CMP wheel nuts on the gun hub but they didn't fit. Felt like they would cross thread if I pushed them any further than the half turn I coul move them by hand. I'll try a few more nuts.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1-6-Giant...oAAOSwc1FXYZtS

Mike, there is a 1:6 Sherman on ebay now. Made of fibreglass and with petrol/gas engine. Price is $1900AUD. Quite heavy, and too large to be easily manhandled into back of the car. At least I can pick up the 1:16 ones. Also seen an assembled Armortek 25pr gun on ebay recently. Starting price was initially £800, but after a couple of weeks without selling......the price went UP to £850!!!!!! A stroke of marketing genius. Dont know if it eventually sold, but now I see another one up for sale. Definately NOT same gun, because this one is a kit requiring assembly, whereas the first one was already built.

I would love an Armortek tank, but $$$ and shipping weight make than an impossible scenario.

[Private_collector]

Didn't get the axle parts back on Wednesday, as was originally hoped. A medical appointment went way over time beforehand, so I didn't get there before his closing time. Next opportunity is Monday. I know they are done, I saw them there the day before, but didn't have the trailer attached, so could not retrieve anything then.

With the advice from Phillip that the inner hub grease seals were available, I called in on my local bearing shop yesterday afternoon. I must admit, I was trying not to have too high expectations. I have been disappointed before. You know the type of scenario, 'yeah, we used to be able to get those, but they stopped making them', or some such tripe. I was to be very pleasantly surprised. Not only are they available, but they happened to have some in stock. Two of them, in fact. Just the quantity I wanted! Additionally pleasing was the price, $10 each.
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Original seal has 2625 on it, and SITS PRECISION OIL SEAL as well. There is a patent no. but I cannot make it out.
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New seal is Alliance Sealing, TC12220. The number C5203 is on a seperate sticker, as seen in the above photo/s. Hopefully the photos and above information will be of use to someone.

Added afterwards: I have found some numbers on side of the new seals. These I suspect would be the dimensions, in imperial measurement. "2.625 3.750 0.500" I believe these are ID, OD, and Thickness.

[Private_collector]

Had cause to travel to Brisbane this morning. While down there, I decided to buy another tank.
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The vendor is same I have bought from in the past. Nice chap, who does me a good deal. I pickup on my way through his neighbourhood.
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The collection is growing, much to my Wifes dismay.
These little things are great! Can't believe I didn't discover them sooner.

At time of writing this, it is about 0005hrs here, and I have just finished adding all the detail and accessories onto the tank. We have had a very mild winter.........until now. In checking my weather station I see it is already below 3 degrees Celsius. By sunrise it could have gone below freezing point. Have just stepped outside onto the lanai to see how cold it feels, and I didn't hang around there long. Time to hit the hay, with an extra blanket, for sure.

[Private_collector]

They're back!
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Now to find the time to paint em.

Also discovered from the sandblaster, there is a fellow just out of town that has 25pdr stuff. I will try to get in touch with him when I can. Wouldn't expect anything to be for sale, but you never know.

[Private_collector]

I have just finished sewing my version of the guns slide rule bag. It will have three press studs to keep it closed.
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The rule itself will unfortunately be a simple piece of aluminium, cut to size. It won't be seen. I have not been successful in acquiring the real thing. If one presents itself, it will fit, but I doubt that will eventuate.

Wanna hear something funny? I ordered (and received) a number of footman loops recently, solely because I couldn't find the ones I already had. Since getting the fresh lot, I have put them away safely. Yep, you guessed it, I'll have to search for those too. The Bermuda triangle is alive and living in my workshop.......somewhere.

I plan to paint the axle parts and wheels tomorrow. As always, weather permitting.

Bryce is home from the army until next Sunday, so spending time with him will be the main priority. We don't get the opportunity to reunite the family very often, and he will be gone again all too soon.

If anyone has good photos of the brass bracket the dial sight attaches to, I would be very grateful to see them. I'll need to make one of those from scratch. Won't be perfectly same as original, but must be functional, because I want to attach the sight to it securely. If anyone has a genuine bracket for sale, please write me via PM. I'm prepared to pay handsomely to avoid all the effort of making an inferior copy!

Many thanks.