12V or 24V, how to tell?
#26
Thread Starter
Oh no, I think I'll just finish up the paint & weathering and call it done. I just can't bring myself to sink anymore money into this thing when it is so mechanically un-sound. I don't even think I will put any sort of sound in it just because I have a feeling it will be doing a lot of sitting for the rest of it's life! If my friend does not want it back I will probably donate it to the Danville Tank Museum, thats if Mr Gasser has any interest in it
#27
Thread Starter
It is an absolutely beautiful day today here in Eastern NC so I had to get out and take a few photos. I am sure that you Tiger experts will notice that I really screwed up on the tow cable size! I went with what was on the model and after scaling it up from my 1/16 Tamiya Tiger I found that the diameter is .2" to small! New proper size cables and cable thimbles are on order, my fault for thinking the builder had it right.
Now to finish the exhaust and start to weather the thing.
Now to finish the exhaust and start to weather the thing.
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Old MSgt (04-05-2020)
#30
Thread Starter
Thank you for the compliments Peter & Mark O Caster, I have disappointing news. After I took these photos I tried to drive it around the grass and with the additional weight of the top and turret it still won't turn worth a darn!
If my friend wants it back then I will finish the paint & weathering and deliver it to him, if he is not interested then I may up the voltage and see how the motors take it. At the very worst I'll end up cooking the motors and then give the model to the tank museum at Danville. And if the motors take the extra voltage then it will be a drivable model.
I am thinking about one of my big 6S LiPo packs which are rated at 22volts,
I don't know if Old Master Sgt Mike has any plans on trying another Armortek event this year but if he does it would be neat to have this pig up and running (I know it's defiantly not even close to the Armortek league)
If my friend wants it back then I will finish the paint & weathering and deliver it to him, if he is not interested then I may up the voltage and see how the motors take it. At the very worst I'll end up cooking the motors and then give the model to the tank museum at Danville. And if the motors take the extra voltage then it will be a drivable model.
I am thinking about one of my big 6S LiPo packs which are rated at 22volts,
I don't know if Old Master Sgt Mike has any plans on trying another Armortek event this year but if he does it would be neat to have this pig up and running (I know it's defiantly not even close to the Armortek league)
Last edited by 1qaz; 04-06-2020 at 04:51 AM.
#31
Hi Larry! I've been admiring your work on this Tiger and, if you keep it, I'd like to see it (again) at Danville!
The Danville Armortek Meet is in question (as all gathering there probably are...) but if they hold it I'm going to try my best to be there. For the past couple months I've been build a King Tiger so, if I'm able to attend, I'll have to rent a larger truck.
As to drive motor setups, have you looked at those kits Field of Armor has? Those kits have large motors, bearing, chain drive, etc., and are very powerful. I had that kit in the FOA/Dragon Sherman I built a few years ago and they worked great!
If it happens, hope to see you and your Lovely Wife at AAF this Fall!!! Mike
The Danville Armortek Meet is in question (as all gathering there probably are...) but if they hold it I'm going to try my best to be there. For the past couple months I've been build a King Tiger so, if I'm able to attend, I'll have to rent a larger truck.
As to drive motor setups, have you looked at those kits Field of Armor has? Those kits have large motors, bearing, chain drive, etc., and are very powerful. I had that kit in the FOA/Dragon Sherman I built a few years ago and they worked great!
If it happens, hope to see you and your Lovely Wife at AAF this Fall!!! Mike
#32
Field of Armor uses the same motors I posted earlier in the thread that I use in my KV-2 RC Tank Combat tank. In fact Loic from FOA used those motors after working with Steve Tyng from the RC Tank Combat website. TTMS is actually Tyng Tech Motor System. The TTMS is a great solution for someone that is unwilling to build it themselves.
#33
Thread Starter
I have looked into the power set-ups that are offered by Field of Armor and they do look nice. I have been restoring things for a long time and one thing I have learned is that some things are not worth sinking a lot of time and money into. This is one of those things, by the time I did what was required to make this a reliable good running tank model I would have almost the cost of a Armortek kit in the thing and it would still be a fiberglass toad!
So far the only items I have bought was the extruded aluminum and bolts to get the warp out of the hull and turret. All the paint was extra stuff I already had and the electronics were purchased by my friend who gave me the thing. I have already ordered new tow cable material which brings the grand total up to $130.00 for cash out of pocket. To really do what needs to be done would be another $2000.00 or more which I am not about to spend, I would go with an Armortek if I just had to have a large scale tank in my collection.
I do however really appreciate all the input and advice, also the kind words about the end result.
So far the only items I have bought was the extruded aluminum and bolts to get the warp out of the hull and turret. All the paint was extra stuff I already had and the electronics were purchased by my friend who gave me the thing. I have already ordered new tow cable material which brings the grand total up to $130.00 for cash out of pocket. To really do what needs to be done would be another $2000.00 or more which I am not about to spend, I would go with an Armortek if I just had to have a large scale tank in my collection.
I do however really appreciate all the input and advice, also the kind words about the end result.
#34
Junior Member
You don't really need to spend anything like $2000 to convert to 24v. Suitable geared motors, used in many 1/6 tanks can be had for less than $100 a pair. All you need then are keyed axles, a bit of chain, bearing blocks to support the axles and a bit of steel to support the motors. All available off the shelf. The rest of the running gear doesn't need upgrading at all. I did one a few years ago and the latest owner says it's still going strong despite running the wheels off it. My total spend was about £200 (I'm in the UK). For anyone interested it's worth checking out a YouTube video on a 1/6 Nashorn conversion done by someone in the States. Good illustration of what can be done with a bit of ingenuity.
#35
Thread Starter
Peter,
I am looking at scratch building an entire new aluminum lower hull. All the suspension on this fiberglass lower hull is having issues, like the inner and outer road wheels are starting to drag on each other because the bearing supports for the suspension arms are working loose. If I were to just stick a new gearbox and motors in the thing it would still have major issues with the tracks and road wheels. The cost that I am listing is for all the 1/4" aluminum sheet to build a new lower hull along with the drive train stuff.
Then when this was all done I would still have a fiberglass toad upper hull & turret, it turns into a never ending money pit!
Many years ago I was given a free Challenger II clip wing airplane, the owner had crashed it and was scared to fly it again. After spending $12,000 on the thing I received a new airworthiness certificate for the airplane, new fabric, new wiring, replaced some structural tubing, brand new HKS 700E engine, new glass, etc...... When I was done with it I had a very nice airplane that was fun & safe to fly, but that is what I wanted. I am not looking to sink a bunch of cash into something that will never be as nice as a all metal 1/6 tank model, this Tiger is really beyond help for a affordable rebuild. Some things are worth saving and somethings are not,
Worth saving,
Also worth saving
Definitely worth saving!
I am looking at scratch building an entire new aluminum lower hull. All the suspension on this fiberglass lower hull is having issues, like the inner and outer road wheels are starting to drag on each other because the bearing supports for the suspension arms are working loose. If I were to just stick a new gearbox and motors in the thing it would still have major issues with the tracks and road wheels. The cost that I am listing is for all the 1/4" aluminum sheet to build a new lower hull along with the drive train stuff.
Then when this was all done I would still have a fiberglass toad upper hull & turret, it turns into a never ending money pit!
Many years ago I was given a free Challenger II clip wing airplane, the owner had crashed it and was scared to fly it again. After spending $12,000 on the thing I received a new airworthiness certificate for the airplane, new fabric, new wiring, replaced some structural tubing, brand new HKS 700E engine, new glass, etc...... When I was done with it I had a very nice airplane that was fun & safe to fly, but that is what I wanted. I am not looking to sink a bunch of cash into something that will never be as nice as a all metal 1/6 tank model, this Tiger is really beyond help for a affordable rebuild. Some things are worth saving and somethings are not,
Worth saving,
Also worth saving
Definitely worth saving!
Last edited by 1qaz; 04-07-2020 at 05:01 PM.
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peterws (04-08-2020)
#36
My custom 1/6th build uses PVC sheets instead of aluminum. It can be screwed together or glued using common PVC pipe glue. It can be as strong as you like depending on thickness, but it is heavy. The other thing is all of my wood working tools work fine to cut or drill PVC. I was able to heat parts to get complex curves and thinner sheets can be vacuum formed. It's kinda like styrene on steroids...
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peterws (04-08-2020)
#37
Junior Member
Larry great job on that plane and bikes. I wish I had your skills! Agreed - if the axles are getting loose it is a lot of work to rectify and if you're not going to keep it, it's not worth the effort. The ridiculous thing is, if an extra $20 dollars or so had been spent on a bit of steel and some proper bearings when these things were built all these problems would have been eliminated. Stark contrast to nearly 20 year old Armortek models which are still going strong.
#38
Thread Starter
Thank you Peter,
If I was ever going to get into the 1/6 armor scene I would definitely go Armortek. After helping Old Msgt Mike at the Danville Armortek show I was sold on their engineering and quality, that is the first time I ever got up close to an Armortek tank.
Like the old saying goes, you get what you pay for! And we both know what I payed for the Tiger 1, NOTHING!
None the less I am having an enjoyable time messing with the old fiberglass toad which is what this hobby is all about, right?
If I was ever going to get into the 1/6 armor scene I would definitely go Armortek. After helping Old Msgt Mike at the Danville Armortek show I was sold on their engineering and quality, that is the first time I ever got up close to an Armortek tank.
Like the old saying goes, you get what you pay for! And we both know what I payed for the Tiger 1, NOTHING!
None the less I am having an enjoyable time messing with the old fiberglass toad which is what this hobby is all about, right?
#39
Thread Starter
Other than weathering I am finished with this thing, today I completed the new tow cables which are much closer to the correct scale. After looking at the model I noticed that the shackles for pulling the tank are way to small, the new tow cables would never work. It never ends!!!
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peterws (04-11-2020)