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Post by 506pir on Aug 27, 2011 20:53:28 GMT -5
Hey guys I am in the process of making a sherman m4 tank out of plywood. I have only began making the tank yesterday so it isn't really worth putting pictures up. I may put pictures of the beginnings up tomorrow. I will explain the process later.
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ackack
Private
12th SS Panzer Division "Hitlerjungend"
Posts: 317
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Post by ackack on Aug 27, 2011 20:57:43 GMT -5
I cant wait to hear more about this. What scale is it?
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Post by 506pir on Aug 27, 2011 21:05:24 GMT -5
Ha well sorry I aint really good at scaling or any I have some crude tools but they sure work all I can say is that it is around 9 ft long and at the top it is 4 ft wide but I did take the time to make everything in proprotion so it shouldn't look all messed up.
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ackack
Private
12th SS Panzer Division "Hitlerjungend"
Posts: 317
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Post by ackack on Aug 27, 2011 21:14:22 GMT -5
I want to make some sort of german vehicle. Maybe Ill follow your internals(if they work of course)
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Echelon
Private
Day Man, Fighter of the Night Man
Posts: 171
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Post by Echelon on Aug 28, 2011 7:40:32 GMT -5
Sounds interesting. Looking forward to some pictures!
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Post by 506pir on Aug 28, 2011 22:17:11 GMT -5
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Echelon
Private
Day Man, Fighter of the Night Man
Posts: 171
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Post by Echelon on Aug 29, 2011 6:27:03 GMT -5
That a willys in the background too? Dang, can I come over and play?  |
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ackack
Private
12th SS Panzer Division "Hitlerjungend"
Posts: 317
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Post by ackack on Aug 29, 2011 7:34:43 GMT -5
looking good
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Post by 506pir on Aug 29, 2011 17:00:37 GMT -5
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ackack
Private
12th SS Panzer Division "Hitlerjungend"
Posts: 317
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Post by ackack on Aug 29, 2011 17:09:53 GMT -5
What are you going to do for tracks?
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Echelon
Private
Day Man, Fighter of the Night Man
Posts: 171
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Post by Echelon on Aug 29, 2011 19:29:59 GMT -5
Where are you located? I'll come help!  |
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Post by 506pir on Aug 29, 2011 21:39:52 GMT -5
For tracks I will you some kind of flat rubber for everything to go on then place wooden blocks on top and cut them equal length and they will have equal space. Some of the wooden block has to be sticking out some so the idler of what ever your call the thing (pictures would help) and make the track move. Then on top put some kinda thick plywood. All pictures will show how everything works to make it turn I sorta know but V belts will involved.
Echelon I got the tank covered
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Post by 506pir on Aug 30, 2011 14:18:44 GMT -5
emob1137.photobucket.com/albums/n517/506pir1/image-5.jpgWell the shell is mostly done now I just need to do some trimming to the wood and put metal around edges and gaps. After that I will start to put the wheels on and make the tracks. Then to get the v belts and engine and all the kinda stuff.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant 
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Sept 5, 2011 2:51:10 GMT -5
I will be anxious to see how you manage the turret as that seems like it would be the most challenging shape to fabricate.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Dec 16, 2011 2:41:22 GMT -5
If I had to guess I suspect this is yet another project started with great intentions that ended early. I hope I am wrong as it looked quite promising. Years ago my son and I made two Panther tanks at about that scale and set them up on four middle mounted motor cycle wheels They were in tight so the vehicle could pivot fairly easily. On the outside we hung a row of plastic cut down buckets to simulate the track wheels (which were strictly for looks.) The vehicles were Flintstone powered and they rolled quite well on paved roads. Sucked off road where you needed a squad in back to essentially push. You could fit three guys inside.
We chose German tanks because they looked badass but mostly because they were all straight surfaces and with the side skirts you could hide the fact that the tracks were not functional In the tall grass they looked surprisingly good.
Back in those days I put on a series of annual WW2 paintball games and the tanks were essentially the hook. My son was about 10 at the time and was perfectly sized for the tanks from a scale perspective.
I spray painted over the wood with bedliner sealant and that protected the wood quite well in the elements for several years. I have always wanted to do it again but find a way to keep the weight down without driving up the cost too much. On a larger scale I always thought buying some old Ford econoline vans and cutting them up in such a way that I could build a Sherman around them would be cool. They are unibody so with the roofs cut out and such they would require a lot of frame gusseting for the upper surfaces. For the Sherman turrets I was looking at the large plastic water tanks farms use, thinking if you cut the ends off you'd have two turrets. We need armor!
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Post by netshark993 on Dec 16, 2011 11:15:14 GMT -5
2nd Bat, have you thoght of using a chevy vantura? (Ventura) from the seventies or eighties?(i know, I'm a ford fan myself, its blasphemy) they have a full frame, and the engine is mounted with an access hatch between the driver and passenger, I want to keep the floor and engine compartment, cut all walls out of it, and make a plywood body that looked like a tiger. the engine compartment is so compact, and holds a v8 that will go anywhere, its pretty much set, I even have seen a few 4 wheel drive ones. plus, since its a common engine, 350, you can buy an airbag compressor and a five gallon tank, that way when you run the engine the compressor for the main cannon is run off of the engine. it would be simple and cake, as for the body looking good while being functional, i want to do like this guy here:  |
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Dec 16, 2011 17:42:40 GMT -5
That's exactly the conceptual approach I had in mind In fact that "Hummel" Looks pretty good. In tall grass the fake treads really don't tell tale too badly at all and as mentioned with side skirts the fact that treads aren't moving isn't espcially noticeable. I didn't realize the chevy van had a frame and that makes big difference. Clever the way he facilitated visibility for the driver.
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Post by netshark993 on Dec 17, 2011 3:45:45 GMT -5
actually i just found out that i was misinformed, however you can put the bodies on a blazer truck frame easily, and you can use an engine ran compressor made for airbag systems to power a pneumatic cannon.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Dec 17, 2011 16:45:50 GMT -5
The Reason for the Aerostar was simplky one of driver placement which I believe could be facilitated more readily than most vehicles and certainly better than a truck. I didn't think any of the mini vans had a sub frame which of course is an issue. With the fellows Hummel I suspect it is a pickup truck chassis and I like the way he camouflaged the grill by hiding it in suspended spare tracks. With any water cooled engine of course you will need adequate ventilation and a ARV typically doesn't provide it. With US scout cars and half tracks they had shuttered grill covers. The German frequently hung spare track to the glacis plate at that provide air slotting that while limited does a good job of hiding the grill. For a Sherman or US tank I was thinking false sand bags that would cover the grill area but still allow air flow through the brulap. Heavily sandbag US tanks was quite common in Northern Europe and would further hide some shape infidelities.
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Post by netshark993 on Jan 4, 2012 21:59:16 GMT -5
I have recently became aquainted with an older heavy machinery mechanic, my plans for a tracked tiger are now a full possibility. i have a kawasaki 750cc stashed away, and while talking with him, i can push a 3-4 person tracked tiger with that 750. as funds avail, i will be amassing parts for this project. and i saw a stripped vantura on a trailor today 2nd Bat, and they do have a full frame from what i could see.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Jan 4, 2012 23:04:03 GMT -5
There are lots and lots of Youtube videos of assorted "Armor" home builds. Some embarasingly bad and some amazingly good. Some are quite inspiring. Well done armore employed at events really sets them apart from regular Airsoft skirmishes and adds a wonderful dynamics to the events. Obviously saftey is a huge consideration. We had actual armored vehicles at a number of events we held and it caused me to lose sleep thinking about the dangers but we managed not to crush anyone or pinch off fingers in hatches.
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Post by netshark993 on Jan 5, 2012 3:06:43 GMT -5
i wanna do onw like that kid from MIT made, look it up. can be found on youtube under paintball tiger.
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Post by shadycadence on Jan 5, 2012 19:21:59 GMT -5
Oh, you mean Will's tank. I've fought alongside that, it's freaking awesome! He's got a little diesel engine out of a generator in it. I don't know if your motorcycle engine will have enough torque. Will's even makes the squeak-squeak from the tracks. (although, he needs to refine his safety protocols, he shot Natasha''s headlight with his cannon firing a Nerf vortex and the headlamp exploded...they should withstand rocks...)
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Post by Rekkon on Jan 5, 2012 19:51:19 GMT -5
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Post by netshark993 on Jan 5, 2012 20:16:16 GMT -5
well, like i said, i have a friend who is a heavy machinery mechanic that likes to dabble in cars and motorcycles. he says it should push it, as we are making ours with a hydraulic drive. Rekkon, is that your tank? cause if so, i have been idolizing it for like a year and a half now.
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