Been a busy week, but I do love to see guns in them openings!

The barrels were scaled from the few known dimensions available on t'web, but will look a bit chunkier under a coat of paint. Images of the real thing (in that coastal battery) show the same effect due to perspective - side-on or slightly turned away the guns look skinny, but from the front they look huge.

Can't wait to see how you build the mounts!

Glad to see you're back working on this Mike! Looking forward to the next update.

Regards,
Kobus

Actual work update!

Figured out the inside angles and made four initial supports for the barrel mounts. Determined the diameter allowable inside and used some old oak and a holesaw and made the actual mounts.



Wrapped the oak with some thin styrene stock.


(and managed to coat all eight finger tips and one thumb with the gel adhesive )

More or less how the mount will be put inside. I will put some small pieces of stock styrene between the left and right mounting uprights to seal off the mounts and the turret hull (so that one cannot look inside beyond the mounts).


Fire Direction on the roof!



Tomorrow between painting our deck trim and ceiling and renovating a bathroom, I plan to run a dowel through the supports and mounts and some additional support. I will probably use friction to keep the barrels in place, but may add something additional to the base for more friction. We'll see how that pans out in the next update.

Mike

This is really getting exciting!

Is it possible to attach something to the back of the pivot to act as a counterweight?
Or drill out the backside and glue in lead shot for the same purpose?

That would reduce the amount of friction needed to position the guns, and reduce the wear due to friction slowing the eventual barrel droop from overuse.

THis post not needed.

Mike

I think you wil be better off with axial compression of the pivot.
You can texture the flat faces if necessary .

Adjustment of the resistance to rotation can be achieved by tightening a thru-bolt .
Far more surface area making contact on both sides .

Are you going to need to register this thing with the city when it's done ?

I didn't even think of using a BOLT! Doh! Much, much better. TY!! Currently using a 1/4-inch dowel.

Mike

Angle of camera greatly affects what appears to be barrels that are not parallel. They are though.

Dowels used now. They will be replaced with one piece of All-Thread (a metal rod with threads the entire length and no head). Yeah Keith, that's going to work great.

The gap around the barrel will be filled with that wonderful Vallejo filler (love the stuff).



Looks pretty good all closed up (temporarily for the pic).



Mike

Cool ,
You can probably just use the proper length bolt and lock-nut , with washers on each side and be done .

... slide some sandpaper in the joint to add to the grab -- if needed

Wow Mike,

Those barrels really set it off. Love the roof mounted PPP rangefinder turret!

Paul

Hi Mike,

When finished, will you still have access inside to periodically tighten the bolts? If you haven't got another way in, you could add holes in the turret floor so a wrench can be inserted - they'd be hidden when the turret is in place, but accessible if the turret is removed.

Lookin' good! (But I'd personally replace the DF mini-turret with a table and chairs for the Komandant & his senior team to dine & drink schnapps while listening to Wagner on a gramophone tended by an orderly in his Class A's...)

So, the all-thread is out; the mounting stubs for the barrels went into the wood dowel - no way to remove it. Ain't that a beecho? I may see about sacrificing two of my spring clamps - that may work.



PPP's KDO40 really is slick.



Mike

If you have a drill press or a steady hand you can bore right through , yeah ?
Anyhow , you know where you're going with it

My concern was that I needed to use all-thread that was about 1/4" in diameter. I didn't think the bit would go through the aluminum without trying to "turn" and really jacking things up. So, I used #8-32 all-thread and a 9/64ths bit. That turned just a bit, but I was able to clear it by going through both sides (drill press and vice).

We now have two barrels that can have their elevation set and they'll stay in place. I need to work on degree of tightness for the four nuts/washers I'll use. I'll also use blue threadlocker.

This is coming along pretty decent...

Near future: all the "things" on the back of the turret, rail around the roof and ladders on the sides. Then figuring out how it'll mount to the Ratte body so that it can turn.

More to follow.

Mike

Tom: Card table will be at the rear on the heli-pad.

Faaan-tastic

Hi Mike
Good to see you back on the job.
Re turret attachment & traverse - you might try these http://www.vxb.com/500-lbs-Capacity-6-Lazy-Susan-5-16-Thick-Turntable-p/kit8883.htm - reasonably cheap & about the right size?

Mal

Looks awesome!

Something to look at for sure Mal. Certainly an alternative to a nut & bolt....

Mike

Mike,

I think I've got a 4" in my hardware drawers at home. Hopefully you have a decent hardware store near by!!!

Hi Mike
A nut & bolt wouldn't really cut it on Ratte.
For some reason it reminds me of the line in the 'Sink the Bismarck' song - "Hit the decks a-runnin' boys and spin those guns around"

Mal

Painted the KDO40 in Dunkelgelb initially...I'll probably give it a hard edged red-brown camo job.

The gun mounts are mounted...couldn't keep from doing it. That'll allow me to seal up the front once I make some bits for around the barrel inside the turret.

I also made the two "view ports" for the front.



The barrels will now support themselves.

Mike

Sir,my hat is off to you. This is simply both beautiful and amazing craftmanship. Pure awesomeness!!!👍👍👍

Elevation!



Mike

Looks Great Mike. The Gun's look better now they have some primer on them. Is there a reason why the two view ports are at different heights?

Paul