The half track build
- Thread starter Dalboy
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Dalboy
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I had a fellow turner over for most of the day showing him different ways to use some tools and resharpening the ones he had to a better profile for turning, so little work done on the half track.
What I did manage was to get some finish on the chassis and back section this dries very quick so was able to get a sealer and top coat on the same with the front seating assembly after a little sanding to get a good fit into the front main body.
I was having problems lining this up so fitted a rail on either side for it to sit on when assembling this was not on the plans but as these are underneath they will not show.
I masked off where the seat assembly will be glued in and gave the inside only a spray with the finish easier done now than later.
The outside still need parts finishing and fitting so the outside will have the finished when they are all glued in place and dry.
So hopefully the small pieces for the outside should be finished ready for putting in place as long as I don't get any interruptions
What I did manage was to get some finish on the chassis and back section this dries very quick so was able to get a sealer and top coat on the same with the front seating assembly after a little sanding to get a good fit into the front main body.
I was having problems lining this up so fitted a rail on either side for it to sit on when assembling this was not on the plans but as these are underneath they will not show.
I masked off where the seat assembly will be glued in and gave the inside only a spray with the finish easier done now than later.
The outside still need parts finishing and fitting so the outside will have the finished when they are all glued in place and dry.
So hopefully the small pieces for the outside should be finished ready for putting in place as long as I don't get any interruptions
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Dalboy
Established Member
NazNomad":1w2x56mz said:
Thank you.
Before I start explaining what i have been up to I thought I would show the workbench mess this is my main work area where all of the build and other build are preformed. Mind you there is no other workbench area to work on the half track is on a shelf behind where I work so as you can see not a lot of room my back is against the grinding station at the end of the shed.
So today started with completing the glue up of the jerry can cradle and also the angled back support for it. While this was drying I cut out the front light frame which is very flimsy especially before the base is glued in. put this to one side go have a cuppa.
By the time I have had my cuppa it has given the glue enough time to at least handle the parts I had glued. Drilled the larger light so a dowel can hold it in position can now fully assemble the light s together after a light sanding.
Now to stick all the hinges in place 6 on the bonnet and 4 on the side doors this allowed me to glue the jerry can holder in place on one side.
Cuppa and a bite to eat lets the assemblies that I had glued enough time to dry for handling first job fit the lights on the side where I had done the jerry can holder.
While this is drying I decided to start to cut some wood that I had prepared for the tracks into stripes at the required width, these will need to be cut into 62 pieces for the tracks and 62 pieces for centre pieces which will be glued to each of the links, but that is for another day.
By this time the bits I had stuck to the right hand side are dry enough for me to turn over the can assembly and stick the bits on the left hand side.
Tomorrow I have some small pieces to make, I thought I would be a little more ahead of where I am today.
I had already shown photo's of the parts before so just some of these parts now glued in place.
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Dalboy
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OK OK so I said I would be finished today and ready to start the tracks. Well all laid plans and all that. First thing go to shed tidy up before starting the days work sound easy OOOPS can't get into the workshop lock has played up AHH a little oil may do the trick OK that is fine in the other shed put oil in lock still no joy I say to wife will need to cut this one off and get another, OK problem being the tools to cut it off are in the shed I want to get into so the wife suggests borrowing some from a friend. Before she goes I have an idea give it a tap with a hammer yes you guessed in the shed "I have a small one in my case" chirps up the wife short story give it a couple of taps and it is free. Hooray in the shed at last still will buy a new one.
First job tidy up from yesterday and clear all the unwanted wood I had accumulated during the build.
The first pictures show 4 pieces that I could not work out where they went but then it suddenly became clear as can be seen in the third one with these glued and left to dry.
I turned to finishing the other odds and ends which are the little detail while sanding and have the extractor on I hear a clanking noise which stopped as quick as it started. I recognise that noise as something has been sucked into the extractor and I was not wrong one of the jerry cans I had made a while back disappeared, turned off and rummage in the collection bag yes found it but in a sorry state so now need to make another luckily still have the makeshift jig to rout the cross on the front and back. Anyway the parts that I still have are glued in place.
The parts that I had already stuck are dry enough to handle the front and add as much of the detail I had made again put to one side next cut out the small apertures in the side drop down windows.
Had a cuppa while glued dried enough to hand cab again and then spent a couple of hours doing test fit to the rest of the half track so that it sat on the chassis and fitted nice at the two areas circled in red on one of the photo's managed to get a respectable fit.
The only other thing that I have now stuck on are the four plates in front of the tracks these are attached to the rear of the cab.
The rest of the photo's show all the bits now stuck on except the two jerry cans so tomorrow finish those and apply the finish before glueing the cab in place and while they are all drying I can start on making jigs for the track pieces to be cut all the same.
Sorry this seems to be a very long update.
First job tidy up from yesterday and clear all the unwanted wood I had accumulated during the build.
The first pictures show 4 pieces that I could not work out where they went but then it suddenly became clear as can be seen in the third one with these glued and left to dry.
I turned to finishing the other odds and ends which are the little detail while sanding and have the extractor on I hear a clanking noise which stopped as quick as it started. I recognise that noise as something has been sucked into the extractor and I was not wrong one of the jerry cans I had made a while back disappeared, turned off and rummage in the collection bag yes found it but in a sorry state so now need to make another luckily still have the makeshift jig to rout the cross on the front and back. Anyway the parts that I still have are glued in place.
The parts that I had already stuck are dry enough to handle the front and add as much of the detail I had made again put to one side next cut out the small apertures in the side drop down windows.
Had a cuppa while glued dried enough to hand cab again and then spent a couple of hours doing test fit to the rest of the half track so that it sat on the chassis and fitted nice at the two areas circled in red on one of the photo's managed to get a respectable fit.
The only other thing that I have now stuck on are the four plates in front of the tracks these are attached to the rear of the cab.
The rest of the photo's show all the bits now stuck on except the two jerry cans so tomorrow finish those and apply the finish before glueing the cab in place and while they are all drying I can start on making jigs for the track pieces to be cut all the same.
Sorry this seems to be a very long update.
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Dalboy
Established Member
Thank you guys on the last legs now.
So all the main superstructure is now been given it's final coat of finish and the bench is cleared. Well not for long as I have been digging bits out to make some jigs to help make the track links there are at least three that I need. Once these are made plenty of cutting of the links. The first photo is the material for the jigs and the rest are what the Half track looks like at the end of today, you will not see it again until the tracks are finished but I will be posting pictures of the track construction. So A nice short post today as while applying the finish nothing done in the workshop dust and wet varnish do not mix.
So all the main superstructure is now been given it's final coat of finish and the bench is cleared. Well not for long as I have been digging bits out to make some jigs to help make the track links there are at least three that I need. Once these are made plenty of cutting of the links. The first photo is the material for the jigs and the rest are what the Half track looks like at the end of today, you will not see it again until the tracks are finished but I will be posting pictures of the track construction. So A nice short post today as while applying the finish nothing done in the workshop dust and wet varnish do not mix.
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Dalboy
Established Member
Getting ready for the tracks to be built, this has taken up today's shed time and still one more jig to make. For the end result that I am looking for I feel that time spent on getting these jigs right is worth the effort.
Well the jig for cutting the cut outs for the links are now complete all I need now is one for the drilling of the holes rather than have to set up for every one.
The first and second show the jig closed up there will be a slot routed in each at different places which will go through to the inside where the links will be trapped so they can not move or even lift out when this is being done.
Photo three shows one of the boxes open ready for the links.
Photo four with the links ready to be inserted(these are the first batch which I will not be using except for the set up)
The last shows them in place with two spacers if needed so that the screw at the end can tighten them together if I don't have enough to fill the box as well as to make it easy to insert them without having to jam them in, it also allows for easy removal.
Well the jig for cutting the cut outs for the links are now complete all I need now is one for the drilling of the holes rather than have to set up for every one.
The first and second show the jig closed up there will be a slot routed in each at different places which will go through to the inside where the links will be trapped so they can not move or even lift out when this is being done.
Photo three shows one of the boxes open ready for the links.
Photo four with the links ready to be inserted(these are the first batch which I will not be using except for the set up)
The last shows them in place with two spacers if needed so that the screw at the end can tighten them together if I don't have enough to fill the box as well as to make it easy to insert them without having to jam them in, it also allows for easy removal.
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Dalboy
Established Member
For those that are following the build I will be making the tracks from Sunday onwards. I have had a busy week, plus trying to get ready to go to an event with the woodturning club I belong to to do some demonstrating.
AES
Established Member
Thanks for the update Dalboy.
I was wondering what's happening with the tracks. Without taking anything at all away from your excellent build so far, I started thinking that out of all the work so far, making & then assembling those tracks would be the "worst" job of all.
Good luck with it, looking forward to seeing the finished result.
AES
I was wondering what's happening with the tracks. Without taking anything at all away from your excellent build so far, I started thinking that out of all the work so far, making & then assembling those tracks would be the "worst" job of all.
Good luck with it, looking forward to seeing the finished result.
AES
Dalboy
Established Member
AES":3emkimh3 said:
Now that all the other things are out of the way i can get back onto the build.
Well the time is very very close to starting on the track parts. Today I knocked up the last jig for the track parts this is for drilling the holes in the tracks it has a bar on the underside so that it can be clamped into my cross slide vice which is clamped to the table of the drill press. Using that vice means I can line the drill up reasonably accurate and once set just a case of releasing the clamp that you can see in the very short video. It does hold the piece very firm. The Piece I used in the video was of the first lot I cut for the tracks which i will not be using except to do test cuts before committing to the actual track pieces.
And a short Video of the jig
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AES
Established Member
Nice neat jig Dalboy, thanks for showing. BTW, what's the "oscillating thingy" in the RH lower corner of the clip please?
AES
AES
Dalboy
Established Member
AES":11ue3wdk said:
I was hand holding the camera and it was the strap it did not get in the way of what I was trying to show so left it as is I could not be bothered to set up a tripod
AES
Established Member
Are, OK, thanks. I wasn't nit picking, sorry.
AES
AES
Dalboy
Established Member
AES":1txdngqb said:
I know that just me having a lazy moment :lol: :lol: :lol:
I was very surprised at how much it gripped the wood. There are so many things that the toggle piece could be used
Dalboy
Established Member
Well started by setting up my hand mitre saw as the powered one is just too big for the small parts and tends to fling them around.
Anyway re-cut all of the track links first and doing this took a little time as I ended up cutting 80 of them and only need 62 I like to have plenty of spares.
And also after a small adjustment to the mitre saw cut up all of the link guide pieces and then some extra again as you can see these are quite small. I also took the saw out of the tracks and used my small Japanese saw but using the main mitre assembly as can be seen in the second to last photo.
Hopefully tomorrow start drilling the links after sanding them all, I will drilling four holes in each this is to make sure that they are all central in the edge of the link. Because the holes on these go right the way through the widest point and are started from the edges.
This is going to be a very repetitive part of the build but not difficult in the least just take my time and it should go as planned famous last words. This is where the building the jigs will pay off.
Anyway re-cut all of the track links first and doing this took a little time as I ended up cutting 80 of them and only need 62 I like to have plenty of spares.
And also after a small adjustment to the mitre saw cut up all of the link guide pieces and then some extra again as you can see these are quite small. I also took the saw out of the tracks and used my small Japanese saw but using the main mitre assembly as can be seen in the second to last photo.
Hopefully tomorrow start drilling the links after sanding them all, I will drilling four holes in each this is to make sure that they are all central in the edge of the link. Because the holes on these go right the way through the widest point and are started from the edges.
This is going to be a very repetitive part of the build but not difficult in the least just take my time and it should go as planned famous last words. This is where the building the jigs will pay off.
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Dalboy
Established Member
Back to the tracks at last after some delays and other things getting in the way.
Started by setting up the drill press and drilling 4 holes in each piece of track and there are 78 of them but only will need 62, The jig worked a treat and certainly saved time for clamping them.
I made sure I did plenty of spares as by the time I had finished drilling I had damaged 4 of them.
Then the next job to rout the cut outs so they will link together expected to loose some more but did not.
The first links shown are two of the first batch which I used to set up the router to the jig I made the other day.
Started the routing and this took three different set ups to complete the links and that is not including the number of times I had to take the links out of the jib to turn them or replace with a fresh set which there were three batches.
The final two photo's show the before and after and a small section just placed together.
Next job will be to touch up any bits that need it before glueing the centre pieces and then the pins in place.
Very near the end of this build now
Started by setting up the drill press and drilling 4 holes in each piece of track and there are 78 of them but only will need 62, The jig worked a treat and certainly saved time for clamping them.
I made sure I did plenty of spares as by the time I had finished drilling I had damaged 4 of them.
Then the next job to rout the cut outs so they will link together expected to loose some more but did not.
The first links shown are two of the first batch which I used to set up the router to the jig I made the other day.
Started the routing and this took three different set ups to complete the links and that is not including the number of times I had to take the links out of the jib to turn them or replace with a fresh set which there were three batches.
The final two photo's show the before and after and a small section just placed together.
Next job will be to touch up any bits that need it before glueing the centre pieces and then the pins in place.
Very near the end of this build now
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Dalboy
Established Member
Thank you.TFrench":9pjdgmus said:
This will be the last update on the half track build, as the next time I will post will be the completed model.
So I have had a pretty good day. Started by just tidying up the centre of each link using the clamping jig I made for drilling them, a couple of rubs across each cleaned these up ready for the next stage.
I made another small jig this time to line up the centre pieces when they are glued.
A nice line up of the links drying after the centre guide pieces are applied.
While they were drying I popped out to do another little job non woodworking related. On my return cut up a length of dowel to 1" long pieces enough to join the links. Spent the rest of the day gluing up the links into strips of 10 links this made it easier to handle, now this is where I found another fault with the plans or I had made a miss measurement somewhere which I doubt as I seemed to spend a lot of time double measuring everything. Anyway the plans say 62 links needed that is 31 each side, I ended up having 33 each side luckily I made plenty of spares.
The last three photo's show the tracks yet to be sanded varnished and fitted.
Tomorrow I will sand the edges where the pins just stick out a little which means it will leave them tidy.
