Tank build update thread

[ThunderDownUnder]

Did Crop Goblins steal your tank supplies or are you going to give us a massive update eventually?

[Painzstake]

Bump

[Still The Best 1973]

Subscribed.

[LavaRed]

LavaRed is currently abroad acquiring critical electronics for the project.

As for the mechanics, I have run into a few hitches, mainly the tracks and the material for the barrel. But nothing that won't be solved in due course.

So massive update it will be.

[ThunderDownUnder]

Originally Posted by LavaRed

LavaRed is currently abroad acquiring critical electronics for the project.

As for the mechanics, I have run into a few hitches, mainly the tracks and the material for the barrel. But nothing that won't be solved in due course.

So massive update it will be.

Glad to hear that the project still lives on! I will eagerly await that big update.

[1983]

Worse comes to worse he can use the tanks housing as a weapons turret for the top of his car after a little re-enforcement.



Al

[LavaRed]

I have acquired most of the electronics, I hit a few hitches along the way. Everything works, but I didn't realize servos would not have full rotation. Also, the batteries needed to power it cost about $200 each, locally. So I must solve these little hurdles before going on.

getting an appropriate barrel is also proving a challenge.

[1983]

Originally Posted by LavaRed

I have acquired most of the electronics, I hit a few hitches along the way. Everything works, but I didn't realize servos would not have full rotation. Also, the batteries needed to power it cost about $200 each, locally. So I must solve these little hurdles before going on.

getting an appropriate barrel is also proving a challenge.

When I get a chance I'll look it up in my archives of rifling a barrel and the different machines to do it with.

If someone can do it before me by all means help a brother out.

Al

[LavaRed]

UPDATE!:

I managed to find perforated ASTM 705 steel bar locally. The inner ID hole is 17mm, which I'm pretty sure my local machine shop will be able to open up to the requisite 18.23mm. So the barrel is ready. I wanted smoothbore anyways, like modern tanks, so that I have more flexibility in projectiles and payloads.

I managed to have my 24v, 26Amp battery, as well as a smaller 12v battery for the IR capable miniature camera, Tx, and illuminator, all for about $250.

I am learning how to use the Speed controller and how to integrate it to the RC's receiver. I bought 4 high torque continuous rotation servos to control turret traverse, gun elevation, drive the gun's mechanism, and an extra one for spares. I might also use a 6th servo as a shifter for the clutchless continuously variable transmission I'm designing, if I can get it to work.

I also came up with a rather neat stroke of inspiration. I bought a mini LCD screen, of the kind used on car cameras. With a small 12v battery to feed both the screen and the camera's Tx, I could attach both to the RC and have no need to use a computer to use the tank's gunsights. So I could have a fully integrated drive system that would be very dificult to hack into, because of the analog signal.

I also got a giant ball bearing for the turret that can support up to 400lbs, in case the tank gets flipped over.

Right now I must wait for the suspension to be manufactured, so I can proceed with the tracks, sprockets and drive-train. Then I have to have the gun's mechanism manufactured and tested. So the tank will probably be ready in about a year's time, considering the pace at which machine-shops here work.

After that, I will still have to develop the special loading (I will meanwhile use it with 12 gauge slugs and blanks). I estimate the loading might take a further 6 months to develop.

But at least most of the technical issues have been solved.

Thank you for your concern,
Lava

P.S.: This project will bankrupt me.

[1983]

Ass cock titty fuck shit bitch cunt nutsack Christ...

Here's at least some of it for reference.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/24995286/T...s-1999-Hoffman

If you look up the author he's got quite an extensive collection of priceless and invaluable information.

Sounds like you got it all on the up and up though and for the bankruptcy problem why not rob people with your tank at the ATM... Would make quite a first time in the headlines and zoklet histories.

Al

[Fox Paws]

Originally Posted by LavaRed

P.S.: This project will bankrupt me.

Put it on kickstarter, make random morons pay for it instead

[LavaRed]

Originally Posted by Fox Paws

Put it on kickstarter, make random morons pay for it instead

That's actually a good idea.

Today a friend who owed me some money repaid a bit, so I could actually afford new wiring for the circuit instead of the old cables I was using that had the insulation cracked off in places. So this means no more short circuits!
I'm currently soldering all the terminals now .

[LavaRed]

IT'S ALIVE!

Or at least the main circuits are. Finally got the whole battery-speed controller-receiver-main motors-servos assembled, and tested it today. With a little tinkering, I can get them to move like a tank.

The IR camera and illuminator are also up and running.

So right now All that's remaining is the running gear, suspension, gun, and gearboxes to be manufactured, and I'm set.

Vive le Tanque!

[Fox Paws]

That was faster than I thought it would be

[JC Denton]

So how many mm's of armor does this thing have?

[LavaRed]

Originally Posted by JC Denton

So how many mm's of armor does this thing have?

1/4" (6.35mm) armoured steel plate for the sides, top, and bottom, 1/2" (12.7mm) amroured steel plate for the front ant back. Turret sides and roof are 1/4" steel plate, front and rear turret are 1/2" steel plate. Additionally, the hull will have 1/4" steel plate Schurzen spaced 6 inches from the superstructure, and the turret will have 1/4" steel plate applique armour spaced between 4 and 0 inches from the turret sides. The empty spaces between the Schurzen, applique armour, and the hull will be filled with layered polymer armour modules and the interior of the tank will be covered with miniaturised Chobham armour modules (finally developed a method to have the correct tiles manufactured here).

The exterior of the tank will be enameled to increase protection against steel core rounds, and it will also be covered with a modified Zimmerit paste optimised for NV, IR, and ground radar camouflage.

I might also work on improving the scope with self-made image-intensifier technology so that it doesn't always need the IR. But that's for later.

[JeffreyH]

Updated pictures / videos please?

[LavaRed]

Very Bad News!

After just a few hours of intensive testing, the RoboClaw 2x30A speed controller popped. I have yet to determine the root cause, but I was running the motors at full power and then simulating sharp turns and direction changes when suddenly the starboard motor started failing to run up to full speed. I siwtched everything (Main batteries, receiver battery and transmitter) off and back on because I thought maybe it was a calibration error. But again during repeated tests running at full speed the starboard motor would not run at full speed and would continue not running at full speed even after throttling back.
Suddenly during one of these tests, there was a huge spark on the controller's starboard capacitor and then several other sparks all along the controller. I shut everything off, but several of the chips in the controller are burned beyond repair.

I am currently checking the status of the receiver and servos to see if it still works.

So I'm set back again for the time being .

[The Swede]

Tank Dragrace Strv 122 vs. Strf 9040 - YouTube

Tank Dragrace Strv 122 vs. Strf 9040 - YouTube
Video: click to display

This may cheer you up, seeing as you like the Leopard.

[Fox Paws]

Originally Posted by The Swede

Tank Dragrace Strv 122 vs. Strf 9040 - YouTube

This may cheer you up, seeing as you like the Leopard.

That was gay. I thought they were gonna fight

[The Swede]

Originally Posted by Fox Paws

That was gay. I thought they were gonna fight

Naw mayn, we Swedes don't fight, we fuck around!

Swedish Tank Drifting ( no music, all engine ) - YouTube

Swedish Tank Drifting ( no music, all engine ) - YouTube
Video: click to display

[JeffreyH]

Originally Posted by The Swede

Naw mayn, we Swedes don't fight, we fuck around!
Swedish Tank Drifting ( no music, all engine ) - YouTube

Damn, that reminded me of the fight with Vulcan in Metal Gear Solid 1. Suddenly had this jolt of nostalgia go through me.

[1983]

Originally Posted by The Swede

Naw mayn, we Swedes don't fight, we fuck around!
Swedish Tank Drifting ( no music, all engine ) - YouTube

Next need for speed movie I could imagine this.

*Tank pulls up beside some ricers car*

Ricer:
"Hoo Ree Shit!"

Al

[LavaRed]

So I took the risk and ordered a new, more powerful card.

Will also ammend circuit with fuses and probably Voltmeter and Ammeter, to be able to monitor these values.

[LavaRed]

UPDATE: New and improved powertrain module has now been completed and tested successfully:








The camera module for the turret has also been completed:




Now I just need to fit the entire powertrain module into an armoured, watertight compartment.

[ThunderDownUnder]

That camera module looks sexy dude, such a good project.

[LavaRed]

Originally Posted by ThunderDownUnder

That camera module looks sexy dude, such a good project.

It's a Chinese FPV camera for airplanes. It's very sensitive to light changes and IR unfiltered. Therefore, with the IR illuminator it will be able to see at night. Plus, I will build a simple image intensifier persicope for it. That should be enough to make it workable.

The receiver is hooked up to one of those small backup camera monitors. Both are 12v, and tho they currently run off an adapter, I will eventually rig them to run off a small 12v LiPo battery. That should enable me to attach both to the remote control transmitter, thus having a fully integrated system.

Once the watertight case for the powertrain module has been completed, I will adapt the servo cables to use stereo audio plugs, so that the receiver can be fully waterproofed and the cables will be free to rotate and not twist with the turret. It will also facilitate module removal for recharging.

A VERY ambitious idea I had for this involves the fact that the total weight divided by the hull displacement volume seem to indicate that the tank will have a total density less than that of water. Therefore, I have been thinking: What if, I open up two filtered ducts on the bottom of the hull, attach a couple of sealed pelton wheels to the motors before the gearbox, and add two exit ducts at the rear of the tank? If it works, as soon as the tank runs into water deep enough to float, the duplex drive will move it through the water. It will be fully amphibious!

[LavaRed]

Ahhhh, the taste of VICTORY!

So I finally got some tracs for my tank. High strength polymer conveyor chains straight from Germany, at a very affordable price. All I have to do is hole them and rivet conveyor belt rubber pads onto them, and I'm set!



As for the powerpack module it's all in the case now. I just need to seal the openings for the motor plugs, and cut/solder the servo cables to the 1/4" audio jack plugs I installed. Yes, I decided to connect them this way, so that when the turret rotates, the cables will be able to freely rotate too without twisting. And then I just need to seal off the top of the box and install it in the hull.

[Food Product]

Lava, I can't wait until you get this thing done. I'm excited for you and the future videos of this thing in action.

[ThunderDownUnder]

Glad everything is falling together for you, I'm pumped with how much progress has been made in this last month.

I can't wait to see the finished product in action.

[LavaRed]

Originally Posted by Food Product

Lava, I can't wait until you get this thing done. I'm excited for you and the future videos of this thing in action.

Thanks. I am hoping to at least have the hull working by the beginning of next year.

Originally Posted by ThunderDownUnder

Glad everything is falling together for you, I'm pumped with how much progress has been made in this last month.

I can't wait to see the finished product in action.

I've lately had a couple of even crazier ideas. The first came out after realizing that the tank's full weight divided by the tank hull volume yields a density lesser than that of water. So I am thinking of installing two pelton wheels and associated ducts driven by each motor, so that they act as water jets. This form of duplex drive will allow the tank to be fully amphibious.
The second idea is even more daring. If I can somehow build the ducts into a full scale, inline, electric-driven jet engine, it would give the tank some direction capability in air. Once strapped to a parahawk assembly, it would be air-deployable and could be steered towards a specific drop zone.

[jheit8]

Flying tanks...
You should get in contact with the resistance fighters in Afghanistan, I'm sure they'd pay top dollar for detailed plans.

[1983]

Install a camera under the belly.

"Don't drop it yet... Not now... OK! Now!"

*Achievement unlocked "Crushed by a fucking mini tank"*



Al