Very nice looking tank.  Lots of work in there.  Looks like a quality
build.  Can't wait to see it in action.

Derek
T065

On Thu, Jul 2, 2009 at 10:16 AM, Mike Mangus <[email protected]> wrote:

>  Over the past couple weeks since finishing the Spartan, I've been working
> slowly on the Merkava IV.  The torsion suspension was put in place, the road
> wheels were installed, and a mechanisim for connecting the turret rotate
> motor to the hull devised and implemented.  Oh, and a marker mount is
> partially installed (temporarily in place).  All in all, the tank looks
> pretty good ... and big!
>
>  I switched to Flickr to hold the Merkava build pictures.  Flickr isn't
> that great (I prefer Yahoo Groups file and picture manager) but works
> somewhat.  The link to the Merkava photo album is
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/39806...@n06/sets/72157620308016739/detail/.
>
>  I'm very happy with the suspension and turret rotate.  The 1/4" diamter
> torsion rods seem stiffer than suggested on that torsion spring rate web
> site.  After putting the torsion suspension and road wheels on the tank
> hull, I stood on top of the entire thing.  The tank hull dipped about 1"
> under 220 pounds of me.  I don't think there will be any problems carrying
> weight and bottoming out the suspension.  Heh.
>
>  The turret rotate came out beautifully.  The rotate motor is a 24v
> windshield wiper motor and gearbox.  The shaft goes through the middle of
> the turret plate and meshes with a gear attached to the upper hull.  Just to
> see how it worked, I stuck the motor wires into a 7.2v battery pack.  The
> turret turned smoothly without binding.  The turning speed seemed just
> right.  As soon as the speed control arrives next week, I'll get it all
> hooked up and get some video.
>
>  After that, the build will take a break while we move back to the Unites
> States.  Once our furniture shipment arrives in the States sometime around
> October, work will commence again.  :)
>
>  Hopefully, the Monster Merk will be terrorizing battlesfields starting in
> the Spring of 2010.
>
> Mike M
>
>
> >
>

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