Some members of the forum asked me about the Takom St Chamond suspension improvements I made with some 3D printed parts showed in another thread.
Takom make spring suspension solid. They work well for a OOTB model but they are no good for a mediun to high quality model.
In this therad I would like to show what I did and share some ready-to-print STL file for anyone would like to built a more detailed St Chamond.
This conversion is composed of two main parts:
1) new coper springs
2) new 3D printed spring housings.
- SPRINGS
St. Chamond tank had two different kind of spring beeing those in the front station heavier and thicker then the others.
I reproduced front spring with a 0.8mm copper wire and the others with a 0.6mm wire.
First of all you need a lathe to obtain two metal jigs with following diametres:
- 2.8 mm for 0.8 wire
- 3.2 mm for 0.6 wire
Look at the follwing pictures how to use them
Be sure to make all spring with the correct rotation. Look on the net at the tank preserved at Saumur to do that.
Simply make the correct spring spire distance a correct with a cutter
- HOUSING
I compiled two file.
The first (2MB) is for one tank
Big Grey housing are for the front station (#1)
Red and green for station from #2 to #4
the last gray is for station #5
This is what I had from my print server (Shapeways.com) for two tank. This is the first version I did but it was too cumbersome so you get an improved and simplified version.
Note the last station (#5)in my model is empty due an error on my first version file (I forgot the last station!)
All file are only for personal use, any other use is forbidden.
All file are "as-is" so print and use them under your personal responsability. Please no complain about them since they are a gift.
All file were made for printing at shapeways.com. Since I have no connection with Shapeways you are free to print them everywhere you like but I suggest to check if they work with your print server specifications.
