Print

[.mace]

Updates:
17/11/07 - Thoughts - Design
10/11/07 - Thoughts on the Control Modules
8/11/07 - Motorized Tank Test #2
6/11/07 - Motorized Tank Test #1
5/11/07 - Progress Report


Well I've been playing around with the idea of building a functional motorized tank for a while, and after seeing FT's thread on a lighted Land Raider, it got me thinking I should revisit this idea. So after checking my bank balance to make sure I'm not broke.. I set off on a quest to find what I could for this.

So what exactly is it that I want to do?

Aim: Take a 40k scale tank, and ideally, convert it to an RC Tank with full drive control (i.e. motorized caterpillar tracks).

Research: I've searched far and wide for a model tank that is the perfect size for a Rhino.. and I'm still searching. Meanwhile I've been looking for a precedence, something that anyone else has done, and haven't found anything. The closest is GreyDeath's Mini Radio Controlled Tank but that doesn't use tracks, rather just an RC car embedded in the base. On the other hand, this provided some interesting 'research': http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWLDndo707Y

Preliminary: Given the lack of information out there, I've gone about buying some things and just figuring out what will work and what won't.

So far I've obtained the following component kits Tamiya Track and Wheel Set, Tamiya Universal Plate and a Tamiya Double Gearbox (independent 4-speed gearbox)



Opening it all up.. I discovered it's a bit larger than I initially thought.. too big for a Rhino at least:



The ruler and Vindicator are in there for scale, the rubber tracks are 17mm wide, whereas Rhino-Chassis tracks are 9mm wide. Land Raider tracks are apparently 16mm wide though... so now I'm looking into basing it off the LR model. At the moment I have the gearbox built and installed on the chassis, I'm just building the sample configuration shown on the front of the box for the time being so I can test it out.

Thoughts:

• The Land Raider model is about the closest I can get to a 40k Tank with tracks this size and with enough space to fit the motor. At that, the track sections of the hull will probably need to be made wider, along with the main hull itself - it's not quite wide enough to fit all this in from what I can see.
• My basic goal will be to have motors installed and to replace the plastic tracks with these rubber ones.
• What I'm aiming for though, is to have full RC control. That is, to have all the power and control circuitry integrated in there so I can drive it along without even touching it.
• The extra goal is to put in lighting, and perhaps even sound, to make it 'complete'
• I bought a cheap RC car that has forward/back and left/right controls, though they're just buttons for absolute drive. Ideally I'd want it to have proportional speed and turning, rather than start/stop type motion.

Alrighty, now that was a long intro post, but as per the topic title.. I'm still in the design stage at the moment. Thoughts? Or links to anything similar that you've seen? That would be greatly appreciated =)

.mace

Things I'll need to do:

• Get a Land Raider model. I'll hopefully order a Terminus Ultra at the end of the week so it will arrive just in time for the end of my exams. Done. Barely started my exams and it already arrived.
• I need to figure out the control circuitry. First I need to design a circuit to run the motors the way I want, and to find some sort of RF/RC circuit for the radio-control side of things. It'll need two channels at least to run the forward/back and left/right controls, and extras if I want other things in there.

Costs so far: (Prices in AU$)

• Track and Wheel Set - $13.95 (Jaycar)
• Universal Plate - $7.50 (Jaycar)
• Double Gearbox - $18 (Jaycar)
• 'Super Drift' RC Car - $19.95 (Tandy)
• Land Raider Terminus Ultra (Ebay) $73.21

Future/Potential Costs:

• Plasticard
• Green Stuff
• Aluminium Sheet
• Tools - Sculpting Tool, Hobby Saw

[VF-7]

The problem I see is that most GW's tank threads are way to "thin" to be easly adapted to such a thing

It's likeley that you'll end up using a doubletracked Russ like Tom Norman's or Redbeards doubletracked looted Bassy, instead of the "one size" tracks Rhinos and Landraiders

On the other hand, you can possibly do it a larger "Wartrak" like the one In DoW, that should allow you some practice and room for mistake, rather than ruining a model if you screw up (hope you don't).

By the way... how are the tracks assembled? I don't see any pinholes.... are they glued/solded/melted together?

Keep it up!

[.mace]

Ah, I'm thinking that the Chimera/Leman russ/Rhino chassis models are way too small for what I want to do - they're nowhere near wide enough to fit a twin motor and gearbox assembly in there. I guess I could have the motors directly drive the tracks, but there's a few issues with that.. it's high speed, low torque, and can burn out the motor if the tank stalls.

It didn't actually occur to me to use an Ork model.. perhaps I could build a big Wartrakk of some sort.

The tracks are made from flexible rubber, and there's a 'T' shaped section on one end that can loop into the end of another track section.

I'll get some more pics up soon of the tracks and current test assembly.

[korik1]

I can't wait to see this finished! I'd say go for the Land RAider or Baneblade! Those two are definitely big enough to fit motor and accompanying paraphenalia. Now I want a motorized Baneblade with light up las cannons_{, and cannon noises, and.....}

[Constable Dorfl]

This seems like an excellent project. Add LEDs to the lascannons when you get the LR, and you've got the most realistic 'Raider in town!

Look forward to seeing your progress.

[Simon]

Try it with a baneblade the tracks look the right size for one!

[Jordan]

Ha, I could just see someone using this in a game, driving it around on the board.

Opponent: Hey, I think you're tank moved more than 6" there...
Player: Who cares? It's effing sweet! TANK SHOCK!!!

[.mace]

Try it with a baneblade the tracks look the right size for one!

Heh, Baneblade tracks are big, they're about 2.5cm/an inch wide. But if I did find the right sized tracks for a Baneblade, I'd do it, there's plenty of space in there.

Here's a pic:

I can't wait to see this finished! I'd say go for the Land RAider or Baneblade! Those two are definitely big enough to fit motor and accompanying paraphenalia. Now I want a motorized Baneblade with light up las cannons_{, and cannon noises, and.....}

Heh, I figure that if I do this motor thing, I might as well go all the way and attempt to add light and sound as well. So things like headlights, lascannon lights, perhaps even a working searchlight and maybe a soundboard for engine sounds and gun firing sounds. Though that's a little hectic in terms of what needs to be done.

Ha, I could just see someone using this in a game, driving it around on the board.

Opponent: Hey, I think you're tank moved more than 6" there...
Player: Who cares? It's effing sweet! TANK SHOCK!!!

I'm thinking more just driving forward and performing a real tank shock, pushing their models out of the way or crushing them under-tread =)


Progress!

Well as in my last post, I assembled the gearbox just so I can test out this set up, so here it is:


I haven't put in the motors yet because they stop it from rolling around freely.. which would mean no more pretending that it's a land raider.

A bit of info on the current gear ratios, it's set up to have a Gear Ratio of 344.2:1, the highest possible for this gearbox, apparently with a torque of 2276gf.cm and resultant speed of 38rpm on the output shaft. Slow and steady as befitting a tank, and with plenty of grunt in it.

The tracks are a bit loose at the moment, so I'll probably need some kind of spring-tensioner in the final model.

Meanwhile, here's some more pics for a size comparison - the current track/base is probably a bit larger than a Land Raider actually, but I'll see when I get my LR.






Next Update

Well, it hasn't really struct me yet that I have exams coming up in just over a week, but now I'll be waiting on the model (ordered a Land Raider Terminus). It should arrive within about two weeks, just in time for the end of exams.

So in the meantime, I'll just be jotting down ideas for circuits and such, though I'll have a lot more to add once I get the model and have a look at it.

[VF-7]

Whoa! the thing is hughe! (But that's what she said anyway.... okay stupid comentary)

Look, I can't help as I only have a Stormblade and Russes, But I do stand to my past advice that you should practice with an Orky vehicle before commiting to a full conversion of an Imperial one, mainly due to the preparation needed etc and that Ork models are more forgiving.

Example:



At least tracks are wide enough, I think...

Now... I'm just telling a friendly advice, you can of course ignore me, but I guess it would be easier 

[.mace]

Ok, well I don't really have experience putting together or painting Ork vehicles, or even how to get the overall 'Ork' look. GW doesn't have any large Ork vehicles, and I don't have the resources to order from Forgeworld at the moment. I'm also not looking at scratch building anything, and Plastic seems the easiest to work with, so I guess I'm sticking to a Land Raider, already have it ordered after all. It's not as significant an investment into this, and I can hopefully still make use of the model if it doesn't work out.


Motorized Tank Test #1

Anyhow, I got a bit bored just then so decided to wire in the motors and some batteries...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddWeer9VTRY

I'll look at getting some switches and resistors and wiring in a circuit board along with proper battery holders sometime soon.

It goes fairly slowly so I think I might just use the RC car I have (no speed control, just flat forwards/backwards and left/right) - take the motor outputs on the receiver end and do some funky amplifier stuff with that to make it drive my motors.

[Timjim]

awesome ^_^ looks a bit like  the MACHARIUS VULCAN HEAVY TANK

http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/acatalog/SUPER_HEAVY_TANKS.html#IA-GUA-T-099p.

[Chrono San]

oh, cool idea! really nice

[SILK]

Mace - did I ever tell you that I love you?
 
This is going to be sweet - any possiblity of having moving sponsons and heavy bolters? That would be a bit of a bigger step I suppose, but it would look sooo freaking cool!!

[GeekyGator]

I think You'd be shooting for Baneblade-size to fit all that in there.

In any case, *bows to .mace* you are my new god of T.O. Sorry, FT, but Motor>Lights.

[.mace]

I think You'd be shooting for Baneblade-size to fit all that in there

Not quite, these pretty much match the Land Raider tracks. Baneblade tracks are nearly twice as wide.

Speaking of which - I dropped by my GW and had a look at their Land Raider model there - My tank base is actually about 2cm wider than the land raider model.

I'll need to widen the hull and add a bit more spacing where the tracks are. Main thing is, the top 'H' shaped piece will need to be cut up a fair bit. Perhaps I'll invest in the new range of hobby tools that GW has coming out soon.

And I still don't know where to put the motor and gearbox.. I guess I'll sort that out when I get the model to play with. I may just need another set of tracks so I can make different lengths.. first I'll focus on getting the electronics right though, and then embedding it in a model.