Armour Dreams

[Jonathan Moore]

I have looked at several other types of track links but I can't find anything suitable and I can't afford to have a set made, so I am make a set. I know, it won't work, I am wasting my time, I have heard it all but that is what I am doing.

I have made 5 part links, they are not pretty but then they are only first samples, to see how things will work. The first and obvious lesson was that if I am to make the 216 + spares I need to automate the process some what.

So i have bought a capstan to make the spacers, and a cnc milling machine to drill the holes in the link bars. Both machines are obviously old and needed some love and care before I started but they now work. It's like going back to the eighties when I started life as an engineer and very enjoyable but to be honest these machines are for my work life. I haven't programmed a machine for 34 years but it's surprising how easy it all comes flooding back.
Getting the machines is only the start of things. The CNC came without any guards so they had to be made and then a drilling jig had to be made so that 4 sets of link bars can be drilled in one operation. The capstan was used and abused so needed stripping before I could even start to organise things.
I tried bending the link bars with a manual press but it would take me ages to do the 920 required so I have made some very basic press jigs and modified my press by adding a air over hydraulic ram and hydraulic ejection fed from a hydraulic power pack that someone had thrown out as it didn't work.
From what I have achieved so far, I don't foresee a problem manufacturing the links and I know that they will fit together to form a complete track but how long they will last is another matter but as they say, he who dares........