25 Pounder info needed.

[rnixartillery]

Excellent Job Tony !

Rob...................rnixartillery

[Private_collector]

Thanks, Rob.


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I went to get some more information and measurements from my local 25pdr, this morning.
Because I can't easily put my shield in proper alignment with the axle, I need to be very sure the spare parts carrier frame won't be put in a location to foul the tyre when the two are finally joined. I want mine to be about 20-30mm up from the bottom of the shield edge. It will be going onto the shield while shield still sitting on the support frame I made to wheel it around on, and if placed 100% correctly, flush with bottom edge, the lower part of my support frame would prevent putting it on. If I raise the box carrier too much, it could be difficult to get the box out, because of the stiffening cross-brace on the shield (runs across, below the hole that barrel/tube goes through). You can see the original one, going across top of my photo. The more observant or knowledgeable folks would have noticed my version of that cross-brace has the horizontal section of the brace upside down. Original has it's horizontal part at the bottom, when in place. Mine has the horizontal portion at the top. If mine exactly copied the original, I wouldn't have had the breathing space to raise the box up by that extra height. Now you know why I did it that way!
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I have another important part arriving shortly, and needed some more detailed photos of certain things. While getting those photos, I became aware of something I had not noticed before. The rectangular plate in the above two photos has me perplexed. I don't recall seeing this in any of my reference books. What is it for? I gather something is clipped in place, but have no idea what that is! Guess that means I have yet another part to acquire or make. I prefer to acquire, to be honest.

Speaking of acquisition, I am still desperately needing a pair of the brackets that hold the shield to carriage and trails. If you have a pair to sell, please let me know. I want to attach those brackets onto the shield before I set my guy to do the welding of the trails.

In paying closer attention to the detail on my local gun today, I am now aware that it is deteriorating rapidly. Both tyres are splitting and literally coming apart. The areas that weren't lucky enough to get sufficient (sometimes any) paint, are rusting at an accelerated pace, and the lower portion of the sight carrier body is crumbling into oblivion.
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At some point I dare say the gun will receive more attention and another paintjob, but I can clearly see that this process in the past has not proven succeed in achieving anything longterm. One thing I have real problems with, is watching things deteriorate. Everything does wear down/out, of course, whether it's an outdorrs stored 25pdr, new cars, house,....or me! Pity everything can't stay pristine.

[Private_collector]

The next big piece of the puzzle has arrived this afternoon, thanks to another MLU member.
It is very exciting to finally have one of these in my hands. I'm not sure if I will sleep well tonight because it has arrived, or if I won't sleep at all because I've got it to start playing with.
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The very bottom has suffered from considerable exposure to water at some point in it's long life, but fortunately the shape of the corrosion has left good perch for me to graft a replacement section on the undamaged casting. I think I'm up to the challenge. Quite looking forward to taking on that task. Very grateful the corrosion has not travelled as far as the clinometer mounting. Replicating that would be a cow of a job.
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I couldn't resist placing my dial sight carrier where it needs to be. It will look real good, when attached permanently, and won't require a nikko pen to hold it in place!
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Rob N, email coming your way real soon.

[Private_collector]

The sight carrier assembly is being stripped down, for full rebuild. Photos to follow tomorrow. Having issues with my phone right now.

Very pleased to say, I don't think any internal parts are required, beyond those which were anticipated early on.
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Although.....one should be very careful NOT to claim victory too early.

Some pieces need a little more work than I had originally thought, because some earlier owner had taken the whole 'deactivated' theme rather too far for my liking, and applied lumps of weld to defenceless bolts, nuts, etc... Not so much an issue if doing a liquid restoration, but I want to have everything working as it should, so everything must be able to come apart for cleanup.

The following photos are a few days old, with the first one being most recent of those. Pretty much everything is apart now. Even the abortion that you see in 2nd photo below. There was a nice big blob of weld on that one, and the grease nipple had rotted away long ago, by the looks.
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My welder friend assures me he can weld up the bottom of the casing, where serious corrosion has eaten away a decent chunk of metal. I think we will probably weld a 'reasonably' accurate copy of the lower portion, and then use filler to finish and add all the finer details.

Quite a few pieces are brass or bronze, including a large part on the rear of the assembly. All going well, I intend to retain that in unpainted condition. Possibly even polished up. I know it's not as it would have appeared in real life, but these things are such a piece of art in their own right. Would be a pity not to emphasise that, I think.

PS: If you didn't see the irony in the very first photo........look in the background on right side.
Somebody's gonna get a whole can o' whoop-ass opened on em!

[Private_collector]

As promised.
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Only a few parts yet to be cleaned and inspected, before undercoating.
In the end, I decided against leaving the large brass part unpainted. It would have been a HUGE job to remove every trace of paint and tarnish from every flaw and crevice of the casting. Paint stripper wasn't much help either. The original color, which was surprisingly light in shade, would hardly soften in places, but repeated applications got the most of it. Abrasion with a small wire brush got the remainder.
The main shaft is in excellent condition, and required little more than a modest degreasing. All 4 main bearings, likewise! If they were holding a wheel stub in place, I might consider replacing them, but as they will have little actual work to do, originals will be fine for that light duty work.
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I was surprised to find the telescope carrier (first photo) is made of aluminium. Would have expected that to be more valuable during wartime, and saved for manufacturing items that MUST be made light. Still, I'm pleased it was aluminium, with an appropriately reduced amount of corrosion to overcome.

It's roughly 2120hrs, as I write this, and I suspect spending too much time under the sun today, as I've been feeling unwell since about midday. The summer temperatures (around 36 Celsius) today, has done me in, I suspect. When I came inside at ~ 1700hrs, I showered and went straight to bed.....where I remain as writing this. The several hours sitting, cross-legged, cleaning and sanding parts, have also resulted in an odd pattern of sunburn to the legs.

I have a shipment of parts coming from Rob N, which should be here by late in the week. Those parts will fill the vacancy left by missing, or badly damaged, original pieces. Once they have arrived, things will get REALLY exciting, because I've had a few parts whch have been awaiting purchase of the assembly they afix to, and it will be wonderful to finally see them mated together at last. I'm not quite at the assembly stage yet though.

[David Dunlop]

Just a thought, Tony, but I wonder if the telescope body is brass and perhaps aluminum was chosen for the telescope carrier to lessen potential damage to the scope. I think good quality optics during the war got a lot of 'TLC' wherever possible.

Hope you have rehydrated for 2017!


David

[Private_collector]

I think that is most likely, David. Next weekend I will have a close look at the scope.