25 Pounder info needed.

[Private_collector]

Thank you Rob!

That's brilliant. Pretty much all i needed to know, with the other info given in previous day or so. Much appreciated, Gentlemen.

Local steel shop gas 50mm tube, in wall thickness of 1.6mm, up to over 4mm. 2-3mm should be fine. I'll go with 3mm, just to be sure. Brass ends on the non fitting end, would be nice. It's time I looked into getting a lathe anyway. Before i can fit one in, I need to make some further progress on the truck build. Cab roof needs finishing and put on the cab, which in turn gas to go onto the chassis. Once those jobs are done, I will have much more room in my workshop. SHOULD even have room to set up the 25pr axle in a location to start work on the trails!

The weather here is oppressive at the moment. My plan to get as much assembly done on the sight assembly tomorrow, is fortunate. That's about the most energetic work I can do in such heat. They are predicting 40 degrees Celsius. That is roughly 106F, if my calculations are right. Dreadful, when you factor in the humidity. I would happily relocate somewhere considerably colder, but it's not practical.

[Wayne Henderson]

The hand spikes shown are a later type to replace the early, thinner version with the old style rope grips. Make sure the od pipe you use will fit in the trail bracket before you start making them

[Private_collector]

I'm not worried about them fitting their brackets, Wayne. I've not made brackets yet.
No, I tell a lie, I made brackets x2 a long time ago, but they wouldn't fit anything bigger than a broom. Call them a test run.

The sight asembly is 90% together now.
20170212_142146-1-resized-1024.jpg 2017-02-12 15.06.07-resized-1024.jpg
I still need one last, but significant piece. It's the one that makes the lateral adjustment possible. If I can't find one, I have to make one. I really don't want to do that.
2017-02-12 15.07.05-resized-1024.jpg 2017-02-12 15.08.58-resized-1024.jpg

[rnixartillery]

Its looking very good Tony , you will find its quite a cumbersome and awkward thing once its together and very easily damaged and knocked.
I would recommend making up a temporary stand if its going to be in storage for a while .

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

[David Dunlop]

Tony. I notice on the hand spike photos Rob posted, that the machined, tapered end goes quite some distance into the steel pipe. At least to the 9 inch mark, or a little further. Seems held in place by two pairs of rivets: one set at the 9 inch mark and a second set 90 degrees offset, closer to the end. I suspect these inserts needed to be far enough up the tubes to cover the point of maximum torque on these hand spikes to avoid kinking the tubes in difficult situations.

The brass end caps would not be so critical, with just one pair of rivets retaining them. These are probably at the mid point of the brass bit that fits into the tube.

David

[rnixartillery]

Just pulled these from a box ,NOS spike ends . Ah ,Tony you are never going to believe this but I have just picked up an aluminium carrier as the one you have just repaired !................

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

[rnixartillery]

Forgot to add image !


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

[Private_collector]

Originally Posted by rnixartillery

Just pulled these from a box ,NOS spike ends . Ah ,Tony you are never going to believe this but I have just picked up an aluminium carrier as the one you have just repaired !................

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

Rob, I hope yours doesn't need repair, because if it is the same as mine, it will be a very porous magnesium that is ridiculously hard to well....apparently. My fellow said he kept blowing holes in mine, no matter how low he ran the amperage. He used TIG welding, and spent several hours+, and also preheated the surface to gain maximum weld. Despite this, he said he has a horror time, because cracking would occur with cooling. The difference in cooling down between the two dissimilar metals stressed the weld.

Another undesirable complication is that the sector piece inside hits the strengthening I had to apply for reinforcing of the repair patch. This greatly reduces the extent the sector ca travel. I believe I've lost about 45 degrees of movement. I do have a plan to retake some of that loss, by making change to the sector itself. That is assuming it can be welded. For that reason, I am looking for another of those pieces to make the change to. If I use my own, and cock it up, then I'm stuffed! Best to use another to play with, so if you have another of those, we should talk!

I will make a stand for the assembly, but will hold off for a little while, until I know whether I can get that last piece i need or have to make one. The former, I hope.

David, the quantity (and quality) of the information I've received from you guys should be a tremendous help in making that system. Your help is appreciated. Until i get my act together, I will have a little play with tidying up a ground anchor/spade cover I bought from Holland, or is tha Netherlands these days? My cover has some significant dents on it, but is very usable. The attaching threaded rod & wingnuts are still present and in reasonably good shape. As stated earlier, I'm grateful for every piece I buy, and i believe it was Rob N. that said original parts in non-perfect condition is FAR BETTER than starting from scratch. The spade cover, amongst a multitude of other parts, is not something I could EVER make!

For now, my sight carrier assembly is sitting on a couple of rags on my living room floor, for want of a safer place to put it. I think I have about a fortnight before my Wife gets sick of it being there. The canvas cover for it, will be made shortly. That's one of those 'inside' jobs that I can do, provided Mrs B allows me access to her sewing machine again. That is by no means guaranteed.