37mm anti tank gun build....non-DD

Demilitarized vehicle weapons and static display accessories
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Lee Bishop
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Re: 37mm anti tank gun build....non-DD

Post by Lee Bishop » Wed Sep 06, 2017 9:32 am

Tankdriver wrote:
Mon Jul 24, 2017 6:23 am
I don't understand why some peoples work, and others don't.
Some folks bought sharing plans before Photobucket went nuts with greed. I'm one of them, and my images should be fine until sometimes after the first of the year (by then, I'll have backed up those pics somewhere else, likely Flickr) as I paid for an agreement for 3rd party hosting for a year before they changed the rates to that insane $400 price.
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Re: 37mm anti tank gun build....non-DD

Post by NZM305 » Fri Nov 03, 2017 3:31 pm

Any updates Andy?

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Re: 37mm anti tank gun build....non-DD

Post by Andy Cole » Sun Nov 05, 2017 8:22 am

Took time off due to different, and added work load.
I did do some upgrades to the elevation mechanism, and actually started cutting on the huge solid chunk of steel for the breech block.
It has turned out to be a much harder job than I had imagined. I am pushing the limits of my tools in regards to size and weight. I'm having to get creative.
I really have no "cool" new pics to upload.
I'm still very bummed out that all of the previous pics were blocked by photo bucket.
At some point I'm going to have to go reload them.

I have however built a super nice (in my opinion) 2/3 scale model 1841 6lb field piece.
1943 Willys MB285433 D.O.D. 12-3-1943
1951 M100 trailer D.O.D. 3/51
1951 M37 Truck D.O.D. 5-28-1951
M3 37MM ATG
M3A4 Hand Cart
Wife D.O.Delivery 7-21-1979
Boy D.O.Delivery. 2-15-2007
Girl D.O.Delivery. 4-9-2009
Girl D.O.Delivery. 10-23-2012

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susmiester
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Re: 37mm anti tank gun build....non-DD

Post by susmiester » Fri Nov 10, 2017 5:53 pm

heres the one I built from dimensions I took from a real one
Attachments
37mm anti tank.jpg
37mm anti tank.jpg (88.05 KiB) Viewed 2100 times
1947 cj2a mock military
.50cal,.30cal.,m1both all operational
thompson,ww2 bazooka dummies
90mm,37mm m17 from ww2 shipwrecks
m-37 wc1962 dodge powerwagon, m37 anti-tank replica
m998 hummer, demilled tow missle launcher

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Re: 37mm anti tank gun build....non-DD

Post by Andy Cole » Wed Mar 27, 2019 6:38 am

It has been a while since I worked on the build, much less post any updates.
During this past fall, the shop I was storing it in was damaged during the hurricanes, and it got wet. Now it is beginning to rust. I began to feel bad about not working on it, so I decided to do something "simple" to get the ball rolling again.

I decided I would make the two part cleaning rod. I ran across some free poles.....pine, but about the right size. So I set about making the threaded ends to join the two halves. The center section is threaded 1/2 NC. The other ends are 5/16NF to accept some 40mm brushes and mops that I found.
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IMG_1099.JPG (11.36 KiB) Viewed 1937 times
Well since I had the cleaning rod, I needed the cleaning rod holders on the side of the trail. I could not find the blueprints for those in my collection, so I had to go by photos, and measurements taken from a real gun. Many thanks to K. Winget.
IMG_1139.jpg
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IMG_1249.jpg
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The rings were simple. Not real hard or time consuming, so no pics pre-installation unless requested.
Attachments
IMG_1326.jpg
IMG_1326.jpg (49.17 KiB) Viewed 1937 times
Last edited by Andy Cole on Wed Mar 27, 2019 6:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
1943 Willys MB285433 D.O.D. 12-3-1943
1951 M100 trailer D.O.D. 3/51
1951 M37 Truck D.O.D. 5-28-1951
M3 37MM ATG
M3A4 Hand Cart
Wife D.O.Delivery 7-21-1979
Boy D.O.Delivery. 2-15-2007
Girl D.O.Delivery. 4-9-2009
Girl D.O.Delivery. 10-23-2012

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Re: 37mm anti tank gun build....non-DD

Post by Andy Cole » Wed Mar 27, 2019 6:41 am

Here are the cleaning rod attachments and cleaning rods in place on the now rusty trails.
IMG_1326.jpg
IMG_1326.jpg (49.17 KiB) Viewed 1936 times
IMG_1328.JPG
IMG_1328.JPG (74.48 KiB) Viewed 1936 times
IMG_1327.JPG
IMG_1327.JPG (89.84 KiB) Viewed 1936 times
IMG_1329.JPG
IMG_1329.JPG (74.85 KiB) Viewed 1936 times
IMG_1330.JPG
IMG_1330.JPG (76.25 KiB) Viewed 1936 times
1943 Willys MB285433 D.O.D. 12-3-1943
1951 M100 trailer D.O.D. 3/51
1951 M37 Truck D.O.D. 5-28-1951
M3 37MM ATG
M3A4 Hand Cart
Wife D.O.Delivery 7-21-1979
Boy D.O.Delivery. 2-15-2007
Girl D.O.Delivery. 4-9-2009
Girl D.O.Delivery. 10-23-2012

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Re: 37mm anti tank gun build....non-DD

Post by Andy Cole » Tue Apr 20, 2021 7:44 pm

It’s been a while since I’ve updated this thread.
A lot of work has been done.
I took lots of pics along the the way, but they are so aggravating to such attach, that I’m going to only attach a few. Mostly of the finished part.

I took that huge piece of round stock and cut off a chunk. It started out as a piece of solid steel 10.25” in diameter and 21” long. I cut off enough to make a pseudo breech ring. It took many days to cut it into it basic shape, and bore it for the barrel and thread it.

I rough cut the “T” slot for the block.
D5486CF1-485E-4CDE-A8F8-75DB68E8484C.jpeg
I ordered a piece of DOM for the barrel. The original major diameter was 4.75 on originals, but I wasn’t going to buy a piece that big and expensive to just turn off 75% of it.
So I Took the average measurement between the bands on the recoil sled and ordered a piece that was 3.25” OD and 1.5” ID.

I threaded it to match the receiver ring.
In order to provide the appearance of the original I turned a solid steel sleeve to mimic the chamber swell on an original barrel.

I turn tapered the last 36” of the barrel to spec and put the sight muzzle swell on it.

I made a barrel nut and then threaded the barrel to match.

I’ll add pics as soon as I can resize them.
It keeps saying the files are too large.
Attachments
11B58BC7-78AF-41B8-B17A-7A2B969C3D7B.jpeg
4095EA76-7E1C-4AC3-B123-70CCBF3DCD34.jpeg
1943 Willys MB285433 D.O.D. 12-3-1943
1951 M100 trailer D.O.D. 3/51
1951 M37 Truck D.O.D. 5-28-1951
M3 37MM ATG
M3A4 Hand Cart
Wife D.O.Delivery 7-21-1979
Boy D.O.Delivery. 2-15-2007
Girl D.O.Delivery. 4-9-2009
Girl D.O.Delivery. 10-23-2012

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Re: 37mm anti tank gun build....non-DD

Post by mmamajor » Tue Apr 20, 2021 10:07 pm

Hi Andy, it's nice to see you post on this build again! Been fascinated since you started...please keep it coming. Andy
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Re: 37mm anti tank gun build....non-DD

Post by Andy Cole » Wed Apr 21, 2021 5:23 am

I think I have figured out how to share pics here.
Keep in mind that this is NOT a working piece. It has a 1.5" rod welded into the chamber end.
The breech ring is also rough cut and has no working parts.
No part of this is interchangeable with an original gun, except maybe the barrel nut. I have intentionally changed dimensions and in most instances, even the thread count of parts to make this nearly 100% unique. Only some of the bolts are "off the shelf", the rest have all been machined by me.
This is NOT a destructive device.

The barrel is actually a piece of 1.5" ID. 3.25 OD" DOM (Drawn over mandrel) tubing. The original barrels had a major OD of 4.75" at the breech end over the chamber, and into the breech ring. I was not going to buy a piece that big, heavy, and expensive just to turn off 75% of it.
I chose 3.25" as that was the average diameter between the rings on the recoil sled. As such, the breech ring is threaded to fit a 3.25" tube
In order to hide that and mimic the original 4.75" chamber swell, I turned a solid steel sleeve to slide over the tube between the breech ring and the rear ring. I threaded the ring and tube at 3 threads per inch.
Image

Image


Here is the Barrel nut. I made it before tapering the barrel, I am not sure why I didn't change the thread count on this. I did everything else.
Anyway, I figured I could test fit a barrel nut while the tube was still in the lathe, easier than taking the nut in and out and having to re-index everything.

Image

Image

Image

Image

I was so proud of how the barrel turned out that I had to put it on the carriage just for a photo shoot. Still miles and miles to go!

Image
1943 Willys MB285433 D.O.D. 12-3-1943
1951 M100 trailer D.O.D. 3/51
1951 M37 Truck D.O.D. 5-28-1951
M3 37MM ATG
M3A4 Hand Cart
Wife D.O.Delivery 7-21-1979
Boy D.O.Delivery. 2-15-2007
Girl D.O.Delivery. 4-9-2009
Girl D.O.Delivery. 10-23-2012

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Re: 37mm anti tank gun build....non-DD

Post by Steve Webb » Wed Apr 21, 2021 6:10 am

That is awesome work. I had a chance to apprentice as a machinest (sp) but it was a night for the company and I was just married so nope to that. Still have my wife going on 44 years.
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Re: 37mm anti tank gun build....non-DD

Post by redcoat54th » Fri May 07, 2021 11:31 am

Andy, Great work. As soon as I get the M151A1 on the road, I can devote more time to my 37mm project. Bob
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Re: 37mm anti tank gun build....non-DD

Post by GPW43 » Tue May 11, 2021 9:04 am

I have been following your work and dedication to this project through the years - amazing work and keep it coming, especially the pictures. The breach is massive and can't imagine what it took to get it to that stage. Wow..
My hat is off to you.
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Re: 37mm anti tank gun build....non-DD

Post by dpcd67 » Tue May 11, 2021 4:35 pm

Wow, super job! I'm going to study your ideas; hope you don't mind!

You could have legally made it a muzzle loader and fired with a fuse. Put a breech plug in the breech end; and have a firing cannon. DOM tubing makes a good barrel.
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Re: 37mm anti tank gun build....non-DD

Post by Andy Cole » Wed May 12, 2021 5:03 am

GPW43 wrote:
Tue May 11, 2021 9:04 am
I have been following your work and dedication to this project through the years - amazing work and keep it coming, especially the pictures. The breach is massive and can't imagine what it took to get it to that stage. Wow..
My hat is off to you.
GP
Thanks for your kind words and patience with the slow going project. It's been over 7 years in the making so far. This is one of those things that I look at from time to time and wonder "What was I thinking!?"

That piece that I cut to start the breech ring from weighed 135 pounds according to an old school bathroom scale there at the shop. They are probably not super accurate, but as it sits right now those same scales say it weighs around 75 pounds. It's still got several pounds to lose. It stayed in the lathe for days and days. I cut before work, at breaks, at lunch, and after work for probably 2 weeks or more. That work is actually about 2 years old. I just never posted it, mainly due to the fact that I didn't know if I would actually be able to get the part made or not. Best not to show massive failures to the whole internet, right..... :roll: Obviously the solid ring was what I wanted most, but I had a couple of "Back-up" plans if I couldn't pull it off.

I have several pics of each process of each part through the years. By now probably more than a 100-150. Way too many to post.
1943 Willys MB285433 D.O.D. 12-3-1943
1951 M100 trailer D.O.D. 3/51
1951 M37 Truck D.O.D. 5-28-1951
M3 37MM ATG
M3A4 Hand Cart
Wife D.O.Delivery 7-21-1979
Boy D.O.Delivery. 2-15-2007
Girl D.O.Delivery. 4-9-2009
Girl D.O.Delivery. 10-23-2012

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Re: 37mm anti tank gun build....non-DD

Post by dpcd67 » Wed May 12, 2021 6:29 am

Next time, make a wooden breech ring and block but make them 3% bigger; then have them cast in aluminum. We have a foundry here that does that. Or bronze which would be cool.
Then once you have the pattern, you can sell breech rings. Neither them nor the barrel needs to be threaded. Pin it in. Use a big set screw, which is how tank cannons are held on (they are threaded too, the set screw and retainer keeps them from rotating; they aren't tight there.
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