|
|
Forums - Modelling / Construction |
The construction forum is for the discussion of techniques on the construction phase of AFV modelling and the tools and materials used. |
| Topics | 1872 |
| Messages | 8615 |
|
|
| Subject: | Re: Casting symbols |  |
| Date: | Mar 25, 2001 |
| From: | Kurt Isbrecht | |
Kurt:
When we finished the cast molds they would be sent to the open hearth
furnace department to have the molten steel poured into them. Before the
molds were cast the furnace department would assign each batch of molten
steel an identifying number. This was referred as a "heat" number. Steel is
made of several ingredients. The heat number can be thought of as a recipe
number. The heat number would ID each part; turret, hull, mantlet, etc. The
furnace department guys would make the heat number molds and insert them in
the hull or turret mold just before casting. You know how the government is
when it comes to assigning numbers to everything. On the smaller of the two
graphics you uploaded take notice of the very faint square outline
surrounding the numbers. The numbers were made of carved wood, printed
backwards. They were then pressed into the sand of the hull (or turret)
mold. The mold was baked at high temperature to remove all moisture. Molten
steel was then poured into the mold producing a casting with a raised ID.
Quite a long, labor intense process lasting around three weeks per casting.
There was another steel plant located in Granite City, IL. M4 Sherman tanks
were produced at the American Steel Castings plant during WWII. The American
Steel plant is still operating, producing castings for railroad cars.
I don't know if tanks from other plants had the same use for the numbers.
Both plants that I am familiar with used them for the above purpose.
I have included the logo cast into the M48's from General Steel.
Cheers, Kurt
"Kurt Laughlin" wrote in message
news:3abcb737@cr243322-a....
> Kurt:
>
> Do you happen to know what the letters "BU" or "LO" might have stood for
> when placed next to the part number on a casting? They are of WW II to
> early 1950's vintage but I don't know if they lasted into the '60's.
>
> thanks,
> KL
>
>
>
>
> |
| |
|
|
 | Armor texture, how rough is ROUGH? - Yc. Wang - Mar 14, 2001 |
| . . . Re: Armor texture, how rough is ROUGH? - Christophe Jacquemont - Mar 13, 2001 |
| . . . . . . Re: Armor texture, how rough is ROUGH? - - Mar 13, 2001 |
| . . . . . . Hmmm, any really good examples online? - - Mar 14, 2001 |
| . . . Re: Armor texture, how rough is ROUGH? - Steve Tegner - Mar 14, 2001 |
| . . . . . . Re: Armor texture, how rough is ROUGH? - Kurt Laughlin - Mar 15, 2001 |
| . . . Re: Armor texture, how rough is ROUGH? - Kurt Isbrecht - Mar 21, 2001 |
| . . . . . . Re: Armor texture, how rough is ROUGH? - Kurt Laughlin - Mar 21, 2001 |
| . . . . . . . . . Re: - Kurt Isbrecht - Mar 23, 2001 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . Casting symbols - Kurt Laughlin - Mar 24, 2001 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: Casting symbols - Kurt Isbrecht - Mar 25, 2001 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: Casting symbols - Kurt Laughlin - Mar 25, 2001 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: Casting symbols article - Christophe Jacquemont - Mar 27, 2001 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: Casting symbols article - Kurt Laughlin - Mar 28, 2001 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: Kurt's article on Sherman Register - Christophe Jacquemont - Mar 29, 2001 |
| . . . . . . Re: Armor texture, how rough is ROUGH? - Nemanja Pavlovic - Mar 22, 2001 |
| . . . . . . . . . Re: Armor texture, how rough is ROUGH? - Kurt Laughlin - Mar 23, 2001 |
|
|
