Model Engine Maker
General Category => Chatterbox => Topic started by: crueby on March 26, 2020, 05:33:51 PM
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After my Stqanley engine build finished, I went full(er) time on the RC model of a Cat 340D excavator, which I was documenting over on the RC Truck & Construction forum. But, this past week that site seems to have gone into isolation in a cave somewhere, so thought I'd put the occasional photo up here at major milestones. The 3D CAD model of the Mann Steam Waggon is going on in the background too, will start a thread on that when it gets to metal cutting stage.
Anyway, here is a shot of the boom/bucket assembly for the excavator. The booms are aluminum with steel fittings, the bucket is steel. It is 1:14 scale, with gearmotors and leadscrews making the cylinders work rather than true hydraulics. For size reference, there is a 6 inch ruler on the table in the foreground. This will be a big-un. With the gearmotor drive, it will be able to dig loose soil/sand, not as powerful as with real hydraulics but this is both a LOT cheaper and without the horrible mess if a line leaks hydraulic fluid at high presssure.
(https://i.postimg.cc/8c4d6h4m/IMG-6984a.jpg)
And a shot of it painted. The yellow is actually from rattle cans of Cat paint, they sell it for touchup and repairs, covers amazingly well for a yellow paint. This is one coat. The black is Duplicolor ceramic engine enamel.
(https://i.postimg.cc/L52B5yts/IMG-6985a.jpg)
Underneath the boom you can see the little die-cast model that I am scaling up from. Next parts are the steel plates that form the framework that the base of the boom attach to, rough cut plates are in the lower left of the photo.
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that is cool! keep us posted
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Hi Chris,
That looks fascinating. Are you able to give some details of the gear motor/ leadscrew 'hydraulic' actuators? They sound exciting.
Mike
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Hi Chris,
That looks fascinating. Are you able to give some details of the gear motor/ leadscrew 'hydraulic' actuators? They sound exciting.
Mike
I have some gearmotors and leadscrews from ServoCity.com, Actobotics brand. Got a few sizes of their Standard Duty/Economy gearmotors, they are available in a range of speeds, the slower the stronger. Picked them for size, only about 1" diameter so they fit inside the booms. They drive a Octura flex shaft to the leadscrew inside the cylinder. The leadscrews are 6mm, 4-start threads, with matching followers. I designed up the cylinders using those parts:
(https://i.postimg.cc/YSYMcJLR/Piston-Cutaway-View.jpg)
The center teal is the leadscrews, with the red holder on the lower left end. That rides in ball bearings, yellow and purple, with a light green base piece. The tubes are DOM steel tube, with the moving end (blue) attaching to the part to be moved. They seem to work pretty well, will know for sure when the base is done and I can run it for real - done motion tests with the subassemblies and it seems strong enough. Power comes from a 12V NiMH battery, each of the six motors will have its own speed control unit and be on a separate radio channel. Channels: bucket, outer stick, main boom, cab rotate, left track, right track. The metal tracks/sprockets are from RC tanks for now, may make my own later on.
Here is a video clip I did a while back with a motion test, done with a 98rpm gearmotor. I have others faster and slower, can swap them to dial in the max travel speed vs torque.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X8LaI4TmHg
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Very nice! A slick way to recreate the look of the hydraulics without the mess.
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Hi Chris,
Those servo actuators look very realistic and actuate realistically as well. I guess the size of the gearmotors set the scale for the whole excavator.
Mike
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Hi Chris,
Those servo actuators look very realistic and actuate realistically as well. I guess the size of the gearmotors set the scale for the whole excavator.
Mike
Yeah, the scale was picked to match what most of the 'fleet' (herd?) is at places like Cabin Fever's dirt pile, lots of detail parts, trucks, etc available at that size. I did have to widen the stick boom slightly to fit the cylinder parts in.
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Very nice! A slick way to recreate the look of the hydraulics without the mess.
After seeing one with the real hydraulics at a show that sprung a hose, it was an easy decision! That and the cost of the hydraulics - wow. Amazing how small they can make them and how much power they get, though. This way wont be as strong, but should be fun to play in the sandbox with. Burying misbehaving shop elves.... :LittleDevil:
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What a really awesome project. I always wanted to do something like this but always ended up deciding it would be too complicated for me.
Keep it up Chris.
Vince
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Great project Chris. I did a six month design contract for a local company that rebuilds/refits excavators and bulldozers. Got to know all the good stuff about digging buckets versus ditching buckets, root rippers and loader buckets and cast replaceable teeth. There is an entire world of knowledge about these machines that the average person never comes into contact with.---Brian
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Great project Chris. I did a six month design contract for a local company that rebuilds/refits excavators and bulldozers. Got to know all the good stuff about digging buckets versus ditching buckets, root rippers and loader buckets and cast replaceable teeth. There is an entire world of knowledge about these machines that the average person never comes into contact with.---Brian
I went to Cat's website a while back for pictures and specs, was amazed at how many bucket options there are. Lot more than the Big or Bigger that I was expecting!
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What a really awesome project. I always wanted to do something like this but always ended up deciding it would be too complicated for me.
Keep it up Chris.
Vince
Thanks Vince, there are so many off the shelf robotics parts now, really helps these kind of projects. The organizations like FIRST have really driven demand and options.
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Man O man it's hard to keep up with you Chris! Looks like another great project.
gbritnell
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Very nice! A slick way to recreate the look of the hydraulics without the mess.
After seeing one with the real hydraulics at a show that sprung a hose, it was an easy decision! That and the cost of the hydraulics - wow. Amazing how small they can make them and how much power they get, though. This way wont be as strong, but should be fun to play in the sandbox with. Burying misbehaving shop elves.... :LittleDevil:
Hmm ... now that you mention it, a leaking hydraulic hose would be slick, too ... in a different and quite unpleasant way!
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Thanks for putting this thread together Chris. I had tried to access the other site with no joy at all. Keep it coming. John :old: :DrinkPint:
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Nice work Chris. What did you do for drawings, or reference from which to create drawings? To me that is one the great challenges with these projects.....I always wondered how the plastic model companies manage to fairly accurately it seems model so many and different items. I also thought they might be a good to source to reverse engineer from
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Nice work Chris. What did you do for drawings, or reference from which to create drawings? To me that is one the great challenges with these projects.....I always wondered how the plastic model companies manage to fairly accurately it seems model so many and different items. I also thought they might be a good to source to reverse engineer from
I went just from the diecast model that I found, is in the pictures under the boom. I put it across the room and took pictures from top/side/ends with the camera on telephoto range, then used those as a background canvas in Fusion 3D and traced around the shapes to get the curved sections. Some of the parts were also measured with a caliper and scaled from. Not a millimeter-level of accuracy by any means, but good enough for a stand-off scale working model that will be used to play in a dirt pile. For my other builds, Marion and Lombard, I had access to full size machines to measure. There are bound to be some of these excavators around here, but it was not worth trying to get access to one.
I am getting the base for the booms pieced together - from the weight of the boom assembly, I am wondering if I'll be able to use the same gear motor for it as I did for inside the booms, given how heavy the parts are. Even with the two cylinders, I may need to go to a larger/more powerful motor for this last one, but fortunately there is plenty of room inside the cab block. May wind up with a car seat motor or something like that. Possible that just another gear set will do - the two cylinders need to be kept in sync, so will be driving both from one motor with a line of three gears, motor on the center one. That gear set could be a 2 or 3:1 combination.
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Been doing some work on the excavator the last couple of days, got the base for the boom assembly put together, enough to test the action on the two cylinders that raise and lower the whole thing. Bottom line, I am going to switch out the 4-start leadscrews in those two cylinders to single-start acme thread leadscrews. The weight of the booms/bucket is just too much for the fast-travel screws, and takes way too much torque, too much stress on the u-joints and/or flex cable. So, got some 1/4-16 parts coming in a couple days, wont take that much to retrofit the cylinders to the other parts - can reuse all the cylinder/end parts.
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Hi Chris,
I haven't been on the site for quite some time, but upon returning, I cease to be amazed at your creative skill. You are a natural as I have often said with metal.
No wonder you participate one several sites. New ideas and projects just flow out of you! :ThumbsUp:
Take care as we continue in these troubling times.
Cheers...John
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Okay, catching up on this side project build - been busy setting up a new computer, and all the time that always takes! Will be better suited for all the CAD work I am doing these days, so well worth the time. Anyway, I got the part in to switch the cylinder pair that holds up the entire boom assembly over to single-start Acme threads vs the original 4-start threads, which were just too aggressive on the movements. Here is the base assembly:
(https://i.postimg.cc/d3MrRf2v/IMG-6991a.jpg)
Each cylinder has its own drive shaft - in the picture the one on the right has a small drill chuck on it to make it easier to turn by hand. With the new leadscrews I can turn the shaft and lift/lower the booms with just one cylinder and a reasonable amount of force. Before, that was very difficult. The two shaftws will come back to a common drive gearmotor, have not decided if I'll do a gearbox to link them or use a small chain drive (leaning that way at the moment).
Here is a picture showing the entire assembly, bucket lifted off the table - stays there now, before it could spin the leadscrews and lower itself back, which meant that it would have been putting constant strain on the motors.
(https://i.postimg.cc/xCNLzQbt/IMG-6990a.jpg)
Lots of spare shafts and couplers in the foreground from figuring out the whole thing.
Here is a shot showing the part for holding and spinning the cab - there will be a lot of side force at times, so I wanted a strong way to connect things. Wound up with a spare set of tapered roller bearings from a trailer - figure it will be more than strong enough! The gear will be mounted to the track unit underneath, and a motor drive gear in the cab will engage it and turn the cab. There is a slip ring unit there to take the motor leads for the track drive motors down from the cab to the lower unit, but still allow the cab to turn as many full circles as it wants. The spindle will be home made, hollow unlike a normal car axle end to allow the wires through.
(https://i.postimg.cc/90GTLBb9/IMG-6992a.jpg)
I had started this thread a week or two ago when the RC Truck and Construction forum went down - just noticed today that it is back up, but I'll continue here for a little time to seee if they stay alive. Also, the Mann steam truck design is still progressing part by part, got the front axle assembly and boiler modeled up, about to start on the cab and the engine. More on that as it progresses later on.
:cheers:
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:ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:
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:ThumbsUp:
Very cool stuff Chris! Keep it coming!
John
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Another interesting project to try and keep up with :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :wine1:
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Thanks guys!
The other forum seems to be staying alive for now, am going to go back to posting progress there again. Will revive this thread if needed - could be their server threw them out since the traffic got so high with everyone staying home and surfing the forums more.
:cheers:
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Hi Chris,
It would be great if you could find the time to post here on MEM as well as on the other site.
I think there are plenty of other members silently following your progress, it would be a shame to cut us off.
Mike
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Hi Chris,
It would be great if you could find the time to post here on MEM as well as on the other site.
I think there are plenty of other members silently following your progress, it would be a shame to cut us off.
Mike
Fine by me - I didnt want to include a build thread here that was not an engine, but we do seem to have a few going now. I'll copy things in here too... :cheers:
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I for one would like you to post updates here as well. keep up the as usual great work
Dave
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I'll copy things in here too...
Thanks Chris.
Vince
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Sigh. I KNEW I should not let the shop elves near the new computer. They saw the posts about Surus, and taught my old office guard to watch over my bar stock racks. Now I need to give them all Oreo cookies to get another length of bar out..... :facepalm2:
(https://i.postimg.cc/hGbySrPP/IMG-6993.jpg)
:lolb:
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Got the sprocket assembly for the chain drive started - using some .250 pitch chain and sprockets from Servo City for these, nice fine chain for small spaces but plenty strong. They sell the master links and link pin removal tool too. I am going to use the same chain for the track drives too. So far have the sprockets on hubs, next will make up a support to hold the sprockets. The output of each shaft will go to one of the cylinders on the main boom via a shaft with universal joints. The input will be from a gear motor onto one of the shafts. So, one motor will frive both cylinders at a matched speed and direction.
(https://i.postimg.cc/MGZ5S3d6/IMG-6994a.jpg)
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The dirt pile at cabin fever has never really caught my attention. I suspect because my interest is in building, not operating. My son is exactly opposite. For years I’ve stated that Sam likes to drive the truck and I just want to fix it :lolb:
This being a build thread, it has my interest. I like your solution for simulating hydrolics.
:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:. .
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The dirt pile at cabin fever has never really caught my attention. I suspect because my interest is in building, not operating. My son is exactly opposite. For years I’ve stated that Sam likes to drive the truck and I just want to fix it :lolb:
This being a build thread, it has my interest. I like your solution for simulating hydrolics.
:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: . .
The dirt pile at CF was the first time I had even heard of RC excavators that used real hydraulics, was fascinated by them. Part way through the day I saw someone dealing with a leaky hydraulic line in one, and thought again - that and the price of the systems for it. I am hoping that the leadscrews will give enough oomph to dig well enough, at least in loosened dirt/sand, to be fun. It wont have the raw power of the real hydraulics, but at least I can run it indoors safely! I had won a 9 channel radio at the raffle at our RC submarine run in Carmel Indiana a few years ago, so that part was already set.The last time I went to CF, I had the Lombard Hauler model with me (among others), and one of the 'dirt' guys (Mike) was looking at it and mentioned that he thought his tractor/trailer might be able to hold the Lombard - turns out it was a perfect fit. He drove it across the arena to the pile and back - there is a video of it over on my Lombard build thread. Here it is again:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Zy6oA2gZ7M
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Few more parts - got the linkages from the ends of the lower cylinders back to the chain drive sprockets made, including a guide rail in the center to keep the u-joints from flopping around. This will only run at slow speeds, running the main boom up and down. Next need to make the holder for the shafts on the chain sprockets and the motor mount...
(https://i.postimg.cc/3NKMyTKV/IMG-6996a.jpg)
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Still working on the base unit/gearing, getting the bits made up to connect everything. In the meantime, a teaser for those waiting for the Mann Steam Wagon build, a current screen capture from Fusion of the 3D CAD model. I was able to get my hands on a scan of one of Mann's original catalogs, which has helped with a number of the details. Got a lot of it drawn up, not started yet on the engine which will sit on top of the boiler. The transmission (3 speed) is drawn up (though the gears are just discs at this point).
(https://i.postimg.cc/HWcPcv5Z/Mann-Wagon-Progress.jpg)
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... a teaser...
Yes, you are. ;D
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... a teaser...
Yes, you are. ;D
8)
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:ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:
Mann oh Mann Chris the CAD for the steam truck looks great!
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:ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:
Mann oh Mann Chris the CAD for the steam truck looks great!
Thanks Mann! :Lol:
I need to come up with a plan for the rear cargo area, they made a lot of custom versions, dump beds, van bodies, sprayers, bins, etc. Maybe a shop gnome transport cage...
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Some more done on the excavator - cut out the outline of the cab floor plate on some aluminum sheet stock, and made up the shafts/holders for the lower boom cylinder drive. While laying things out, realized that I should do the holes for the cab spindle (whatever that is called, the thing the cab spins on over the track assembly) at the same time, save some assembly/disassembly rounds. Here is the floor plate with the parts set on top:
(https://i.postimg.cc/jShWdVbn/IMG-6998a.jpg)
So, back to Fusion 360 to model up the spindle parts. I bought a trailer wheel bearing kit with 1-1/16" center hole size to use, knowing that regular whel bearings are set up to handle all the side/twisting loads. These should be MORE than strong enough for this purpose! Using the measurements of those parts as a starting point, modeled up the assembly. In all these screen grabs, we are looking at the bottom side of things - the square grey background is the bottom of the floor plate, the track assembly will bolt to the flange at the top of the darker grey 'hub'.
(https://i.postimg.cc/5t76Lwjx/Spindle1.jpg)
Now, to show things better, some more shots with parts peeled away. Here it is with the hub removed, showing the two bearing races/cups inside. The red spindle is hollow to hold the slip ring for the track drive motors. Sides are smooth, end threaded for the spindle nut.
(https://i.postimg.cc/sxSXkqmX/Spindle3.jpg)
Spindle with bearings removed:
(https://i.postimg.cc/KzCjsxnw/Spindle4.jpg)
And the hub itself - the step in the center on the inside goes between the bearings, holding the bearing cups apart.
(https://i.postimg.cc/hGPXXCDy/Spindle5.jpg)
This is all laid out just like the trailer axle/hub would be, just slightly different shapes to bolt to the cab floor and the track frame. Should work, as long as I didn't forget some important part...
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Been some 'boring' days lately, boring out and turning the spindle and hub for the cab rotation bearing assembly. The spindle/hub are steel, the washer and nut are brass (just since I had some offcuts the right size, otherwise would have been steel too). The gear was bored out as well to fit the hub, there will be a gear motor inside the cab by the boom base driving a spur gear against the big gear. The big gear and hub stay stationary with respect to the track frame, and the spindle/cab spin around on that. All fits well, and the hub spins freely without play - no grease in the roller bearings yet, just since it will be handled so much for a while. Here are some pics of the top/bottom of the assembly.
Bottom view, the end with the nut will face downwards in the final assembly.
(https://i.postimg.cc/1zjZyJh2/IMG-7001a.jpg)
Top view - the inner spindle will bolt to the cab floor.(https://i.postimg.cc/nz9frBnz/IMG-7002a.jpg)
With these parts done, now I can lay out and start drilling the patterns of holes in the cab floor for the spindle as well as the boom base and its drive motor....
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Getting the floor plate drilled for the mounting screws, and test fitting the parts....
Bottom view:
(https://i.postimg.cc/DzQwFZ1R/IMG-7004a.jpg)
Top:
(https://i.postimg.cc/pT2XdHZr/IMG-7005a.jpg)
Need to open up one hole for the base frame, missed that one by a little bit. Then get the spacer block under the motor drilled/installed, and add the angle-aluminum around the rim to hold the cab shell on. The cab is most likely going to be a wood frame clad in thin plywood, set down over the top.
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You mentioned 'boring' in a previous post. What did you use? The boring tool from Sherline?
I used that for a couple of holes and (like Bill mentioned) found it difficult to adjust accurately.
I got it done (despite ruining a parallel in the process) but the holes ended up just slightly larger than the bearings.
My mistake was making the bearings first. I should have made the holes and then turned the bearings to fit.
BTW Where's the elves? Are they quarantined? As they should have been years ago. ;D
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You mentioned 'boring' in a previous post. What did you use? The boring tool from Sherline?
I used that for a couple of holes and (like Bill mentioned) found it difficult to adjust accurately.
I got it done (despite ruining a parallel in the process) but the holes ended up just slightly larger than the bearings.
My mistake was making the bearings first. I should have made the holes and then turned the bearings to fit.
BTW Where's the elves? Are they quarantined? As they should have been years ago. ;D
I also have had issues with the sherline boring head, works but sometimes it is tough to get a close final size since it just pushes in one direction with the dial and tightening the locking screw can shift things. Recently I picked up a APT head, which is larger, has a tension adjustment on the slider, and a better dial. It does not fit the headstock threads so I had to make an adapter using a sherline blank mill holder.
One thing you should do is stop a bit short of final diameter and do an extra pass or two at one setting, it will take off a little more metal, due to the spring in the cutter. Then remeasure and adjust in very slightly, repeat as needed.
Oh, and the elves have locked themselves in big ziplock bags, muttering something about 'dont know where you have been'.
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Dog, Dog......you just amaze me your on another project and making awesome time. I just can’t believe you sleep. Another amazing project to follow and did ......I..........say........I...........like............ :Love:
:drinking-41:
Don
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Oh, and the elves have locked themselves in big ziplock bags, muttering something about 'dont know where you have been'.
I never thought I'd say this...but that's a point for them. ;D
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You mentioned 'boring' in a previous post. What did you use? The boring tool from Sherline?
I used that for a couple of holes and (like Bill mentioned) found it difficult to adjust accurately.
I got it done (despite ruining a parallel in the process) but the holes ended up just slightly larger than the bearings.
My mistake was making the bearings first. I should have made the holes and then turned the bearings to fit.
BTW Where's the elves? Are they quarantined? As they should have been years ago. ;D
I also have had issues with the sherline boring head, works but sometimes it is tough to get a close final size since it just pushes in one direction with the dial and tightening the locking screw can shift things. Recently I picked up a APT head, which is larger, has a tension adjustment on the slider, and a better dial. It does not fit the headstock threads so I had to make an adapter using a sherline blank mill holder.
One thing you should do is stop a bit short of final diameter and do an extra pass or two at one setting, it will take off a little more metal, due to the spring in the cutter. Then remeasure and adjust in very slightly, repeat as needed.
Oh, and the elves have locked themselves in big ziplock bags, muttering something about 'dont know where you have been'.
You do know you can pop those bags just like popping paper ones, eh? :naughty: That'll wake 'em up, and they may not be doing too much more muttering - 'specially with all that 'boring' work going on! :Lol:
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You mentioned 'boring' in a previous post. What did you use? The boring tool from Sherline?
I used that for a couple of holes and (like Bill mentioned) found it difficult to adjust accurately.
I got it done (despite ruining a parallel in the process) but the holes ended up just slightly larger than the bearings.
My mistake was making the bearings first. I should have made the holes and then turned the bearings to fit.
BTW Where's the elves? Are they quarantined? As they should have been years ago. ;D
I also have had issues with the sherline boring head, works but sometimes it is tough to get a close final size since it just pushes in one direction with the dial and tightening the locking screw can shift things. Recently I picked up a APT head, which is larger, has a tension adjustment on the slider, and a better dial. It does not fit the headstock threads so I had to make an adapter using a sherline blank mill holder.
One thing you should do is stop a bit short of final diameter and do an extra pass or two at one setting, it will take off a little more metal, due to the spring in the cutter. Then remeasure and adjust in very slightly, repeat as needed.
Oh, and the elves have locked themselves in big ziplock bags, muttering something about 'dont know where you have been'.
You do know you can pop those bags just like popping paper ones, eh? :naughty: That'll wake 'em up, and they may not be doing too much more muttering - 'specially with all that 'boring' work going on! :Lol:
:lolb: :ROFL:
Not sure I want to start that war though. Still.... :thinking:
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Got some more done on the floor plate, riveted on the angle pieces around the edge to hold the cab in place, and bolted down the motor and boom base parts.
(https://i.postimg.cc/W32PD56S/IMG-7007a.jpg)
closer look:
(https://i.postimg.cc/GttwK9fy/IMG-7008a.jpg)
The vertical motor at the lower right of the boom base frame is to turn the cab around on the track base. It will drive this spur gear (once I make the shaft to connect it) against the large gear on the hub. The hub and the large gear will be bolted to the track base.
(https://i.postimg.cc/hjpRVV2n/IMG-7010a.jpg)
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:ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:
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Started in on the framework for the undercariage - this will hold the spindle/hub for the cab on the top, and the tracks out at the lower arms.
(https://i.postimg.cc/CLpWWJdc/IMG-7011a.jpg)
lots of drilling/tapping later...
(https://i.postimg.cc/mkCKP1p3/IMG-7012a.jpg)
Still more holes to go to get the lower arms on...
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This work is beyond words.
John
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:ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn
I wondered what that tap tap tap tapping sound was - now I know it was Chris tapping! :Lol:
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:ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn
I wondered what that tap tap tap tapping sound was - now I know it was Chris tapping! :Lol:
Better than the thunk thunk thunk of the cardinal attacking its reflection in the window over at my mother's house. Stupid thing has been trying to chase itself off since last fall. Gotta figure out how to make a remote control badminton racket to launch it over the garage...
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I had one that was attacking itself in my truck mirrors,, had to cover them large sweat socks when I parked at home,, hang an owl picture in the window..
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I had one that was attacking itself in my truck mirrors,, had to cover them large sweat socks when I parked at home,, hang an owl picture in the window..
Nice that your truck had warm mirrors... :ROFL:
We've tried owl and hawk pictures, fans, blinds, all that. Its tough, there is a whole row of big windows. Silly things are so terratorial. Too many other houses to get the local trap team over...!
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More done on the undercarriage - getting it skinned with aluminum sheet. All are roughed in, ready to do final trimming/blending on the edges.
(https://i.postimg.cc/cJqFKwLk/IMG-7015a.jpg)
The spindle unit is sitting on top - need to bore a large hole in the top sheet so it will sit down on the top sheet.
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Bored out the hole for the spindle assembly:
(https://i.postimg.cc/3JQf9W0D/IMG-7016a.jpg)
and test fit in the base:
(https://i.postimg.cc/8PdKYDLX/IMG-7017a.jpg)
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Nice work Chris.
A great read given lockdown.
Cheers Kerrin
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Great work Chris. :praise2: :praise2:
That sprocket on the table looks just like a Tiger 1 sprocket.
Vince
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Great work Chris. :praise2: :praise2:
That sprocket on the table looks just like a Tiger 1 sprocket.
Vince
Probably because it is one! I have sets of metal tracks and sprockets from an rc tank that are the right size for the excavator, starting with those rather than making them from scratch. Good eye!
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Something like this but it's 1/6th scale.
Vince
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Yup, but I just bought the track sets:
(https://i.postimg.cc/gc1YhpMr/IMG-7018.jpg)
The small chain (top) will be used to drive the tracks from a pair of motors under the cab, inside the undercarriage frame I am building now. The scale is different from the tank, but the dimensions of the track plates was pretty close to the excavator at 1:14.
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They look like those are cast aluminium track links. Did not know that they are available at that scale. Do you have a website address?
Vince
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Not sure what the metal is, feels a little heavy for aluminum. There is a 'M' logo in the casting. The sprockets/hubs are Aluminum.
I'll look back and see if I can find where I got them from.
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They are Mato brand tracks, the plates are 1.75" wide, 1:16 scale, for the Tiger tank. I ordered them direct. They ship worldwide. Quality of these tracks seems to be very good, came all assembled and are free moving.
http://www.matomart.com/homepage.php
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Thanks Chris. Bookmarked that website.
Vince
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Thanks Chris. Bookmarked that website.
Vince
There are a number of other places that carry their parts/kits, worth checking around on current prices.
:cheers:
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Got the cab/boom assembly bolted onto the track base this morning:
(https://i.postimg.cc/8kWn44jH/IMG-7019a.jpg)
As expected, needs some counterwieght at the back of the cab to balance out the booms. The cab rotation drive gear meshes okay:
(https://i.postimg.cc/WbvYHZZP/IMG-7020a.jpg)
Good place to park the die-cast model:
(https://i.postimg.cc/kXvY35NR/IMG-7021a.jpg)
Next up is to do a bunch of wiring for the radio/speed controls, and I can do some testing!
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:ThumbsUp:
That looks GREAT Chris!
Nice work on the fabrications!
:popcorn:
John
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Wow. That looks great Chris.
I believe even the real thing has a counterweight at the back.
Vince
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Wow. That looks great Chris.
I believe even the real thing has a counterweight at the back.
Vince
Yes they do - big flat plates, forklifts and cranes do the same thing. I will use up some of the offcuts from the scrap bin to make up the weights, and put the battery back there too.
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Splendid as ever :praise2: :praise2: and also as hard to keep up with as ever :ThumbsUp: :wine1: (still no cider emoticon :( )
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Splendid as ever :praise2: :praise2: and also as hard to keep up with as ever :ThumbsUp: :wine1: (still no cider emoticon :( )
Mmmmm, cider...
Today was wiring day, got all the speed controls wired to the radio and three of the motors. Lotsa wires! Still need to wire in the cab rotate motor, but tested the others. So far so good, but the boom motor that drives the two cylinders at the bottom needs some work. Not sure if the drive shafts have sticky spots or the motor is in t strong enough. Or both. Will remove the motor and had turn the shaft and see...
EDIT: Looks like the boom base motor will need to be a stronger one, turning that shaft by hand shows it takes more force than I think that motor has. Or it needs some more gear reduction... Will do some experiments! In the meantime, going to play with the Mann truck 3D model some more, got the engine assembly mostly done.
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Got enough of the wiring done to test things out, and swapped the main boom motor for a slower/stronger one which is pretty close but could be a little faster. Here is a short video testing the different functions out, moving slow so I didn't whack anything on the table and so I could learn which stick did what!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkGL3TcqJPY
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That's too cool! :ThumbsUp:
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...what Zee said...
+ that's AWESOME!
:ThumbsUp:
John
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Could be those shprokets are panzerium. It's right next to unobtainium in the periodic (al) table. They are a long way in the table from chinesium or cheezium which are not too durable. :naughty:
For example the cylinder heads on the first Hyundai Pony cars that made it here in the early 1980's I think were a type of cheezium. They were so soft , after about a year, the spark plugs would wiggle and shake loose in their holes. :o I've seen it a few times. A friend with one made a sticker decal for the hood on his saying "Carillo Cardboard Rods / Velveeta Heads". The stuff just smeared when trying to tap for helicoils. Head bolts needed tightening about once every two months.
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Looking good! I'd say the base swings around plenty fast.
On the tank tracks:
Not sure what the metal is, feels a little heavy for aluminum. There is a 'M' logo in the casting. The sprockets/hubs are Aluminum.
I'll look back and see if I can find where I got them from.
Doesn't the "M" stand for Meehanite?
:) :) :)
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Could be those shprokets are panzerium. It's right next to unobtainium in the periodic (al) table. They are a long way in the table from chinesium or cheezium which are not too durable. :naughty:
For example the cylinder heads on the first Hyundai Pony cars that made it here in the early 1980's I think were a type of cheezium. They were so soft , after about a year, the spark plugs would wiggle and shake loose in their holes. :o I've seen it a few times. A friend with one made a sticker decal for the hood on his saying "Carillo Cardboard Rods / Velveeta Heads". The stuff just smeared when trying to tap for helicoils. Head bolts needed tightening about once every two months.
I've had food that was pre-processed Yuckium, wonder if its the same ... um, stuff, in a new box! :Jester:
Just got the tracks extended another 3/4", used the spare track plates that came with them. Had to file off a couple bits of flashing on the spares, still not sure what the metal is. Something like AlumaToolSteel maybe!
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Looking good! I'd say the base swings around plenty fast.
On the tank tracks:
Not sure what the metal is, feels a little heavy for aluminum. There is a 'M' logo in the casting. The sprockets/hubs are Aluminum.
I'll look back and see if I can find where I got them from.
Doesn't the "M" stand for Meehanite?
:) :) :)
Maybe! :Lol: Though if it is, their cast iron is on the soft end of the scale, and Mato needs to check the formula!
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As mentioned, been laying out the tracks and sprockets to start laying out the parts for the track holders. The drive sprockets are two-piece, so the inside of one half was turned down the thickness of the chain sprockets I have (for .25" pitch bike-style chain), so when assembled they still match the width of the track plates. The chain will run from the drive sprocket at one end back to the motor in the center under the cab, on the base frame. The motors connect to the speed controls/radio in the cab through a slip ring in the hub, so the wires dont wind up. The framistat connects to the knee-bone... :Lol:
On the background project, making good progress on the 3D model of the Mann steam truck. Got the motor, transmission, eccentrics, crankshaft, control levers all drawn up:
(https://i.postimg.cc/MGWQqXtN/Mann-render.jpg)
Next big assembly will be the cab...
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:ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:
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Getting to final parts on the 3D model of the Mann truck:
(https://i.postimg.cc/8PLnS8J9/Mann-Steam-Truck-v92.jpg)
Close to time to decide on a scale for the model - the 3D version is full size dimensions...
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Chris--My Solidworks has a tool that lets you shrink an entire assembly and all of it's components parts by a percentage factor. It is in the "molds" section of the software. Don't know if yours might have that. That is a very nice model.---Brian
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Hi Chris, nice CAD model.
Is the rear axle driven by a chain ?
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Chris--My Solidworks has a tool that lets you shrink an entire assembly and all of it's components parts by a percentage factor. It is in the "molds" section of the software. Don't know if yours might have that. That is a very nice model.---Brian
Hi Brian,
Yup - Fusion 360 lets you scale individual parts, sets, or the whole model by any scale factor - I used that feature on the Marion build to do a set of full size drawings for the historical society, and then scale it down for the model. Very handy feature.
:cheers:
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Hi Chris, nice CAD model.
Is the rear axle driven by a chain ?
Yes - the original used a 2.5" pitch chain, with different size sprockets on the drive and driven axles. Thier undertype wagons and the shorter cart overtype used gears all the way back, but the larger overtype wagons all had chain for the final drive. They have a transmission behind the boiler with three shafts (including the crankshaft), with three speed ranges, changed by a lever that slides the three intermediat gears side to side on the middle axle. Should be a very exciting model to build!
I have not modelled the chain itself into the 3D model, but you can just see the edge of the sprocket in the screen capture. The sprocket drives a bevel-gear type differential on the rear axle.
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Chris--You are doing such great work. I am still farting around learning TIG101, getting ready to weld up my flywheel/fans, (teaching an old dog new tricks).---Brian
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Chris--You are doing such great work. I am still farting around learning TIG101, getting ready to weld up my flywheel/fans, (teaching an old dog new tricks).---Brian
Thanks Brian! The welding is a skill I want to learn someday - sure to be a useful one!
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Been fiddling away getting the track frames for the excavator made (pics later), and also playing with dimensions on the Mann truck. It would be nice to make it a larger scale, at 1:6 (2"), but that gets it a little too large both for the lathe and also for lifting the finished model. So, I have decided on 1:8 (1.5") scale for it. That puts the HP piston at 1/2" diameter, 1" stroke, with a 3"x9" boiler (including outer insulation/shell, plus smokebox length), and an overall size of 32 long x 9-5/8 wide x 11.5" tall. The largest gears and the flywheel would be 2.25", with 5-3/8" rear wheels. All that is within the limits of the Sherline (and me).
The boiler also supports the front axle and the engine, so am thinking of making it with a steel outer shell, with the copper boiler wrapped in insulation inside that, with the boiler shell being 2.5" diameter. The engine and front axle (and cab) would bolt to the steel shell, the back of the shell bolted to the horn plates. The drive chain would be 1/4" pitch bike-style chain, which is available.
One thing I need to learn more about is compound engines, which this truck has (4" HP piston, 6.75 LP piston). Mann trucks had a extra set of valves that let them vent the HP exhaust to the stack, and send boiler steam directly to the LP cylinder, for use in starting and also for steep inclines for extra power. That would be tricky to do on the model, so probably wont have that valving. I dont know anything about their internal passages, so dont know if they had a receiver chamber between the cylinders or just sent the HP exhaust to the LP steam chest. For models, how well does it work to just pipe it directly to the LP chest? And is there much efficiency gain at small scales like there is on a full size engine? To aid it in running on air (like at a show), could just make it two HP pistons like a non-compound, with the LP cylinder having thicker walls to simulate the compound shape... Would having the two size pistons but driving them direct work out on a model? Lots to learn on this! One other interesting thing they did was to use the cylinder block as part of the steam dome - on their overtype trucks the engine is right where the dome is on the undertypes, apparently the inside of the block, being a hollow casting between the cylinders, acted as the dome with the safety valve and throttle valve on the top of the block.
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On my Burrell (and Andrew's) there are holes in the top of the boiler shell over which the cylinder casting is bolted. The steam "jackets"the cylinders to retain heat. Steam is ported into the HP valve chest, hp exhaust ported into the LP valve chest, obviously LP exhaust up the chimney.
As far as 4" scale Burrells are concerned there is a considerable increase in power and less coal / water use than the single cylinder version. I see no advantage in compounding if it is only running on air. Excavator looking great :cheers: Terry
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On my Burrell (and Andrew's) there are holes in the top of the boiler shell over which the cylinder casting is bolted. The steam "jackets"the cylinders to retain heat. Steam is ported into the HP valve chest, hp exhaust ported into the LP valve chest, obviously LP exhaust up the chimney.
As far as 4" scale Burrells are concerned there is a considerable increase in power and less coal / water use than the single cylinder version. I see no advantage in compounding if it is only running on air. Excavator looking great :cheers: Terry
So those machines have a seperate boiler shell over the pressure-holding inner shell, or are the bolt holes directly in the pressure-holding shell? I was concerned about doing the holes directly in a copper boiler, for strength and pressure holding. Going to look at your builds now...!
On the steam flow, so the exhaust from the HP just goes directly to the LP steam chest, no need for another chamber, sounds like. I have seen intermediate holding chambers on very large stationary engines, which confused me when I did not see them on smaller engines. Guess its a matter of volume.
I'd like to be able to run this truck on both steam (for trundling around the driveway) and on air (for static display indoors). Will a compound engine model run halfway decently on air?
:cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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I suspect it will run ok on air......my Burrell did when I first bench tested it. Cylinder bolts straight to boiler shell. BUT ours are steel at least 3/8 inch thick.. Unsure about the copper :headscratch: On full size the cylinders are fixed using "carrot" bolts inserted from inside the boiler shell usually before the tubes go in. This is impossible on most models. Hope this helps. Terry
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Ah - that heavy a steel boiler would be quite a different animal. For a thinner (than yours) copper boiler, I think I am better off doing it in two layers: a copper boiler shell, wrapped in insulation, slid into a thin steel outer shell to which the engine, front axle supports, cab, frame, and horn plates would all be bolted to. That way the steel outer shell would be the structural piece, the copper boiler just doing its job. It would need some provision for connecting the engine to the steam dome though.... Hmmmm.... Would need a gasketed connection there, or a large diameter pipe section.... Going to take more thought. Could always have doubler plates that wrap the copper boiler at the engine and other connections.... Lots of ways to skin this cat!
Fortunately the excavator will be keeping me busy in the shop for quite a while! :cheers:
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Up to page seven and I'm just getting caught up, whew !!
I was thinking you and George are going to be able to go into road construction when you both get done. :ROFL:
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Up to page seven and I'm just getting caught up, whew !!
I was thinking you and George are going to be able to go into road construction when you both get done. :ROFL:
Switch your forum preferences to more posts per page, and it will only be two pages, not seven! :lolb:
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Another major assembly almost done - got the track frames/tracks assembled this afternoon, moving quite well. Still some more trim panels and brackets to go on, and need to pull the tracks off one more time to install the drive chains and sprockets on the inside. The chain sprocket on the center of the track drive sprocket is there, but there is another one in the center of the frame that still needs to be fitted. The drive motors will sit on the inside edge of the track frames, under the middle of the cab (one per track).
(https://i.postimg.cc/Jnh9Xd9r/IMG-7023a.jpg)
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Up to page seven and I'm just getting caught up, whew !!
I was thinking you and George are going to be able to go into road construction when you both get done. :ROFL:
Switch your forum preferences to more posts per page, and it will only be two pages, not seven! :lolb:
Reminds me of the old joke...
Man orders a pizza
Pizza chef says “would you like that pizza cut in six slices or eight?”
Customer replies “better cut it in six slices, I don’t think I can eat eight” :ROFL:
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Great side project, Chris. I am enjoying following along.
It looks like those track motors will be down in the dirt, you will have to avoid mud.
Did you give any consideration to running two concentric shafts down the centreline of the cab support bearing and keep the motors up in the cab? Probably no more difficult than the slip rings providing of course that you have room in the cab.
MJM460
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Great side project, Chris. I am enjoying following along.
It looks like those track motors will be down in the dirt, you will have to avoid mud.
Did you give any consideration to running two concentric shafts down the centreline of the cab support bearing and keep the motors up in the cab? Probably no more difficult than the slip rings providing of course that you have room in the cab.
MJM460
Thats the way the early steam ones worked, with concentric shafts down the center. The cab on this one is already pretty crowded with all the speed controls and batteries, plus the main boom is right above the spindle hole, so I decided to put the motors underneath. They will be close to the ground as you say, but being inside the track frame all it needs is a flat cover plate to protect them. I hope!
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Up to page seven and I'm just getting caught up, whew !!
I was thinking you and George are going to be able to go into road construction when you both get done. :ROFL:
Switch your forum preferences to more posts per page, and it will only be two pages, not seven! :lolb:
Reminds me of the old joke...
Man orders a pizza
Pizza chef says “would you like that pizza cut in six slices or eight?”
Customer replies “better cut it in six slices, I don’t think I can eat eight” :ROFL:
That must be why people like metric, they get 10 slices per pizza!!
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People say that Canada went metric officially in the 1970's.
I say in real life, Canada is not fully metricated, because you still order "a slice" at a pizza shop. If it were truly metric you'd order a decipizza, wouldn't you? :insane: :cheers:
(there are lots of things that have gone metric here, and more metric size metal and fasteners are available now, but usually at a premium price. Pizza, 6" and 12" subs, and Chinese food have not gone metric - yet :noidea: )
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More done on the tracks - got the frames painted, chain drives installed, and fit to the frame. Here is a test assembly of the whole thing, will pull the cab/booms off again to turn the track assembly upside down to fit the motors to the bottom. It definitely is more stable now with the extra width and length to the footprint.
(https://i.postimg.cc/ncDwXwFJ/IMG-7024a.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/P5nVYzJ8/IMG-7025a.jpg)
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Very nice Chris---Brings up an old memory. My uncle Jimmy (The one who taught me to drink whiskey and play the fiddle) was always wrenching on old cars, trying to keep them running. I was down at my uncles house when I was about 10 years old, and Uncle Jimmy had a timing chain off one of his old cars. He had cleaned all the oil off it, and give it to his kids to play with. I was absolutely fascinated by the timing chain. I could immediately see the similarity between the timing chain and a bulldozer track. I asked him if he could make me a toy bulldozer with those tracks on it. Of course he said that no, sorry, he couldn't do that because he only had one timing chain and he couldn't make sprockets for it.--That'd be about sixty four years ago.---Brian
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Very nice Chris---Brings up an old memory. My uncle Jimmy (The one who taught me to drink whiskey and play the fiddle) was always wrenching on old cars, trying to keep them running. I was down at my uncles house when I was about 10 years old, and Uncle Jimmy had a timing chain off one of his old cars. He had cleaned all the oil off it, and give it to his kids to play with. I was absolutely fascinated by the timing chain. I could immediately see the similarity between the timing chain and a bulldozer track. I asked him if he could make me a toy bulldozer with those tracks on it. Of course he said that no, sorry, he couldn't do that because he only had one timing chain and he couldn't make sprockets for it.--That'd be about sixty four years ago.---Brian
Fun stuff! Be a good accessory for one of your engines, a chain tracked car!
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Got the motors mounted to the track undercarriage, ready to wire things in...
(https://i.postimg.cc/KjQ15yhH/IMG-7028a.jpg)
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Chris, looks like you are "on track"!
:)
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Chris, looks like you are "on track"!
:)
Thanks! I am really looking forward to seeing it move under its own power, as with the other motors it was a guess what gear ratio to start with. Should be trundling along later this week.
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Got the bigger/stronger gearmotor installed for the main boom raise/lowering, had to rearrange a few things to get it to fit in the cab. It works much better, the original one was barely able to raise the boom assembly. This one could be just a little faster, may swap up to the next rpm range on it (they come in a series of gear ratios). This one is quite a bit longer, so it has to sit sideways in the cab, and have a bevel gear set to attach it.
(https://i.postimg.cc/vZRcK2kP/IMG-7030a.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/ZKvWVz7B/IMG-7029a.jpg)
The shop elves are measuring things up to make a rack to hold all the speed controls, they are just temp wired in using some terminal blocks to test things out, want to have them all in a row and the wires neatened up from the current rats nest.
(https://i.postimg.cc/pLDpMYtP/IMG-7031a.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/DznmvJ2L/IMG-7032a.jpg)
I was able to test out the crawler track motors, went for a long trip of about 6 inches back and forth on the bench. Looks good there too.
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I don’t see those elves dressed appropriately to perform high voltage/current electrical work. It may be just 12 volts and a few amps to you but to them it’s lethal! For shame :-X
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I don’t see those elves dressed appropriately to perform high voltage/current electrical work. It may be just 12 volts and a few amps to you but to them it’s lethal! For shame :-X
In addition, I don't recall those elves ever holding a tool. They seem to always just stand around taking credit. ;D
P.S. A few amps would kill anyone.
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Didn't you see the Lock Out / Tag Out? I'm sure I saw that in there somewhere, under all the wires ...
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Bah - shop gnomes are a dime a dozen, and easily converted to shop elves with chocolate chip cookies.... :LittleDevil:
And Zee is right - they dont seem to actually do much but pose for pictures.... Its when they try selling my stuff on ebay that I get really annoyed! :Lol:
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Splendid :praise2: :praise2: The RC transmitter looks rather 'Steam Punk' to me.
This certainly puts my early Mechano experiments to shame (but they were nearly 50 years ago) :old:
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The radio is an off brand knockoff, got it free in a raffle at one of the rc sub runs (no good for subs, being a 2.4ghz band which wont penetrate water). They dressed up the case to make it look fancy. ::)
Love the old meccanno models!
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Chris,
I am more surprised that the shop elves aren't running around with a wire snips! :lolb: The photo that Roger put in reminded me of this at the Badger Steam & Gas show last August.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDUKwTl8WHM
The steam shovel on the back was traveling faster and would push the hitch sideways.
Art
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Chris,
I am more surprised that the shop elves aren't running around with a wire snips! :lolb: The photo that Roger put in reminded me of this at the Badger Steam & Gas show last August.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDUKwTl8WHM
The steam shovel on the back was traveling faster and would push the hitch sideways.
Art
I wish you guys would STOP giving the elves those ideas! :slap:
:Lol:
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Some more progress to show - the wiring is pretty much done, still want to bundle up some of them but all is functional. Re-tensioned the tracks, since it was fine when the drive wheel was pulling the tracks from underneath, but going in the other direction where it was pulling the tracks over the top, the plates were bunching up as they went under the track rollers - just needed another 1/8" of movement outwards on the idler wheels. Also started in on the cab - making it out of a thin ply skin and shaped wood formers for where it angles in at the top, plus ply frames around the back:
(https://i.postimg.cc/tT2p0xCX/IMG-7034a.jpg)
Next steps will be to add the inner walls and top panels, then can start on the operators cab.
On the background project, have gotten a lot done on the Mann Steam Wagon - 3D CAD model is pretty much done, and I've decided on a 1:8 scale for that build, with a 3" diameter gas fired boiler. The 3D model was done at full-size dimensions, will make a copy of it and scale it down to 1/8, then start generating the 2D drawings for the parts. Here is a screen capture from Fusion:
(https://i.postimg.cc/dtMvbwJZ/3-D-model-1.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/TYrGGFP7/3-D-model-2.jpg)
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The CAD of the Mann looks great! but where will you get the lime green coloured steel for the rear wheels? :Lol:
Excavator also looks great. Don't know what that brown stuff around the deck works is though ...... :shrug:
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The CAD of the Mann looks great! but where will you get the lime green coloured steel for the rear wheels? :Lol:
Excavator also looks great. Don't know what that brown stuff around the deck works is though ...... :shrug:
Lime green, hmmmm.... It is British... :Lol:
That brown is some old fashioned organic steel, grown... I mean mined, put in those green areas called 'forests'. :Lol:
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The CAD of the Mann looks great! but where will you get the lime green coloured steel for the rear wheels? :Lol:
Excavator also looks great. Don't know what that brown stuff around the deck works is though ...... :shrug:
They have that? :Lol: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:
That brown is some old fashioned organic steel, grown... I mean mined, put in those green areas called 'forests'. :Lol:
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Amazing work as usual.
I can't even guess how you manage to be so prolific.
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Amazing work as usual.
I can't even guess how you manage to be so prolific.
Thanks Gary! The elves ... I mean I, have moved along pretty well on this one! ::)
Been glueing and painting up the cab area this week, mostly out of plywood. The electronics have paused a bit. The wiring is all in place, but I have been getting a lot of glitching in the speed controls. After a lot of experiments and consulting the local gurus, found that once more than 3 of the ESCs were connected to the receiver the problems would start. Since there are six independent motors, this is a big problem! Tried different radios, motors, caps on the motors, positions, lots of things. Finally found some references online to similar issues, and that the manufacturer, Mtroniks, had seen it too. They started making a clever gizmo, an opto-isolator, which plugs in inline with the leads to the radio. It converts the electrical signal from wires to optical and back, getting rid of whatever noise, ground looping, drops, whatever the issue is (don't have a oscilloscope any more so can't look myself). So, ordered a handful of them, should solve the whole thing. The US dealer, who happens to be a friend of mine, didn't have any in stock so am waiting on the shipment from England, hope its not stuck in customs too long. By the time they are here I should have the cab all done.
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Been playing on the Mann truck design in Fusion, added stake sides to the cargo bed, and decided to see how it would look if rendered. The materials on all the parts are still the default steel, so it looks more like the Delorean version! :Lol:
(https://i.postimg.cc/Pqsm0zjY/Mann-Steam-Truck-v109.jpg)
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Purty! I'm going to buy shares in AutoSol polish if you build it to match the rendering!
Re your optoisolator-taters for the ex-cavator - I recall in my time at the big X we had a few of these gizmos on signal lines. If I'm not mistaken they were made by Sharp and Panasonic. They were a small PCB maybe 5 x 16 mm with in and out connections and a black box which housed the source led's (infrared as I recall) and the receivers. We had fun with one of the test engineers one day by quietly shining a laser on the black housing. Enough IR got through to seriously confuse the workin's. Test engineer was tearing his hair out trying to find the ^%$@^() glitch until we spilled the beans. He was not amused.
Anyway, point of the story - if your source for these is holding you up you might check Digikey our Mouser or Newark or Allied to see if there might be an available alternate.
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Purty! I'm going to buy shares in AutoSol polish if you build it to match the rendering!
Re your optoisolator-taters for the ex-cavator - I recall in my time at the big X we had a few of these gizmos on signal lines. If I'm not mistaken they were made by Sharp and Panasonic. They were a small PCB maybe 5 x 16 mm with in and out connections and a black box which housed the source led's (infrared as I recall) and the receivers. We had fun with one of the test engineers one day by quietly shining a laser on the black housing. Enough IR got through to seriously confuse the workin's. Test engineer was tearing his hair out trying to find the ^%$@^() glitch until we spilled the beans. He was not amused.
Anyway, point of the story - if your source for these is holding you up you might check Digikey our Mouser or Newark or Allied to see if there might be an available alternate.
The isolators these days seem to be done inside a single chip (like so much now). The ones on order are from the same maker as the ESC's, and are set up to match the voltages/etc, and already have all the connectors in place, so worth waiting for them.
On one of the printers we did at the big yellow box, it had an IR LED as the sensor for whether the top lid was open or not. The Chinese factory loved swapping out parts from their cousin's factory up the road without telling us they were changing specs, and there were thousands of the one model printer made with LED's that had the life span of a June bug - long enough to be at a customer. We had to put in a menu option so the user could say the lid was open and to bring out the print head to change tanks. Other workaround was to shine a flashlight down inside the opening to trick the sensor!
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:ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp:
Oh yes, the cousin, brother, or brother-in-law's factory up the road in China - a familiar and frequent situation, usually to save a few pennies. Happened many times at the big X also. Most costly one I recall was some brightly coloured parts used in some machines. Someone noticed the colour on one shipment of parts was a little off. They were bundled off to the QC inspection lab , near the security station. As the box passed the security shack, the radiation detectors alarmed indicating a serious hazard level. Building was evac'd and it was discovered during investigation that the B-I-L had got a great deal on some lightly used scrap plastic from the nuclear industry and reground it , mixed it with regular resin, and shipped parts hotter than a two dollar pistol. Luckily that shipment was detected before the parts hurt anyone and before they were shipped to customers. Makes you wonder how rigorous port side incoming inspection was back then (late 90's early 2000's). Cost an absolute fortune to get rid of them safely. The creative B-I-L up the road has been a problem for several industries.
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Okay, sent the 'Delorean' version of the 3D model to the paint shop, and got some basic colors on it:
(https://i.postimg.cc/GhxxsM6t/Mann-Steam-Truck-v110.jpg)
Shows up the shapes a bit better. Also, in today's mail got the mock-up of the engine for it back from being 3D printed (no, I don't have a printer yet). I like getting the engines done like this, the shapes can be tough to keep track of from the 2D printed plans, and the plastic version is handy for picking out stock. I have a length of 1144 Stressproof steel round bar that is big enough to get the main engine block out of. When I first opened the package I thought it had been scaled up by mistake, then realized I had the steam chest and lids in place for the print.
Here are a couple of shots of it:
(https://i.postimg.cc/T2m9T29r/IMG-7050.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/PrjMJG30/IMG-7051.jpg)
The curved plate it sits on will be bolted to the boiler, the ribs under that go inside the boiler - silver soldered in place, then drilled/tapped halfway through for the engine to bolt onto. Not having any castings to fondle, this is a good substitute! :Lol:
So, getting closer to actually starting this build. I want to have the excavator done and out of the shop first, so as soon as the radio parts arrive that should happen. They got sent to Heathrow to fly over here, now they will be gathering dust in the customs warehouse for a while most likely.
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Looks really good Chris :pinkelephant: :pinkelephant:!!
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Your Fusion360 skills are exceptional. I need to take another run at it.
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Thanks guys! Zee, this is after about 4 years using it on quite a few models and other parts. Thier own video tutorials are a big help.
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Got word that the isolators for the radio are in, going to meet up with my supplier buddy (he is in the local rc boat club, been running boats with him and his brother since we were kids) at the pond this weekend and get them. So should be able to get the excavator buttoned up and digging this coming week!
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So should be able to get the excavator buttoned up and digging this coming week!
Probably inappropriate...but looking forward to seeing you dig your own hole. 8)
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So should be able to get the excavator buttoned up and digging this coming week!
Probably inappropriate...but looking forward to seeing you dig your own hole. 8)
Ummmm.... Errrr....
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Got the optical isolators, and got them installed. Had to reconnect the power wire from the ESCs, since that is how the outer side of the isolator is powered, the wire had been snipped on each speed control so only one would power the receiver. Hooked all six up, and NO glitching anymore!!
:whoohoo:
So, now can button up everything, do final wire bundles so the cab will go on and off easy. Should be digging in a couple of days, video to follow then!
:DrinkPint:
And after that, almost ready to start the Mann steam wagon project....
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Got the optical isolators, and got them installed. Had to reconnect the power wire from the ESCs, since that is how the outer side of the isolator is powered, the wire had been snipped on each speed control so only one would power the receiver. Hooked all six up, and NO glitching anymore!!
:whoohoo:
So, now can button up everything, do final wire bundles so the cab will go on and off easy. Should be digging in a couple of days, video to follow then!
:DrinkPint:
And after that, almost ready to start the Mann steam wagon project....
So have the Elves talked to you about digging them a swimming pool in the back yard? :shrug:
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Got the optical isolators, and got them installed. Had to reconnect the power wire from the ESCs, since that is how the outer side of the isolator is powered, the wire had been snipped on each speed control so only one would power the receiver. Hooked all six up, and NO glitching anymore!!
:whoohoo:
So, now can button up everything, do final wire bundles so the cab will go on and off easy. Should be digging in a couple of days, video to follow then!
:DrinkPint:
And after that, almost ready to start the Mann steam wagon project....
So have the Elves talked to you about digging them a swimming pool in the back yard? :shrug:
A swimmi.... Those little swarfheads! They got me to think thats where they buried their treasure! :ROFL:
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Going to call this one just about done, and start playing with it! Got the last of the wiring bundled up and out of the way so the cab would go on, and set up the radio. Just need a lot more practise to train myself which lever does what in which direction. Here is a video of the first digging run, using a mortar mixing tub and some 'scale gravel' (AKA kitty litter - NEW, assuming the shop elves didnt do anything nasty in it).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oimbHLx2Kkk
And a couple photos of where it stands:
(https://i.postimg.cc/gkp3XFB7/IMG-7079a.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/kgX8sNCF/IMG-7083a.jpg)
Elfric at the controls:(https://i.postimg.cc/hP0TVykt/IMG-7082a.jpg)
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Looking great Chris, and digging! :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:
I'd be on clump patrol re the elves and the kitty litter . You do know that the clumps can be fired from various rubber powered devices at the perps, right? Even better, now you have a means of cleaning up aftwerward!
My spidey sense detected a length of copper pipe to the left of the frame in the vid. Could this be first evidence in your shop of that elusive species Mannus Boilerus?
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Looking great Chris, and digging! :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:
I'd be on clump patrol re the elves and the kitty litter . You do know that the clumps can be fired from various rubber powered devices at the perps, right? Even better, now you have a means of cleaning up aftwerward!
My spidey sense detected a length of copper pipe to the left of the frame in the vid. Could this be first evidence in your shop of that elusive species Mannus Boilerus?
Sounds like you have prior experience in exhaust flinging... :naughty:
And yes, I have been collecting some materials for the rarely seen Mannus Waggonus! Yesterday got some 3d planning done on the cylinder fixture too, and there are some pipe elbows and tees off being cast... Official build thread will start in a few days, after the fur painting (hair dying?) on Willy Da Beast (sounds like he may need some gold chains).
:cheers:
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That is just too cool, Chris!
You just keep churning them out,don't you? :) :popcorn:
Well done! And just a 'side project' to boot!
Kim
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Great looking excavator Chris - you and the Elves are going to have fun digging holes in the garden with that.
I've had a break from the Lane and Bodley over lockdown and my 'side project' has been a model of a Unimog 406 - Tamiya kit so not in the same league as your build but I have invested some time in making a realistic interior rather than just smoking out the window glass.
Simon.
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Chris,
The excavator looks great! But putting the shop elves behind the controls, have you taken your temp recently? Or did you leave the door open so he could hop in?
Art
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Great results! I "dig" it! :)
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Chris,
The excavator looks great! But putting the shop elves behind the controls, have you taken your temp recently? Or did you leave the door open so he could hop in?
Art
No glass in the window, just jumped in!
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:ThumbsUp:
Works & looks great Chris! Fantastic job!
Looking forward to the steam wagon build.
John