Six Axle Truck Crane. New pix 4-26-09

[Southgate]

I mentioned that rear outrigger in my last post. I finally got it done to the point that it's fully functional. The sliders slide out smoothly and the threaded screws are mounted, so it matches the front. I've been putting it off since April, since it is very tricky work, at least to me. Drilling and tapping 1-72 screw holes is risky.

Here's where i left off last year...




I use a chuck as a handle, there's no pinvise made that can hold a little tap tight enough


Anyway that task is done, along with quite a bit of other stuff done to the upper unit, but suffice it to say, now I can start on the next phase, the scale appearance end of the project.

[bonze]

AMAZING!!!!
Cant wait to see skin on this puppy!!!!!

[Southgate]

Me too! It's so UGLEEE!

[Southgate]

Here's a look at the upper unit with some bodywork on it now. Right side:


Left side is not a mirror match of the right, but following 1/1 crane practice, is different.


The right side was taller to begin with, but I stepped it down to be a bit lower than the top of the cab, which is a paper mock up for now.

Before, too tall and boxy for my taste:


I also replaced the rotation motors with the one I originally used, it works better on the linear DC that now controls it.


The body sides will have radiator grills, doors, louvers, and other details... more later. It's sitting on my unfinished HO RR layout for a lack of space elsewhere...Dan

[loghauler70]

One word AWESOME

Mark

[Southgate]

Since my last progress post, as I tend to jump around a bit, there are a number of areas I've worked on. I did some repairs on the base boom, getting it back into alignment, and replacing some lattices that got broken out over the last 3 years. This time I used silver bearing solder, way stronger.


Then, on to the outriggers, they work great using screws, but they have to look like hydraulics, This is where it stands now:


jumping upward, the pendants (they attach the boom to the live mast) have long needed to be made. Here's how they look at present.

[trucker16]

thats looking good. what colors are you thinking.

[Southgate]

Mar 16, 2010 19:15:42 GMT -5 trucker16 said:

thats looking good. what colors are you thinking.

In my mind's eye, I tend to see it in yellow and black, but I also kind of like the idea of a very light gloss gray and black, with a couple horizontal stripes in my model truck fleet colors; pacific blue and burgundy.

[gatormarcstaug]

I just looked at this again, as I had looked at it on another board! I am truly amazed at the work ,effort and skill level . That you've demonstrated.
Seeing that you used the Pay Hauler cab, I am thinking this rig is in !/25th scale??? or 1?24th??
or both lol
This is way beyond my skill level or area of expertise. I can build the structure , I am sure of that! Making it work like you are doing, not going there!!! At Best I will be able to have enough skill to at least make it poseable, meaning that I will have manual control of the boom and hoist lines.
But I want to make mine a crawler crane.


Gator

[Southgate]

Thanks, Marc, for the nice comments. The crane's scale is admittedly vague, since it is freelanced. But I think I've settled on 1/24. I had a hard time deciding between making a crawler or a truck crane, but I went with truck thinking all those track pads would be too tedious to make. Given how complicated this carrier turned out to be in retrospect, it may have been a bit easier after all to machine out a ton of tracks!

This has been a manic busy week for me with life. I did start on the carrier deck, and I think it will look decent. I feel like I should get it a little closer to it's overall shape before posting pix. Otherwise it just kinda looks like an acre of styrene. The Payhauler cab was considered early on in the build, but I'm pretty settled on just scratchbuilding my own design, combining features I like from a number of real crane carriers. As long as it's a freelance design,I thought of giving it an original manufacturer company name. I've bounced a number of names around in my head and even thought I'd settled on one, but now I can't remember what it was. Then I thought the name "Concord" would fit, and having googled the definition, I think it fits.

[gatormarcstaug]

Dan,
if you think about it. Lampson is a company name. But they designed and built their own crane using some components from suppliers and manufacturing their own.
For mine I will use some form of Gator Construction. With a description stating the crane was purpose built for a particular
project.
Also just an idea. most people that build these cranes in 1/25 or larger build all this monster boom, The result is needing an addition to ones house to accommodate it. Why not build it with a shorter version and pose it as if it is working on an underground project?

My one concern regarding my crane is the design geometry, for the boom foot, mast foot locations and overhang of the upper outside the tracks. But like you I am sure that when I get down to that project. I will figure something out!
Looking forward to further updates.

Gator

[78KW]

WOW!!! That is amazing.

[Southgate]

Thanks, guys! Marc, since my boom is sectional, I can make it anywhere from about 64 scale feet on up. I have enough boom now for 104 scale feet but I intend to build enough for at least 160, probably 200. Seldom will it ever actually be swinging that much around, but it also looks good as truck loads, along with counterweights and such. I've been working at some of the deck and carrier cab, hopefully new pix in the next day or two.

[rodfather]

Man that is truly amazing,really great work,Doug

[tufftin]

Dan,
You know that you are going to build a couple of support vehicles as in flatbeds to hall the weights and booms to the site.
Mike