[WIP] Rough terrain crane [Finished though delayed]

[1gor]

12 minutes ago, BrickbyBrickTechnic said:

Great. Those clutch gears are really useful so far.

Yes, this is the part that I have been waiting for some 10 years...

[BrickbyBrickTechnic]

Well looks like this project lost all its relevance, oh well.

Time for an update:

The boom is successfully implemented, and it has 2 stages. It extends to somewhere between 3 and 5 feet (haven't measured yet). The reason this update took so long is that the boom warranted a complete reconstruction of the front part of the superstructure, so that kept me very busy. The boom also took me forever to figure out.

Pictures:

(Yes the first pic is upside down. Deal with it)

Also, @Aleh , you were right. The carrier needs some more width. I'll have that done in the next update.

I had to rebuild my custom actuator as well:

That's all.

Edited August 9, 2018 by BrickbyBrickTechnic

[gate]

Very interesting build and read, thank you.

Really like your custom actuator

[Erik Leppen]

What worries me a bit is that your actuator has only 5 studs of range. That's the same as a LA. I think the main advantage of a custom actuator is that you can make it longer. Do you plan to make it longer? Then, you can move the connection points away from each other (for example, the mounting point of the boom could be at the top, instead of at the bottom, and further backwards), which reduces the forces.

[suffocation]

What Erik said. With a custom actuator (not so different from yours, by the way) you can get at least eight studs of range and lift an even heavier boom almost to vertical.

[aminnich]

When I was building a massive crane, which was never completed, I ended up building this as my custom actuator. Maybe it will give you some ideas.  

[nerdsforprez]

Why do you say your project has lost relevance?  42082, IMO, was still just released, and a moc to compare it against is still highly relevant!

[BrickbyBrickTechnic]

8 hours ago, gate said:

Very interesting build and read, thank you.

Really like your custom actuator

Thank you! I'm glad you like 

7 hours ago, Erik Leppen said:

What worries me a bit is that your actuator has only 5 studs of range. That's the same as a LA. I think the main advantage of a custom actuator is that you can make it longer. Do you plan to make it longer? Then, you can move the connection points away from each other (for example, the mounting point of the boom could be at the top, instead of at the bottom, and further backwards), which reduces the forces.

The problem is, the mounting position for everything is 100% form-locked. I just tried moving the actuator in front and the gears started slipping straightaway. The boom's mounting is in the structural hub of the superstructure. As for the limit on the actuator, I have since removed it and changed the geometry relative to the boom a little bit so the mobility is increased. The range of the actuator is 8 studs now, so I think everything should be good (I tripled the torque going to the actuator so it lifts the boom no problems now).

6 hours ago, suffocation said:

What Erik said. With a custom actuator (not so different from yours, by the way) you can get at least eight studs of range and lift an even heavier boom almost to vertical.

I now have 8 studs  I will post a photo tomorrow, as I just realized that I have to change the winch setup.

5 hours ago, aminnich said:

When I was building a massive crane, which was never completed, I ended up building this as my custom actuator. Maybe it will give you some ideas.  

That's monstrous! I only have 3 big LAs (2 from 42055, 1 from 42043).

5 hours ago, nerdsforprez said:

Why do you say your project has lost relevance?  42082, IMO, was still just released, and a moc to compare it against is still highly relevant!

The general consensus is that the set is fine (not decent) so I'm not sure... oh well, this has been one heck of a build for me (my most ambitious project by far).

Edited August 9, 2018 by BrickbyBrickTechnic

[suffocation]

Forgot to mention that I really like how you've spread the switches on both sides of the superstructure. I usually stash them all together and it ends up looking hideous.

[nerdsforprez]

2 hours ago, BrickbyBrickTechnic said:

 

The general consensus is that the set is fine (not decent) so I'm not sure...

Since when did that stop the AFOL community ????

[TeamThrifty]

On 8/3/2018 at 5:13 PM, BrickbyBrickTechnic said:

so the winches have more speed going down and more torque going up

thats a cool idea... like it. 

[Bartybum]

I would also suggest using more than one worm gear for your custom LA, to halve the load per tooth.

[BrickbyBrickTechnic]

23 hours ago, Bartybum said:

I would also suggest using more than one worm gear for your custom LA, to halve the load per tooth.

Added this, it works better now. Thanks!

On 8/10/2018 at 2:31 AM, TeamThrifty said:

thats a cool idea... like it. 

Thanks! Works well.

[SNIPE]

If you have a liftarm slide through the gap that is in the thin 3x3 liftarm (the one with the curved support) then you have an actuator arm with very little wobble, and if you put axles through a bunch of those  3x3 beams it will also make a string housing.

[BrickbyBrickTechnic]

Update time.

So I added some bodywork and I had to change the extension mechanism for the boom because worm gears just couldn't handle the torque needed to extend the second stage.

I also greatly reinforced the chassis and added hard shocks to the suspension so the crane doesn't topple. I also redid the superstructure so that the rotation mechanism wouldn't slip.

Pictures:

The crane should be done in a week. Part count is nearing 3000., and I'm running out of liftarms so expect low quality fenders.

[TeamThrifty]

I'm loving that. Its back to my 'gut reaction' theory, and when i look at that, its got a good feel about it.. the proportions etc. Like it a lot. (and its still the only alternative to 42082 despite all the chatter!! Awesome job.)

Looking forward to seeing it in a week or so. Interesting parts are at around 3000 already.... yellow, black and red do work well together. https://www.versatile-ag.com/NA/pages/product_4wd.php

 

[suffocation]

Looks terrific!

[1gor]

It looks very nice, despite the fact that my primary choice for rims is black color. I know you have red ones too 

[BrickbyBrickTechnic]

7 hours ago, TeamThrifty said:

I'm loving that. Its back to my 'gut reaction' theory, and when i look at that, its got a good feel about it.. the proportions etc. Like it a lot. (and its still the only alternative to 42082 despite all the chatter!! Awesome job.)

Looking forward to seeing it in a week or so. Interesting parts are at around 3000 already.... yellow, black and red do work well together. https://www.versatile-ag.com/NA/pages/product_4wd.php

 

Thank you! This project was more opportunistic than anything for me... I ordered a bunch of crane parts a month back and got to use them because of all the "hate". 

As for yellow, the rims will be red in the final product. They're yellow now because I have to take the reds off my 42054. Besides those rims, I have virtually 0 yellow parts.

7 hours ago, suffocation said:

Looks terrific!

Thanks, glad you like it!

5 hours ago, I_Igor said:

It looks very nice, despite the fact that my primary choice for rims is black color. I know you have red ones too 

Black would look even better than red 

[Aventador2004]

Looking good, but is there a different color string you plan on using? It detracks from the paneling. Also the book is a little sloppy. 

Good luck!

[TeamThrifty]

6 hours ago, BrickbyBrickTechnic said:

As for yellow, the rims will be red in the final product

Leave them, honestly, it lifts the whole moc. I'd love to see 42082 with yellow rims if anyone has it built? I always get the flagship for xmas, so i can't do it myself.. yet. Those 3 colours look great together.

[suffocation]

15 hours ago, TeamThrifty said:

[...] and its still the only alternative to 42082 despite all the chatter!! [...]

I beg to differ Let's say it's the only valid alternative to 42082 despite all the chatter.

[TeamThrifty]

True enough! But with the amount of wailing and gnashing of teeth and claims of how 'easy it would be to replicate with half the pieces' i'm staggered we're not knee deep in them!!  Or am i.... but lets not digress, i genuinely like this moc, and not only because @BrickbyBrickTechnic has the courage of his convictions

at approaching 3k pieces, and with some key areas to still complete, it makes 4k look about right? Maybe the wheel trims are excessive, but its not bloated by a 1000+ pieces.. based on the only valid alternative anyway!!

Canada: Home of valid cranes and the best band in the world!

[Cumulonimbus]

15 hours ago, TeamThrifty said:

... and its still the only alternative to 42082 despite all the chatter!! ...

There is a world outside the interwebs where all kinds of exciting stuff is happening...

[TeamThrifty]

2 minutes ago, Cumulonimbus said:

There is a world outside the interwebs where all kinds of exciting stuff is happening...

I know, i ride sportsbikes, climb mountains, run two businesses, build my own engines (real ones)... in the gaps, i log in here. Believe me, its the only forum i ever contribute to, and i have zero social media. The exciting stuff is not a mystery to me!!