[TC8] Dock Container Crane

[Doc_Brown]

Happy Back to the Future day!

Had to get that in!

For my entry into TC8 I will be making a Dock Container crane like the image below, but will do my own thing where needed to save time, and using what parts I have available.

I will confess there is a lot I don't know about cranes and hoping I don't come into trouble.

This will be my first sbrick model too, so should fun!

WIP pics will be up in few hours after I have made some more progress on the boom part which is about 1.5 meters long.

I'm not sure how I will make the grabbing thing yet either! haha. I'm hoping pneumatic as I wont have enough PF cables to extend down.

Any questions please feel free to ask!

[2LegoOrNot2Lego...]

Nice idea to build!!!

[Doc_Brown]

Thanks, here is some WIP.

Crappy pics I know. :/

[Milan]

Simple and very effective. Nice collection of liftarms! :)

I like how rectangular and straight it looks, without any bending!

[Doc_Brown]

Thank you very much! I doubt it will win any beauty contests tho!

It is very very strong tho, with a span of the main legs about a meter long requires significant force to bend, like 10-15kg easy.

In hindsight I should have built the main boom like this and used the frame work for the legs, oh well.

Here's where im upto now.

These are the rails the cab will run on.

[MaxSupercars]

Yess it looks very good! Something new and different from other... I like it very much... :)

Max...

[allanp]

Will you extent the legs and mount the cables? That will make it a lot stronger.

[Doc_Brown]

Will you extent the legs and mount the cables? That will make it a lot stronger.

Not sure what you mean? :) I will try to put some diagonals in, unlike the yellow crane above. That should help with structure, it is starting to wobble a bit. I'll see how much it weighs so far tmr. :D

I'll have to use a lot of BB for counter weight as that is the only thing that is legal yeah?

[Boulderer]

I don't see any obvious counter weight on the picture of the original yellow structure. That would lead to the conclusion that the rated load is minimal by comparison to the crane's mass, keeping the CofG over the rails and the wheels in contact with the ground.

Edited October 22, 2015 by Boulderer

[allanp]

Looking at the yellow crane you posted above, the front legs extend high above the the deck so that cables can be hung over the top to create a very rigid triangle shape. you can then tension the cables so there is no bending of the crane. You can even make it bend up a little with more tension so that the crane levels out whilst under load.

Edited October 22, 2015 by allanp

[Milan]

Yeah, only Lego parts, including BB and boat weights, are allowed.

[KirTech LAB]

Oh, save your fingers - thousands of pins... Very promising project!

[Lakop]

Those studded beams are doing their job. Great!

H

[Rishab N]

Looks very sturdy. Looking forward to more progress

[aminnich]

Wow, that is huge, but it looks very sturdy with no bend in the boom. Impressive. Nice job.

One question tho; did you take stock in LEGO panels and beams??

[jono rocky]

This is huge, looking forward to a video.

[Doc_Brown]

Looking at the yellow crane you posted above, the front legs extend high above the the deck so that cables can be hung over the top to create a very rigid triangle shape. you can then tension the cables so there is no bending of the crane. You can even make it bend up a little with more tension so that the crane levels out whilst under load.

Ahh yes I see what you mean! Yes I will be doing that, and suspending some lines to keep it straight under load.

Oh, save your fingers - thousands of pins... Very promising project!

Yes my poor fingers! 8 hours of building like that really does hurt.

Wow, that is huge, but it looks very sturdy with no bend in the boom. Impressive. Nice job.

One question tho; did you take stock in LEGO panels and beams??

HAHA, I wish! I'm actually borrowing most of it. LOL. I will try a tower crane again after this one, hopefully that one wont be such a failure!

This is huge, looking forward to a video.

Thanks man!

[Doc_Brown]

Quick update, probably the last for WIP. :D

I'm very impressed with how straight the main boom is, only drops half a stud over 1.5 meter span! And haven't finished squaring it yet.

This is the container that will be used. Its dimensions are near perfect! The mechanism will be opened by a small pneumatic cylinder and a rubber band will pull it closed, so even in pressure fails it won't drop the container!

[Jim]

Nice work Doc!

Simple, yet very sturdy and it resembles the real crane very well.

Can't wait for the video.

[Doc_Brown]

Thanks Jim!

I should have time to make a really good video too, its been a while since I have done one!

[Erik Leppen]

Not sure why this has to be so huge.

In my honest opinion, what makes this impressive is where you got the money to buy all the parts, where you got all the time, and how you got the patience to build something so repetitive.

I think you could have had the same functionality with a 500-piece model. And as functionality is what Technic is all about, I just simply don't understand the reasoning behind this crane.

[MaxSupercars]

Erik... it's just like you would say: "Don't travel to the moon because it got no sense for today's state of technic..." Too big distance, to many costs, to many possible problems... Technic is not only about functionality... It's the only one part of the model... It's also about challenges...

I would say that anyone should build what he wants and what him makes pleasure... I don't think that author builds this crane only to impress other people...

Max...

Edited October 26, 2015 by MaxSupercars

[aminnich]

I half agree with Erik. I dont know how you had the patience for such a repetitive build, but the size is impressive. And i think making it this size is really the WOW factor.

[Erik Leppen]

I don't think that author builds this crane only to impress other people...

100% agree.

But I do think that author posts this topic to gather opinions. :)

[Legostone]

Not sure why this has to be so huge.

In my honest opinion, what makes this impressive is where you got the money to buy all the parts, where you got all the time, and how you got the patience to build something so repetitive.

I think you could have had the same functionality with a 500-piece model. And as functionality is what Technic is all about, I just simply don't understand the reasoning behind this crane.

One part of the functionality can not be achieved with a smaller model - the sturdiness. A 1.5m studless beam construction not bending is impressive either way to me.