[MOC] Backhoe Loader / JCB with Prototype Bucket

[LennyRhys]

Hi folks!  I want to introduce my follow-up to the Monster Miner I designed back in 2015, and this time the digger is of a more reasonable size and will be more accessible to fans of vehicles in minifig scale.

Here are some photos along with a little blurb about the model and its history.  The model is inspired (of course) by the many backhoes that featured in Lego System sets over the years, my favourite of which is the one that came in set 4543.  I didn't own the set but I'm able to build the backhoe from my own stock, except for the black bucket.  This remains one of my favourite System vehicles ever because it's so feature-rich and has amazing detail considering the era.

I also want to draw attention to EB member SheepEater who built a nice update of the backhoe last year, and his thread can be found here:

I wanted my backhoe to take the best of what has come before and (hopefully) improve upon it without making it too large or unnecessarily fiddly.  Here is my result (still in development!):

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The backhoe itself can be removed easily, and can be mounted either to the left side/right side/ or exact centre, just like on the real machine.  This is a feature I have tried to implement for over two decades, and now (finally) there are parts that allow for it to be done in a very small space, unlike the 2x2 turntables of old!

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Onto the prototype bucket.  As you can see from the pictures above, the old grey hinge and bucket stick out like a sore thumb, so I set about developing a new bucket for the model (and for other models too).  I had a small checklist when I went about designing the bucket:

1) it should be larger, 3 studs wide

2) it should have studs rather than a hinge, allowing for greater creativity

3) it should have teeth, in-keeping with the current design of TLG buckets

4) its shape should not stray too far from the original backhoe bucket, but it will be deeper and have greater capacity so that it doesn't look awkwardly small

And here is the result.  I've primed it grey and will leave it like this because I like the neutrality of the colour.

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And on the model, for reference - do you think it looks better than the official (outdated!) part?

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And finally, a comparison between old a new.  The size difference is obvious, but my MOC still lacks front suspension!

Thanks for looking, and please comment/let me know your thoughts about the model.  I don't have it on LDD (yet) but will do that as soon as I find the time.  I'm also midway through designing and building a four-axle tipper for this digger, so expect another thread soon. :)

[ColletArrow]

This is simply the best Minifig-scale LEGO JCB Backhoe I've seen. The smaller versions are surprisingly difficult to build with good proportions, but you've done excellently.

Your custom bucket looks beautiful too, and could be used for other small excavators. I wonder if making it a bit squarer, similar to the front bucket, would make it look more LEGO-like, or if that would be too odd. I remember watching the progress on your 2015 technic project (here for those who missed it); was this design process similar? More to the point, will you be selling copies of these as well? I imagine they'd be easier to produce and post than the big buckets, but if you're not going to then I'll have to try making one myself!

Overall brilliant work though, well done.

[legoboy3998]

Your prototype bucket looks a ton better.  Personally, I think it is slightly too big.  I would like to see how it would look scaled doe to 2 studs wide.  How did you make it, is it 3D printed?

sal

WFB, WI

[LegoDW]

Looks good.  Hard to see, did you work in a second control station for working the back hoe portion?  Really like your design

[LennyRhys]

Thanks for the comments all!

ColletArrow - design process was similar, but considerably easier due to the size and simplicity of the part.  I wouldn't rule out making a production run of the smaller bucket (once the design is finalised) but there'd need to be a strong interest in the community to make such an endeavour worthwhile.  I hear ya on the shape... I like the curves of the old bucket more than the angular look of the big ones, so I went with that idea while trying not to make it "too" realistic or un-toy-like.

legoboy3998 - the prototype is made by hand from sheet styrene, cut with a craft knife.  The studs come from the top portion of a white bracket.  I agree that the bucket looks a little too big so I'll probably make a second one that is two studs wide.

LegoDW - yep there is space to mount two levers just inside the back window.  I had to change the design very slightly when the wheel arch parts arrived because in the original design they were too close to the wheels, so I had to raise them by a plate which meant moving parts of the cab around.

If I do get around to building a second bucket in the next week or so I'll add to this thread.

[Nightfall]

Nice Backhoe Loader! The custom bucket looks nice, much better than the old one.

[DanOfBricks]

This is my own design of a JCB 3CX 14. I have made some changes since this pic with a gray backhoe shovel, black roof and outside mirrors for the cab. What do you all think?

[Pisces no Aphrodite]

Good excavator.