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So, I built this....

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...and I was already close to 200 parts, access to the switches is not great, cab looking too big, the whole thing bends when you pump it and there is nowhere to put a counter weight. I could complete it within the parts but it would look bad. So I built this.

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Got rid of the geared slewing to free up some parts, switches are in a more realistic place as well as being easier to operate and it's very solid.

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Rear is coming on nice, pump fitted on top of weighted brick and it's all still very solid with way less parts.

Edited by allanp

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What, you actually have a lego collection... *oh2*

Do you have any train weights to use as a counter weight?

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Those are some good improvements. Good idea for the counter weight.

It would be better if the switches are in line. Perhaps like in the crane of the Unimog. This is made up out off a view parts.

I don't know if this takes more parts then you are now using, but if it doesn't it could be a nice improvement.

I hope you can do it with the 200 parts. This already looks great.

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What, you actually have a lego collection... *oh2*

Do you have any train weights to use as a counter weight?

Yup!

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I'm currently using a 2x6x2 weighted brick. It's just below the pump.

Those are some good improvements. Good idea for the counter weight.

It would be better if the switches are in line. Perhaps like in the crane of the Unimog. This is made up out off a view parts.

I don't know if this takes more parts then you are now using, but if it doesn't it could be a nice improvement.

I hope you can do it with the 200 parts. This already looks great.

Thanks for the comment. The two outer switches are low for ease of access and looks. The middle switch is there to give room for a seat and hoses and ease of access. But yeah, it would look better in line. Hmmmm.

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Not only your W.I.P is comming great :thumbup: , the working place is a nice one to spend a lot of time there :grin:

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Thanks guys :classic:

Made more progress. 198 pieces.....I think.

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Now that I look at it, I kinda like the way the switches wrap round the seat. The hoses to the middle cylinder are a bit long though.

Edited by allanp

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Aah yes, it looks great. A very nifty excavator. Amazing that you made it under 200 parts.

It is still a bit plain, but the functionality makes up for that by a long shot.

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Nice mini build. I like the location of the switches, it looks driveable. Nice work area too (I can only dream).

H

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Thanks for the comments guys :thumbup:

Made some improvements to the digging arm. Here's the old:

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The range of movement is not very good and it looks a bit plain. Here's the new:

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Range of movement is much better and it's more powerful and controllable. Digs extremely well and very easy to operate.

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It's small but it gets the job done :grin:

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Edited by allanp

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Really nice little excavator. I like the use of color, the use of gray, yellow and black compliments the color of the pneumatic cylinders and hoses very well.

I do think the base of the arm is a bit high for my taste. I would find it more logical if that were a bit nearer to the turntable. Also, the seat looks kind of weird and unfinished, with only three liftarms and those holes in between them. Maybe it would help already if you would just make it another color - something that stands out a bit more. Blue maybe? That would make most sense given how Lego itself uses blue, plus it matches the blue long pins.) Thirdly, as alrady pointed out, you might want to have shorter tubing in some places :)

But for the rest, really nifty, good use of pneumatics and good to see it has all three degrees of freedom.

Did you count every tube as a part by the way? Not sure if this should be done, but better safe than sorry :)

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Thankyou :classic:

I have just built it in LLD and including all hoses there are 200 parts exactly :sweet:.

The base of the arm is high from an aesthetic point of view but it's raised so the hoses don't hit the tracks when in it's lowered position. As it is there is about 1mm clearance. I see your point about the seat. I'll try it in a different colour to see how it looks or change the design so it looks more finished. And yes, the hoses are long but the rules are not too clear on if I can cut them as it might make it count as two parts? As it is they are the original lengths as found in current sets. Perhaps JIm can clarify? Tho TBH I don't think I want to cut them anyway.

Edited by allanp

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Nice model esp the boom, maybe it would be better to use small cylinders all round but the ones with just one outlet that way less tubes are needed? I know they have a short stroke but that depends also on how their mounted with all the linkages.

Edited by SNIPE

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Okay, so recap.

  • Cutting tubes is allowed
  • Official available lengths only (so it reflects the actual available tubes, see bricklink)
  • Every tube counts as a single part, so 10 tubes is 10 parts

Something like this?

Or should we just ignore the available lenghts rules and allow every length.

Agreed, I shouldn't have allowed Pneumatics for the mini contest. But since I already allowed it, we need to work this out.

It's not yet official, but I think you can cut the tubes to an existing length that is in a current set.

So far, it's a job well done. I agree with Erik and you should make the seat a different color. Blue would look good. Lego also uses blue for seats in construction vehicle like Erik pointed out. As Jim said that the mini model neats to be as close as possible to a Lego set, so blue would do very nicely.

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Nattly little build. Like everyone else, I applaud your use of pneumatics.

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The use of pneumatic in this really nice. It reminds one of those "egg" diggers, as my son calls them. I think you captured the shape quite well. I wonder what would be price per piece for such set. For me it would be good way to get some pneumatics.

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