doug72

LEGO Technic Brick 1 x 2 with Pin Hole and 2 Half Beam Side Extensions with Axle Hole (49132 / 85943) YES its no problem as its manual drive & able to retrack the boom until almost vertical.

Thanks for your comments Agree he wider tracks, might be able to fit a M motor & small battery box & a PF R in the engine housing as these machines spends lot of time moving along the route of the pipeline being laid.

[TC22] Side Boom Pipe Layer IMG_8582 by Doug Ridgway, on Flickr Early build to determine if fits within 10.000 cubic studs At present using 3L wide track links it is 7752 cubic studs with with boom fully retracted. Drivers cabin will be on the left facing the boom with engine housing on the right hand side. All functions will be manual control for:- 1/. Altering the angle of the boom. 2/. Raising and lower the hook which will have an attachment to grip the pipe being installed. Ideally the tracks should be wider but I have run out of the small track links. Will have use the tracks from the 42121 heavy duty digger I built recently. OR upsize and use 5L wide tracks & use the small 6 notch sprocket wheels to give 9386 Cubic Studs. This will also allow for a higher boom. More progress to follow.

The YouTube link does not work

Square Drive GBC with single arm. Now dismantled.

Further improvements made:- Frame adjusted to be vertical. Ball cradle swing is minimal but an upright beam added with taper to ensure cradle lines up OK at the ball discharge point. Other upright beams on LH side installed to correct any swing of the loaded ball cradle. Ball Cradle can now carry 12 balls per trip, 5 trips equal 60 balls. Next step, build the loading and unloading boxes. IMG_8552

@Thierry-GearsManiac Thanks for your comments I have now eliminated the sag of the track between the two top sprockets by adding some horizontal support beams. Next step is to raise the structure so an input loading box can be added. Might require some side guide beams Now studying your method and I think I have all the parts required to build it.

Square Drive GBC using sliding arm with Video. Test Rig now built to prove a sliding arm functions as desired.. Driven by an XL motor with speed controlled using a PF train controller. Track tensioners added to prevent track slapping but there is still sight jerkiness of the track as it moves due to using the small sprocket wheels. Would be much smoother if the large sprocket wheels were used. Ball cradle can carry 9 balls per circuit but could be widened to carry 12 balls Structure needs to be improved to to give clearance at the ball loading input point at the bottom left using a GBC compliant input box. Unloading point could be any where on the right side to suit ball discharge to the next GBC module input at 10L height.

@Thierry-GearsManiac Well done An intriguing & mesmerising mechanism that looks to be very reliable. I can now understand how it works. I like the Mini figure, perhaps he should be wearing a Hard Hat !!! I have enough Z36 gears to build it. Could you post a close up image of the Z36 gear train ? ============================================== Meanwhile I have added a cradle to my latest version which required track tensioners. The cradle remains roughly horizontal by gravity around the track and ball cradle can carry 9 balls OK.

Work in progress. Test Rig showing the rotating arm at maximum & minimum positions. Arm rotates freely around the sprocket wheels - Track tensioners would be required Ball cradle would be attached to end of the arm. IMG_8549 IMG_8548

@Thierry-GearsManiac This might work for the rotating arm connecting the centre point with the track link that attaches to the ball cradle. The rack slides freely in and out without use of multiple gears and without any flexing. LEGO Housing 2 x 15 x 3 for Gear Rack (18940) & LEGO Gear Rack 14 x 2 with Groove and Connectors (18942 / 60578) I will build a test rig to see if it works OK.

How about adding a smoke generator to the three funnels for a realistic effect.

@Thierry-GearsManiac A good start :- During my build It was a case of two steps forward, one step back at times until I finally achieved a reliable GBC module. Would this work -? there is no back lash between gears. The arms are very flexible. and 5L beams are used to tie the pairs of gear arms together and only 2L thick. IMG_8546 IMG_8547 I am currently developing a new GBC Train Side unloader.

The remote controls are very simple & easy to use &set up and are tactile, unlike Control + agree cables need tidying up a bit.

At step 624 Book 1. I found the top yellow 7L beam was missing along with two 3L blue pins & two 2L black pins. which clamps the idler sprocket to the 5 X7 frame. Hence top idler sprocket was able to flex as direction of rotation changed.

@Zerobricks The track sub assemblies are identical for both Lego & PF versions. Finally found the problem causing the jerky drive when running in reverse.

@Ngoc Nguyen I have now checked the drive train to the dummy engine and lifted the cabin off to get a better view. Checked as per your image and found that the RED 16T gear between the two Grey 16T gears is missing. For now I will keep it as is. New Problem:- When driving forward both tracks move smoothly but when driving in reverse the tracks make a cracking sound and drive is jerky, tried altering track tension but without result. Removed the 15 beam for with the red ball joints at each end between between bottom of the blade and chassis with slight improvement. Does anyone else have this problem ? When Cabin lifted clear discovered the the 2 X 5 angle beams were distorted on one side, something is out of alignment. Then found I had an extra link in each track 59 instead if 58 - excess link removed from both sides. Tested but still smooth running forward & jerky in reverse. I fear I will have to rebuild for the 4th time !!!!! see photos. IMG_8539 IMG_8540

Cat D11 finally finished for the PF Version by Ngoc Nguyn This was my third attempt at building the cat D11 Dozer ! 1st build - unable to get motor test done on step 198 to work. 2nd Build completed and calibrated with Control +. All worked except for one for the ladder. 3rd attempt successful using Ngoc Nguyn excellent instructions and the Lego instructions where indicated. All functions are working and it is very easy to control using a group of four PF Controllers. IMG_8532 Only one item not working as the dummy engine does not rotating. I may have missed a step somewhere but as motor cannot be viewed unless engine casing doors are open I will leave it as is. Some problems: Found it difficult to change the batteries in box under the dummy engine block. A total of 12 cables need to be routed very carefully to avoid gears, beams etc. I made a 1L gap at bottom of each of the larger engine access door son each side for the two forward PF Receivers which were positioned 3L higher as cables were snagging on the tracks. Overall impression:- A very challenging complex and at times frustrating build, requiring close checking each step was correct. Only one thing the driver was late getting in the cab !! IMG_8536 IMG_8531 IMG_8533 IMG_8534 IMG_8535

@Ngoc Nguyen Now up to step 887 using Lego instructions. Re PF Conversion Sagging, I have checked my build so far with both battery boxes in place and see no sign of sagging. Still to add the track units and blade With actuators. One problem I had was that he motor leads for Red & Yellow appeared to be too short. Found they were routed the wrong way around a beam, had to remove some beams to re-route the cables and both now connected to the PF Rx. Tested and OK.

@Ngoc Nguyen I have followed your PF Conversion instructions for the CAT D11 dozer. as far as making the White motor unit for the ladder page 165. Then changed to the Lego instructions page:- 658 to 887. I am struggling to get any further than page 663. I can fit the White Ladder drive in place and then tried moving on with the build and connect the drive to the ladder. Added the yellow side panels ( page 687 ) and the drive out to the ladder but a 5 x 3 angle beam fouls. Not sure if the vertical black beams with alternating holes are correctly placed. Your instructions are very clear unlike some Lego instructions.Any help appreciated. See photos :- IMG_8510 IMG_8511 IMG_8512

Agree. After for the 2nd time building this as per Lego Instructions, thought I had succeeded. Control+ connected and followed on screen tests etc. On running the rebuild all functions except one worked as intended. But The blade lift failed to work but gear noises heard. Check the universal couplings on the drive to blade lift were OK and that the black 20T DB Gear was in place. Conclude that change over in the main gear box for blade raise was out of sync. Now stripped the 2nd build down and now starting to rebuild using the PF Conversion instructions. So far:- built the drive unit for track sprockets and the 4 PF motor module which tested and found much easier operation use PF controllers than C+.

I,m still finding lost balls in my Lego room its amazing were they roll too ! The sides on the ball cradle can only be 2L high otherwise it will snag on the underside of the inpout loading box. At the dischargs point if too many balls on the cradel they tended to exit sideway and through the centre of the 4 x 7 frame. A 7L axle through the frame mid point works OK with 2 half bushes to keep it in place. Good luck with your version and ball hunting !!

Now done the calibration,as per page 169 & found if I applied resistance to the ladder drive it reversed and next function ran, then the XL motor control screen appeared and now able to drive both XL motors for driving and turning. So all motors OK, need fresh batteries now !!!.

The 2 L motors run OK and activate the gears & change selector, with output to the ladder drive.drive But so far calibration has not continued further to run the XL motors.