Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

Lou, Thanks for following my build. Im planning on building a new body from 16 ga. plate and adding the details I need using the 3Dprinter. I think you should, its a great tool to have. And Im glad to help. I went ahead and started a little thread on the subject based on your request and all the other PMs i get about 3D Printing. Check it out, and Ill try to help if you need.
http://www.rctruckandconstruction.co...ead.php?t=8782

Ed, thanks for chiming in. So its normal...

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

Them hub covers look awesome Jason

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

Question, The safe operating pressure is 20-25 bar.. Is that the running pressure with no load, or under load when the pressure on the gauge drops? Thanks

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

Jason, set the pressure while the pump is running at full speed, but the system is not demanding any flow. That's the worst case scenario. It would be the same thing as having a valve open, with a cylinder deadheading the oil - meaning the load on the cylinder is large enough to resist the oil flow from the pump, hence the oil goes over the relief the same exact way. Pressure is the resistance to flow. When the system is demanding flow, the pressure will naturally decrease.

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

Thanks Nate, and great explanation.That's how I set it initially , on the safe side, but wanted to make sure.

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

Jason I don't know if it is normal but I am going to change something and get rid of it. Ed

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

So the steps & drive wheel cover shown in post#32 are 3D printed parts? The bolts look like steel, did you drill & tap them all or just a few & glued the rest in place?

To set your hyd pressure, start with a with batt fresh off the charger so the pump is running at its max speed. With the hoe sitting on your bench, hook the bucket on the edge of bench & draw the stick toward the cab. I think 25 bar would be a good starting point for you till you get practiced up... I've been living on the edge at 35bar & haven't exploded anything yet. :D

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

Joe, yes the steps and hubs are printed. The bolts are metal. I printed the holes close enough and screwed them in. the steps are surprisingly sturdier than you'd think.. I was thinking they may be more scale than metal ones in the way that a if they were struck by a boulder and damaged , that maybe quite prototypical.?

Thanks for the explanation on setting the pressure. So adjust the pressure to 25 bar while the stick is under load? 35 bar.. Wow. What a great machine.

Been working on the body the past few days. I'll post up some pics soon when is starts to look like more than a bunch of scrap metal.

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

Got a little further on the cat 385 -type body. Ive been scaling up 4.57x from the 1/64 scale diecast model to get near 1/14 scale. The counter weight is completely boxed with a fill hole, and slides on and off when lugging this beast around.



https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4...6+16.09.13.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-x...2+14.25.15.jpg


Drew up a qucik cab side to see what the dimensions i chose look like. Seems to be looking ok.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-h...2+14.25.02.jpg

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

Wow it's starting to look real

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

Looks great Jason!

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

Wow that's nice! So much better than stock, some of you guys make me so envious of your skills. Can't wait to see the finished product.

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

Thanks, It looks a bit like scrap metal still to me, but i have a plan that i think will help bring some of the detail out. In the meantime Ill get to finishing the cab, and get the body filler out. Thanks for looking.

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

In the spirit of being my normal jerk-self. Door panels? :D

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

Nathan, yes I'm planning to, Got a few ideas I'm still playing around with.

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

Great work Jason!

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

Keep it going Jason. You're doing a fine job. To bad you can't start your own model company in the states!

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

Thanks guys!

Wow, that's a vote of confidence Nate. I do have plans to purchase a cnc plasma table sometime this year. The possibilities with something like that are endless. So who knows :)
The accuracy just isn't there when cutting by hand and a straight edge..

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

I should rephrase that, I don't have the skill to be very accurate that some others do when cutting by hand.

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

A little progress this week.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Yl...=w1177-h883-no

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-k...4+15.51.58.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-J...6+09.34.43.jpg

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

That looks awesome Jason! I really need to get a printer like that. They are one cool device for sure!

Have you received your mail yet today?

Reg

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

Thanks Pal! Haha, No, not yet. But checking the tracking everyday. ;)

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

I like the look of this one!!

the bigger back body gives you more room. There was another guy I talked to about the counter weight should be the oil tank and I couldn't agree more. oil's heavy to, maybe not as much as solid metal or weights but it still adds up and then frees more area inside for electronics or batteries!

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

Hi Jason did you get your radio straightened out yet? Ed

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

Ed, no I haven't had much time recently but thanks for the suggestion. Gonna try to give Spektrum a call soon.

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

nice looking machine - great build. :bounce:

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

A few recent shots of mocked up detail panels. Starting to think the cab is a bit more 1/12 looking than 1/14, so I may downsize a bit. Perforated steel on the table will become walkways soon..I hope.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-z...7+13.41.20.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-X...7+13.41.07.jpg

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

Nice

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

Amaaaaaazing,absolutely the best looking vario I have seen

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

Wow, that's a good looking cab and cab protector! All 3D printed, I assume? Looks awesome. You definitely have a way with reworking models to make them more scale and unique.

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

:D Thanks Fellas, I wish I had more to share but I haven't had lots if time lately to work on this.

Nate, yes sir. I try to use the help of the printer whenever I can. I'm happy with the cab but think I'm going to scale down. The height is about .200" too high. I also employed the help of a local shop near me to cut some plates with their water jet to help bring out some details and hide some of the imperfections of the base body I welded together. Theres about 20 panels that will cover the whole outside of the body. The screws holding some of them on now will be replaced with some more scale looking hardware after I get everything painted. The model is really putting on some weight now.

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

Drawing of cab

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-h...7+16.43.01.jpg

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

Wow looks very good!

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

Well done job, looks great

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

Been a good while since i updated this thread. Just a couple new things, made some decals, added railings, catwalks, and finished the battery cover. Got the counterweight finally shaped a bit better, still work in progress. Ended up body filling and laying on a few heavy coats of powdercoating, then sanded that to take out the messy rough assembly job i did...Stopping by the water jet on the way home to get some final pieces cut for the left side.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/--...2B13.39.40.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8...2B13.38.08.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-T...2B13.38.12.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-F...2B13.57.08.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-U...2B13.38.39.jpg

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

Phenominal Job Jason! Keep up the awesome work! Gotta love those CATS!

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

Thanks man!

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

Looks great!! Did you print the cab protector grating? If so what printer do you have? The detail on those parts are great. I have one but haven't messed with too fine of layering. Maybe I may play with the resolution some. Thanks!! Glad you turned to the cat side!! Lol!!

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

I am a fan of Cat, and like a the uniqueness of this project. Not sure I've seen another Vario done up like a Cat yet. Anyway, I print at .15mm layer height on detailed stuff like this and especially on radius' like the bars on the cab protector. Makes them look round, not blocky.. I also do some post print finishing, sanding, acetone smoothing etc. Thanks for the comments.

Re: Vario Digger in Cat Yellow
 

Thank you for the answers!! I still forget that the printers are only limited to what you can think of!! And am just now getting the acetone baths down. Vapor and I did some brushing techniques also with good results. Depending op part I guess. But your stuff looks great!!