Re: BareBones Excavators
 

here is barebones link on here

http://www.rctruckandconstruction.co...er.php?u=10161

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

I also got a reply. The last msh in this topic has the link to barebones. We should all move there

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

Hi this is Crit and Johnny from Barebones. We would like to thank everyone for their interest in the BB390 alpha.

Although we have had the Barebones website up for a while we thought we were flying under the radar while we were still working things out and learning the landscape of this hobby. We're glad someone found us and introduced us here.

We are new to the hobby and are learning our way around. As we learned more about it our goal became one of how to figure out a way to get the prices down on construction equipment so we could get into it.

We work in our everyday life as product designers. We are in essence problem solvers for people who need something to work better, cheaper or faster.

Our first love is construction equipment and we have wanted to be a part of the r/c construction crowd for a long time. We have watched this forum and all the cool stuff in Europe, track hoes and front loaders, come along etc. Unfortunately, the prices have just seemed to go up instead of down. The products are awesome and probably deserve their huge price tags but cost is still the main barrier for most of us trying to enter the r/c construction hobby.

We did notice the Chinese finally enter the market with a pretty affordable track hoe but it didn’t, at least for us, fulfill the “cool” factor. When we drive around our town and see construction equipment working we always stop and watch. A Cat 330 is nice or a Hitachi 200 is ok…it helps us get our fix. But when they recently put in a pipeline here in Utah and a Komatsu 850 showed up to dig the trench, man we went crazy. And then when a Hitachi 1200 arrived for the really deep areas now that was heaven!

Also, just walking distance down the street from us is a Cat D10, serial number 1, and a Cat D11 working at Geneva Steel Mill. They’ve sold off the steel mill to China (don’t get me started) and are now removing the leftover slag and selling it for roadbase. When the D10 blew a head gasket we buddied up to the mechanics and hung out while they repaired it. The size of the blade and sprockets and the ripper were freaking awesome. We thought someday we’re going to do one of these in miniature.

What we want is to have the vehicles that we love be available for a good price. We love it all but a big Cat 390 or a big dozer is something to behold.

In our own quest to get an excavator however, it has always come down to the same thing…save up for a lifetime and hope to get one.

That’s pretty much what made us decide to make our own.

And we only really thought that we could make our own because we’ve had some experience doing similar things. I was a special effects artist in Hollywood for years and built the effects and miniatures for Beetlejuice, Predator, Star Trek, Alien and 85 other motion pictures.


With that said though, the other main stumbling block to making this work was that of welding, bending and assembling these things either for us to build or if they were offered as a kit. All the drilling and tapping and machining and brake pressing etc. pretty much kills the project as much as the cost.

So the challenge for us was to be able to take one of our favorite excavators, the Cat 390 and make it without the need for any welding or machine bending etc.

And we were able to do that with the BB390 that you see on the website. The whole thing was put together with nothing other than screws and rivets and formed and hand bent from laser cut guidelines.

The hydraulics on the website are just for show but we have contracted with a major hydraulic manufacturer here in the U.S. that will make them to our power ratings and the ram and barrel size to our scale specification.

What remains to be done is that there are a few dimensions on the BB390 excavator to tighten up as well as making sure the provisions for swing gears and drives fit what’s available in the market but overall it is basically there. That’s why we are calling the BB390 on the website the “alpha” version because it isn’t perfect though it did prove the concept of a no weld or machining model.

For someone who is a maverick modeler the alpha is a great starting point. However, you’ll still need to drill mounting holes, find ring gears and drive hookups and brackets etc.

So, our excavator in all honesty isn’t really finished. We just know how excited we are when we find new stuff so we thought we’d let anyone who couldn’t wait buy one even though its still in its early phases.

We chose the name BareBones because we wanted to provide the hobby with a solid, accurate, workable, strong, all metal shell or skeleton in which you could from now to eternity customize however you wanted.

With the reaction from the forum being so encouraging we are pressing forward with what will call our “beta” model. This version will be the same excavator but will include mounting holes for common motors, right angle drives, swing gear etc. from places such as Pittman or Granger so that there is less modification to do after you buy it.

The final version will be designed to fit specific motors, servos, and pumps and will be basically a plug and play model.

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

Whew! Ok, well we’ve bitten off a huge chunk I know! Its a pretty ambitious undertaking. But hey, I get to design and build excavators with my son everyday which is something we love…it doesn’t get better than that.

That was a long post and we haven’t even scratched the surface of our excitement and what we hope is the future of BareBones Excavators. Thanks for allowing us to post and be a small part of the forum. We’ll try to be available and answer emails and keep good updates.

Thanks again

BareBones Excavators!

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

welcome aboard guys!

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

Very cool both your interest in the hoby and the model you are perfecting. I look forward to updates on both versions as I too would like a excavator some day and price is the major factor for me....

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

Welcome aboard! you must be near by me !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I live South of the Geneva Steel site.
Cheers, Neil.

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

Looking forward to seeing more progress. So, when is the D11 or D10 coming along?? Ha!!

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

Can't wait, looks good to me!

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

Finding what we want here???? Priceless,,,,, okay not really priceless but hey.... U.S. made and available... Up here in Idaho we will be watching for a beta and padding the pocker book a bit..... Welcome and thank you for your endeavors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

Hey how cool you are from Utah!!!! We would have never have guessed anyone in Utah would be into RC construction! Next time we do a photo shoot you will have to stop by and see our excavator first hand!

Thank you for all your support

Johnny

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

Let me know! I own and play with full size yellow iron.
Cheers, Neil.

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

****... Idaho is not too far away...LOL you could shoot up here......yeah prolly not lol... Go getem guys!!!!

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

I'm just glad to see somebody based in North America designing and developing a model for all of us on this side of the pond. I really like the German models, but it would be great if we could become self-reliant with this hobby. It's amazing to see what has already been developed and what has come to market for North American modelers building trucks. Surely the best is yet to come!

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

I like the idea, its nice to see something in my mind reasonably priced the german stuff looks nice, but is beyond expensive. So hopefully this ends well, are you guys planning on offering in the end the alpha,beta, and the plug and play model?

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

as soon as there is a way to hook up gear head motors to the tracks and a ring gear in place, I am going to order one.

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

iv been looking around a bit and not sure what I wanna do, thinking of ordering the first version and doing the work my self but im still undecided on what to do at the moment. would be nice to have a time frame on when the new one will be coming out.

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

The Alpha Beta then plug and play will be all the same model. With the alpha and Beta you will have to do all the modifications yourself, it would be the same as RCing a Bruder. You will have to do cutting, fitting and mounting moters ect, yourself. As well source all the RC components. The plug and play will be a solid finished product that you will have to assemble.

So to answer your question no, but the final product will save you time and a lot of elbow grease!!!!

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

Had this crazy idea hit me in the head the other day, take the BareBones hoe, remove the boom, stick and bucket, insert a lattice boom and three cable drums. It would make a very nice crawler crane, could maybe run a clam shell, dragline, elector magnet or just an erection crane. Maybe not 100% accurate model but still a pretty cool thought to me.

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

Barebones

Is the Alpha/Beta going to have the ring gear and some way to hook into the drive sprockets on the tracks?

I'd like to get a finished product but how much would it be?

How soon will you have it past the beta stage?
I just want to get something before the ground freezes . lol

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

if you guys are doing the CNC work yourself and the pre-assembly yourself, that won't leave much time for yourselves when you start taking orders. this may be a seriously dumb question, but when you do start moving product, how stripped down will you sell this? would you consider selling it at the kit level? I really don't have a problem with your price (I feel the same way you do about the entry level costs for these machines), I just think the idea of building the machine from the ground up would be cool (my father is a retired welder/heavy duty mechanic).
:)

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

Hey guys I am in Utah too. North in Davis county. If you need Beta help I am willing!

Alan

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

We would Like to sell it in kit form for our finale product but we will have to work into this tho. Me and my father have done a number a products and we are all to familiar with the big process of building, boxing and shipping.

Hats off to your father for taking care of the wonderful heavy duty machines.

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

Sweet I think we are up to two Utah folk on here lol.

We will be sure to invite you guys to our next photo shoot.

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

I think it's awesome that you and your father are working together on this. I am so glad to hear that you are looking seriously at the kit as an option, also. you guys are definitely on my list of things to follow.

:)

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

Thank you for your support!!! We are happy to be accepted here on the forums and thank you everyone for all the support we have received threw email!!

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

I think there is getting to be an overabundance of back hoe excavator kits or RTR throughout the world already, but nobody is offering a front shovel like what I have I seen on your website. I'd go for one of those in a heartbeat! ...and help you however I could to piece it together to make a kit with high quality hydraulics & electrics.

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

I'll be following this thread for sure!

I want to second the suggestion for a crane! And while we are at it (are you guys keeping a wish list yet?) a dozer with an electric blade winch setup.

Jim

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

Izzy has already made a dozer with an electric blade, looks very similar to D6.

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

Thank you for all your comments! We are definitely making a wish list of things we want to build. In the depths of our mad scientist lab (DON'T ask about the Orange slime) where the beta BB390 is being hatched we have something new growing as well!!!!!

To address Lil Giants comment and numerous e-mails of there Being an "overabundance of back hoe excavator kits" Me and my father fully agree, except we have weak knees for Excavators.... Here at BareBones we love to build what "we" love. The LAST thing we would want to happen to BareBones is we create a product line based off of "We think people will like this, but we don't like it, but I'm pretty sure everyone else will like it". We build what we love and create things we think are cool:) We also love pushing boundaries of what can be done. In the end if we fall flat on our face at least we stayed true to our selves.

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

Among all the new asian strange looking machines, it's great to see new back hoes, with a fine and realistic design:) I don't agree that there are a overaboundance of USEABLE back hoes kits/RTR on the marked. 1 Swiss, 3-4 German fabricators do make equipment that works. Keep on the good work

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

Thanks we cant wait to get our next model out but we have to make sure its right.. Which is taking a ton of work. But we are "Digging threw it"

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

just wondering how many hoes have you
guys made to date? i might be down for one around tax time

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

same here.

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

Is there any news on the BB390 ? Haven't seen any building threads yet, so there are maybe not so many produced so far?
What pressure are the cylinders rated at?
Is it possible to see pictures of the undercarriage/superstructure 'slewing ring' arrangement?

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

ive emailed facebooked and phoned them witno responce at all.
kinda puts me off a bit. i got a better responce from china

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

Oh, okay. That's strange with no response at all. It seemed positive what they wrote here on the thread last summer, and their website is still there.

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

I emailed back in September and got a response saying it would be a couple months before they had the new version ready, i emailed them last month and didn't get a reply. im also drifting away from getting one.

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

I emailed them bout 2 months ago and had to email them several times to get a response. once i had there phone number it also took a long time to get a call back. they are a very nice group of guys to talk to for sure. but im along same lines of everyone else when it comes to taking the jump.

Re: BareBones Excavators
 

mcraig keep in mind it is only a father and son doing this business endeavor. also any news on the excavator?