Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Steve, in the first pic the divots are in the vise jaws. I drilled .05 past the part. And the jaws are only about 75% of the width of the part in order for the other jaw to clamp onto them. So if looking at that pic it looks like they are off but they are in the right location. The second pic shows parts in the jaws and were machined where they should be. And the orange strip is just a piece of vinyl tape to take up any slight difference in part sizes so all parts were held firmly in vise jaws. I did use a spotting drill 1/8" 90^ point at .04 depth so not to enlarge the holes for the #50 drill. The holes came out perfect, no wondering of the bit. At least from where I'm looking :). Lol!!!

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Here is a better pic

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...ps340gwfp3.jpg

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

I see it now. I looked quickly not noticing I was looking at the bottom of your jig:o
When you go to steel; Are you going to make a pin and bushing like Stevie did on his tracks?

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psaqwcvvoi.jpg

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psgqjlpbvl.jpg

I was worried about not having any negative arc and having to cut reliefs in each pad. But there is plenty, although the two reliefs would only help in partical release.

Steve, I am just using a 3/16" rod cut down to 1/8" on each end for the pins. Made out of brass just like first time I did them. They have lasted awhile but I still would like to make a set in steel. I am thinking I'm going to just do them the same way. Steves bushings are better but a bit more work. Although I could still do something similar. The way I have the pins , once the links are bolted to pads is when the links are secured and can roll or grind :). In the past the brass pins were the first to wear and not the aluminum. Not saying these are now easy to make but a couple years of hard service isn't too bad. For however old the dozer is , it's had a lot of time in it and links are original. I did replace pins last year. Mistakes I made on them- I cut 3/16 hollow rod and soldered onto 1/8 pins. Figured it would be easier. It was but the solder has reacted with alum and seized to where I can't get them apart. And I don't have any master link. I just take about 6-7 pads off and that allows me to work enough distance in the pins to get the one side to rotate off and then easy to pull tracks.

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

I know it's not any particular part but I just wanted to make something with some complex curves to see how the 3D machineing would work. All the ball endmills I have are well abused to it could have been a little better. Maybe this will help anyone thinking about one of these machines , and how easy it is. ,,, again I never had any experience with cam or cnc machines so if I can do it anyone can:). Really opens the door for some future projects I have in mind!!, enjoy,,,,

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psyyqgdsm5.jpg

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psqu6qlkdz.jpg

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psjrmtikky.jpg

Just a quick rub with some scotchbrite

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psyxxmvz6v.jpg

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

The machineing took just a little over 2 hours. Had a step over of .005 for final pass. It's pretty smooth but some visible paths are there. Some fine sanding would eliminate them. I did give it a quick polish with dremel, spent a whole 5 min!!

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...ps3jsxbpsr.jpg

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...ps2kmmv3gz.jpg

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psypdpewhp.jpg

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

What's the nipple for and why is there only one?

Looking sweet! Keep it up! My wife says I can buy one but she thinks I should learn how to draw first. I have been working with my etch a sketch ever since!:D Just need to sell about 50 trailers now to pay for it!

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Lol!! Had some geometry in the part I wanted to see how it machined with a ball endmill. The nipple has a couple features, flat top and round curved base. The others are the lines that are barely visible at other end. They are transitions on uneven planes and curves. So the part is just a paperweight and no significance other than just playing around.

Hey reg, the best thing about this is I can't draw either!! The computer can!! Only problem with that , I don't communicate with computer very well!!!! When I want to make a simple square the darn computer asks too many questions,, like, where? What plane? What shape, size? How thick ,,, alot like a first date!!! Way too much questions and not enough actions!! But eventually I'm learning to speak computeries , very similar to my chinglish voculabarly. I've traded in my usual torture tools (hammer and torch) for more appropriate computers, now I threaten it with a magnet!!! So far the hard part of this has morphed into part holding. For the track links it made sense to cut soft jaws because of so many parts to be made. On some other one off parts the challenge has become how to design and make it with having to hold and machine it in mind. From my university of YouTube degree in cnc machineing a few guys had said that designers should spend time in the machine shop to get a better understanding of what available machines the company has can do. And the process involved. Really helps knowing what you can do and can't do. Like if I don't have a 1/2" drill then I better not make any holes 1/2" while designing my part. ,,,,, but I'm also learning from a lot of knowledgable people to think outside the box,,, like no 1/2" drills, no problem, use a 1/4" mill and extrapolate out to 1/2".

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...pshstcohxs.jpg

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psryw36ng9.jpg

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...pszuegyxm2.jpg

And also chipping away at the fleet expansion project. Some pics of the camber I'm incorporating into the beams of trailers.

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Looking good DB I 'll have to come down to your place so you can teach my. Ed

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

I like the bent beam ok sorry camber

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Forgot I had a two piece vise, coming in handy now. I made two end pieces for the frame rails to nest in. Clamp them together and holds everything vertical and in dimensional shape for welding.

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psg5rorv2x.jpg

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psugua6goc.jpg

The piece of alum in front is the first jig holder I made, it was too tight and needed a relief radius for the bend of ibeams. A little humor on that side project, first ones took me about 4 hours to figure out the cam for the cnc mill, the second set took about three min!!! One nice thing about fusion 360 is they give a brief description of what task at hand will do. Nice but if you don't know what any of it means then it's basically keep hitting buttons and operations until I find one that does what I want. That's why the 4 hours vs 4 min!!

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...pseeoaz6gd.jpg

The bulkhead between deck frame and axle frame.

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Last week

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psjk0wzfze.jpg

This week :)

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...pslgbw9iru.jpg

And some more on the trailer , close on the chamfer mill while machineing the support arms

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psta66pgkg.jpg

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psn2abvchs.jpg

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

And starting to understand the benefits of the printer, can make parts for penny's before setting up the mill and actually cutting the part from metal.

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psr2wazktu.jpg

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...pseavxzjjn.jpg

Some of the machineing, this time I completely let the computer generate oath and speeds,, worked out well :).

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psiom9oddn.jpg

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...pssqjtwoe3.jpg

Have to machine bottom side and one side opp for the pivot pinhole.

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Look at you with your fancy tools hey?lol Awesome work as always. Let me know when you get the suspension figured out so that I can order some.

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...pselxhdpiq.jpg

Just for you reg ;).

I think it will work?!?!?? Lol!!! Have been meaning to Email you and harass you!!!

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

You sound like my wife. Making promises to me but not following through.:eek::lol::lol::lol: I know, I know, back to the shop just in case she reads this....:cop::cop::cop:

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Looks too me that you have two 3d printers , one for plastic and one for metal....one which can only add material and the other can only remove material to make a part!!! Nice!!

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

On my journey home yesterday, I stopped in to have a visit with Cooper. I managed to get through security by infiltrating the giant watch dog and little Bulldogs by letting them slobber all over my face:p

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/102...922/hJ7CsI.jpg

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

:lol::lol::lol: he's a big boy!

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Pretty cool you stopped by!! Enjoyed the time!! Dog approved:).

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

At least you made it through the guard leg running tree rats !

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Lol!!! I think most of them that wow last years " Los autos de chicken " race are holed up in the attic till spring. :lol:

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0czuz2rx.jpg

The new chains on the dozer work great,,, but then one problem fixed another popes up. Had to make new sprockets also.

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...pshja5nbnl.jpg

I did get some "work" on the new mine claim project.

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psfodpsqtd.jpg

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psjcegrpjb.jpg

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psex1aopgq.jpg

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...pslsi9f9xs.jpg

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Did you take a pic of new vs old sprockets together?

Was it the pitch that changed or the old sprockets worn that much?

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

I'll get a couple pics tomorrow, I changed the relief angle on the new one to a bit tighter to "hold" a bit better. But after I cut them and physically looked at them I realized it may have been too tight but they work and don't bind. Only will get looser as time goes :). I'll show what I'm referring to when I get a pic.

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Sorry joe I didn't really read your question,

Pitch was same, I think when I had dozer apart I placed the left sprocket on right side and vise versa. I know it doesn't matter but with the wear I think when the dozer backs up it is more prone to skipping. (Design geometry of high sprocket) and more wear from forward motion. Combined to enable them to skip quite a bit when it was backing up. That's what got my attention. At cabin fever it was skipping some but I just figured I had loaded some dirt in tracks. They were the original sprockets. They have seen three bushing replacements,( track pins worn out) and now a new set of tracks) so how many years she is, 3-4? And has pushed a lot of dirt. Road wheels had bushing replaced, along with new shafts, and small wheels were completely shot that I recently replaced them with steel ones. . I doubt it will happen (probably a new dozer first) but if I get the time and ambition I would like to make track links, link pins, and sprockets from steel. But now I should be good to go for anothe year or two. I imagine before long the motors are going to need replaced. They are worm reduction and only have one side of the final output shaft that has a bushing on it. Frankly I'm really surprised they are still going strong!! As I speak I am now thinking of ordering new ones,,,, Murphy's law!?!??!! Lol!!

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7thwivlu.jpg

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0vszwvkf.jpg

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psd8rdxgpe.jpg

Old ones didn't have as much height on top of teeth and more taper angle. But they were worn a bit. The new ones are also side tapered towards the top of teeth. I hope that will help pierce any dirt that gets in links verses them being more flat packing it in there. Didn't have much of a problem before unless I would have a lot of dirt roll into the tracks from side pushing or sharp turns.

And went up to the local cat dealer today for service on some equipment and brought the d11 with, told them I needed work on a d11 and had it in the back of my pick up truck,,,yeah, it went quiet,,, then a couple of them came out to look. Before long they pretty much shut down and had about 30 people out checking it out. I think they enjoyed seeing it and said to bring it and anything else up again.

And it's not often these guys come to the dealership for trade or service but I got to see an older d11 up close. I wish I would have taken a pic of blade.

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psoohtqmxk.jpg

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psbfgoqpmu.jpg

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psm7be6ofn.jpg

The pictures don't do it any justice, I'm 6' and was eyelevel with lower part of drive sprocket.

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Would have been neat to see a pic of all those guys looking at your dozer

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

I bet the D11 in my pickup reaction was priceless!

It's awesome they let you check out the real one, that's massive.

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

"And went up to the local cat dealer today for service on some equipment and brought the d11 with, told them I needed work on a d11 and had it in the back of my pick up truck,,,yeah, it went quiet,,, then a couple of them came out to look. Before long they pretty much shut down and had about 30 people out checking it out. I think they enjoyed seeing it and said to bring it and anything else up again "


Yea, same thing happened when I took the D6 with me to my dealer to pick up filters for my 303 excavator

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...pseeihzoqx.jpg

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psmelkv596.jpg

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...ps1mexodrs.jpg

Spent a lot of time with the ripper, the clumps of grass are not easy to dig with the blade. Once loosened with the ripper they came up. Stripping all the grass off to get to the good stuff, dirt!! I wasn't sure what the dirt would be like in this location but it looks to be better than the topsoil I had been importing from before. More small stones but good so far :).

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

http://youtu.be/kSZGJ2QE7BY

Here is a video. I switched to a different way to upload video, it only took 5min to upload but quality is poor. I'm still trying to figure it out :). But some video.

I did bring the tractor over and tilled up the grass. Only one pas with the tiller to just break the sod up. It is still tough to push. Chunks of grass are sometimes harder to push than rock. And the tracks don't slip but hit some small rock every once in a while when it appears to skip. New tracks and sprockets were hiding up well, dirt was pushed into tracks and still didn't foul them. Happy so far.

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psfd5nfeno.jpg

If I get some time tomorrow I'm going to try and get some video of the haul truck and count how many scoops it takes to load. When I built this I knew it would be a process to load it. I like running the excavator but it has now become fun to run the haul truck too. I may need to rethink the lay out and create a longer haul road. :). Mario? Hint hint. Lol!!

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Awesome pictures and video. Your equipment are beasts.

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Video quality not too bad, you're outside with lots of light, did you save vid on Ipad "for email" setting?

If you had yourself a real track hoe you wouldn't feel the need to cheat with life size equipment :p besides, why the hurry to get the land cleared of grass?

Found Mr Nutters, he's enjoying ice cream cones down south :D

https://s.theweathernetwork.com/vide...312993038001_2

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

The CAT is can push a good pile of material, cool video.

Greg

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

I had been messing with so many different computer things that I'm not sure what I actually did, I think it was an ap called YouTube uploaded. I took video on iPhone and uploaded it with that app right to YouTube (I think) :).

And yes I really should start thinking about a new hoe,,, a lot of things are starting to wear, this will be the third swing motor, still works but a lot of play, track motors just don't have the strength. Or some more modifications. Probably go with that when something completely fails. And yes a little extra help was outsourced for the ground cover removal to start stripping the topsoil down to concrete wall grade from the old silo. Really the only reason I did use the tiller was to save some wear n tear on the lil' company assets. I did use the ripper to rip a 6x6' area. Sod ripping is pretty tough on the dozer:). from now on it should be all company equipment and no more sub contracting. :). Unless stone or soil needs to be imported.

And I wish I would have had taken more videos when we had mr nutters in the house. Thanks for sharing joe:).

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

A little rusty with the controls and a little more slop in the swing but some more hoe digging. This is stripping the grass and topsoil from around the old silo base. It's kind of like a strip mine because a layer or grass, a layer of decent dirt, then a layer of shale. I'm not sure how deep the stone and shale is. The dozer needs to come in a do some more ripping. I'm trying to get down to the bottom of the concrete along the walls. And no more sub contracting ;).

http://youtu.be/VIVwoph5Lzg