Steel excavator build
 

Hi everyone, my names Justin alittle about me I'm 29 live in michigan and I work as a draftsman so I have lots of mechanical experience. So I've been following everyone's post for the last year and a half and I'm finally ready to build my own excavator. I started with a plastic FastLane toy for my pattern but I realized that's not what I want so I found a cad file of a excavator and scaled it to around 1:14 scale. Then I started with a sheet of 22ga steel but I'm thinking it might be too thin. What is a good gauge of steel to use 20ga or 16ga? I want to tack weld it together and braze the seams together. Polly just use k1 links for tracks and rc4wd for hydraulic components until I can afford to get autocad and out source my machining to my uncle. I also bought a Big Farm dump truck I plan on converting or building from scratch later on. Do you have any recommendation for my excavator build? I will post pics of progress soon as I figure out how to.

Re: Steel excavator build
 

Cad file

Re: Steel excavator build
 

22ga bucket

Re: Steel excavator build
 

Looks like you got a good start! The body won't matter what gauge you use just use what you can work with the best ;) The heavier the easier it is to stay in place while digging.

Re: Steel excavator build
 

I use 20ga & mig weld with 023 wire... I just got a tig recently, haven't learned to use it yet.

Re: Steel excavator build
 

I used 22ga for body work ( no welding though) and 16 GA for non threaded structure items. 13 GA and up depending thread type.

First dozer used 11ga for main body just to add weight.


Watch your gage due warping from heat buildup during welding. All thin gages come from heavier hot rolled....
Izzy

Re: Steel excavator build
 

Thanks for all the information. Here's my welding cell I made from an old gas furnace I have the hose I stick out the window and have a 6" inline fan I only have my spare room to work in for now till summer time for a garage.

Re: Steel excavator build
 

Playing with photo bucket

Re: Steel excavator build
 

It's practical to build the 'engine house' cover as 1 big piece, that is easily removable for good access. One can have separate smaller hatches/doors in the main cover.
Track sprocket wheels should run about 30-40 rpm. Superstructure to rotate about 10 rpm.
Looking at your sketch, I would maybe get some more clearance between the tracks and the bottom of 'engine house'/superstructure, like double it?

Re: Steel excavator build
 

Quick tutorial showing how to use photobucket.

http://www.rctruckandconstruction.co...ead.php?t=4057

Re: Steel excavator build
 

Rim rock yea I'm not going to follow it to a Tee I just wanted something to base my model off of I'm not looking for any particular machine this is my fist build ever. I found lowes sells 2 foot x 2 foot 16ga I think I'm going to pick some up tomorrow.

Lil giants thank you it's hard to figure things out on my phone.

Re: Steel excavator build
 

Re: Steel excavator build
 

Re: Steel excavator build
 

While I'm not far in my build would you start with the bucket and boom or the tracks then boom? I don't have any hydraulic items yet I'm affair of building the body too small what's a front to back and side to side dimension I could use? I'm working with limited tools at this time but I want to get started building cause I know the basics of what I need and buy pumps and cylinders as I go.

Re: Steel excavator build
 

What size life size machine do you intend emulate...30ton machine, 50ton, 80t?

I use a phone to browse on occasion away from home, but always use laptop to post.

Re: Steel excavator build
 

I'm not familiar with the different tonnage I'm think just an average size.

Re: Steel excavator build
 

Just wanted to say it's going to be a week or two before I start building I sat down started to price out how much everything's going to cost and I decide cause I want to build multiple vehicles that I should buy some more tools to make it easyier and more cost effective in the long run. So I borrowed money from myself I'll pay myself interest in the end. But I bought 16ga and am happy with the gauge but realized it's going to be hard to cut so I purchased a shear with 12" throat from northern tool. I also bought a laptop and turbo cad 2d/3d so I can design before I build. And I'm thinking about purchasing a Sherline lathe so I can make bushings and hydraulic cylinders ect... So hopefully I'll be building again soon

Re: Steel excavator build
 

http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/...psyieo5uxz.jpg

Got my sheet metal shear I highly recommend to anyone have trouble cutting thick sheet metal I cut a piece of 1/8" thick 1" wide easily I need a better bench for thicker stuff says you can do 1/4" sheet but idk it's 16ga cuts like butter

http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/...ps5tntvrqi.jpg

I got playing around bucket 2.0version 16ga cut with shear only and sanded a little. Now I'm only waiting for cad software.

Re: Steel excavator build
 

Started following my print all 16ga so far. http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/...pshll9waav.jpg
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/...pst9mprrwo.jpg
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/...psymdy8etv.jpg

Re: Steel excavator build
 

I wasn't sure how I was going to assemble the boom here's what I came up with this morning I built some saddles to get me started.
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/...pspxkqsr5v.jpg
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/...pstd6wnymv.jpg
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/...pspnzfwdf8.jpg
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7wufutwj.jpg