PC1800 Front Shovel (1/12)

[DADSGARAGE]

I will be trying these air cylinders on the shovel not sure how well they are made but I'm going to find out. The main boom cylinders are 1.25" ID and the rest are 1.0625" ID. Hopefully the 5/32" tubing will have enough flow.... I'm going to find that out as well.

[IMG][/IMG]


I also plan on using a full scale valve body and pump , I will need to change the operating pressure in the valve down to 200-250 psi and the pump will need to turn at about 1500 RPM to supply enough volume for the cylinders, not sure if I can get this all to work as I would like but it's worth a try...the other challenge will be getting it all to fit in the model....time will tell.


[IMG][/IMG]

[RCP57]

Princess Auto strikes again!lol I'm liking what you're up too! I think one of the other guys on here used some valves like that in a couple of excavators and they worked alright. What is the plan to spin that pump with? 3408?lol

http://rctruckandconstruction.com/sh...ighlight=pc650

[ihbuilder]

Nice work on the slew ring

[sparkycuda]

Since I'm a Komatsu guy, I've been waiting for this build to start. Great work on the swing bearing! Don't know if it will be a problem, but sometimes when a main relief valve is adjusted well-below its normal operating pressure, it is not very consistent or accurate. I'm guessing this system has an original pressure of 2500-3000 PSI, dropping to 250 PSI might be a problem. Hope it is not for you. Should you need additional technical information about the full-size PC1800, let me know. Be glad to assist.

Ken

[DADSGARAGE]

Originally Posted by sparkycuda

Since I'm a Komatsu guy, I've been waiting for this build to start. Great work on the swing bearing! Don't know if it will be a problem, but sometimes when a main relief valve is adjusted well-below its normal operating pressure, it is not very consistent or accurate. I'm guessing this system has an original pressure of 2500-3000 PSI, dropping to 250 PSI might be a problem. Hope it is not for you. Should you need additional technical information about the full-size PC1800, let me know. Be glad to assist.

Ken

You might be right about the relief valve not liking the the low pressure, I wasn't thinking of that style of relief valve in there not a simple ball and spring, if it wants to float around at the low pressure I will need to add an external one on later to correct it....l will try it first and and see what it will do...maybe just maybe it will work with the low pressure.
Do you work on this machines or operate them??

[sparkycuda]

Originally Posted by DADSGARAGE

You might be right about the relief valve not liking the the low pressure, I wasn't thinking of that style of relief valve in there not a simple ball and spring, if it wants to float around at the low pressure I will need to add an external one on later to correct it....l will try it first and and see what it will do...maybe just maybe it will work with the low pressure.
Do you work on this machines or operate them??

I'm a technical trainer for a Komatsu distributor in Kentucky & Indiana. Mostly, I teach our technicians but sometimes do troubleshooting classes for customers. Our territory has shovels up to the PC5500 and trucks up to 240 tons, but with the coal market going to h3ll, many of the larger machines are being parked.

Ken

[DADSGARAGE]

Originally Posted by sparkycuda

I'm a technical trainer for a Komatsu distributor in Kentucky & Indiana. Mostly, I teach our technicians but sometimes do troubleshooting classes for customers. Our territory has shovels up to the PC5500 and trucks up to 240 tons, but with the coal market going to h3ll, many of the larger machines are being parked.

Ken

Awesome!!!! Now I know who's brain to pick for info!! Finding good reference pics on line for this machine has proven a challenge....so I'm cheating a bit by looking at the PC2000 which has a great deal of similarities to the older 1800. I was almost going to switch the build to a 2000 but decided to keep going with the 1800. One thing I like about the 1800 in the length and size of the body/house section, gives more room for the full size valves etc, the modular design of the 2000 just wouldn't work. I do however like the overall looks of the 2000 over the 1800 but the design of the 1800 will be somewhat easier to build.

Is it OK to post reference pics from the online Komatsu brochure of the shovel...I would like to post one of the pics with all the size references on it ? Or if anyone else knows the answer let me know....that would be great !

[DADSGARAGE]

Originally Posted by ihbuilder

Nice work on the slew ring

Thanks.......it looks simple enough but was tricky to make....my first mistake was using a three jaw to turn it , should have use a four jaw but got lazy and didn't change chucks and started to get some vibrations in the cuts near the finished size, sometime short cuts aren't short cuts at all.....just end up spending more time trying to fix thing.

[DADSGARAGE]

Originally Posted by RCP57

Princess Auto strikes again!lol I'm liking what you're up too! I think one of the other guys on here used some valves like that in a couple of excavators and they worked alright. What is the plan to spin that pump with? 3408?lol

http://rctruckandconstruction.com/sh...ighlight=pc650

Yes good ol princess auto...lol...the valve body and pump are from them (got them on sale too heehee) the cylinders are from Automation Direct. Not sure yet what motor will be used on the pump yet, need to turn it at 1500rpm to get the flow needed but I don't actual know how strong the motor needs to be, if I put in a motor that is to big it will just eat battery power. Still need to try runs some tests with pump RPM and see what flow rate is like, going to just use a cordless drill to do the tests on the pump three speed drill will give me some ranges to play with. You would need two 3408 engines to run the full scale shovel.....even then two kitties might not be enough....lol