Wa 500 Rebuild

[JDH429]

Reg, Nate- Thanks guys, Yes i agree and your right.. but this being my first machine. I wouldnt know where to start. I never even seen one up close till i got this one. im good at copying something...Not good at making up designs without seeing it first..BUT i think im sure i can scratch build my next model and i have been thinking about what size Dozer i want to build. Only hard part about that would be the tracks..Again if i had a track peice to examine i could copy it. I have made plastic track parts with my Printer. I might have to visit the CNC machinist down the street for that. The rest is very doable after attempting this. I look at the cost i spent on this to have been also part of the learning process... Anyone want to buy a used wa500 chassis? lol Thanks for the nice comments.

[Espeefan]

Originally Posted by JDH429

Reg, Nate- Thanks guys, Yes i agree and your right.. but this being my first machine. I wouldnt know where to start. I never even seen one up close till i got this one. im good at copying something...Not good at making up designs without seeing it first..BUT i think im sure i can scratch build my next model and i have been thinking about what size Dozer i want to build. Only hard part about that would be the tracks..Again if i had a track peice to examine i could copy it. I have made plastic track parts with my Printer. I might have to visit the CNC machinist down the street for that. The rest is very doable after attempting this. I look at the cost i spent on this to have been also part of the learning process... Anyone want to buy a used wa500 chassis? lol Thanks for the nice comments.

Jason, my thoughts exactly, and once you see just what exactly you are getting, when you buy a model like this, it begs the question, are they really worth the cost? Some of the more detailed models might be. Some just seem so simple, with what amounts to stamped aluminum sheets, bolted together, it's hard to justify the asking price. But for those of us who don't have the talent, or tools, to scratchbuild our own, we can't complain to much!

[Lil Giants]

Originally Posted by Espeefan

once you see just what exactly you are getting, when you buy a model like this, it begs the question, are they really worth the cost? Some of the more detailed models might be. Some just seem so simple, with what amounts to stamped aluminum sheets, bolted together, it's hard to justify the asking price. But for those of us who don't have the talent, or tools, to scratchbuild our own, we can't complain to much!

It's not STAMPED aluminum, it has been milled, cut & bent precisely so when everything is put together it's symetrical & runs true... plus all the R&D to get it to this point of a proven working concept.

[Espeefan]

Originally Posted by Lil Giants

It's not STAMPED aluminum, it has been milled, cut & bent precisely so when everything is put together it's symetrical & runs true... plus all the R&D to get it to this point of a proven working concept.

Joe, no offense, but I don't think either one of us could say we know for sure. The thicker components of the WA500 probably are CNC machined, but I would also wager that the thinner components are stamped. I'm not saying it's a bad thing. Stamping yields high quality parts, held to tight and accurate tolerances too. Don't think of it as a knock on the quality of the model. The axle mounting brackets for the front axle, the cylinder mounts for the bucket cylinder, the front fenders, the c-channel bracket that the steering cylinders bolt to, the hood, the rock bucket components, and many of the cab parts could have been stamped. Progressive dies can cut, punch holes, and form small parts like these, and do so accurately. I'd almost guarantee you that many of those smaller parts could not be formed with a brake press. The bends would be to close together for the tooling. For a stamping die, it would be a cake walk. You should see what a progressive stamping die can make. You'd be surprised.

[fhhhstix]

JDH429 you are doing a fantastic job on the rebuild, keep up the good work.

Travis