Skeeters contracting services

[skeeter]

A great big thank-you to my friend Steven for stopping by today for some Rc trucking & construction fun!
https://youtu.be/6llkIq7pKiQ

IMG_0160 by Anthony Kalnoski, on Flickr

IMG_0161 by Anthony Kalnoski, on Flickr

[skeeter]

The Bruder D11 conversion isn't going together the way I saw it in my head. I had to rethink the drive sprocket extensions. I needed a thicker sidewall on the pipe sp that the set screws had more surface area to grab onto. The originals stripped out WITHOUT even pushing anything. I found that out when I drove it on the garage floor for about 10 minutes. Here's a shot of the old version side by side with the new design. I had COULDN'T find the right size ID of this pipe, so I had to drill out the center so that it would fit over the existing motor stub, & extension stubs.
wall thickness by Anthony Kalnoski, on Flickr

When I tried to place the thing together with a battery inside it, I realized I had an problem. There wasn't enough room & it wouldn't allow the top to snap onto it. So I threw away the weights that I had cast for it, & started over. A few 20, 26, 12, & 8 ounce teardrop Sturgeon fishing weights, & a lil time with the BFH to reshape them, & here's what I now have.
Bruder D11 wight re-design by Anthony Kalnoski, on Flickr

[skeeter]

I just found this on eveilbay. Such a good price when compared to the Tamoya MFU kit, that I couldn't help myself...............I had to get one. A friend of mine that has one already & loves it. https://www.ebay.com/itm/GT-Power-7-...0AAOSwfoNacEFx

[skeeter]

For those pondering about a Bruder D5 conversion..........................Here's a neat lil trick to prevent the drive sprockets from slipping. I took a Zip Tie, & made the sprocket teeth longer. I used a hand saw to cut grooves into the sprocket teeth. Then I inserted the small pieces that I had cut from the Zip Tie into them, & super glued them in place. I haven't tried it out.....YET! I will try it out another day, after the glue has a chance to thoroughly dry. I WISH I could take credit for this idea! I seen it somewhere else, & CAN'T remember where.

D5 sprocket2 by Anthony Kalnoski, on Flickr

D5 sprocket1 by Anthony Kalnoski, on Flickr

[skeeter]

The method I posted above for eliminating the Bruder drive sprocket from slipping inside the tracks, seems to work well. I got a chance to try it out for a few minutes the other day. There was no track slippage to report. Time will tell how well they are going to hold up to continued usage.

[Hofabooz]

Hi Skeeter

Looking good glad to see the progress you are making

[skeeter]

I made a lil progres on the Bruder D10 conversion today. I've already tested the drivability of the tracks, & redesigned to work out the issues I found there. I still have a lil more to do with this thing, but she's getting nearer to being ready to run! Here's a lil vid of todays progress.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gK-xaVOMzj4

[skeeter]

It's ALIVE! FINALLY! this thing took a LOT of thinking, rethinking, trial & errors, but it's finally operatable. Although it's plastic, it's still functional. I LOVE the Bruder D5 conversion that I did. Even though it was plastic, it's still al lil workhorse. If this thang is as much of a workhorse as that one is I'll be very happy with it!

The weather here in WA state today is dreary wet & raining. I was hoping to take er out to the dirt today & see how well it would do. Due to weather this lil teaser video inside the workshop will have to suffice for now.
https://youtu.be/E454JEG7lbU

[Hofabooz]

Hi Skeeter

Nice to see the little guy have is first steps so to speak.
Will be good to see him out in the wild pushing dirt.

[skeeter]

Originally Posted by Hofabooz

Hi Skeeter

Nice to see the little guy have is first steps so to speak.
Will be good to see him out in the wild pushing dirt.

That may take a while! I fried the electronics in er yesterday while testing er out!

[skeeter]

Where to start......So many things have went on since I last posted here!

RC Land...............My pit area for RC Trucking & COnstruction fun. It started off looking like this
Skeeters Contracting Services1 by Anthony Kalnoski, on Flickr
We found out that ot was too steep. The trucks kept spinning out on the hills. SO...............We changed it to this
IMG_0281 by Anthony Kalnoski, on Flickr

Then After teh trucks can make it to the pit at the top, we had to get that part ready too.
IMG_0282 by Anthony Kalnoski, on Flickr

IMG_0284 by Anthony Kalnoski, on Flickr

IMG_0283 by Anthony Kalnoski, on Flickr

rcland2 by Anthony Kalnoski, on Flickr

rcland2 by Anthony Kalnoski, on Flickr

[egronvold]

You’ll have alot of fun there

[Cooper]

Nice!! Now that the weather is starting to get a little warmer here I need to do some similar!! You've motivated me to getting stuff around and start enjoying the RC stuff!!

[skeeter]

I've got more to post, but I hit a wrong button last night, & accidentally closed RCTruck&construction tab, instead of the Flickr tab. I'll try again later today.

[Efroeh]

that's a sweet little work area you have there. look forward to seeing more progress.

[skeeter]

egronvold, YEs sir It'll be a TON of fun, once the Washington State weather cooperted & dries out a bit!

Cooper, Glad I can motivate to get your play area ready.

Efroeh, thank-you sir. It's NOT done............YET! I've got a few more finishing touches to add to it before then.

As I said earlier, I have been doing a LOT of stuff around here lately. I trird to pot it last night, but closed the post, instead of thr Flicker tab I was trying to close. I'll try it again............

Ontop of all the work goign on in RC Land, I mae a lil progress on the loggin truck. I bought the back bumper plate from Reg. The Pintle hitch was from Garden Trucking. I still have to mount the safety chains for it. The empty holes are for more red lights. It came with 2 clear & 2 red lights. I removed the clear ones in favor of more tail lights. This will EVENTUALLY be a PNW style logging truck. Much like Lou has built. For now the 5th wheel plate will stay on, & it'll pull a hyrack style log trailer.
Logging truck by Anthony Kalnoski, on Flickr

In between rain squalls, I've been working on a few scale items
https://www.flickr.com/photos/157093...posted-public/

The FIRST batch cast
bricks2 by Anthony Kalnoski, on Flickr

NOT perfect, bu they will work as scale loads for a Tamiya flatbed trailer.
Bricks1 by Anthony Kalnoski, on Flickr

I bought a scale Jersey barrier. They claimed it was 12th scale. In reality it is closer to 14th scale. It was about $24.oo for that ONE barrier with the shipping. I decided I could mold my own far cheaper. The mold making compound OOMOO30 (I'd use OOMOO25 IF I did er again) was $32.oo delivered.

mold2 by Anthony Kalnoski, on Flickr

MOLD8 by Anthony Kalnoski, on Flickr


MOLD9 by Anthony Kalnoski, on Flickr

The material I am using to cast, I found at Homedumpster. CEMENTALL
mold 1 by Anthony Kalnoski, on Flickr

I LOVE this stuff. NO shrinkage like with concrete/cement, & IF the room temperature is at or above 70 degrees, it'll cure in an hour! Since the temps here are no where near that................nearer to 50(ish) I'm avergain about 1.5-2 hours cure time.

[skeeter]

The hayrack trailer that'll be towed behind the truck for now. The trailer was acquired from Corbett Trailers.

37508277470_136a80c25b_o by Anthony Kalnoski, on Flickr

[skeeter]

I just got the log truck running again. I had to put a new ESC in it. I went with the HobbyWing brushless from rcMart.com
#rcMart ESC by Anthony Kalnoski, on Flickr

[frizzen]

Awesome looking haul road, can't wait to see it in action.

I like the looks of the blocks and barriers, looks like you're getting the hang of molding them

[skeeter]

Frizzy, there was definitely a learning curve to molding the blocks!

Here's a lil video of the Bruder Mack conversion in RCland. It's traveling at top speed in this video. I wish I had used slightly faster gear motors in this build. Since they are what I have in it, they will stay there & be used.

https://youtu.be/INN2MNyO8gw