G'day from NZ

[RCKiwi]

Hey everyone
My name's Glenn. I'm an owner/operator of a small engineering company in beautiful New Zealand, lower south island to be exact.
This is truley an awesome forum with a wealth of clever folk. I've spent hours trawling through the builds in almost every section and WOW! Just when you think you've seen it all, another build thread and another awesome creation. (that's right, todays buzz word is Awesome! )
I found my way here through the RC construction side and it is here I'm going to have a go at a wheel loader. I've already purchased 4x Michelin 26,5R25 XLD tires from AFV-Model and am currently working on drawings, etc. as well as a design for LSD axles. It'll closely ressemble some of the Wedico Wheel loader and will have a few differences.
I shall start a buid thread soon. Here's a quick pic



My interest has also been sparked by a customer. He has not long purchased an old RB 10 dragline in a partly restored condition. On inspection, he had found that one of the track sprocket drive axles had snapped and been pourly repaired and that the other was about to fail to. The axles have a grease nipple c'bored into the ends and then grease is then applied to the exact point by a radially drilled 1/8 hole - it is here both shafts were affected. It would appear the drilling have created a stress raiser and point of failure. I was commissioned to make a replacement axle with no central lube - he will lube by a drilling into the support bearings.
I have arranged a small looksie at his project so might get a few pics
Picture of old and new axles



Anyway, enough from me for now. I hope to be able to start sharing by build soon with you all.

Glenn

PS Excellent effort Mr.Geardrive, you've created a very good thing here, RIP

[doodlebug]

Welcome aboard!
Cheer's,Neil.

[scalelover]

welcome aboard the best rc site around. Hope to see a build threar on your loader looks like it could be a great one with your machining abilities.

--Dan

[dirtpusher9]

Welcome Glenn. Glad to see another scratch build.

[9W Monighan]

Welcome.
I helped one of my friends redo a B-E 10B undercarriage a few years ago. We were able to scrounge axles off another machine to mix and match the better parts to fix it. I wanted to machine new axles because the splines like you show were worn badly but he didn't want to. For the tracks; The original pins were 7/8''dia. and the bores in the pads were worn too so I cut 1-1/16'' 1045CF round bar to replace them and that took up most the play. Now the machine travels very well with the tracks back in pitch.

[RCLogger]

Welcome Glenn

Are you going to build the loader in 1/14 scale, and what size of loader ( 966 ) does that work out to be with those tires ?

Greg

[eurocharged]

welcome Glenn

your work looks Awesome...!!!!

[boman]

Gidday Mate...

[RCKiwi]

Many thanks for the warm welcome guys!

The loader will be 1:14.5. I'm quite interested in having a small fleet, say a loader, ADT, excavator and maybe a Truck-6x4 dumper, at this scale.
It was a close toss up between the loader and the excavator for a start. Who knows, both may be brought to life at once.
I have a quite a few cool toys at work. My baby being an old 18x6 Rapigrind surface grinder that is in its final stages of a 2 year restoration. Not that the projects with be made in steel, but I'm itching to grind up a few bits and pieces on her.

Anyway, many thanks again for the welcome chaps, stay tuned for a build thread!

Glenn