Bruder Cat Excavator Conversion

[rockNmayhem]

Well there have been several people that have been hounding me to show the start of my build so I decided to take a few photo's of my progress so far today and let you all see where I'm coming from. I don't have any before photo's but of course we all have seen a stock Bruder by now. Anyways I'll let a few of the pics do the talking. :D

The start of the drive tracks.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Rock%20Solid%20Customs/100_2070.jpg

New drive hubs that will be capped off with the center acting as a wheel nut.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Rock%20Solid%20Customs/100_2071.jpg

Back of the drive hubs.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Rock%20Solid%20Customs/100_2072.jpg

Now we all know what the back of the excavator looks like right?

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Rock%20Solid%20Customs/100_2073.jpg

But once it's filled with lead it becomes a great counter weight for the boom.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Rock%20Solid%20Customs/100_2074.jpg

Did anyone say they needed to dig at night? If so I should be able to help lol.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Rock%20Solid%20Customs/100_2075.jpg

Now the start of my new rams on the arm.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Rock%20Solid%20Customs/100_2069.jpg

And a quick video of the first testing.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Rock%20Solid%20Customs/th_100_2068.jpg (http://s90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Rock%20Solid%20Customs/?action=view&current=100_2068.mp4)

Thanks for looking and hope to be able to make some progress on it this week and possibly get it rolling.:rolleyes:

[RCTech9]

Awesome start!!! Looks like a very clean build.

[firefighter-1177]

Awsome start! Can't wait to see more.

[mazdaparts]

That looks like a great start. Can't wait to see more.

[rockNmayhem]

Well just thought I'd post a quick update of my progress this evening. Got the second bucket ram mocked up and functioning. I still have to find the best pivot point but it is getting closer. Next project to tackle with be the main boom drives to support this whole contraption. Here are the pics to show you my recent progress, hope you enjoy. :D

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Rock%20Solid%20Customs/100_2076.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Rock%20Solid%20Customs/100_2077.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Rock%20Solid%20Customs/100_2078.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Rock%20Solid%20Customs/100_2079.jpg

Thanks for lookin. :rolleyes:

[pumptech]

Very cool ,looking good:D

[SmallHaul]

Nice and clean looking. It will be cool to see it dig.

[Brel]

nice work on the excavator

[hash]

nice work ....

[firefighter-1177]

Great looking build! Can't wait to see more.

[rockNmayhem]

Thanks guys. I hope to have some more progress done this evening and get atleast one boom cylinder done so I can have the whole thing working. I'm waiting on some parts for the rest of it but I should be able to finish up the drive wheels also. :D

[rockNmayhem]

Well just to post an update. I've found out that he drives that I'm using are just too much force for the plastic boom and arm so out went the idea of staying cheap and stock and in with the new over built project. I decided to put an order in for some brass from McMaster and build my own boom that will hold up to the abuse these drives are throwing at it. I was wanting to stay cheap on this but as everything else that didn't last long. I hope to get the brass here in the next few days and get it all layed out and brazed up. The stock boom weighs less than a pound and I have a feel the new one will be atleast a minimum of 2lbs to begin with and only go up from there. I should be getting my new radio for it today so I will try and post a vid up later of the rams in action. :D

[rockNmayhem]

Well it's been several weeks since I updated this thread so I thought I'd show a little bit of my progress as of recent. I have been waiting for some parts to come in and working on the new boom design and decided I had enough to start today. :rolleyes: Here are some pics of the new drive style hubs and the start to the boom. I hope to start brazing it up tomorrow and have the arm started this week sometime.

Here is the inner part of my drive hub I've started. I have to get a new tap tommorow from work as I broke mine today in one of the holes but it shouldn't take long on the other hub.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2100.jpg

Here is the stock arm next to one of the sides of my new arm of brass.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2099.jpg

Here is the arm starting to go together with bracing and hollow rods for the pivots and screws.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2101.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2102.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2103.jpg

Thanks for looking and hope you all enjoy. I really hope this boom will hold up to these rams this time without breaking on the third load pull.:confused:

[TheMachinist]

Looking good!
The brass boom is going to be a really nice addition to the model. I don't think there will be any problem with it breaking.
Are you going to use servos for the track drives?

[Car5858]

:confused:I was wondering how you were going to build the boom. These pics answered my question. Thanks for the tips.

Nice work so far:cool:

[rockNmayhem]

Thanks to both of you and to answer your questions, yes I am going to be using hi-torque servo's for the drive wheels. They will be housed in a custom brass housing and be completely protected from the elements.:D

[rockNmayhem]

Well the boom was going to be soldered up today but I've decided that I want some more bracing and am going to be running some parallel bars through it that I'll drill the sides for so it can all be soldered solid. I'm looking at making this boom operatable so if I want in the future I can run full hydraulics if I want. Time for another order from mcm.

[loie1044]

looking good

[steamer]

Tyler. Don't know if you thought about this, but you might try to fill the Bruder boom with expandable foam. Make sure you leave relief holes or it may overfill it. That stuff when it dries is fairly rigid and might do the trick. RC Logger built his boom from blue foam and laminated aluminum side plates and it's incredibly strong.
Rob

[Tamiya Cowboy]

Tyler

very impressive work.. you are making me think ill be able to build mine..

[rockNmayhem]

looking good

Thanks for the compliment.

Tyler. Don't know if you thought about this, but you might try to fill the Bruder boom with expandable foam. Make sure you leave relief holes or it may overfill it. That stuff when it dries is fairly rigid and might do the trick. RC Logger built his boom from blue foam and laminated aluminum side plates and it's incredibly strong.
Rob

Hey Rob. I have seen your idea that you are talking about done before but that just will not sufice to my likings. I have to build this excavator over kill because I just don't want to have any weak spots. I will have some pics of my boom up soon from my afternoon progress.:rolleyes:

Tyler

very impressive work.. you are making me think ill be able to build mine..

Thanks for the compliment bud. I know you can build your's up and have it operatable in no time. The worst part of the build is the beginning of tearing apart an $80 toy. :eek: After you get that out of the way thats when things definitely start to change. Just don't look back and take a whack at it.

[rockNmayhem]

Well I have some progress from this weekend. I still have some time left to work so I will be working like a mad man to get some things started on the arm but thought I'd take a break and post up some progress for you guys to look at. Hope you enjoy the pics and I should have another update later this evening if possible. Now onto the pics.

First was the start of mocking up my drives. Here are a couple quick shots.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2105.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2106.jpg

Now onto the boom.

Swiss cheese sides.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2107.jpg

Starting on the supports.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2108.jpg

Sides and bottom brazed up.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2110.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2111.jpg

How the ram will sit.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2112.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2113.jpg

Some comparisons with the stock and my newly designed boom.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2114.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2115.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2116.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2117.jpg

Final stages of the upper and lower supports of the boom on with the ram.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2118.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2119.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2121.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2120.jpg

And a final look down the front of the boom.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2122.jpg

That is all the progress I have from today and hope to get the arm close to this stage this evening if all goes well. :D

Thanks for looking.

[rockNmayhem]

Well I have a little more progress for this afternoon so far. I got the sides cut out and drilled for the arm so I can start brazing it up tomorrow after work. I am in the process of turning down all the cross braces and getting it aligned and it will be operatable hopefully soon.

Here's some more pics.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2124.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2125.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2126.jpg

Thanks for looking. :D

[Car5858]

Looks good Tyler:cool:

[firefighter-1177]

SWEET!!! I'm liking this build!

[rockNmayhem]

Thanks for the compliments guys. Here are just a couple shots to see what it will kinda look like once it's together.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2127.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2128.jpg

[Tamiya Cowboy]

WOW you are killing me! One **** of a job you are doing there Tyler!! I am loving this build..

[steamer]

Looks fantastic. Are you using soft solder or silver solder on the arms. Look like you'll be digging in no time.
Rob

[rockNmayhem]

WOW you are killing me! One **** of a job you are doing there Tyler!! I am loving this build..

Hey Paul. Nothing special here that I am doing that I'm sure you couldn't accomplish. Thanks for the compliment. I'm still thinking I need to see a build for your's though. I'm sure I could rummage some help up for you if ya needed it lol. :rolleyes:

Looks fantastic. Are you using soft solder or silver solder on the arms. Look like you'll be digging in no time.
Rob

Thanks for the compliment Rob. I am using silver solder as it is a little better flowing and stronger I've come to realize than simple solder. I hope if all keeps going well that I will be digging by the end of June. I still have a ways to go and this thing is moving slowly.

[TheMachinist]

Boy it's really coming along!
I have a question. I see that the bolt holding the servo in place seems to go right through the case. Is there room in side the servo for it to clear all the electronics or have you moved stuff to make it work?

[rockNmayhem]

Boy it's really coming along!
I have a question. I see that the bolt holding the servo in place seems to go right through the case. Is there room in side the servo for it to clear all the electronics or have you moved stuff to make it work?

The servo is only drilled through just behind the pot on it where the casing is hollow. I chose it directly center of the ram and just behind there for the best center pivot point to the actual ram. There is no modification other than what I have done for full rotation to the electronics. I will be using a piece of brass tubing running through with a wrist pin to pivot on like a normal cylinder would so everything will be encased. The screws are just temporary holders and work great. :rolleyes:

[TheMachinist]

The servo is only drilled through just behind the pot on it where the casing is hollow. I chose it directly center of the ram and just behind there for the best center pivot point to the actual ram. There is no modification other than what I have done for full rotation to the electronics. I will be using a piece of brass tubing running through with a wrist pin to pivot on like a normal cylinder would so everything will be encased. The screws are just temporary holders and work great. :rolleyes:

Thanks
I'll have to make note of that modification to be able to use it on some upcoming projects.
The excavator is really coming along and looking good doing it:cool:
Jordy

[glorydays24]

Wow, i'm very impressed with your fabrication, simply amazing.

I bet Bruder never thought their toys would transform into "working" models such as this ;)

Big John

[rockNmayhem]

Thanks John, I apriciate the compliment and I would assume that Bruder had no idea that us "big kids" would be turning their products into working machines meant to do work. I think it would be kinda interesting to take a video and some pictures of it when it's done and send to them to show what all can be accomplished by their work..... Hmm now I have got myself to thinking. :D

[JensR]

Very nice - your servo-cylinders look really great!

BTW, Bruder know quite well that their toys are used by big boys ;) (they told me when I submitted a product suggestion).

[Brian in PA]

Tyler, that is looking great! What an ambitious build!

Brian

[rockNmayhem]

Well time for an update on this little guy. I got some work done the last couple days to with the weekend off so I thought I'd show some progress. Not a whole lot but its starting to take shape and I can see that this thing is going to need some more power I believe. I was running it back and forth on the arm yesterday with a 10lb weight attatched to it and "SNAP" goes the pot in the servo for the arm. I couldn't believe it but the pot actually snapped apart and the servo went crazy. I shut it down and checked it out and low and behold the tiny fingers inside were all mangled and crossed contacts. So now I'm going to be ordering a stronger servo for the bucket movement seeings as how the 645 didn't really wanna take all the abuse.

Any ways here are some pics of my weekend progress. Hope you like.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2137.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2136.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2135.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2134.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2132.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2133.jpg

Thanks for looking guys. :D

[TheMachinist]

Looking really good!
I like the way the servos are hidden inside the boom.
Are you putting the brass booms back inside the plastic ones for looks?

[rockNmayhem]

No, the brass boom will get some more detail and will be all that is seen. I hope to scale it as close the the full size as possible. :D

[mojo]

nice stuff....really nice stuff... being new and poor to this hobby and lurking for a few weeks on this forum i was trying to find another way of moving the arms of an excavator and what you seem to have seems to be the ticket... hydraulics seem out of the question.... way out of my range of know how and cost.... my question is where did you pick up those screw type cylinders, if thats what they even are, and how do they work radio wise, do you need a speed control or just reciever.... and while i'm asking questions, how do you make a servo go around and around acting like a drill, i thought they had limits to how far they could turn...

thanks Joe ...i'm really green to all this stuff

[rockNmayhem]

nice stuff....really nice stuff... being new and poor to this hobby and lurking for a few weeks on this forum i was trying to find another way of moving the arms of an excavator and what you seem to have seems to be the ticket... hydraulics seem out of the question.... way out of my range of know how and cost.... my question is where did you pick up those screw type cylinders, if thats what they even are, and how do they work radio wise, do you need a speed control or just reciever.... and while i'm asking questions, how do you make a servo go around and around acting like a drill, i thought they had limits to how far they could turn...

thanks Joe ...i'm really green to all this stuff

Welcome to the forum Joe. Glad you like the work you see around here and trust me when I say everyone starts out as a newb at some point in time.

Thanks for taking intrest in my build and to answer your questions in order here you go.

1) The rams or cylinders as you call them are all custom made by me. I turn them down on my lathe and have a vendors post if you'd like more information on them.

2) Using the rams with my Hitec radio works great. I can use the sticks on it just like a full size excavator that I run so it makes it alot of fun and very simple to pick up.

3) I am currently just in mock up of the electronics as well but I will not need to be running a speed control as I'm not running an actual motor in this machine.

4) I modify the servo's pots and make a custom output shaft for the final drive of the servo to get them to rotate 360 degrees and work the rams. You can find multiple places that show pics and vids of how to modify the servos all over the net and it's quite simple.

Again thanks for the intrest and if you have any questions we would all be glad to help.:rolleyes:

[mojo]

your welcome man... i appreciate the help you give to whoever asks and to myself...

is there any way you could draw out a schematic on how your rams are made and how it all works....

i'd like to make me a custom excavator/ log loader with your ideas...

also whats the better size to build these machines? i see 1/16 and 1/14.5...

and another question i have is can you combine servos via a switch on the radio or wire harness to work with one stick? so you can have two rams on the big arm that comes right off the machine work in tandem to one stick on the radio?

i know i ask alot but i'm trying to eliminate the learning curve to all this...

thanks again

[mojo]

hey tyler sorry i didn't realize you were trying to sell your ideas for the rams... but anyhow you've been very respectful and i hope you didn't take my noisying around as an insult... can't wait to see the final product and you r doing awesome....joe

[rockNmayhem]

your welcome man... i appreciate the help you give to whoever asks and to myself...

is there any way you could draw out a schematic on how your rams are made and how it all works....

i'd like to make me a custom excavator/ log loader with your ideas...

also whats the better size to build these machines? i see 1/16 and 1/14.5...

and another question i have is can you combine servos via a switch on the radio or wire harness to work with one stick? so you can have two rams on the big arm that comes right off the machine work in tandem to one stick on the radio?

i know i ask alot but i'm trying to eliminate the learning curve to all this...

thanks again

hey tyler sorry i didn't realize you were trying to sell your ideas for the rams... but anyhow you've been very respectful and i hope you didn't take my noisying around as an insult... can't wait to see the final product and you r doing awesome....joe

There is no problem asking questions and I did not take offense to your words about posting pics. I use a very similar method to pumptech and his builds for the rams but I machine my own parts internally to make them look and opperate a little differently. The main difference between them is how they attatch to the servo and that I have made full cylinder sleeves on my lathe as where he used materials that he had on hand.

His cylinders work great and no worse than mine. I just had an expensive machine to make mine look pretty so to speak. If you would like pumptech is VERY knowledgable and has a great write up on making your own rams if you'd like to take a look.

Thanks for the intrest and I hope to get some progress pics up by the end of this week. Have a lot to make up for. :rolleyes:

[rockNmayhem]

Well been super busy this last week at work and around the house so haven't had much time for the excavator but I decided to snap some shots of what little bit I have gotten done. I made a wrist pin for the boom and arm to attatch and need to braze it up tommorow then I will get crackin on finishing the metal work on the boom this week and hopefully get it to the priming stage so I can see what needs to be changed. There are also a couple of shots compared to the stock arm assembly for reference.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2170.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2172.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2175.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2177.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k246/RockNmayhem_2006/Bruder%20Excavator/100_2178.jpg

Thanks for lookin and hope to give you guys more progress pics soon so stay tuned.

[Manfred]

Tyler,

great works.

Manfred

[mojo]

looks good tyler.... excited to see it all done and working

[mojo]

Hey Tyler,

Do you have any further progress on your digger.... i'm missing the fun!!!!!!!!!

[paul1980]

This looks amazing! Just hope mine turns out as well as this.

[paul1980]

Also do you sell them rams? or know anyone that sells somthing along the same lines? they are the best looking screw rams ive seen by far.

[skinnydude]

I'm a plumber pipefitter by trade just wondering what type of soilder you use 50/50, 60/40 etc.

[Brian in PA]

Any updates on this?

Brian

[rockNmayhem]

I'm a plumber pipefitter by trade just wondering what type of soilder you use 50/50, 60/40 etc.

I use a 50/50 on this as I feel that it creates a lot stronger bond on the brass and I can get it to melt and flow much better than my 60/40 I have.

Any updates on this?

Brian

Hey Brian, I've been away and very busy most of the summer but I will be around more often now and be getting back to this build. No updates to speak of as there have been a few months of down time but I will be picking up where I left off in a few days so stay tuned. :D

~Tyler~

[skeeter]

Updates????????????