New Toy

[apfubar]

Well, I have been a very naughty boy...

As you may be aware I have been looking into an Excavator...

So on the 14/04 an "opportunity" arose, to purchase one... a little bit of waiting (in comparison to other options) later and this arrived on my door step at 5pm today:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3KLy6wfGgWg/T7NlQ8jEJzI/AAAAAAAAAg0/mX5gTowG-bM/s512/IMGP3766.jpg

More to follow.

AP.
P.S. Thankfully Sydney never gets below 0, so it's not too cold in the dog house!

[apfubar]

After opening the top, this is the view:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-F7QhbP2w_so/T7NlR0PYKyI/AAAAAAAAAg8/cQd5gLxJ5LI/s512/IMGP3771.jpg

Then a little bit of work later:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-bXq7_-aLnwM/T7NlTPYSTPI/AAAAAAAAAhE/y3FKhAL70Dk/s512/IMGP3773.jpg

And now:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ggV4gRy4Koc/T7NlTysKUeI/AAAAAAAAAhM/mgT6YOEXjnQ/s720/IMGP3774.jpg

Hopefully the above works, both in terms of the image and the Excavator!

Cheers,
AP

[elliot330]

Congratulations Andrew... glad to see it arrived safely and quickly.. get the batteries charged and lets see some videos!

[titandigs]

Looks great, new toys always give a good feeling. Hope we see some photos of it dirty soon. I am waiting for my new toys also Scale Art 8x8 half pipe tipper and the Leibherr 576 2+2. I think I may have to move the dogs over.

[doodlebug]

Congrat's on the new hoe! I like the 2 piece boom, not common in my neighborhood.

Cheer's, Neil.

[apfubar]

The 2 piece boom isn't common over here either...

Just got to work out how to set it up... and confirm that nothing is missing. Another minor detail, I have a 9 channel radio, needs 12 for everything. I guess the 2 optional channels won't be used for a while, so then it is down to 10.

Need to think about it a little while.

The receiver is bound, just need to setup the channels correctly... and learn how to drive it.

Cheers,
AP

[kaptain Jack]

Hey, what make is it?

[Snochaser]

Awesome! Jealous!

[egronvold]

It looks like a very nice machine. Which make is it?

[dabears]

I'm jealous! I want one too. Let's see a vid of it. Looks Sweet!

[Azonic]

That must be an Liebherr Modelle hoe, right?

Awesome machine you got there, can wait to see a video of it!

[apfubar]

That must be an Liebherr Modelle hoe, right?

Yep that is correct... supplied by Liebherr Modelle (now Premacon).

Last night(it is now 6am) I had the hoe powered up for the first time.

I have tested the:
- swing motor
- L&R tracks
- pump
- main hydraulic functions.

On the todo list:
- configure the radio properly
- choose the stick setup I want - probably
- Left stick - bucket crowd + boom in/out
- Right stick - swing + boom up/down
- work out how to control the adjustable arm - I think I will utilise a switch - to flick between controlling the boom in/out and the adjustable section (If I can work out how to make the radio do it)
- plug the controls into the correct locations (this sounds easy, but I didn't get it right last night).
- set the center and end points
- setup the pump control mix
- create a new breather/find the missing breather (probably lost in customs)

Hopefully I can get some of that done today, assuming I don't have too many chores assigned to me by the missus!

Cheers,
AP

[elliot330]

Some photos of the 1:1 machine

http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz152/elliot330/944-1.jpg
http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz152/elliot330/944-2.jpg
http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz152/elliot330/944-3.jpg
http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz152/elliot330/944.jpg

[apfubar]

Elliot,

Those photos are great, interesting to see what made it into the model.

All,

Here are some other shots:
- In transport mode...
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-_zeX6nfjZ9U/T7TXE4Qg5NI/AAAAAAAAAh4/d_yRRjAFxF8/s640/IMGP3785.jpg

- Testing the reach...
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rM99wtDWofE/T7TXDvQE9QI/AAAAAAAAAhw/dRFkZRwcMZ8/s640/IMGP3783.jpg

I have now sorted the base radio setup, including:
- switch mode for the adjustable arm
- switch for the lights

Upon closer inspection it does have the quick release, it is manual, I wasn't sure if it would come with it(bonus)... eventually I will make an electric/hydraulic version.

Also found out that the breather is missing... my father has a lathe in QLD, he will make one and send it down, as it is just a cap screw bolt with a hole in it...

I may not get a video up until next weekend, as I am away this weekend.

A couple more photos may be up tomorrow morning though.

Also does anyone know if Premacon uses the same oil as Wedico? I just have some Wedico oil here, but I didn't get any for the excavator...

Cheers,
AP.

[elliot330]

Hi Andrew,

Looking at your pictures it looks like most of the detail is transferred to the model. It also fits onto the Carson trailer nicely.

Ref the breather, mine came with a M5 bolt with a hole 2mm through the middle, there is no other breather included, unless you were told there was one? Just above this is a 1/4 turn cap molded into the bodywork, removing that gives you access to the bolt with hole in the middle and keeps the dust and dirt out.

The mechanical quick release is easy to operate, although I'll be watching how you automate it... please make two :-)

Ref the oil, HLP22 is the stuff you need. It's fairly common in Germany, but not so much on the UK, but I managed to find a supplier. No idea in Australia? If you're really stuck, I'll post some to you.

keep the updates and pictures coming!

What radio are you using?

[apfubar]

Elliot,

On the breather it is mentioned in the German instructions I received with the excavator...

See here: https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/WUyvGTPaDkwHMa3zciyqx5FM6U3vKEiyOHP4VL29VEk?feat=d irectlink
and here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/MZUzl-acEwRBx7mS3u22OpFM6U3vKEiyOHP4VL29VEk?feat=directl ink

I did receive an English tranlsation via e-mail which states in part:
5th Transport lock
Thus, the model may lose no oil during transport, was an M5 screw Phillips in the filler neck of the tank is screwed. Replace them before using with the supplied allen screw M5 with a central hole from. The central Hole serves as an operational model for the tank vent.

On the bottom right of the 2nd page there is a picture of the cap head bolt.

Did you see the Quick release that one of the German guys had modified? With two coils pulling the pins out of the road? That is what I was thinking of... Just have to find the link... again...

Cheers,
Andrew P.

[elliot330]

Hi Andrew,

Yep that is the same document I got...

Mine was shipped with the phillips or crosshead screw in place, in a seperate bag in the box there was a allen cap head bolt with a small hole in the middle, like in the picture you sent, I removed the phiilips screw and installed that one...Is that the one you are missing?

If you can find the link I'd be interested in having a read.

[apfubar]

Yep that is the one I am missing, no separate bag... Likely 'lost' during the customs inspection... It's not in the box(which is now in bits in the shed).

Cheers,
AP

[RCLogger]

Very nice model, you will have hours of enjoyment, congrats..

greg

[apfubar]

All,

Thanks for the thoughts...

A small vid on YouTube... Unloading, a quick dig, then back on the trailer... I need to get some stick time on this beast...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxdCjnc0MMg&sns=em

Cheers,
AP

[doodlebug]

Hey AP, I like the video, for first time out! Have you considered putting a couple of non skid strip's on your trailer ramp? I had the same problem loading a dozer on a tilt deck trailer, while I was in the Phillipine's. Mahogany can be very slick to drive on.

Cheer's, Neil.

[apfubar]

The trailer does come with some Strips... I just haven't put them on, I was going to convert the trailer to separate ramps. It does give me an excuse to try some different loading techniques... Side loading is next... Very rough on the trailer, but it does avoid the ramp.

Cheers,
AP

[doodlebug]

How about some scale railroad ties, for side loading?

Cheer's, Neil.

[apfubar]

I have tried out the side unloading (still getting used to the controls)... http://youtu.be/KsuIKUBxoNI
(the video should be available later today- it's uploading).

Cheers,
AP.

[apfubar]

A couple of more shots with the 966 in the background:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-fUvsg0k256c/T74BW5jSwKI/AAAAAAAAArw/zpvnif7vzsI/s640/IMGP3798.jpg
I still have to fix the wiring on the 966...

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dCx-CvNnIkM/T74BX6LJzbI/AAAAAAAAAr4/DsLIoQt5buA/s640/IMGP3800.jpg

And one of the already scratched bucket...
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-b0mCtZjfL4c/T74BYjeQv7I/AAAAAAAAAr8/xbx6hvCy0_E/s640/IMGP3801.jpg

Cheers,
Andrew P

[Lil Giants]

Congratulations!

The split boom is very intriguing! As one setting (depending on your chosen radio) you could mix the spit boom to crowd with the stick.

For me
left swing boom
right stick bucket

I can't believe wifey didn't rip on you for tearing up the lawn?! :p :D

[apfubar]

Congratulations!

The split boom is very intriguing! As one setting (depending on your chosen radio) you could mix the spit boom to crowd with the stick.

On the split boom, it is something I have never seen here in Aus, and I guess it is similar in the US, probably due to the amount of space we have. Unlike Europe we either downsize the machine(and take our time), or we upsize the space(remove the offending structure etc).

I didn't think too much about the mixing for the split boom and stick... it is a good idea. Thinking about it now, ideally I would have a three position switch, 1 for mixed operation, 1 for stick, 1 for the split boom... the best of both worlds that way... I think I have used all of my 3 pos switches... I will look at that one today. :-)

For me
left swing boom
right stick bucket

Thanks for that... I might try it, the bucket and boom on the left stick just doesn't seem to do it for me... That would make the crowd the same as the 966 Loader. Which should make life easier.


I can't believe wifey didn't rip on you for tearing up the lawn?! :p :D
On the lawn front... I was very strategic where I put the holes... in other words I had pre-approval to remove two lumps of clay in the lawn which had been bugging the better half for a while(and I had been stalling doing anything about them until the Excavator arrived!).

Now I just need to fill them in with some top soil and the world is a happy place. But I don't have a tipper finished(I have a leimbach roll on/off skip truck in progress) to transport the top soil, so I guess that will have to wait. Let's see how long I survive... http://www.rctruckandconstruction.com/images/smilies/eek.gif
Thanks for the comments :-)

Cheers,
Andrew P.

[apfubar]

I did run some packs through it on the weekend, just waiting on some more lipos to arrove.

I am thinking about mods already...

Possibly following this example to add a electric control for the quick coupler:
http://www.modell-baustelle.de/index.php?page=Thread&threadID=5460

Not sure when I will get to try this out... Or how well it will work.

Cheers,
AP

[apfubar]

Hi,

I have been playing with the 944 over the last couple of months... The weekend before last I ran about 10 packs through it at a local hobby and model show...

Afterwards I decided that some more control was in order as I left a few marks on various bit of machinery - owned by others - sorry, and owned by me.

So I have been playing with various curves - on the swing, and main boom especially.

One thing which did happen 4-5 times over the weekend was a dead stick scenario... no response from the model at all... most of the time it was part way through the pack.

So I have decided to change out the receiver... from an orange one to a proper Spektrum DSMX one...

and add some Telemetry to see if the volts or temps can provide some guide as to what is going on if it happens in the future.

I will post some photos shortly of the wiring inside... there is plenty of it now!

Cheers,
AP

[vandrempt]

Hi AP,

Interesting to see someone else in oz purchasing one of these, I got mine in May as well! As for customs, I think they gave mine a bit of a hard time also.
You were talking about a model show? Where abouts was that? Was it in sydney?

[apfubar]

It was in Sydney, at the Hawkesbury Model and Hobby show: http://hmhs.org.au/

And yep I suspect the customs guys had some fun... surely an excavator can't fit in this small box!

Cheers,
AP

[vandrempt]

I'll have to check out the next one, I'm on the central coast. Do you know of any other clubs etc that have construction equipment?
Also,
How long are you getting on the battery run time?

Thanks

[apfubar]

Hi,

Cool, I am meeting with the guys and gals down here(meetings roughly monthly at st.clair) as a part of:
http://www.facebook.com/tamiyarcsemitrucksnsw

I know there are a couple of guys further up (just past Newcastle), but I don't know of anyone between Hornsby and Newcastle.

As to run times, not long, I think is the answer... 30-40mins (guesstimate)...

What radio are you running?

I am starting to play with some mixes to try and extend the run time by slowing the pump down.

Also have you sourced any spare oil?

Cheers
Andrew P.