TH407C Telehandler 1:14 scale

[Blender]

Rear servo actually fits. Based the chassis of listed dimensions, which was a gamble. Rear servo has way less torque than before in order to improve fitment. Should drive okay since the back end is pretty light. 50-60 oz-in should be plenty.



Made a set of couplers to attach each wheel's gearmotor to the CVD joint. Previously the bores were just cut with a twist drill. Results were OK. These were brought to ID with a proper reamer. Day and night difference. It's like the right tool matters. Set screws are M2 such that they fit within the 6mm OD. These couplers nearly fit in the axle housing so the exterior must be smooth. Normally I'd mill a flat and drill on my tiny mill. I left it at my folks place since I don't use it much. Instead these were made on a tiny drill press. I've been using the stand up machine at work, but it has too much runout for 1.6mm holes. My sherline mill is too cumbersome to use as a drillpress. For about a year I've been looking for something a little nicer than the harbor freight or home depot grade drill press. The price gap is huge to get into a Dumore or similar. Proxxon was interesting, but I'm not totally sold. For awhile I even planned on another identical sherline mill, but keep it manual to let it function as a drill press and simple mill operations. Decided not to. Instead, the China special. I'm pleasantly surprised with it. Baseplate is just about the size of my hand print. Spindle runs true, motor/belt will be easy to modify later. $80. Anything bigger than 4mm is best done on a fullsize machine. It's a timing belt, so it does not slip if a drill grabs the workpiece. Grabbed the optical centerpunch I've been lusting for from McMaster. Should have done that years ago.



Cab's overhead protection is coming together well. Did have to re make the slightly out of plane main tube. It just wouldn't fit right. The plastic bottom structure and the little roof were used as jigs to weld it all together. The 1mm anti-intrusion bars ended up being assembled a little differently than I planned. Final 4mm round tube will get welded in underneath them. The square sections are solid stainless. Total pain to work with, but I got it eventually.

Seat steering wheel and driver figure will be added. Thought I had one more Tamiya driver figure, but I can't find it. I'll build the seat to match that figure. Cabin will be open style with not much detail beyond some basic faux controls and guage stickers. No door, or windows. Tail lights will be installed, although headlights are a maybe. Roof rotary beacon provision is already integrated into the tiny roof.





Boom and telescope both have plenty of travel remaining


No extra room. Receiver will sit on the gray shelf. All the ESCs will need to be in the cabin voids.

Been operating the hydraulics with the big motor. Runs well, but the system is weak. Pressure was 175psi and can be bumped up to an even 200 psi, but is still way weaker than it was last time it ran. Before it would do 250 psi and the lift capacity was way beyond what it could stabilize. I need to pull it all out and bench test it. Off the hip I'm thinking the pressure relief spring is to blame. Teardown will tell.