90 ton 1/14 metal excavator scratch build w/embedded PC

[SteinHDan]

Starting to paint the metal parts on the boom, stick and bucket linkage. Need a couple more layers on the stick parts.
The paint color is the closest match I could find to the ABS filament color in the previous step. It's this one:
- Dupli-Color 577789 AC 3-0600
Sanded (120 sand paper) and primed with aluminum etch primer first.

It's a shame, really, to cover shiny metal in this way ;-)

[SteinHDan]

Mounted the counterweight to the base plate. After testing with 4, 6 and 8 kg ballast, it seemed 6 kg (13 lbs) gives the best balance.

I bought 2 kg (4lbs) lead plates from a local scuba-diving shop:
- http://dykk.no/main.aspx?page=article&artno=MTDA-1

I don't like exposed lead because of the health hazards, so I covered it in liquid plastic and added a shrink wrap tube on top of that. Probably overkill and you can probably use whatever to cover the lead, but I had these things at hand.
- Polytek EasyFlo 60 Liquid Plastic
- PVC Plastic Heat Shrink Tube F/W:95mm

Then I printed a 3D clamp (ABS, 30% infill) that has two very long M6 110mm hex bolts going through it.
- M6 110mm stainless steel hex bolt

Finally adding some common furniture anti-skid rubber pads to both the clamp and the lead to avoid the lead sliding in the clamp.