Skeeters contracting services

[skeeter]

I ALSO had an envelope from Hong Kong awaiting me. I knew from the tracking # what it was. It was the pins for the Bruder front end loader conversion.
unnamed (11) by Anthony Kalnoski, on Flickr

I bought them on Ebay. I received an envelope, with the ORIGINAL tracking number, on the 12th. When I opened the package, it was empty, sans a note that explained they had production problems, & weren't able to ship my order. Note also said it would be shipped within a few days. Imagine my disappointment, I waited a month, then a package that I'm anxiously awaiting arrives,......... I open it & find it's EMPTY! Why not send an E-mail, explaining the issue to me, rather then an EMPTY package? I fired off an E-mail to the seller inquiring when I could anticipate the parts arrival. They gave me the updated tracking # that would have the actual shipment in it, & said the package was already in route to me.

Said pins FINALLY arrived me today. They are 20, 20, & 5 quantity packs. It was CHEAPER to order them this way, than to ONLY order what I needed. Looking at the bright side, I've enough left over I can do a few for family, &/or friends. Just have to fire up the 3D printer & make more parts! :LOL:


I've ONLY done this ONCE before, but I had to leave neutral feedback for the transaction! I left a score of 5 for Item as described, a score of 2 for sellers communication, & a score of 3 for item quickly shipped. IF/had the seller sent me an E-mail to tell me of the issue(s) I would have left for them POSITIVE feedback of 5 stars all the way around. Am I wrong for thinking this way?

[skeeter]

One more pic, before I slip off to dreamland for the night. in the ServoCity package there were several of these in there. I ordered a few more, as I think I will need 2-4 more when I mount the D11 sprockets & servos to the unit.
unnamed (12) by Anthony Kalnoski, on Flickr

[frizzen]

Looks like you'll be busy for a while.

[skeeter]

Originally Posted by frizzen

Looks like you'll be busy for a while.

Yes, sir! Just awaiting work to slow for the winter months. This is the FIRST time in a LONG time that I'm anxious for the winter slow down to get here. USUALLY I'm that guy that volunteers for weekend work, & additional after hours work, takes the job(s) that others complain about (The job last over 8 hours in a day) & loves to get 65-80 hours on each weeks paycheck. I usually hate winter time since work slows down to 15ish hours worked per week.

[skeeter]

Stayed home sick today. There's no way I'm going to drive that d@m truck, while throwing up. Between praying to the porcelain gods, sleeping, shivering, & cold sweats, I needed SOMETHING to do. I found these sanding stick on www.cults3D.com , & decided to give them a go. I need these for when I do projects, anyway, so..............why not make them now.
unnamed (13) by Anthony Kalnoski, on Flickr

Somehow, between boughs of projectile vomiting, I was able to go to the homedumpster to acquire the needed 4mm bolts, & nuts. The description on cults says hey are printable as well, but I didn't find the files for them. As usual, homedumpster (read that Home Depot) DIDN'T have enough of what I needed. I found 2 packs labeled to copntain 4 each of 4mm bolts. One of which was opened, & ONLY (they knocked the price down from $.89 to $.50) had 3 in it. The nuts, they ONLY had a 16 pack of them that weren't nylocks.

14 hours after I cranked up the 3D printer, I have a set of sanding sticks. There are more that were printed, but I'm being a lazy @ss today, & didn't take pics of them. For that matter, they are not yet assembled, nor ready for assembly. They still need cleaning up before I can assemble em.

On a positive note, I did swing by KFC & grab a meal. I managed to ingest half of it. HOPEFULLY it doesn't get expelled. So far so good. tummy isn't flip flopping no more, like it was.

[skeeter]

After the shop foreman had his hissy fit last week,due to the heavy work load in the shop right now, I decided it was time to re-assign him. He has been a good employee, but doesn't do well with heavy stress load like being the shop foreman. He'll be my new operator, & will help out around the shop as needed. Not being solely responsible for the shop activities should help calm him down......I HOPE! He's being replaced by this cat, who's in the process of relocating here from Michigan. Hopefully he'll be able to start in about a week or less.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bruder-62100...MAAOSwujBZwnSE

[skeeter]

We acquired a NEW piece of equipment today. It's being shipped from the auction block now. Hopefully with a little bit of work, it'll be ready to run with the rest of the fleet this winter!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bruder-CAT-D...YAAOSw9YNZseCY

[skeeter]

This cute lil thang walked into my office today, & asked if I had any driving jobs available. I told her to try back once she was mended.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bruder-62710...AAAOSwufpZxBa2

[skeeter]

I called her, after she had left, & told her to call this cat. He may need some help.
http://www.rctruckandconstruction.co...164#post158164

[skeeter]

Well,I hit a snag with this project. turns out the servo I selected to use for teh drive motors has a b@stard bolt that attached the servo horn to it. The bolt is 2.3mm. The LHS ONLY offers 2.5, & 3mm bolts. Needing a longer bolt, I had to do something. I opted to use a 3mm button head screw. This meant I had to drill out, & tap new threads into the servo.

Here's a few pics to show it fits together. Also HOPEFULLY, a video too. IDk for sure if the vid will show up. Flicker claims they can do video, but I've never seen anyone link one, nor have I tried to link one from there before. We'll find out if it works or not!

WELL..................I can't figure out how to get video to upload to flicker, so I'll try YouTube.

Here's a pic showing what I had to trim to get this piece to fit over the screw that holds the servo in place.
unnamed (14) by Anthony Kalnoski, on Flickr

unnamed (15) by Anthony Kalnoski, on Flickr

HOPEFULLY I can get the video to upload to YouTube, to show that the proof of concept works.

[skeeter]

I THINK I figured it out, here's the flicker video link to prove that the concept works.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/157093.../shares/5EhE37

One side down, one to go. I have made a jig, so that the other side will be EXACTLY the same!

[skeeter]

The potentiometer, & travel limiter are removed from that servo to make it a continuous serve. I'll have to install a Sabertooth 2X5 to run this model. I like this set up BETTER than the previous attempt. I like that it DOESN'T require screws be added to the Bruder sprocket to make it grip the tracks!

The above video was shot WITHOUT a speed controller, just a 6V battery supply to the servo motor.

I think this setup will work quite well for this conversion FINALLY, I figured it out!

[skeeter]

I tinkered around some more in the garage. Got the other servo hacked to a continuous servo, & then installed into the Bruder D5 conversion.

Also here's the pic of the jig I made so both side are identical on the conversion

unnamed (18) by Anthony Kalnoski, on Flickr

unnamed (19) by Anthony Kalnoski, on Flickr

I FORGOT to reverse the + and - wires on one of the servo's, so when I plugged them in, one ran reverse, while the other ran forward. No worries, I'll reverse the polarity of one of them when I hook it to the Sabertooth.

[skeeter]

So far, due to Photobutt being @sshats, & holding EVERYONE'S photo's at ransom, this build has been a challenge. There isn't much left for reference, without being able to see the failures/success of others build projects. HOPEFULLY the D11 goes off without a hitch, as it's Much costlier to booger it up, & have to order a new model to start over with

[Bo Wallen]

Originally Posted by skeeter

So far, due to Photobutt being @sshats, & holding EVERYONE'S photo's at ransom, this build has been a challenge. There isn't much left for reference, without being able to see the failures/success of others build projects. HOPEFULLY the D11 goes off without a hitch, as it's Much costlier to booger it up, & have to order a new model to start over with

Skeeter What are you talking about. Photobucket Ransom ???

[skeeter]

Originally Posted by Bo Wallen

Skeeter What are you talking about. Photobucket Ransom ???

Check this out.
Here, I qouted them, with ~original added after the JPEG, & the pics show up
http://www.rctruckandconstruction.co...403#post158403

Here's the original post that they came from, but the opics DON'T show up
http://www.rctruckandconstruction.co...reply&p=150387


Photobutt is holding pics at ransom for $$$$$$

[Bo Wallen]

I can see all picture from day one except picture deleted or moved by the person that posted them. and all your pic. too

[skeeter]

Almost ALL of the links to photobucket poics I can't see anymore. I was able to view a few by doing ~original after the JPEG, when I quoted, but that was the ONLY way I've found that I can view them. It's too much to quote everything, just to see if the pics in that section are pics I'd be highly interested in for the builds I have going. Other forums are the same. Photobutt holding pictures ransom for $$$$

[skeeter]

I use Flicker, it DOESN'T........................YET demand we pay to be able to link our pics to 3rd party sites.

[Bo Wallen]

Originally Posted by skeeter

I use Flicker, it DOESN'T........................YET demand we pay to be able to link our pics to 3rd party sites.

Just wait they will charge an arm and a leg soon Yahoo is the owner.
I'm using Flickr for right now. Going to change that hopefully before they burn.