LilGiantsConstrCo

[calum_scania]

Originally Posted by Lil Giants

Yeah, I have that too... I've yet to finish it though. I've been working on it this past winter some, it's not a quick bolt together model kit, some scratchbuilding required for cosmetic reasons, it's probably 50% done. I've been stealing parts from the kit in past yrs to fix other models, like the belt drive for the pump, or a wheel motor, or a valve; I think I have all the parts now to finish it, just need the ambition to get it done.

Oh, I hadn't seen any updates on it in ages so wondered if you still had it

Calum

[Lil Giants]

Two bench cuts done in the last month, you can see a faint dirt mark on the walls, nearly two feet hauled out.



I didn’t think to take a pic of where I started, but this screenshot from a video somewhat shows the size the pile had gotten.



North side of shop getting closer to grade.



East & west sides finished a few years ago, now starting to fill in with vegetation.





Resumed my side dump build a few weeks ago, waiting on more powerful actuators to show up from Actuonix, tracking says this Tuesday.

[egronvold]

Glad to see you're keeping busy I think I need to get myself a proper dozer blade from Tobias Bräker as well.

[Lil Giants]

It really does work slick Emil, carries a lot of dirt, then roll the blade back a wee bit to empty & pack at the same time.

Start of the 3rd cut today





1,5 hr later





It’ll take about half hour to shape both ends with the ScaleArt loader with u-blade for trk entry. And another hour outside with the dozer leveling what I spread.

[Lil Giants]

Before





After... you can see how hilly it is throughout its length; I need to get started on my next project, a pull grader with powered axles connected to the 4206 to get the peaks & valleys leveled out, as well as a slope of 1” drop per foot to the trees...





My L12-50-216-6R actuators showed up today, I think they will do just fine tipping the load... the 4 EverReady (less than 4.8v) batteries I used with my servo tester are a couple yrs old, and tipped the heavy metal frame upward without much grunt. Do a lil temporary wiring tomorrow & put it through its paces.

[Lil Giants]

Well... didn't work as good as I had hoped... I'll have to check out my CC BEC to make sure it's putting out 6V to the rx... right after this vid, power to the trl axles went dead... using a Sabertooth 2x24

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-mnCai_Y3Y

[Lil Giants]

Long time - no update... something like 50,000 views since last fall, so ppl are still coming to have a look to see what's new at this forum. I'm still in recovery from my broken heel/ankle from July 2019, dealing with pain everyday, but it's getting better. Still digging, screening, crushing, hauling outside, moved a lot of dirt in the last 6 months.

I thoroughly soaked another 5 cu/yd through October, left it to dry/firm up through November and it was good digging conditions 1st couple weeks of December.



Piled the wet dirt over in the SE & NE corners, haul it up to ground level in a couple months or summer.





This area is the NW corner, ripped it dry with the JD850 hyd pressure turned up to 45-48 bar, not sure, gauge numbers stop at 40, needle went a ways past. Took about 6 inches, some of it huge lumps. The dirt floor is really rough too, I walk through this area towards the tunnel, I don't want to soak it but not sure what other options I have to do it with rc equipment. I guess I could swing a pick axe to make a narrow smooth track to walk/drive through, soak the rest of area to soften clay.



All this dry dirt in my lean-to at ground level came from NW corner basement.



Put it through the screener, then into the big crusher; pile the really large lumps that won't fit in the crusher off to the side to break down smaller with an rc drill attachment on the hoe that I made earlier this fall, works surprising well with a stepper drill bit.



I built this short retaining wall last August, gives me a definitive separation between processed dirt & the high road around outside perimeter. Building up the outside road with small lumpy dirt that's been through the big crusher once & the fines screened out.

[Lil Giants]

A few new build projects & upgrades going on in the Lil Giants workshop... running the pressure over 600psi in the old JD850 last month, the bucket cyl has developed a hairline crack at the solder joint of the rod end of the barrel. Desolder the joints apart, clean up surfaces & resolder it back together. I got a new cylinder on order. This is the only cylinder on the model I've had trouble with the last 10yrs, I think it's the 3rd or 4th time resolder it, it keeps cracking at the same place every time, and at lower pressures too. The stick cyl works the hardest I think; just a wee bit of oil seeped past the rod seals @600psi, take it apart to put in new seals.



Working on my B50 pup, I want to put a self contained hyd system on the trl to make it simpler to hook/unhook from the B50 ADT, eliminate any chance of dirt contanmination from plugging into the trk's hyd system, just need a power cord to come from the trk. I'll put a pump, dual esc Sabertooth to run the pump & power trl axles & a receiver within the frame of the trl.



I found a DX9 on ebay from Ontario start of the New Year. It was much easier & cost effective to get such a radio already in Canada so I don't get raped on taxes & bullship brokerage fees vs getting it new from the USA. FedEx, UPS what a bunch of crooks to deal with... This will be my main trk radio to pair two ADTs together & have one of the trks pull a pup trl as well. I'm also working on adding more than two trls behind the B4206, maybe 3 - maybe 4 trls at once, need more chs & this DX9 has a better variety of 3pos switches, proportional sliders & channel assignment options than what the DX8 does. I was disappointed to discover that I couldn't model transfer via SD card the current model setups on the DX8 radio to the DX9 radio, I'll have to redo each trk manually when I bind to the DX9.

[Lil Giants]

A bunch of youtube videos posted this summer & fall...

https://youtu.be/iBvX5Liyz78

https://youtu.be/f_MKiwN9R1c

https://youtu.be/mXk4ssHzK0I

https://youtu.be/JNVLfGESnm8

https://youtu.be/trJy9EFHZ5Y

https://youtu.be/g8phAJ4CRko

https://youtu.be/LXyD7_VTejo

https://youtu.be/Y3TmO11qHqc

[egronvold]

I’m glad to see your still at it Not much action here for the time being.

[Lil Giants]

Thanx Emil.

Where you are at with the new home, the snow comes & goes the same day, right? But I suppose you still have lack of time for hobbies, unpacking the house & kids Do you have a big spacious private yard or sandwiched in a densely populated area?

[egronvold]

Originally Posted by Lil Giants

Thanx Emil.

Where you are at with the new home, the snow comes & goes the same day, right? But I suppose you still have lack of time for hobbies, unpacking the house & kids Do you have a big spacious private yard or sandwiched in a densely populated area?

My new workspace is pretty much set up. Still have to find a good spot for the CNC. I’ve got a backyard, but nothing like back home. I guess I’ll have to start making new friends

[Lil Giants]

Some stick time on the ol Stahl WA500...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21BJCEemgEU&t=135s

[Lil Giants]

Good fun on the weekend crushing & screening, then a bunch of repairs this week, starting with both discharge conveyors on screener. Motor went out on side conveyor & bearings on the idler roller on the rear conveyor.





These brass bushes on the motor side of the drive roller is just a bad idea! The other end of roller ball bearing inserted in the roller... cheap azz low quality china bearings. Every time I have to take a conveyor apart I change all the bearings with a much higher quality American or European bearing, it'll then run much smoother & quieter and less stress on the drive motor.

[Lil Giants]

Then yesterday blow a hose on a steering cyl of the ol Stahl loader, under the cab... major disassembly to get to it... 15yrs of oily grime, yummy

















After everything cleaned with electrical cleaner & pressurized air, start reassembling with new stiffer higher pressure hose... and some blood loss a long the way.













This heat gun has been handy to curve the stiff hose to a sharp radius without kinking to the valve block... tips of my fingers are getting sore, a lot of grunt force to get the hose onto those double barbed fittings.

[egronvold]

I hope it was just 1:14,5 of the normal pain and blood loss!

[Lil Giants]

For a couple a small nicks it was surprising how much it bled, especially while squeezing pushing that stiff hose.

Back together again in perfect working order, running stronger & smoother than ever. Ran it for a few hrs this morning with no issues.

Funny thing happened, when I turned the model on & got the hyds primed; I test the forward/reverse & the front & rear axles turned opposite each other I put the rear axle in backwards 50/50/90 rule, story of my life. Luckily with just the removal of the cab & hyd pump, I was able to reach the Wedico plug that connected the axles together, popped the pins out on the male end & reversed their positions. PHEW!


private image upload

[egronvold]

Are those original tires?

[Lil Giants]

No, these are the same tires that are on the B50 & 4206, hollow tires that packed solid with BB's, I forget how much weight it added.

The original tires are a bit taller, narrower & were solid rubber, not much flex, spun easily.

[Lil Giants]

I freaking hate breakdowns, especially when I don't have parts readily available... and a 5 day long weekend just a few days away.

I phoned Geneq today, the fellow I talked to you was unsure if spare parts were available... maybe they email me tomorrow.

Needle bearing on one side disenegrated.







I also talked to 911 Metallurgists today too, that's where my 3x4 inch crusher came from...I've put mega yards of lumpy dirt & rock through that crusher & it hasn't ever missed a beat! ...a couple squirts of grease every yr, hammer the material thru it! I'm gonna place an order tomorrow for their 2x3inch crusher, a lil bigger than the Geneq so maybe I can run steadily with the wheel loader feeding the screener.