Clamshell Bucket Build

[modelman]

Jim-I agree the clam looks a bit large for the scale but whatever you can make work. The larger clam will be more efficient loading. Is that a 1/50 scale truck you are loading? I agree with Joe. It needs to open wider and adding weight should make it dig better. You may need to add counterweight to the dragline. Your getting there. Are you having fun!!!

[Rvjimd]

Ya, the truck is 1:50 but it seems that some of the less expensive
stuff in 1:50 is not always right on in scale. It is a quarry hauler
so it probably ought to look bigger compared to the bucket. Also the
barges seem pretty small compared to the bucket, but I knew they are a
fair bit smaller that 1:50. I think they would be like 4' long or
something like that if they were scale!

I can add some weight pretty easy. I also wonder if the angle of the
jaws when they come together should be a bit more steep to keep the
digging and downward pull at work more?

And, since I decided not to incorporate teeth, because I wanted to get
smooth on the barge bottom that must make an impact as well.

I guess I could try a nearly empty barge where the edge can get to
clean surface in spots?

And, might just be the small scale is never going to work great.

Im on the search for some coarse sand blast sand or something else that
might look like the coal you would see hauled in a barge. Hoping that
might be a good material for my machine.

Jim

[Rvjimd]

I took a close look at the clam on the bench. The closer line up to the shackle was a bit too short and was limiting the the amount of opening, so I fixed that. Then, I noticed a slight interference issue at the top hinge point of the A arms at the top pivot. The outside bars where colliding with the inner set like a scissors so I rounded them down and took care of that.

If I could figure out how to clutch the rope drums so I could drop the bucket, even a little, it would take care of it.

After the two fixes that I made I tried it again and got lucky on a hump of sand. The bucket set down in the sand with the center pivot resting in the sand. It closed up nice and was to heavy to lift!

The next two scoops caught a rock in the side, holding it open so much that the sand just poured out as I hoisted.

I'm gona work with it a bit more and see how it goes.

Thanks for the tips.

Jim