Great Dane excavating co.

[modelman]

Amazing work cooper!!! You are making good progress. Any idea how much aluminum (lbs.) you will use on this build?

[Cooper]

Originally Posted by sparkycuda

This build is amazing.....and huge! Looking forward to seeing it in person one day. Think it will make Cabin Fever 2018?

Ken

Target is for before cabin fever, time to get any bugs worked out .

And yes another opp to flip those parts and machine any leftover stock, some pieces can just be cut down, some need aluminum jaws cut to specific shape to hold parts while machineing. I will see if I can get a pic of what I did with them.

Not sure what final weight is gonna be, I know the tires alone are gonna be around 5lbs each. Heavy enough that I've had thoughts of ramps or rigging to load into vehicle 😛😛

[Northern Farmer]

Awesome work Cooper

[Mikem]

Oh well I will watch and maybe learn a tiny fraction of what you know . Awesome

[9W Monighan]

My first glance on the mounting bracket was; Will the bolts clear?
I see in this photo they do.

[Cooper]

Ken, these are the “soft jaws” I am referring to. The setup I have allows aluminum extrusions with a dovetail to be easily swapped out if the vise. Then these pieces of aluminum are the new vise jaws that can be machined to the shape of part. Basically custome workholding. First opp was to cut the parts out of plane stock. In the pic with many parts you can see. Then a set of jaws are machines to take those pieces and flip over allowing each piece to be clamped and held while machineing the original bottom side that is now the topside. And then another jaw was cut to hold parts in a vertical position to drill the hole for shaft. A lot of work but for multiple parts it’s a big savings.







And the jaw for the vertical position for drilling pin holes.



Learning all this stuff and all the processes machinests go through has made me realize why prices and time are the major factors in quotes for getting parts made. One part and a lot of set up time plus material costs then if multiple parts are done that price can be significantly reduce per part. So hats off to you guys that do this for a living and I will not complain (as much ) about costs of parts . Hope this helps understanding ken, it’s taken me quite a while to understand these processes and I know I’m just at the tip of the iceberg!!

[sparkycuda]

RW, thanks for the explanation. Wow, that is a lot of time and effort, but end result is great!.

Ken

[ihbuilder]

Ah, so thats what you use them fancy blocks full of holes for . I'm always rummaging through the drops bucket .

[Cooper]

This is the harvested differential from a 1:5 scale truck

[Cooper]

8lbs 4 1/2 oz is what the front axle without tires weighting in at.







And one axle should make a good flatbed load.

Some pics of axle











And with parts of the front frame

[skeeter]

How wide is that front axle, outside of the rim to the other outside of the rim? I see it looks like you have a 12ish inch ruler laying by it, & it appears much longer then the ruler.

[Cooper]

Originally Posted by skeeter

How wide is that front axle, outside of the rim to the other outside of the rim? I see it looks like you have a 12ish inch ruler laying by it, & it appears much longer then the ruler.

Skeeter, foto$&@“it isn’t playing well this morning, I tried taking a pic with measurements but it doesn’t want to upload the photo. In the other pics the ruler is a 6” stick. The overall from rim to rim is a little over 14”. Something like 14.3” if I remember correct. I’ll try later to get a photo to upload.

[skeeter]

Originally Posted by Cooper

Skeeter, foto$&@“it isn’t playing well this morning, I tried taking a pic with measurements but it doesn’t want to upload the photo. In the other pics the ruler is a 6” stick. The overall from rim to rim is a little over 14”. Something like 14.3” if I remember correct. I’ll try later to get a photo to upload.

What, Photobutt's not playing well with others? That never happens

This things going to be HUGE. I bet it will tip the scales at over 60 pounds, when you're finished with it. You're going to need a mini crane on your pick up, just to load/unload this thing.

[Cooper]

After making some parts and fixtuering plate one of the front frame sides is close to done.

And beens how no one comes out to the garage I’ve been forced to have make believe friends and a lazy co-worker,,, i was all happy that this part came out fitting like a glove so I shared with the shop help,, he didn’t really care and gave me the one claw salute!!! Fat little b@@&$@d!!!

[Efroeh]

Wow looks amazing. Are some of those flat peaces lazer cut?

[Zabco]

Beautiful work! Do you draw up all your plans before starting to cut metal or do you draw up individual parts as you get to them?

[Cooper]

Originally Posted by Efroeh

Wow looks amazing. Are some of those flat peaces lazer cut?

Thanks man, nope I’ve been cutting them on the mill. Wish I had access to a lazer !!! I did have to make a fixture plate so I could bolt down flat stuff. It’s not ground flat but way cheaper than buying one!! I use a piece of alum sheet under parts as a sacrificial buffer so I don’t cut fixture plate.









A picture of making the plate and then cutting the flat pieces. That one in the picture is the side of front frame from other picture earlier.

[Cooper]

Originally Posted by Zabco

Beautiful work! Do you draw up all your plans before starting to cut metal or do you draw up individual parts as you get to them?

I’m new to this designing in the computer stuff, I know I should draw the entire model and then see how things fit, move, etc,,, but I’m still half backwards and just can’t wait!! So I draw up most of the parts/assembly and then cut things as I’m going. Probably gonna but me in the azz before long. Hard part is trying to think ahead of what needs to have holes or additions down the road. . I’ve been using cad software for the designing and machineing stuff. Using autodesk fusion 360.

[9W Monighan]

Kitty thinks you number one.

When doing that type of profiling , you could use plywood for your base plate or between your aluminum base plate and part since you aren't worried about the Z axis being all that critical. Then bolt it down using holes you have put in part or hold down clamps.
Use several so you can move them out of the way of the cutter as it advances then put them back as needed.

[pontiacmann]

AWESOME nice work