TH407C Telehandler 1:14 scale

[frizzen]

Very awesome to get to get to see this off the bench and moving!

Mmm, counter-steering. Could you set up a way to toggle a mix to also allow Crab steering?
If you don't have any tire scrub on turns, you're already doing way better than fullsize JLG bucket lifts

[Blender]

Originally Posted by ddmckee54

Since you have a gearmotor for each wheel are you doing any mixing to get some differential action?

Originally, yes. Now I'm going to skip all together. Less wiring and the inner motor is able to bog down to match speed.

Originally Posted by frizzen

Very awesome to get to get to see this off the bench and moving!

Mmm, counter-steering. Could you set up a way to toggle a mix to also allow Crab steering?
If you don't have any tire scrub on turns, you're already doing way better than fullsize JLG bucket lifts

Crab steer is a must! It should be pretty easy to setup on the radio. It's the feature I look forward to the most when placing stuff with the forks. I'll do a front steer only as well for high speed travel.

[Blender]

Worked on the tilt a bit. Had to turn a bunch of tubes from stainless. It was terrible, but I got it done. These parts were reworked from original design to accept Lesu implements. Less stuff I have to build and some commonality to my small wheel loader.

[Blender]

Progress dump one what I've accomplished while the site was down:









Machine is fully functional now. Wiring is mostly hanging out the side before I condense it all. Hydraulics are really smooth although slightly slow. Since I'm only on 2S lipo I should have a slightly higher kv pump motor. Not going to change anything. Works great as it is.

Did add a step up voltage converter to get a steady 12V for the drive motors. Woke them up and make better torque. Will still swap in a set with deeper reduction.

Crab steer is my favorite feature when placing a barrier inline. A fun little machine

[Zabco]

Really looks good, great progress. Am glad to get to see more.

[frizzen]

Looks like really good use of the site downtime!

Great looking construction fleet

[Blender]

Thanks guys. I'm really happy with this machine. I've been slow to start painting since it's too much fun to play with.

[Blender]

Decided it's time to clean up the lines for the tilt cylinder. They have been dangling out the back. Going to route hard lines to the tip of the outer, then use soft lines inside the hollow for the length change. Previously was all soft lines inside the cavity and they get kinked.

This means I need to re build the entire outer boom. I'll use this opportunity to seal up the back of the chassis too. Everything will get painted green/grey before reassembly.





Input is 2mm OD brass hardline to M3 banjos from other fittings to barbs for 2mm OD soft line.


Waiting on a gasket material that fits between the brass blocks

[Zabco]

Very interesting. Don't thing I've ever seen a fitting like that before. What is the route the oil takes to get from the hard line to the hoses. I assume there is a hole through the shoulder of the bolt to the hole down the length of the bolt like most banjo fittings. How does the oil flow out of the bottom of the bolt and into the hose fittings? Gap left between the bottom of the bolts and the bottom of the inside of the hose fitting block?

[Blender]

Originally Posted by Zabco

Very interesting. Don't thing I've ever seen a fitting like that before. What is the route the oil takes to get from the hard line to the hoses. I assume there is a hole through the shoulder of the bolt to the hole down the length of the bolt like most banjo fittings. How does the oil flow out of the bottom of the bolt and into the hose fittings? Gap left between the bottom of the bolts and the bottom of the inside of the hose fitting block?

You are exactly right! Banjo style hollow bolt that doesn't quite reach the bottom of the hole. Here's my test fit before soldering the barbs. Off the shelf fittings were all too big, so I made this overly complex solution.







Hard lines turning out good. Inner/outer fitment is better than the previous version too. A little body filler is on to get ready for paint.

[Zabco]

Very ingenious. Filing that away in my how-to binder for future use. Looking really good.

[ddmckee54]

Originally Posted by Blender

Decided it's time to clean up the lines for the tilt cylinder. They have been dangling out the back. Going to route hard lines to the tip of the outer, then use soft lines inside the hollow for the length change. Previously was all soft lines inside the cavity and they get kinked.

OK Blender, nice job on the hard lines, but it's time to get out the crayons and the pencils. How are you routing the soft-lines inside so they can't kink? Every scenario that I can think of involves either a 180 degree bend in the soft line - that could kink; or a swivel fitting to eliminate the sideways load on the soft line as the boom extends/retracts.

[Blender]

It's mostly a space thing. Previously I needed 2 180 degree bends. Inside the cavity. Now one of the runs Is external and a 180 bend in in the crazy brass fitting. Less hose in the same size cavity.

[ddmckee54]

Blender - way off topic, but do you follow zulu dockyard's YouTube channel? Zulu dockyard
About a year ago he started building a 1:33 scale all metal tugboat, it's mostly made of 0.020" sheet brass that he hand forms and solders together. It's been interesting watching how he forms some of the parts. He's working on the superstructure now.

[Blender]

Originally Posted by ddmckee54

Blender - way off topic, but do you follow zulu dockyard's YouTube channel? Zulu dockyard
About a year ago he started building a 1:33 scale all metal tugboat, it's mostly made of 0.020" sheet brass that he hand forms and solders together. It's been interesting watching how he forms some of the parts. He's working on the superstructure now.

I left youtube back in 2020. Don't watch anything besides the occasional embedded video on other sites. Ive causally tried hand forming thin sheet metal. Didn't turn out well. A different skillset which i just don't have.

Would be great to make complex metal parts with no tooling.


Got some color on the boom and chassis. Most wet sanding complete. Now to rewire and re plumb the whole thing. Then I gotta make more decals.


Decided to re model the engine cover. Needed to be body worked and repainted anyway. Original was fine, but I wanted to add a little more subtle swoopiness.

[Blender]

Been a while, but much progress has been made.

Added some extension spring stock over the soft lines to prevent kinking inside the cable cavity. Service of the inner boom is easy now. Unscrew 2x bajo fittings and 1x cylinder pin and the inner can be pulled out the front.





While it was apart I reworked to couplers to better fit on the motor's D shaft. Using all my precision drilled 2x 1mm holes in just the right spots. Slid in some brass rod and a drop of solder to retain. Now a nice blind D coupler without using a broach. Drivetrain backlash is so much better.





Swoopy engine cover was slightly warped, but spend some time sanding/filling/squinting to make it look right.









Wired the roof beacon and reassembled it all. A few minor items remain like a dash and non-functional tail lights. Glad to have it together again

[Zabco]

Wondered how you were going to keep those hoses from getting kinked. Very nice solution. Whole machine turned out very nice.

[Blender]

Thanks Zabco. I certainly learned a lot building this machine. I'm still surprised how easy the hardline brasswork was. Going to incorporate more of that in future projects.

[frizzen]

I love all of the custom hydro setup on this, and how you're repackaging things to fit in here is awesome

However, I absolutely need to steal that idea on fitting D-shaft motor couplers! That is brilliant!!!

[Blender]

I appreciate the kind words, frizzen. Always loved reading others' crazy ideas that solve everyday problems. It's my turn to share.


Since I can't sit still: Roughed in a 1:14 scale channelizer. Plastic upper, rubber base. Handle was enlarged slightly to give a little more room to grab it with the fork. Prototypes are printed to verify the play value, but end goal is to get an injection mold made.