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14th December 2022, 05:05 PM #1
Pa, we don’t have an excavator was the statement for my middle daughters youngest boy
Pa, we don’t have an excavator was the statement for my middle daughters youngest boy.
Pa, we have a Bull Dozer, a Bob Cat, a Tip Truck, an Articulated Loader, a Truck with a Dropdeck trailer [LowLoader] & but no Excavator.
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Well, I got the hint, loud and clear, the next toy would be an Excavator!
So after a brief search of my database I decided to use the Wood Magazine Construction Series plan as a guide.
I’d already modified the body to take a set of tracks; just inverted 1.5” timing belts.
I was well into doing the body and then started on the “digger arm”.
NO WAY was I going to be happy with that “digger arm with its fixed bucket!
So I went searching again though my database for another Excavator.
The one from the 1988 Stanley Woodworking Competition but it was a challenge as the plan was very sparse on details, so there was a lot of “GUESS WORK & FUDGING” to make an acceptable movable digger arms and bucket.
Plus as always, I have over build the toy so it’ll last with many hours of fun & play.
The digger arms and bucket over engineering presented another problem as they were firstly too heavy for the body so again the body had to be modified.
Still then the bucket was too heavy so it had to be lightened and modified. I had some valuable assistance from woodworking friends on the sizing of the rams of the digger arms, thank you gents.
I’ve used “Bubblechute ShopWax” on the piston rod and cylinder of the ram to give it a smooth action. I’ve used “Starbond Medium Thick CA” to help secure many of the parts but Titebond Original is still my “go to” glue.
One exception the 2mm circle of sheet Teflon I’ve used as the pivot carousel was glued in place with two part epoxy then an M8 x 100mm S/S bolt right through the lot.
I’ve used a good assortment of Aussie Timbers, mostly hardwoods to make this toy.
Red Gum; Spotted Gum; TallowWood; Tassie Oak; Blackwood; Merbau; Cypress Pine ; Hoop Pine plus a few odds & sods.
All the bolts and threaded rod are M5 S/S with nyloc nuts plus CA.
There are nylon washers and S/S washers on each moving part.
The wheels & axle pegs are shop bought.
The headlights and air-cleaner pre-cleaners are shop bought.
I made the exhaust stacks from ¾” Tassie Oak Dowel.
The tracks are inverted 1.5” Timing Belts.
The finish is my homemade Satin Wipe-On-Poly; 3 coats.
Measurements:
8.5" [215mm] wide; 22" [560mm] overall length; 23" [590mm] high
All in all a fun build taking something between 70 & 80 hours.
Cheers Peter
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14th December 2022, 05:40 PM #2
WOW, WOW, WOW
x 10The person who never made a mistake never made anything
Cheers
Ray
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14th December 2022, 05:40 PM #3
That’s superb Peter; Handy & Papa have really done themselves proud!
Nothing succeeds like a budgie without a beak.
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14th December 2022, 05:40 PM #4Senior Member
- Join Date
- Jan 2019
- Location
- Christchurch New Zealand
- Age
- 81
- Posts
- 278
Extremely well done Toys and Joys need to watch out with your plan drawing ability. Grandson will be pleased I bet.
Hope your hip surgery is all good and well in the past.
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14th December 2022, 09:01 PM #5
Thank you Peter, No chance of plans as I do most of it fly out of my head!
The new hip is going great!
Still doing Physio twice weekly plus a Hydrotherapy deep water exercise program twice weekly.
Once the muscles around the hip are good & strong working well, it’ll be just a matter of keeping up the exercise program to manage the back issues.
Cheers Peter
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14th December 2022, 09:58 PM #6SENIOR MEMBER
- Join Date
- May 2019
- Location
- Adelaide
- Age
- 63
- Posts
- 478
Beautifully done Pete, what a great excavator to add to the collection. No doubt about grandkids they don’t miss a trick.
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15th December 2022, 01:48 PM #7Senior Member
- Join Date
- Sep 2012
- Location
- United States
- Posts
- 421
Very nice
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17th December 2022, 11:25 AM #8SENIOR MEMBER
- Join Date
- Jan 2012
- Location
- Littlehampton, SA
- Posts
- 271
All of the above. Well done
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17th December 2022, 02:28 PM #9GOLD MEMBER
- Join Date
- May 2013
- Location
- Rockhampton QLD
- Age
- 68
- Posts
- 2,257
What they all said Peter.
Ross
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17th December 2022, 05:24 PM #10
Seriously Peter,
How could you be running a Toy construction company with out an excavator, it’s 2022 not 1922 !!!
I’m glad there’s some little ones keeping an eye on you,
Looks like you might just make it back into there good books tho, lucky you know how too mark an awesome excavator.
Cheers Matt.
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24th December 2022, 07:03 PM #11
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31st December 2022, 09:00 AM #12GOLD MEMBER
- Join Date
- Apr 2013
- Location
- Torquay
- Posts
- 4,315
Great work Peter
Hope you had a great Christmas and enjoy a safe and healthy New Year
Regards
Keith and Cathie