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1:35 Bucket chain excavator Ertmer KB 1

Started by Bernhard, October 27, 2019, 03:54:51 AM

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Bernhard

For a better overview, I already divided the excavator into 13 assemblies during the creation of the model. These were all detailed.

Bernhard

After the completion of all drawings, a look at the parts list shows that the excavator consists of over 1,100 individual parts!

Bernhard

Hauk

Quote from: Bernhard on November 03, 2019, 02:35:34 AM
After the completion of all drawings, a look at the parts list shows that the excavator consists of over 1,100 individual parts!

Bernhard

Wow. Quite a challenge!
Have you decided what materials and techniques you are going to use in the model? From the drawings it looks that a lot of the parts could be photoetched.
Regards, Hauk
--
"Yet for better or for worse we do love things that bear the marks of grime, soot, and weather, and we love the colors and the sheen that call to mind the past that made them"  -Junichiro Tanizaki

Remembrance Of Trains Past

finescalerr


Franck Tavernier

Very impressive Bernhard!

And the size in 1:35 scale will be impressive too!

Franck

Ray Dunakin

Visit my website to see pics of the rugged and rocky In-ko-pah Railroad!

Ray Dunakin's World



Bernhard

Hauk
The excavator is mainly constructed of angle- and U-profiles, flat iron and sheet metal. Everything is welded or screwed (no rivets!).
All the sheet metal parts are actually etched.
Although the construction looks very filigree, it is quite stable. This is also noticeable in the finished model assemblies.

Barney
Thanks for sharing the link. It shows a typical application of these excavators.

Bernhard

Bernhard

The model

The biggest challenge in the realization of the excavator are the buckets. These are only about 12 x 11 x 6.5 mm small, with a wall thickness of 0.2 mm.
That's why I took care of these parts first.

From a dozen photos ...

Bernhard

... and a hand-drawn sketch ...

Bernhard

... one of our young designers created a 3D scale model for me.

Bernhard

The first idea was to have the buckets produced as a 3D printed part. However, this failed because of the minimum wall thickness of 0.4 mm for such parts. That would have been optically wrong.
That's why I explored the possibilities of casting the part. After a long unsuccessful search, I came across a possible supplier at a model building fair in autumn 2018. After a short examination, the owner immediately said that this would not be a problem. He could even cast the parts in nickel silver. He cast me a sample part within two weeks, and behold:

Bernhard

All I can say is I was thrilled! Realized down to the last detail, true to size and stable. If the paint is scraped or scratched by use, no yellow brass shines through. Although the offer of CHF 16.00 per piece (with a requirement of 16 pcs.) was not a bargain, it was definitely worth its price.
I thought this solved the problem, ordered the missing 15 buckets and turned to the first assembly of the excavator.
But then, after a longer waiting time, the big disappointment: the supplier did not answer any more to my questions about the delivery date. The company was apparently closed before he had delivered the missing parts to me.
Since then I have searched unsuccessfully for an alternative supplier.

So now the urgent question to the Forum is: does anyone know of a fine casters in Switzerland, Germany or anywhere in Europe who could cast these parts?

Bernhard

Peter_T1958

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication" -Leonardo Da Vinci-

https://industrial-heritage-in-scale.blogspot.ch/