I've embarked on another anti-shackwhacky project - wanna see?

ghf.jpg


Grain handling facility essentially done. Waiting on the paint to dry on the motors for the bucket elevators.

Wet grain from the field into the bin on the right. Out of that bin via the inside bucket elevator to the dryer, out of the dryer to the outside bucket elevator and into the dry grain bin on the left. 1000 gallon propane tank on the right. Elevator motor and bin blower control panel in the middle.

Just noticed I forgot the auger from the wet bin to the elevator.
 
Not to be too fussy but think the right track is a slight bit tight!

  1. Measure the track sag in two places on each track.
    1. Place a tight string or a straight edge on top of the grousers between the carrier roller and front idler. Measure the distance from the straight edge to the grouser tip at the lowest point of sag.


    2. Place a tight string or a straight edge on top of the grousers between the carrier roller and sprocket. Measure the distance from the straight edge to the grouser tip at the lowest point of sag.


  2. Total the two measurements. Refer to Table 1 to determine the correct sag.
  3. Table 1
    Minimum Target Maximum
    50 mm (2.0 inch) | 60 mm (2.36 inch) | 70 mm (2.75 inch)
Granted these are spec's for a small Cat dozer but should give you a good base line for your machine!
 
kshansen said:
Not to be too fussy but think the right track is a slight bit tight!

  1. Measure the track sag in two places on each track.
    1. Place a tight string or a straight edge on top of the grousers between the carrier roller and front idler. Measure the distance from the straight edge to the grouser tip at the lowest point of sag.


    2. Place a tight string or a straight edge on top of the grousers between the carrier roller and sprocket. Measure the distance from the straight edge to the grouser tip at the lowest point of sag.


  2. Total the two measurements. Refer to Table 1 to determine the correct sag.
  3. Table 1
    Minimum Target Maximum
    50 mm (2.0 inch) | 60 mm (2.36 inch) | 70 mm (2.75 inch)
Granted these are spec's for a small Cat dozer but should give you a good base line for your machine!
Click to expand...

Method B:

Turn the dozer around so you only see the left track.

Done. :smoke:
 
One of the things I'd like to add to my diorama is an arc welding simulation. Basically, white, blue and red LED's flashing at a rate to look like somebody is arc welding when viewed indirectly.

You can buy them ready to plug in and go for around $40 plus shipping. The really nice ones are run with an Arduino microprocessor and can even include sound, randomly variable arc times and a red "cool down" interval. I've spent some time dicking around with Arduino microprocessors. They're fun, but the programming can get pretty involved and in my experience the firmware doesn't always retain the program when turned off for long periods. Besides, where's the fun in "plug and play"?

Saw a very simple one on Ewe Toob made with a 555 Timer IC, a couple of resistors and an electrolytic capacitor. "Hmmmmmm" sez I, "I bet I could whip up something like that." I ordered up a sleeve of 555's (about $10) and a selection of electrolytic caps (another $10 or so) and started breadboarding.

First discovery is that a 555 running off 6v will only drive one LED. Not really an issue as I don't want them flashing at the same rate anyway. So I plugged two 555's into my breadboard, one running a blue LED, one running a white LED. I'm messing around with flash rates by trying different combinations of resistors and capacitors. (For anybody that's into electronics - varying the RC Time Constant) Found a calculator on line that lets me plug in values and poops out the on and off times.

Once I get that tweaked, I want to see if I can figure out how to work a third circuit to turn both white and blue off and a red one on for a few milliseconds.

Been quite a while since I fooled around with electrons, this is kinda fun!
 
Downeaster said:
Been quite a while since I fooled around with electrons, this is kinda fun!
Click to expand...

Often wish I could understand things like that! If I could I might be able to figure out why the right channel "Digital florescent record level meter" in my old cassette deck jumps around like it is registering recording levels just by turning on the deck! It seems to record good and level seems about the same on play back as the left just odd how it jumps around with just the power on and no tape even in it and no sound input either!
 
@kshansen

Not that it helps you any, but the most likely cause of the flaky meter is a bad filter capacitor somewhere. Power makes electrical "noise" which needs to be filtered out.
 
Downeaster said:
@kshansen

Not that it helps you any, but the most likely cause of the flaky meter is a bad filter capacitor somewhere. Power makes electrical "noise" which needs to be filtered out.
Click to expand...
Makes sense as I have seen reference to bad capacitors causing problems in everything from 1930's vintage radios right up to the 1980 stereo amps and things. Just don't think my soldering equipment and abilities are up to the replacement job!
 
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2021s20.jpg


Acquired another 20 acres...turning into a Land Baron. This will be mostly the actual fields that support the farm and maybe a small logging scenario to support the sawmill. The upper right corner of the finished portion is a well-forested hill, that will be continued onto the new acreage. You can see the proposed shape in marker on the new piece.
 
DE, does this represent a specific point in time? Or is it supposed to represent the accumulation of machinery over 100years of most farms? I know here in the great plains its not uncommon for most family farms to have machinery spanning 100+ years of family operation some still operational. Or is it more of a mixture of pieces that appeal and speak to you?
 
RustiePyles said:
DE, does this represent a specific point in time? Or is it supposed to represent the accumulation of machinery over 100years of most farms? I know here in the great plains its not uncommon for most family farms to have machinery spanning 100+ years of family operation some still operational. Or is it more of a mixture of pieces that appeal and speak to you?
Click to expand...

I try to focus on the era in which I grew up on a small farm: 1955-1970. There are some inevitable anachronisms, but I avoid them as much as I can. Anything older than that, back to the beginnings of powered farming in the 20's or 30's is fair game.
 
Downeaster said:
View attachment 203325

Acquired another 20 acres...turning into a Land Baron. This will be mostly the actual fields that support the farm and maybe a small logging scenario to support the sawmill. The upper right corner of the finished portion is a well-forested hill, that will be continued onto the new acreage. You can see the proposed shape in marker on the new piece.
Click to expand...

Hi DE,
Dorian Gray alert!
You are too close to recognize the symptoms but no matter how well it's crafted, to me your modelling hobby seems to be turning into an obsession.
 
fredintoon said:
Hi DE,
Dorian Gray alert!
You are too close to recognize the symptoms but no matter how well it's crafted, to me your modelling hobby seems to be turning into an obsession.
Click to expand...

Well, maybe. Mostly it's because I'm easily bored and need something to occupy my time in the Winter. Plus I enjoy the creative challenge.

Or I could just be nucking futz.
 
skipjack2.jpg


How I'm going to get firewood out of the woods. A Maine "skipjack" which is the local term for a junker truck with just enough left of it to go crashing through the puckerbrush with. Most of the parts printed on my 3D printer and a few bits from my junk boxes. Like everything else on the diorama, it's 1:64 and less than 3 inches long.

Still need to source a steering wheel and something for a seat. A board screwed to a 5 gallon bucket wouldn't be unusual...
 

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