1/12 Scale Cat D11 Bulldozer project

[I make chips]

^Alan, for some reason my mother in law came to mind. Shudder...
Must be the mutation inference.

[Alan Smith]

Actually there are Hairy mice. I seem to recall they were a standard mutation used in genetics research.

[Dan Dubeau]

Oh Oh Oh, With those miniature hydraulics I could build a scale model sheep shearing machine but use mice instead of sheep! Does anyone know if there are hairy mice?

Angora rabbits. Slightly bigger than mice, but if you mess up programming the shearing machine and it turns into a beheading machine, you can eat them .

[Black Forest]

Oh Oh Oh, With those miniature hydraulics I could build a scale model sheep shearing machine but use mice instead of sheep! Does anyone know if there are hairy mice?

[A.K. Boomer]

On some dozer applications placed in severe service the undercarriage may have what the industry calls a S.A.L.T. track. Sealed And Lubricated Track, the pins run in oil with O ring seals. Long lasting, and of course priced accordingly.

Sounds logical (and yeah more expensive but might be worth it) motorcycle chains have been doing that for decades - the quality ones anyways, little O-rings and pre-lubed pins, you still have to use chain lube for the sake of the externals but they really do work well for a long long time and reduce chain stretch... so in turn drastically increase sprocket life...

[RB211]

You mean they have hot women on Aliexpress as well?

They do actually if you search for lingerie, but I was referring to all the cool R/C stuff

[tom_d]

Do roller chain bushing rotate? why yes that's what gives them the name "roller chain" --- used on my bicycle and in car engines and without them the engine would disintegrate in short order as well as my bike drivetrain...

On some dozer applications placed in severe service the undercarriage may have what the industry calls a S.A.L.T. track. Sealed And Lubricated Track, the pins run in oil with O ring seals. Long lasting, and of course priced accordingly.

[Richard P Wilson]

There's a lot of cool stuff up on Aliexpress that my teenage self would of gone crazy for.

You mean they have hot women on Aliexpress as well?

[RB211]

There's a lot of cool stuff up on Aliexpress that my teenage self would of gone crazy for.

[Rich Carlstedt]

Better yet is

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003289040576.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000014.2.24225810

But the problem is the scale is 1/14, not 1/12
Rich

edit ---was better link

[Willy]

I'm almost sure RB211 has already seen these from Aliexpress and they aren't cheap, 20 USD+10.85 shipping for the pair. Could get expensive real fast!

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32548895604.html

[sid pileski]

RB- correct me if I'm wrong, but the track pads look to be disproportionate to the other components.
For instance, the filter is larger than the track pads.
I realize that you are at the mercy of what is readily available. Also, component like that will be buried in the chassis.
Not being critical, as I know you are in the beginning stages of design.

Another thought for the track components; those shapes lend themselves to the extrusion process.
The cost of the die is obviously the big expense.

I wonder if once you are far enough on the design, you could get others to be interested in building one too.
Tracks are not limited to dozers.

I think it would be like the early days of extruded rail. Someone had to make the initial investment, then started selling the stuff.

I hate to say it but, I'll bet you could find an off shore extrusion place to make the die(s) and run the material.
Then your just looing at second ops to cut to length drill, C'sink the pads, cut to length the links, drill/ream.

Hell, you could offer muck pads (high flotation?? whatever they call them).

Sid

[Rich Carlstedt]

RB, What are you planning to do on making the links and the track pads ?

One method : Print them all with your 3 D Printer and send to Shape ways for metal castings ( SS?) ( hint combine the pieces ....like six parts on one stick to reduce cost)

Second method: Make a die (S) and hot forge them just like the originals were made

Third method: Machine them from solid : Ugg

Rich

[A.K. Boomer]

Your in deep now RB, no backing out of this one without a bite in the wallet and hurt pride lol nice looking cylinders and the price is right too...

[RB211]

Question: In the last pic, what are we looking at cost wise?

(Of the hydraulic components)

Thanks, Sid

The 5 way hydraulic RC valve assembly was $150ish
Each hydraulic cylinder was $24, the filter was $24 I think. Each track pad I printed used .17 cents in material.