New Creation

[Pelorus]

That's a cool looking build you got going on there!

 

[tc262]

Where are you planning on putting the cylinder? Are you going to be squeezing the stuff you grab up against your ram?

 

[kellytrimming]

Where are you planning on putting the cylinder? Are you going to be squeezing the stuff you grab up against your ram?

I am planning to put the cylinder above and between the hinges that drive the arms. The cylinder is narrow enough that the cylinder hinges will sit in between the hinges on the arms without running into them on opening and closing.

tct262, I am guessing you have some knowledge of hydraulic machines to ask me such great questions. Side loading a hydraulic cylinder can lead to high PSI leakage or a catastrophic failure (both potentially fatal). In any hydraulic build, care must be taken to protect the hoses, fittings, and cylinders which are delicate in relation to the tremendous pressures produced by modern hydraulics. How I do it will be a later post on this thread.

I am really pushing my fabrication skill, engineering knowledge, layout skills, welding skills, and the capability of my shop with this build. I expect modifications to be necessary and I've designed for a modular unit that can be dissembled and altered. It is wonderful to have internet, the TreeBuzz and the ability to share it with this community! I have to help my niece put up my new fence tomorrow but I hope to get a few hours in on my build and post some progress.

Gobble Gobble

 

[CutHighnLetFly]

.... someone's mind was drifting at the Thanksgiving dinner table

 

[kellytrimming]

Weather has been pretty nice here so I replaced my cedar fence and built a tail-gate for my new used truck. Finally got back into the shop for some more fabrication on the new creation. I put the cylinder hinge in between the arm hinges to allow for clearance when the cylinder opens and closes.


When the cylinder is closed, the claw arms are opened, and when the cylinder opens, the claw arms will close. I need to buy some 3/4" npt to 1/2" hydraulic adapter elbows to test the opening and closing mechanism. Shortening the pin from the cylinder hinge to the arm will allow more arm travel per cylinder travel but also reduce claw pressure, so I need to get it just right.


Here is a picture of the whole device up to this point. I have mostly been tack welding since I have had to take pieces apart and shorten or realign them several times. After verifying I can open and close the arms with the proper clearance from the mini-skid, I will be building the mounting plate and rotator.


Sorry about the bad images, I bought a cheap phone after repeatedly breaking, melting, and frying my expensive ones.

 

[southsoundtree]

It doesn't bypass far enough, from my armchair.

 

[kellytrimming]

I got my fittings from Parker Motion and Flow. Great hydraulic shop.

I had a leftover mounting plate I built for TomTom (my Thomas 25g mini skid) last year.

I have a few old used rotors I got from my neighbor mechanic. I welded some mounts to the backside of the plate to fit the rotor and beefed them up with some extra steel. This will allow me to rotate the claw.

I am hoping to do a full day of fabrication on this job tomorrow.

 

[kellytrimming]

It doesn't bypass far enough, from my armchair.

I think it is the camera angle, I double checked it.

 

[kellytrimming]

I pre-heated with the oxy torch and then multi-pass welded the arms since they are 3/4 inch steel. Caleb welded the rotor to the arm mount. I hope to do the first test on Sunday.