[D-Day] M32 ARV

[MrChef]

Well now This^ is Impressive.

[Ecam]

Thanks all. Hope to have some more pics in a couple hours. Stole some new cable from a picture I have yet to hang. Finishing the bracing on the boom now. Then it will be time to attempt the weird lever that was used to hoist the crane. I've yet to figure out how they tipped it back enough where the sprocket/drum/winch would let it down in a controlled manner.

[Ecam]

Picture hanging wire/cable did not work out. It is easy to form, but it stays bent, so unless there is significant weight pulling it would never be straight. I occasionally work at a small engine/mower shop in town. I live two miles (1.2 miles dirt road) from a town of 200ish. The only reason I mention this is the cord I am using is what is left over from a shredded mower deck drive belt. It is a string but has vulcanized rubber in it. It seems to "lay" as I was hoping for, "scale steel cable". Down side is it only comes up every so often... Belts don't usually come apart like this one did. It got hot (slipping) in deep grass before letting go.

The boom's bracing: There is a third brass rod hiding behind the triangle with the green paint swab. It was so rigid with those three, I decided to make it easy on myself and do the rest in styrene. I hate trying to solder multi piece creations together. Heat the next part and the first one falls out...

[Kaczor]

Wow. Great project.

[Ecam]

Thanks Kaczor. But this is when/where the project will really slow down. There is a bunch of little parts that all need to be fabricated with out much to show, Four days to get the basics built, four months to get it closer to finished!

[Ecam]

A little Bondo work to clean up my gorilla tube smashing. Also finished the link between the boom and upright, it allows the support to swing out to the correct position for the travel rest (and it works!).



I am starting the pull arm that lifts the boom, but I am also gathering and making some of the parts that will be on board. Have extra road wheels and idler rollers, but need 4 sprocket gears...

[Herr Dr. Professor]

Eric, will that Bondo shrink? Do you mean literally the brand "Bondo"? In the 'sixties and 'seventies we used to joke about Bondomobiles.

[Ecam]

Yes Bondo brand. Polyester automotive body filler.

It does not. Perhaps on a bondomobile it might if thick enough. One of the reasons I use it is within 2 minutes of mixing it is starting to harden (so small batches). Within five minutes it is like a thick clay and can be trimmed/knifed fairly easily, though its surface adhesion is limited until fully cured. Once cured, grinding/sanding. And it is cheap. I use popsicle sticks to dip it out and mix. I bought my gallon a couple years ago. The quart was $11ish and the gallon $18ish.

Several of the modeling fillers I've tried have shrunk, requiring a 2nd application.

[Ecam]

Weird lever/arm time...





Wanted to keep things aligned whilst soldering.



Probably hard to see in this picture but the head is angled inward to compensate the boom angling to the center at the rear.



Again, the brass work was stiff enough, here I am starting the gusseting.

[HERMAN BIX]

your kidding me.......that last bracket is a job in itself.
Loving this new section and a credit to all of you that are getting into it.