360* Rotating Back Blade Project

[Mith]

Thanks for the thread guys, and nice project too!

I'm debating wether to save the whole thread for reference (that is, of course, if you guys dont mind), lots of great information here, thanks.

 

[GuglioLS]

Here's the progress report for work I completed this weekend -
The swing offset cylinder mount is done. It's an integral part of the Gear Box mount system. The steel used for the mount is 3/4" x 4" wide hot rolled flat bar. It's attached to the blade boom with four 3/8"-16 SHCS (socket head cap screws). The gear box Rob Machined and fabricated for me, should arrive sometime Monday 4/2/07

This picture shows the cylinder mount and an outline of where the gear box will rest on top and be attached to it.



This 23 second video (2.1 meg) shows the swing cylinder in action:



This is a much larger 59 seconds (5.3 meg) video. showing the Swivel, and Top & Tilt.



The plan is to get the gear box mounted, hydraulics connected, then performance tested this coming weekend. I can hardly wait.

Larry

 

[MJPetersen]

I can hardly wait.

And vicariously a whole bunch of us who have been following your thread.

Mike

 

[Corm]

Gentlemen, outstanding work! Thank you for taking the time to document and post this information. Fascinating to watch an idea grow like this!

Corm

 

[GuglioLS]

All the Gang following this thread, thank you for all your positive comments, compliments and encouragement on this project.

I now have the gear box in my possession!!!
I called FedEx early this morning - they said the driver left without it because they had no idea where I live and that they could deliver it MAYBE Wednesday or Friday - I said the heck with that - I'm gonna take matters into my own hands and pick it up myself. - So I did.

Here's the forklift pulling up to my company van -




I removed the shrink wrap Rob put on there - man he used lot's of that stuff - it was tough to get off. Then I cut the banding and muscled the gear box off the pallet into the back of my van. Rob was not joking, that bugger is H-E-A-V-Y.
Here is a shot of the gear box ready for it's trip home. My van was doing wheelies all the way




In addition to the gear box, Rob sent me a care package containing three precision dial indicators so that I don't have to machine blindly anymore. When Rob comes to visit me this summer he can show me how to use them properly. Additionally he sent me a nice set of those corn cob roughing mill bits that I was drooling over the first time I saw him use them. AND a 3 MEGA candle power flashlight so I can burn holes though the night sky. AND all the blue prints of every detail of the Gear Box he precision machined for me. AND, AND a really nice personal heart felt letter, thanking me for allowing him to be a part of this HUGE project. That was the icing on the cake for me - what a great guy Rob is, I am so grateful to him.

This are a shot of all the extras Rob sent me:


On the way home I stopped at NAPA and picked up two gallons of 85-90 gear oil. As thick as that stuff is, It might take me all week to fill it up. I have work in my "real" job all this week to catch up on, so getting it installed properly will most likely take place this weekend.

OOPS - I almost forgot, I have to travel to San Jose, CA for a couple of days early this coming Easter Sunday Then a few weeks after that My Wife and I travel to Cabo Mexico for a company "meeting" and a needed get away. Maybe I should play hooky & call in sick? - we'll see, it's gonna be hard for me to keep my mind on anything else, knowing I am so close to getting the gear box installed and working. On the other hand, I don't want to rush this as I need to make sure this project and thread come to the proper conclusion.

Thanks for your indulgence,

Larry

 

[scott_vt]

Mornin Larry,
The best I can tell by the picture, is that you made out like a bandit !

Looking foward to the conclusion !

 

[thunderworks]

You guys have unbelievable skills. I wished you loved near me and were both my friend!

I must be missing something though . . . I looked at the movie of the blade and it looked to me as though the blade swung through a wide arc, both directions (I guess with hydraulic cylinders since the gearbox wasn't installed yet). What additional functionality will the gearbox provide that the current range of motion can't handle?

 

[GuglioLS]

WELL here is the latest good news -
I had NAPA make me up some paint to match the Leinbach yellow. Turns out Komatsu dozer equipment yellow is a very good match. Also looks very close to Cat yellow
I got the Gear Box suspended in the air on my chain hoist and painted it. Then centered the Blade PTO coupler shaft under the gear box then proceeded to lower it into place with the chain fall:




When I got close to the shaft all I had to do was rotate the blade by hand a little to get the splines lined up, then lower the gear box a little at a time:



Larry

 

[GuglioLS]

I continued to lower the gear box so that the PTO coupler was engaged and not binding :




Guess what ? All the holes lined up How could this be? This is going much too smoothly I bolted the Gear Box to the bracket I made with two 3/8" SHCS that Rob provided to me in the care package. I doubt those two little screws will hold all the rotational torque. SO Now it's time to add a plate on top of my bracket and push it up against the bottom plate of the gear box to prevent those two little 3/8 screws from shearing off:




Larry

 

[GuglioLS]

After welding and cooled off, I painted all the brackets:



Here's another bottom view showing the coupler completely engaged:




Larry