Tractor backhoe - homemade

BFreaky · Apr 7, 2013

rScotty said:
Nice work and a nice project. You and I agree on the hand sketches; even crude ones are faster when doing rough design. Plus it's lots more fun.

One thing I didn't appreciate until getting there is that in a traditional engineering education the first few years of engineering courses are similar - sometimes identical - regardless of the eventual specialty. So the various fields of engineering aren't all that far apart. A lot of engineering work is surprisingly similar.

The result is that an engineering education is pretty portable, even when working the technical side. I went to college later in life (I'm 66 now, graduated at 50). My degree is in civil, but most work has been mechanical or electrical.
Luck,
rScotty

I agree. First two years in college were almost identical as ones in mechanical course. We even shared some classes and topics. The knowledge you get there is great but only in general...it all comes up to personal effort... The harder you try the better it gets :-D

chim · Apr 7, 2013

A true work of art. I love to see things guys come up with and your works are exceptional.

M E Race · Apr 8, 2013

I do hope you will copyright your materials. From what we can see of your work you have the next breakthru in design. It would be a shame for someone to steal your design and profit from it. We mere mortals can only dream what you can achieve.

BFreaky · Apr 8, 2013

M E Race said:
I do hope you will copyright your materials. From what we can see of your work you have the next breakthru in design. It would be a shame for someone to steal your design and profit from it. We mere mortals can only dream what you can achieve.

I'm also just a mere mortal :-D. Well, I was thinking to patent some of my inventions...but I still don't know much about that procedure... Untill now the best design of a machine I made was on my snowplow. Since I have acess to cnc cutting machine there are no design limits but that requires lots of planning. I have to imagine all the parts and draw them in right size so it all fits together...

rScotty · Apr 8, 2013

BFreaky said:
I'm also just a mere mortal :-D. Well, I was thinking to patent some of my inventions...but I still don't know much about that procedure... Untill now the best design of a machine I made was on my snowplow. Since I have acess to cnc cutting machine there are no design limits but that requires lots of planning. I have to imagine all the parts and draw them in right size so it all fits together...

I use a program called SolidWorks for final design and fitting parts. I'm betting you probably use something like it.
In essence, a patent grants you a period of exclusivity in return for your educating the world in detail about a better way to do something. In the last 20 years the scope of patents have been expanded. It needn't be a completely new invention; patents are also issued for improvements in existing products or processes. Models are no longer a requirement. It can be more difficult to patent something that you have already disclosed publicly - it depends on how much detail has been disclosed.
My advice if you do hit on a world beater patentable design is to save something back.
More advice....Patents are wonderful to hang on the wall, and you'll doubtless accumulate a few. Most will cost you more than they make you. But the real enjoyment comes from a reputation for creativity - and that comes from sharing ideas with your peers just as you are doing. Keep it up; the rest will happen in time.
Copyrights are similar, but are oriented toward works of art or literature. Not the same thing.
Keep up the good work,
rScotty

BFreaky · Apr 9, 2013

Thanks for your advice rScotty, I will look into it.
The main reason why I'm posting all this is to show to people what can one man do at home in a simple garage with only the basic tools.
I hope this will give some courage to others so they start building something for themselves. It's not easy, it's not always cheap, it takes lots of time, work and effort, but when it's finished, the feeling is priceless.
Well, let's get back to the main topic...
For the last few days I've been fixing old hydraulic cylinders and got some more material for the main frame. If everything goes as planned the main parts will be ready for assembly by the end of this week.

M E Race · Apr 11, 2013

True, patents and copyrights are two seperate areas, but a detailed plan with that amount of detailed drawings would be sought after by many once the working model is complete. Proceeds from the sale of those plans could be the start of the next work of art.

BFreaky · Apr 11, 2013

M E Race said:
True, patents and copyrights are two seperate areas, but a detailed plan with that amount of detailed drawings would be sought after by many once the working model is complete. Proceeds from the sale of those plans could be the start of the next work of art.

Yes, but how to protect plans? Once they're out, there is no way to stop or limit the distribution by others... At the end of this project I will have a complete database of all parts in CNC cutting format, but don't really know how to make it profitable

swick1 · Apr 11, 2013

My experience with patents is that the uspto and lawyers make the money. Mine cost $92k

rScotty · Apr 11, 2013

BFreaky said:
Yes, but how to protect plans? Once they're out, there is no way to stop or limit the distribution by others... At the end of this project I will have a complete database of all parts in CNC cutting format, but don't really know how to make it profitable

The short answer regarding protecting plans - or not - is that you must decide before discussing any engineering design project whether your goal is private profit or public acclaim. For what it's worth, I think that most inventors overestimate the value of the former and underestimate the latter.
Keep in mind that basic patents offer protection only within the issuing country. The internet has a wider audience.
That said, it appears from the response you are getting here that your original design drawings are attractive enough to cross over the line of mechanical design and into the realm or artistic work. Perhaps there is a market there. Copyrighting original artwork is much easier than filing patents.
good luck, rScotty