DruidFab VA-r

[v8druid]

.. probably add £1k to the project

Times five Muz - have had my eye on this for ages, but man will not drop - your neck of the woods



it's had a hard life by the looks of it and been f***ed about with, as you can see



this'd make a nice MKII version, but still looking for a suitably compact rotater!!
Helac quoted me 6K for a s/hand tilt hitch off their stock list last year to suit my 15 tonne 'Drema - she's on 70mm pins so quite a lump required.
With a ring gear between the top half and the hitch, with some 'Druidry' it'd be pretty tall still - and those tilt units don't have the power of a ram system.
The other issue would be getting oil down to the hitch - very tight for a rotary coupling and also little room for Cetops, etc..

The current VA-r is pretty crowded as you'll eventually see

- - - Updated - - -

Is it possible to get one of them that would fit my mini digger?

yes

But not cheap!!!!!

[v8druid]

Excellent fabrication there Druid, I think it may prove challenging to use a bucket on the though................

Now if you changed the two rams to a rotary actuator like this you may have a more usable tool...............

Know what you're saying Stock and you're probably right, ........ if I were out earning with it - I'm not though so I have the time to be that bit more careful and 'circumspect' in operation

The rotaries are no where near as powerful as the ram set up and will back off when pushed - that said I'd not turn my nose up

See the other reply to Muz

And thanks for the kind words on the work Boyo

[v8druid]

Some lovely work there fella .. I was wondering how you were going to mount those tilt rams mindful that some makers use the lower section of the case of the ram its self as the mount point ... think I'd be worried about whacking them of something Ok for owner drivers of course

Cheers Muz,

Going trunnion mounted would still leave the rams 'out there' and more vulnerable than surrounded by bracketry
I did source some trunnion mounts, but could not see that/how welding 'em to the cylinders, would not shrink the bores doing it and end up with being unable to get the pistons back in afterwards

As I said to Stock - care required in operation - lots of it, with a bucket on - with a grab or forks, not so bad

[Wee Jim]

yes

Awesome! Where? And what would it cost? any ideas?

[v8druid]

Awesome! Where? And what would it cost? any ideas?

http://www.powertilt.ch/



they've usually got a few s/hand but are 'kin expensive people to deal with

http://www.helac.com/products-servic...uct-models.php

[v8druid]

it now had to come back to bits again, for some more gussets, now that I had sussed clearances, etc.



a few modifications to aid pipe routing .....




and to suss out all the plumbing !




The jury was still out on the Cetop positioning........




But I eventually made a decision!


I had initially considered using 6 way diverter valves to control the VA-r, using my rotate and VA boom pedals, but after much thought I opted to use just the rotate pedal, for one way proportional supply and put Cetop control valves in the VA-r itself to reverse the flow to the tilt rams and the rotate motor. These will be controlled from buttons on the sticks, but I am getting ahead of myself here - there is a lot to come before we get to these

Set it up to deal with curves and spread out an asbestos blanket to keep the spatter/spelter out of the ring!




gas axe didn't do the poor old blanket a lot of good and had to cover it a bit with some plate, but got the lumps out.




Spent a while with old faithful 5" and a 4" grinders and a flap wheel on tidying it all up and sorting out all the sharps.
I also added some reinforcing to the pin carrier end plates, with a second 20mm layer on both halves, amongst other things and I will be gutted if I manage to bend it after that !!



finished off with a couple of holes into the pivot points and tapped them for some grease nipples.




nipples installed and and ran out of light again that day!!





Had to get the pins made up for the swivels so she could go back together again for yet more sussing!!


Having cleaned up the one half of the rotor, I thought it would be a good idea to get some cover on it, before it goes rusty again!!
I only had two small holes to drill in it, for two SHCS ( socket head cap screws to hold the manifold in place





Also got a bracket made up for the electrical feed socket, a coat of paint on it and bolted to the dipper, with the socket fitted to it.




Used a very convenient spare hose clamp base plate to attach it with.




I was mid way through getting the wiring into it and connected to the socket base, when my apprentice, who had been sat watching me carefully, decided he wanted to get down, from his perch on high!!




Sparticus - the 'bionic' cat !!


He had a complete 'back end' rebuild at about 18 months old, by a truly remarkable orthopedic veterinary surgeon, after dislocating both his hips and tearing the lower half of his right leg almost completely off, bar the flap of skin that was holding it, when he dragged himself through the cat flap early one Sunday morning !!!!


If I ever need my legs working on I know who I'd want fixing me - both his hips are screwed, pinned and wired in place and he's still got several pins and screws in his right lower leg.

You'd never think it to watch him get about and that was ten years ago.


You do not want to know what he cost me!!!!!!!

When Monsoon conditions prevailed, I did what I could inside for the day -such a day saw my attentions directed to revising the Cetop loom (see previous pictures for the subtle changes) and a few other fiddly bits.


'
I needed to get a clear route over the top of the valve block!!




Wasn't such a bad job, once I took the bull by the horns and pulled the original apart.




Turned a few plug's guts around and altered a few cable lengths!!

I think it looks better than the original version!!

[v8druid]

a few more gussets to the upper half's tilt ram mounts, while it was apart












This ought to stiffen up any tendency for it to twist

[v8druid]

sussed out and mocked up the pipe routing using some old 'gash' pipes. Virtually had it in my head, but needed to see how it sat.
Looked OK to me at least

Had been wrestling for weeks with the issue of getting the feed and return into the middle of the VA-rotor, as I'd not a lot of space either side, due to the 60 degs of tilt and it's a lot of movement for pipes, when I had a Eureka moment.

Plumb it through the centre swivel pins - 50mm pin with a 1/2" hole - no prob.s!!

Pin is fixed to the upper half of the unit and STATIONARY all the time - a couple of swivel unions in the centre of the pins, in the unit to pick 'em up and they've got all the 120 degs of movement they need.


I plumbed for 1/2" feeds from them and the pipe will about manage the routing. (The pipes in the pix are just gash to try out with)

This was option 1




Option 2 (for the motor feeds which are only quarter inch) - pressure feed will be at the rear and tank return at the front of the VA-r.
A few swept 15s and 30s on the fitting tails will also help, but gives the general idea




Option 3 for the tank line - real short and out the way - couple of 90s and it'll be perfect!




A swept 30, off the pressure feed swivel and a 90 t'other end kept it real neat - needed to keep the central area as open as poss. for the tilt ram feed pipes and I think - correction, I knew it was do-able.

It was good to mock it up with a few gash-ers - makes it so much easier to envisage.




It became an easier proposition than I thought with the swivel unions.

There were also two fitted on the manifold to feed the tilt rams too and some tees on the underside of the upper half feeding virtually stationary tilt ram pipes !!

Don't yer jus' love it when a plan comes together!

I've got the incomers solidly connected to the pins on the outer face Stu and connected through inline rotary couplers inside - they can can cope with 200rpm at 200 bar so should be fine with 120 deg.s of movement from full left to full right tilt.
The tilt ram feeds from the Cetop manifold to the underside of the top half, where it'll tee off to the rams, have also got a rotary per circuit which'll feed from the manifold as it tilts.

I think I've got all movements covered.




The only small issue was the fact that the tilt feeds didn't rotate from the actual centre, but are virtually on a centre line, at the manifold outputs, so I had to have a bit of extra length to these, to allow for the off centre rotations and they'll flex, reducing the distance between the centre of the underside of the upper half and the manifold ports - would be about 30mm by my reckoning, which would be fine on a 300-ish pipe run length - jury was still out on whether I went 3/8" with these to the tees or 1/4" - favorite was 3/8", feeding two 1/4" tees, supplying top/bottom of each ram.

It's why I had to keep the central area in there clear, for this movement!!

[v8druid]

by way of amusement - this is the off-cut from my 20 foot bar of 100 x 12mm flat for the top ram brackets!!




Reckon I got that about right on the 'nesting' eh?

[v8druid]

Getting there - quietly - paint time - again!
Have resolved to not worry about the boss situation on the lower half, until required, if ever really - once together and functional, I can't see me ever opting to strip the lower off to use just as a rotator - however the option is always there!!
So - 1st coats on!!



Aside from a few more mods/additions I wanted to do to each end of the upper section, the bulk of it was in need of some weather protection.



Looked a bit 'tidier' all one colour - almost!!


One burning question at that time was:-
Was I going to finish the VA-Rotor before I ran out of Photobucket space???????
Was at at 87% of free space exhausted, then and filling it fast!!!

[v8druid]

As you will probably appreciate my work on this has been very weather dependent as I am working outside. So to finish off the remaining jobs on the upper section of the VA-r needed a lack of precipitation as the power tools do not like rain a lot!

Couple of holes tapped in the end plates to retain the swivel pins and the easiest way to hang on to it for the mag drill was on the 'Drema!!







Then I also needed to beef up the end plates a little , which I'd already done to a degree, by doubling up on the flange thickness to 40mm each end, on both the lower and upper sections, as you can probably see above.

I also needed to add some 'protection' for my 'newly arranged' plumbing layout, feeding oil into the center of the VA-r, which would also provide yet more re-enforcement/strengthening.










A few more internal gussets at the max. I can accommodate, without fouling the lower section in place ......



......... and welded up, then I think I can say it was, .......... aside from a couple of pipe clamps and two Tee piece mounts, ......... 'finished' and ready for some paint, before assembly with the lower, for plumbing up!!

Gulp!!!!!!! - will it work?????????

[v8druid]

Lil' bit of Druid Gold left to finish off on the upper section,




and dropped onto the lower section,




ready for bolting in the cetops and pinning the VA rams on, before a trip to Fast Fluids in Raglan for some pipe work.




And then ............... the moment of truth!!!!!!

[Stock]

Lil' bit of Druid Gold left to finish off on the upper section,



and dropped onto the lower section,




ready for bolting in the cetops and pinning the VA rams on, before a trip to Fast Fluids in Raglan for some pipe work.




And then ............... the moment of truth!!!!!!

Will the duck lift it??

Now give us a look at the dumper mounted Hiab, and the story behind it............

[v8druid]

Will the duck lift it??

Now give us a look at the dumper mounted Hiab, and the story behind it............

I'll find some pix, but don't have many of it.

Started it a long time ago, pre duck, or Jake, to give myself some lift ability at home.
Regrettably not as yet finished, as became ill before I'd got it functional - not a lot to do to it really, but fiddly stuff an' yer know what that's like to get done!

Could really do with a better carrier and have one in mind, but what it's on is what I had sat at the time. Daren't go buy the one I have in mind, before I out Jakie, or SWMBO may have a sense of humour failure, if anything else appears ATM

Pix to follow Stock.

[v8druid]

Will the duck lift it??

Now give us a look at the dumper mounted Hiab, and the story behind it............

Spiel tomorrow Stock