000 — Direktlink
27.11.2007, 04:48 Uhr
bobm2004
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Hello to all-this is my first post to your wonderful forum. I have been active in the hobby for a little over five years and am a regular on a popular USA forum. This summer I had the extreme pleasure of spending the day with one of your moderators, Christian. He encouraged me to join and I did, lurking in the shadows. I wish I read German so I would not have to bother Christian with translation requests. I am also a Mammoet fan as it was my very first model. Christian says that English is a-okay to use so here goes, my first post:
Ironically it was two (2) years to the date since I had to take my crane collection down and stop my repainting activities due to the unexpected pleasure of moving. Since then as many of you know, I built a shop and have been working like a mad man converting models, for both myself and for friends alike. This last weekend, being the long one it was, seemed the perfect opportunity to get re-acquainted with my LR1750 crawler from Mammoet.
However it was not going to be a typical pull it out and assemble-that would be far to simple for me. So I embarked on a six point upgrade of the entire crane and I must say I am stunned and pleased with the results.
Upgrade 1: The base
With my large crawlers I have found putting them on a wooden base makes it easier to move them around, as the need arises. In the past that was a piece of plywood painted green. Not acceptable for the new house. So I constructed the following base, made from 64 crane planks. I had 30 from YCC and knocked a quick 38 more from scrapes of walnut I had laying around. I then framed them in a red oak base and added model dirt from the rail road department at the local hobby shop.
Upgrade 2: The Lattice Boom Tips
Mammoet lattice crane tips are painted black. As many of you know this is sometimes not done by the model manufacturers. As I have done this to all my previous crawlers, it needed to be done here:
Upgrade 3: The Placard
I took all six Liehberr placards off, sanded off the “Liehberr”, primed and painted them red. You guessed it I put Mammoet decals on instead. I did this on the LR1280 and I thought it would be a nice touch here as well.
Upgrade 4: Line Replacement
Can anyone stand that chincy looking, tiny little grey thread that comes with their cranes? I for one cannot and thanks to forum friend Steve (better known as Iowa Steve) posted many, many years ago the answer to all of our prayers-Cortland Musky Master fishing line. I bought the 1200 yard spool of 27 pound test and a 400 yard spool of the 18 lb test (for smaller cranes). For those of you who have used it, your nodding your heads in agreement with me right now-it is the best stuff in the world for cranes. It is truly braided and never twists and looks fantastic!
Upgrade 5: Pulley Replacement
Again those of you in the know are again nodding your heads and smiling with me. I purchased a pulley replacement kit for the LR1750 from forum friend Tim Clamp. What a difference these make to the look and feel of the crane-especially the mechanical aspects of the rigging and actual working of the crane. No pulley jump during revving, and smooth and easy wind up of the boom, blocks and jibs. I cannot say enough good things about this upgrade. The replacement of the plastic ones was a snap, with clear written instructions provided and all of the replacement pins as needed. At first glance you may think the cost a bit much, but with over 130 pulleys, the cost is relatively inexpensive. A well worth while investment.
Upgrade 6: Walkways and Hand Rails
I add the YCC walk ways and handrail kit to the crane. A simple and easy thing to do, but a spot on detail enhancement. Everything fit perfectly, again with clearly marked pieces, detailed instructions and diagrams. Another big time plus to the crane.
With all that said and done, Sunday was spent rigging the entire crane. A monster of a task with over 200 point to point reeves. It sure is a big ol machine when you set it up against the LR1280 and the SL5500! Makes them look like silly little cranes!!
I hope you enjoyed the post. Thanks for looking……………………
Bob
www.bobscranes.com |
