NZFF

OK the title is clickbait
Marty described some time back, how the best place to mount a model was: On the Printer.
But I reckoned my model should have a place more special than my old printer.
It has a stand, which shows it quite well. And I put it on the oscillating heater.


But I had read about Tensegrity and wondered if I could do something with that notion.
It’s a tricky thing to build, given all the support is provided by tension members. So you end up making a jig to hold it in final position, and then rigging it with a bit of tension



It does not stand up by itself



Once loaded, it finds (a somewhat fragile) equilibrium.



The breeze from walking past it, is sufficient to send it oscillating.
But it has good loadbearing capacity, given I used 40lb fishing line for the tension wires.

So of course, you want to test it with something more substantial



The Centre of Gravity needs to be very slightly downhill from the wires to be stable.



With log load, the thing weighs over 1 kg, but it held firm. However the main loadbearing wires stretched a bit overnight and the CAT walked off the platform.
The accompanying crash startled the household somewhat.
The SE5A is back on the stand, but the CAT is such a beautiful thing, I took it outside for a Walk in Nature.

Replying for the second time to my own post Apologies for the huge pictures I am seeing.
I used Postimage and between it and the forum software my 1280 max pixel dimension got ignored.
Anyway it was a nice little diversion on a rainy Auckland day...

Charl ...I'm not sure what to say, except, that your engineering skills are superb ...and your imagination is endless.
I'm off to bunnings to buy several oscillating heaters.... I can get them at trade price

This place is covered in aircraft models, between the boys and my own collection there are 98, and more are due to arrive. I will ask if their happy for me to post some photos.
Charl, that CAT loader is indeed beautiful, those types of things and cranes are another interest of mine. What brand is the model ?

Love the photos

Marty, those are kind words - but you started it!

98 oscillating heaters will keep you cozy through the winter, for sure

The model is a CAT 988K in 1:50 scale, from Diecast Masters
It comes in a tin(!) which says: "Not suitable or intended for children".

Before you visit there, give the credit card to someone you trust, to hold against all pleadings.

Charl...look at this bad boy, https://diecastmastersamerica.com/colle ... carrydozer

I see there a few cheap knock off's out there as well, but nowhere near this level ... beautiful stuff.

That is... uncanny.
The D11 is what led me down this rabbit hole.
There was a silver painted one on a local website but no stock on the real deal.
So I went looking and found the logging 988 which for various reasons I could not live without.

Caterpillar is one of those great product- and customer-focussed American companies, like Boeing used to be.
The first time I met a CAT D7 with that elevated drive sprocket, I was converted.
The D11 weighs 100 tonnes more than that.
When I am Big I will own one.

EDIT:
The algorithm has found me
Better than endlessly being pushed ads on scaffolding, I s'pose

Charl, much better than looking at scaffold for sure.
Oh, I'm so easily swayed...get thee behind me Charl. I know that if I got that D11, it would start ....well, it would just start ...again

I've always loved big machines, buildings, vehicles, ships, etc. I watch all those "Mega" doco's on NatGeo. Just recently I gave most of my building collection to the school's, , engineering/art department, all non-scale models of famous towers etc.
I only retained the Chrysler building and St Pauls, the Chrysler tower is ....on my printer


Looking at a nice Revell container ship "Colombo Express" to possibly fill those gaps.

Charl you clever devil .. you got another vid of the live movement when on that oscillating wotsit?

Splitpin wrote: the Chrysler tower is ....on my printer ...
Looking at a nice Revell container ship "Colombo Express" to possibly fill those gaps.

Wow Marty... Gaps? Maybe after all those Bunnings heaters are installed.

deeknow wrote:you got another vid

Deane, as soon as the winter arrives, the heater will go on for much videography!
Today is the 6th of June, and outside temperature is 23 degrees C.

That would work here too for all those drug dealers ill-gotten cars and bikes.
They could even run the dozer through their property and leave it nice and flat as well