Liebherr R-954 Excavator by nosports and Retunga

Boris

Well-Known Member
I've always designed my models with the intent of using 110 lb. card stock. I get confused with all these paper specs, I have no idea what "80 gram per square meter or higher means".

The 80 gram per square meter means how much 1 square meter of this particular paper weighs. 16 sheets of A4 paper are actually 1 square meter.
This fact can be used to assess the paper thickness of a given pack of paper.
Most of the Polish models use 160 g/sq meter paper and usually this paper is 0.22 mm thick
Your regular office paper is usually 80 grams per square meter, sometimes 70 and sometimes 90.
Need to notice that the different paper of certain weight per square meter not always will be the same thickness. For example, depending on paper's density, 160 grams per square meter paper's thickness can vary from 0.2 to 0.24. Although 0.01 mm is almost not noticeable, sometimes this difference can cause a lot of headache in parts fitting
I from the other hand, don't really understand what 110 lbs card stock measurement means.
 

zathros

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We suffer the same problem. I am sure someone here has some kind of chart, but from what I understand, thickness has nothing to do with weight and rigidity, further confusing things! I use predominantly 67 lb. card stock, and 110 lb. card stock:)

I found this conversion list:
Paper conversion table.jpg
 

Gandolf50

Researcher of obscure between war vehicles...
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As you say, usually and if the designer advises the grammage is easier. But I have found sometimes that some pieces on the same sheet should have another grammage. I have passed that the design recommended paper of 160 / 180grs, and a Small tube is very difficult to shape with that grammage. Another drawback, at least in my country, is the difference in quality between brands, it is often remarkable and in the end you do not really know which is the right one.

Small tubes I usually "ROLL" printer paper around wire making an almost 'SOLID" tube... Far better than trying to curl 199gsm which I use exclusively. Or at times you can add the same around the paper from a cotton swab with the paper stick ( just pull off the cotton).

It is not only your country! There is NO CONSISTENCY from paper Manufacturers ANYWHERE! Don't get me started!! It infuriates me! Best bet find a stock that you like and stick with it no matter what. It is always better to "Tweak" the model, to your card than try to get card that will fit the model... as Lbs/GSM will Never tell you how THICK the card is.

Got on the rant before I saw Z's list...
But even that I use 110/199gsm Index stock...199/gsm isn't on the list!
I got to the point of using a digital caliper to measure my stock.
 

zathros

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Paper companies are f*cked up. I use 67 lb. Card stock and 110 lb. Card stock. I rarely use anything else. I have 1 mm stock for ship frames. ;)
 

Boris

Well-Known Member
Hello everybody
This time I got a pretty big update
I will split this update into number of posts.
First is the counterweight - no special hustle here, just need to be very careful with gluing of the back panel with round middle section. Also inner structure need to be adapted to its position, again because of thicker paper20190420_045929-1024x576.jpg 20190421_214447-1024x576.jpg 20190421_214430-1024x576.jpg
 

Boris

Well-Known Member
Then I got to hydro block, which contains hydro pump and hydraulic liquid tank with internal reinforcement rib
Here I also switched to my "former and wrapper" stile. I simple hate the "strip with tabs and a paper circle" method. I could never make this method work. For former I used cereals box cardboard (0.6 mm wide)
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Boris

Well-Known Member
Then came the exhaust pipe and a muffler. Here the same cardboard was used again. The designers proposed to use the aluminium foil for the pipe and provided template for the foil and a gray part. After a quick thinking, I glued the white side of the part to a strip of home aluminum foil and cut off the provided tabs. I prepared my own gluing tab for making tubes without step. Then, using instruction manual, I used my wife's 5.5 mm knitting needles and formed the tubes. Then the muffler holder. The muffler with attached exhaust tube was inserted into the holder w/o gluing it together. I will affix these during assembly

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zathros

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The muffler came out really nice!! The rest of the parts look really straight and squared up. :)
 

Boris

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The muffler came out really nice!! The rest of the parts look really straight and squared up. :)
The muffler will almost not be seen. The exhaust pipe will be very visible.

I just bumped into an issue. The operators controls provided by designers look not right. This is supposed to Litronic equipped vehicle but controls are given by 4 sticks which doesn't seem correct. Also the sticks are just printed 2D strips.
Looking for solution...
 

Gandolf50

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Boris

Well-Known Member
Hello all
One more update
This time I went for energy block assembly.
First I cut out the operator's cab and made the transparent windows. That was quite a thing since the pillars around the windows are pretty thin so need to be careful. For installing the windows I uses UHU Extra glue - I really love this glue. Fit of the part is great.
Then I noticed that operation levers are provided by as simple 2d double sided print. So I went hunting for pictures. I could not find anywhere this configuration. This supposed to be Litronic equipped digger, meaning it has two joysticks on the seat armrests. Exactly like on picture above
I wrote a mail to Liebherr representative here in Israel. The guy was kind to reply and promised some pictures after April 29th.
So I continued to assemble the upper part w/o installing the cabin.
I followed the manual step by step only to find that all the parts are really flimsy and connecting them as is will cause warps and misalignments. Cereal box cardboard came to rescue. I reinforced all the sides with cardboard plates and strips. And again I bumped into base plate being too short because I used a thicker paper. Nevermind, I will conceal this later when I will install the cabin
The muffler went along to its place.
Then the whole structure was mounted to the swivel plate of the chassis.
The engine top cover remained unattached since hydraulic lines should enter this compartment.
So this is what I have for now. Just take a look to its size.... 20190424_091230-1024x576.jpg 20190425_224920-1024x576.jpg 20190424_110100-1024x576.jpg 20190424_112420-1024x576.jpg 20190424_123448-1024x576.jpg 20190426_003344-1024x576.jpg 20190426_004425-1024x576.jpg 20190426_015145-1024x576.jpg 20190426_015118-1024x576.jpg 20190426_021759-1024x576.jpg 20190426_030322-1024x576.jpg 20190426_040450-1024x576.jpg 20190426_040945-1024x576.jpg 20190426_042554-1024x576.jpg 20190426_045742-1024x576.jpg 20190426_045811-1024x576.jpg
 

zathros

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Wow!! This model is really shaping up. It will make a fine display piece, though kids of all ages will find it irresistible! :)
 

Boris

Well-Known Member
Hello all.
I got two updates..
First, I started with digger arms, or, speaking "professionally" the boom and the stick.
The construction is quite regular for this model. Boxy structure with internal reinforcements. After finishing, I realized how bad these parts look. The reinforcements caused warps and can clearly be seen sticking out slightly. Also the designers marked lines for reinforcements placements on the outside of the parts. This looks awful. The attached pictures show this issue well
After considering available solutions and after being constructively criticized by our model builders, I will need to rebuild these and all the following parts w/o internal reinforcements using 0.6 mm cardboard. Also, on real excavator there it is clearly seen that upper and lower panels of the boom and the stick protrude slightly past the side panels. Additionally I will remove the black lines from the sides of the arms.

Second update
I am very happy that I didn't make the operator's cabin internals as the designer proposed. The Liebherr representative replied and, boy oh boy, he sent a lot of stuff. It can be clearly seen that proposed construction is not even close to a real thing. So, I will need to redesign the internals from scratch.
So, Mr. Sagi Kaplan, thank you, thank you for the documentation and for replying my questions!!!
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Dagger

Active Member
As far as I can see, I think the problem is fine paper. When I built the whole helmet I reinforced it with cardboard, because in the first models I had this problem. A little extra work but the result is worth it.
 

Boris

Well-Known Member
As far as I can see, I think the problem is fine paper. When I built the whole helmet I reinforced it with cardboard, because in the first models I had this problem. A little extra work but the result is worth it.
I totally agree, and because of this I will laminate the side panels with 0.6 mm cardboard
 
Last edited:

Boris

Well-Known Member
Hello all
Additional update, to be correct, a replay.
So first I loaded the pages with boom and stick slide panels to GIMP and removed the guiding lines for internal reinforcements
Then I cut the side panels and laminated with 0.6 mm cardboard (AKA cereals box cardboard, AKA paper modeller's magic wand)
Then I built the boom and the stick body parts. Threw in some 0.6mm cardboard reinforcements just to make everything stiffer
I intentionally made a small, about 0.5 mm protrusion of the bottom and upper parts. I will add a thin strip of paper simulating protrusion of metal sheet on the real digger. This protrusion is highly visible on the real boom and stick.
Then I made upper "lips" laminating them with 0.6 mm cardboard. Later the hydraulic cylinders will be connected between them.
Last pics show the difference between the proposed design and my rework. I guess the difference is clear. 20190503_230416-1024x576.jpg 20190504_010947-1024x576.jpg 20190504_015231-1024x576.jpg 20190504_015902-1024x576.jpg 20190504_020828-1024x576.jpg 20190504_031623-1024x576.jpg 20190504_031646-1024x576.jpg 20190504_031655-1024x576.jpg 20190504_031710-1024x576.jpg 20190504_031728-1024x576.jpg
 
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