Custom hook blocks almost completed. The paint job is in progress, but the pulleys are in transit somewhere around the globe.
Clockwise from top left: Manitowoc 400tons, Liebherr 1000t, 100t and 325t.
100% guaranteed against zinc rot
I will put them on the scale once completed.
They are swivel in every axis, and the 1000t on top right has seven pivots for realistic operation.
I noticed online some who made such RC conversions added some weights on the cable, just atop of their hook blocks, pretty much as the lead you'd put beyond the hook on a fishing line.
Standard die cast hook blocks are almost useless, unless you maintain a significant weight in the hook. Meaning you almost cannot operate a crane without a significant load in its hook, not the bigger hooks anyways. Lots of cable skipping and the friction between the sheaves is stronger than the gravity force from the light diecast hook blocks. And that gets even worse with stiffer cables (stainless braided, even the tiniest ones).
Speaking of cables, I am currently updating the drum motors frames I have made as spares (see previous page picture of December 6), and tread them so I can use M2 screws for bolting them to the masts, as replacements to the plastic Conrad pins, which are a pain to install and remove.
The idea is to be able to easily swap drum motors and use different cables combinations with the following hooks. I do have black fishing line (Musty master or such), but also 0.2mm stainless wire, and 0.3 braided/PVC coated wire, as I am currently using for the A-frame.
I can't wait trying those. But I'd tend to be confident.
Custom hook built. by
Ironstef70, sur Flickr"/>
Stef
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Playing with toys since 1970, now building them.
