Hi! I started using inventor around 1,5 year ago. I was playing with different designs, mostly for my engineer degree. Then i make a excavator bucket based on Volvo bucket for ultimate 8043:

After that, i forgot about my project. I've lacked time and money. But this year's summer I printed it myself:

Then i started making new elements compatible with Technic:

Heavy Hook for GMK6400 Light hook made to replace Lego Metal Hook (part #70644)

Part in metal are very hard to make, because they expand somehow and doesn't hold dimensions.

Liebherr Wheel Loader Bucket for M_Longer L580 (slightly smaller than Lego Volvo Shovel, much bigger than part #32030).

Liebherr Excavator Bucket (little bit bigger than my previous excavator bucket, dimensions similar part #32030).

Rod 15L to use in trucks made by Ingmar Spijkhoven (which i also own - great trucks!)

And some teaser for my prototypes:

12 tooth sprocket, 8 tooth sprocket, blind pulley narrower than part #13971, rod to use in GMK6400 instead of part #6571.

I am also trying to entirely replace part #6571. If you have some new ideas about rare parts which are hard to get or very expensive I can help you.

Hmm nice to see Efferman 2 :) Effe uses also Inventor. Nice parts... :)

Max

Very nice to see even more custom parts.

Looking good!

Do you have any photos of the 8043 with your bucket? Also, it would be nice to see your 2 sprockets lined up with the two existing sizes so we can see the variation.

I'd be interested in buying a few of the Heavy Hooks.

Very interesting! I'm starting to see more and more custom parts, and it's kinda growing on me.

Great custom parts! Love the buckets and the hooks! That rod to replace the Flex Cables is also great...Efferman has one as well!

Looking good!

Do you have any photos of the 8043 with your bucket? Also, it would be nice to see your 2 sprockets lined up with the two existing sizes so we can see the variation.

Yes, i have. Here are sprockets:

And here is 8043:

There is also film made by Technicbricks:

Do you would make them available at shapeways?

A good logical progression in size for the sprockets. Your digger bucket is also sized well on the 8043, a few mm different to Efferman's rock bucket. Nice!

That first excavator bucket looks wonderful in real - what kind of 3d print is that? I guess you used some of these laser liquid resin printers? Otherwise I have no clue how did you manage to print such part :D

Looks like 3D metal printing.

Sprockets will be available on shapeways as soon as I will workout problems with axlehole.

on shapeways i recommend for the crossholes i a diameter of 4,9mm and the width of the cross 1,85mm. And if possible be sure the hole axis is vertical during printing or they will get oval.

Those were made with diameter of 4,9 mm and width of the cross 2 mm and they are still too tight. It looks like axle is stuck where material is thicker:

I wonder if making it diameter of 5 mm and cross 2,1 mm will be better?

Edited November 26, 20159 yr by xsysiek

with these dimensions still to tight? what is the wall thickness around the cross? do you have rounded the inner edges inside of the cross?

Outer diameter around the cross is 8 mm so it gives 1,55 mm minimum wall thickness around the cross. Inner edges were chamfered. But disk thickness is 3,5 mm and only in this part there is problem with axle.

Reduce the 3,5mm thickness of the disk to 1,2mm. Strong and flexible is solid enough to hold with this wall thickness. and in addition you save material which costs money.

I finished thinning sprockets and changed axle hole dimensions to d5 mm and width of the cross around 1,9 mm. Only saved 0,50$. Do you think I should make them in pairs? Now price is around 11$ for 12T sprocket and 6,5$ for 8T sprocket.

New parts arrived!

New Heavy Hook block is ready! Compatible with Lego Technic Metal Hook or with future add-on (double hook). Can be used with any of the wheels above (my or LEGO).

Substitute for LEGO part #6571. So you don't have to buy expensive and rare parts for Ingmar Spijkhoven trucks.

Sprockets version 2.0 (thinned). Little too lose, but after thin clear coating they should be OK.

If you have some new ideas, i am open to suggestions.

Whats the weight of the hook?

Weight of the hook block is 66 g. Combined with part #70644 and two 2L axles is 77 g.

I'm interested in the wheelloader bucket, can't find it on Shapeways unfortunately, will it get on there in the future?

Edited February 7, 20178 yr by Dafgek81

If axles holes are undersized and oval, a "broach" is required to ream out the axle holes to the correct fit.

I use a Lego threaded axle as a broach to remove polishing dust and ease the fit.f

Edited February 7, 20178 yr by Doug72

@Dafgek81 Wheelloader shovel is public and ready to go. Walls are 1,4 mm thick. Front and sides are little strengthened, like in the original.

@Doug72 I don't have such parts. In future i will use effermans method to thinner walls around axle hole.