7mm 'Denton Brook' an industrial whimsey

Giles

Western Thunderer
Yes, it's operating using six channels, but yes actually got a 16 channel receiver in it. At the moment it's running on a temporary transmitter with just rows of knobs, which isn't easy! Andy from Micron is kindly going to build me one with four joy-sticks....
 

Osgood

Western Thunderer
No, no, no no no. I'm sorry but there are limits, and joysticks are just not cricket for a crane of that vintage.

Nothing less than a full-size operator cabin mock-up using 3ft levers and brake pedals will be acceptable - the interface would be easy to sort out.
Just think what fun that would be at shows for folk to try their hand (s and feet) at :D:D

Levers and pedals.jpg
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
:bowdown:

If I may make one ultra pedantic comment, watch the "power steering" effect. Turning a steering wheel on a lorry while not moving would be all but impossible back in the day. The trick, one I was taught by my Dad when I learned to drive an ordinary 1970s saloon car, was to turn the wheel while still rolling. I'm sure lorry drivers would have done much the same.
 

Giles

Western Thunderer
You're absolutely right - at the moment I only have a temporary transmitter, which is a series of small knobs, and is very hard to control! I'm awaiting the proper transmitter with four joysticks which I'm hoping will be a little easier.....

In my youth I had a Bedford 45 seat coach converted to a mobile home which I used to drive around - and that had no power steering. One got used to steering 'on the roll' very quickly with that (and a lot of other primitive driving techniques). Apart from driving it round London, I had fitted a tow bar, and I used to drive it around North Wales with a 14' dinghy on the back... Those were the days...... I got my HGV 1 in 1982, but all those had power steering!
 

Jordan

Mid-Western Thunderer
Driving a Truck without power steering is very hard unless you have arms like Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Indeed... sometimes I do regret the invention of power steering, but only sometimes... ;)
At least the steering wheel used to be big enough to give some leverage in case of power steering failure (guess how I know!); these days they're too small for that. If it fails these days it's time to call for the recovery truck!!
 

Jordan

Mid-Western Thunderer
I had to stand up and haul the steeringwheel round to go round bends.
Yes not uncommon in the *polite cough* old days, I believe. ;)

I was in the middle of a 3-point turn when the power steering drive belt went, on a Merc 1720 rigid. The move turned into about a 20-point turn, I think.... :oops: :)
I'd have carried on with my day, except that the belt was on the same pulley as the air compressor belt, & took that one with it when it snapped. Soon ran out of air for the brakes. :rolleyes:
 
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