Pa, we don’t have an excavator was the statement for my middle daughters youngest boy.

 Pa, we don’t have an excavator was the statement for my middle daughters youngest boy.
 
 
 Pa, we have a Bull Dozer, a Bob Cat, a Tip Truck, an Articulated Loader, a Truck with a Dropdeck trailer [LowLoader] & but no Excavator.
 
 

 
 
Well, I got the hint, loud and clear, the next toy would be an Excavator! 
 
So after a brief search of my database I decided to use the "Wood Magazine Construction Series" plan as a guide.
 
I’d already modified the body to take a set of tracks; just inverted 1.5” timing belts. 
 
  I was well into doing the body and then started on the “digger arm”. 
 
NO WAY was I going to be happy with that “digger arm with its fixed bucket! 
 
So I went searching again though my database for another Excavator. 
 
  The one from the 1988 Stanley Woodworking Competition but it was a challenge as the plan was very sparse on details, so there was a lot of “GUESS WORK & FUDGING” to make an acceptable movable digger arms and bucket. 
 
  Plus as always, I have over build the toy so it’ll last with many hours of fun & play. 
 
  The digger arms and bucket over engineering presented another problem as they were firstly too heavy for the body so again the body had to be modified. 
 
Still then the bucket was too heavy so it had to be lightened and modified. I had some valuable assistance from woodworking friends on the sizing of the rams of the digger arms, thank you gents.
 
  I’ve used “Bubblechute ShopWax” on the piston rod and cylinder of the ram to give it a smooth action. I’ve used “Starbond Medium Thick CA” to help secure many of the parts but Titebond Original is still my “go to” glue. 
 
One exception the 2mm circle of sheet Teflon I’ve used as the pivot carousel was glued in place with two part epoxy then an M8 x 100mm S/S bolt right through the lot.
 
I’ve used a good assortment of Aussie Timbers, mostly hardwoods to make this toy.
 
  Red Gum; Spotted Gum; TallowWood; Tassie Oak; Blackwood; Merbau; Cypress Pine ; Hoop Pine plus a few odds & sods.
 
All the bolts and threaded rod are M5 S/S with nyloc nuts plus CA. 
 
There are nylon washers and S/S washers on each moving part. 
 
  The wheels & axle pegs are shop bought. 
 
  The headlights and air-cleaner pre-cleaners are shop bought.
 
I made the exhaust stacks from ¾” Tassie Oak Dowel.
 
  The tracks are inverted 1.5” Timing Belts.
 
The finish is my homemade Satin Wipe-On-Poly; 3 coats.
 
Measurements:
 
8.5" [215mm] wide; 22" [560mm] overall length; 23" [590mm] high
 
All in all a fun build taking something between 70 & 80 hours.
 
Cheers Peter