Starting in March 2020, I began a large stream project to model a comprehensive, highly-detailed Caterpillar 434E backhoe. Please watch the first stream (first 3 minutes of abridged version at least) for an overview.
It's a straight-forward project of building a complex model over an extended period of time. The spin on the project is that I want your help to accomplish it! If I build some parts and you build some parts, we will finish this thing much quicker. Plus the contribution format will include reviews, the potential of having your piece(s) assimilated into the final model. Not to mention large quantities of XP are at stake 🤑
NOTE: This is an involved project reserved for Citizen members.
The general idea is that I kickoff stages of the project via live stream, which is typically once per month. For the time in between streams, you choose a piece of the backhoe and apply what you learned from the stream to that piece. For example, the first stream covered initial block out. So between stream 1 and stream 2, your job is to pick a piece and block it out.
This is the repeating protocol for each Assignment Period (between-streams):
I will reply to this thread after each stream with a [big] assignment post denoted by a 📣 emoji in the title. There I will clarify instructions about each Assignment Period.
We will centralize our collaborative communication between the streams and this thread. Ask any and all questions pertaining to the Backhoe project here.
Thanks Omar for looking into the collisions.. Those hydraulic lines near the battery box are actually 2 times too big in diameter and they belong to @adrian2301 from our first collaboration. He was already working to correct that and will probably be able to correct the bez curves while he is at it. I left all of my hydraulics as bez cruves because it is so easy to apply them at the end.
Knowing Adrian I bet he is all over it right now!
I'm going to leave my latest submission as is. It looks like Kent already added it to the google sheet so I guess this means we each should submit our copies. @adrian2301 I ended up putting my hydraulics Collection within my main Loader Arms Collection to make it easier for a proper import for Kent.
And now time for the side bar: Yes I looks amazing to see the modeling detail that our assemblies have got together. I'm really interested to see if we are going to go down the route of adding materials and textures to this bad boy similar to one of your demo cars. I'm thinking we need some "Authentic Battle Damage" like your Toyota in the repair bay.
Ok thanks I did 1/2 inch radius then not diameter, I remember now from what you mentioned a couple weeks ago.
not been on here a few days and got over fifty notifications just from this thread.
If you take a ruler out and measure your lines @adrian2301 you will find they are 1" in diameter. Don't worry. I was doing the same thing too homie. I didn't realize it until I was measuring dimensions on another part connecting to my hydraulics and notices something was off.
I'm going to have to resize everything, (brackets included) and re-align with your fine work blanchsb , I will append to my chassis file. Should also sought out the collision with the battery boxes 
dostovel , I'll submit now as is and try and fix over the weekend and if I'm done re-submit by Monday morning if that's ok with @theluthier
I updated my blend file on the link I posted with the corrections I made, you can grab the boxes from there Adrian.
To @theluthier and all the members of the indomitable DOG Pound, kindly accept my sincere apologies. Work travel and family commitments have conspired to ensure that I was unable to make much progress on my small part of the project. As such, I regret to say that I'm unable to submit a new file for this assignment. I do hope to catch up with you all on tomorrow's stream and check out how far everyone has progressed. Once again, my sincere apologies to you all.
@theluthier : Hi Kent and all the members of the Caterpillar collaboration. We had 2 weeks ago corona surge in Meat processing factory in Gütersloh near to my company and because of lot of people were sent to Home office. Certain employees needed to be in office to ensure the production is running continuously. And I was one of the Certain employee. Had long working hours and could not manage to work on DOG further. Sorry guys, I was so much overloaded.
Oh no rryzen7, sorry to hear that. Don't worry about the DOG, she's in good hands. You stay safe and don't wear out!
aartifact Not to worry! There's still work to be done on the cab interior and thus time for you to catch up if you're able. If not that's OK too. As a team we can carry your torch 👌
blanchsb @adrian2301 I did the same thing as Adrian with the hydraulic line diameters: All diameters are double the value I put into the depth parameter (which is "radius" apparently. A mention of that in the tool tip would be nice!) 😖
This means a significant amount of work to redo all my lines and fittings, as it does for Adrian as well. I say to not update any diameters yet. We'll talk about the situation during the stream.
No worries sshanr there's still more time if you want to catch up. I'm glad to hear you and other are enjoying holidays though!
Too late lol. I'll wait for the live stream regardless with what I have submitted.
WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR BELOVED MAGNETIC LINKS AND FORUMS???!??? I can't get linked to anything anymore.......
looks like forums got reverted, I noticed that yesterday. Dont know if I can make the stream tomorrow...I’m going to try. I really want to see this hugz to all of ya 🤗🤗🤗
This is my unfinished file of a chair, steering wheel and side mirror. In your own file, just append under File in menu bar and select RITA collection.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jdULjSRT7Wd7vzv3KfpWyWMvZa8lflsj/view?usp=sharing
@ritag Sorry I didn't get to this yesterday! I don't do well with on-the-fly grading 😅 If you could submit assignments by the Sunday night prior the next stream, that's ideal for me to look it over and make notes on Monday so I'm prepared by Tuesday.
Also if you could create a separate forum thread dedicated to your work on the project, that would be best for focused conversation (rather than getting lost in the shuffle of this massive thread). Here's the assignment 3 post where I outlined this, which no doubt has been lost in shuffle lol
