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.
jakeblended That's good news from your side 😀! And I can reassure you: Not everyone's computer here is cursed 😉. I'm trying my luck with sculpting and animating @theluthier 's Piero.
Kent Trammell (theluthier) Thank you very much for your support.
Omar Domenech (dostovel) Geraghty is pronounced GUR-raa-tee. First syllable as in girl, second as in rat and third, tea. It is an very ancient surname belonging to a Celtic warrior clan who were once kings, princes, lords, etc. They lost all their castles and aristocracy back in 16th century, when they fought against Oliver Cromwell's troops. After their losses to invaders, they fought on as rebels and freedom fighters. Geraghty is an anglicised version of MagOireachtaigh.
Thanks Pound crew. I feel the love. Such a fun team to be a part of to be honest. I feel like we have grown to know one another here at the Cookie as members because of this project.
That is worth the price of admission!
Kent Trammell (theluthier) I will continue modelling as long as I imagine myself sitting inside a stolen backhoe belonging to County Council and me crashing into their buildings, especially homes belonging to corrupt politicans and investors. No worries, they will NEVER get our place, not with protestors squatting inside and chaining themselves to the place. It will be years before they get us out..
I feel like we have grown to know one another here at the Cookie as members because of this project.
I agree 100%. Before classes and the DOG collab I never felt like I knew members here. I recognized a handful of usernames but no actual familiarity. And that was after 4-5 years at CGC...Now I've got legitimate online friends up in here! Talking Blender, developing inside jokes, talking real life. It's a cool thing. COOL THING I say!
PS: Tis a real bummer about the hardware woes. Makes me look down at Linux Luke to say a little jedi prayer that he keeps up the good fight.
Speaking of inside jokes and Jedi.
There were two Jedi's sitting down to eat and the one told the other excitedly:
(Jedi #1) "I didn't know that Yoda had a last name!"
(Jedi #2) "Neither did I?!? ..........What is it?"
(Jedi #1) "Lay He Who!"
(If you have trouble just try saying the full name aloud........... and it may only be an American joke, haha. As Yoda would say: "See we shall")
I just got "The Google" installed on my work PC and it is syncing tonight. Blender is already there heh heh. I'm going to miss some of my add-ons though. Gonna try to get my default layout set back up. You don't know how much you love it until you don't have it anymo
Just been mole'n the master file, looking great.
aartifact are you still with us?
I noticed you hadn't updated your file for a while. If I remember correctly your engine enclosure needed some touch up, tightening up some edges.
If you haven't got the time or any other issues , I can look at it for you if you like.
I thought about checking in on the modeling today too. Glad the other mole's got my back.
How's the rest of the team doing? Anyone getting in over their heads and in need of a respite? Or are we chugging along towards the finish line?
Thanks for the quick replies duerer and aartifact.
ppfbourassa did you get me commentary regarding the hydraulics on the bucket and the supports sliding over just a touch? If you can't get to it I can take a look and slide things over a little if you don't mind.
How's things coming from 
dostovel 
spikeyxxx aabm3010 @ritag on the other interior parts? I know Rita is having life get in the way and Spikey and I have taken the Steering wheel and chair assemblies.
I am posting my progress for the chair here:
duerer I have looked at the bolts from your rear axle intersecting with the chassis, they intersect on both sides of the chassis. I can't do anything with the chassis apart from make it thinner, which is not an option as it is already looking a bit thinner than it should be and this would disrupt everything connected to the chassis. My suggestion is to widen that square section of the axle with the bolts and move the bolts over to realign with the holes.
@theluthier , we receive an error message when opening the master file. I seems like it is to do with the broken linked file highlighted below.
It is missing the location folder at the start of the location address (//MASTER_Parts\..... ) it's looking for the chassis collection in the same folder as the master file and not the master parts folder. The chassis collection has been linked in with the link above this one so the broken link can be removed.
The other error is the same problem, it's for a material in that broken link.
Now I've got legitimate online friends up in here! Talking Blender, developing inside jokes, talking real life. It's a cool thing. COOL THING I say!
@theluthier , It's a good feeling being apart of a special group of friends, long may it last after this project ends.
I was struggling with the joke blanchsb , I was wondering if maybe it was an American joke,
Then I said the full name out load......... I think the neighbours may have heard 🤣
spikeyxxx and aartifact , [Q] for each of you.
There is a section within the cab front window which I think the steering console and engine enclosure should possibly line up with, is this something you could achieve with your parts?? and @theluthier how easy would it be for you to adjust this part if needed??
I've tried to show some shape to these parts in the right image below which might help. spikeyxxx there seems to be a fairly sharp turn as the steering console nears the window. And aartifact the top of the engine enclosure seems to curve down to the window, if you could move this part forward to line up with the sloped part of the chassis (left image) this should give enough room to add the curve.
@theluthier it maybe that you will need to narrow this part in the X direction, depending on spikeyxxx and aartifact 's thought's on this.
Thanks @adrian2301 . That angle is a nice catch, hadn't realised yet that that was curved like that ;)
For me it's no problem to adjust at all! I think aartifact should decide the exact shape, because he will probably have the most problems changing his geometry,and then @theluthier and I can adjust to that.