Major Milestones on the Build | Snowcat Build PT33

[@CenterLineDesigns]

This was such an exciting milestone! I love how it sounds (minus the rattles). Shining gear to powertrain and tracks! Hope you enjoy. Thanks for watching!

[@Shaboynga]

I’m late to the party but now a follower. Excellent massive project to take on.

[@CenterLineDesigns]

Hey welcome! The Channel is only getting started. The Snowcat build is definitely the biggest thing I have undertaken but I guess planning and design has payed off because it has gone really really well. There is a lot to come! We have a whole playlist to check out! Thanks for subscribing!

[@biggseye]

I love it, Sounds great, will sound even better when everything is tightened down!

[@CenterLineDesigns]

Thank you! Yes it will sound even better! Cheers!

[@Rubbernecker]

Excellent work!!!! She's a beauty.

[@CenterLineDesigns]

Thank you!!

[@murraymccann1417]

Hurry Hard dude, ice is coming!

[@CenterLineDesigns]

lol I know right.. Winter is coming! I spent last weekend designing dies to bend the grousers and got my drive sprockets and segments completely modelled. Track building should be pretty cool but incredibly labour intensive! Can’t wait. Cheers

[@rcclark8818]

Congratulations. Next step the running gear and driving it.

[@CenterLineDesigns]

You bet sir! Spent the last weekend when the wife was working getting my dies and sprockets designed. So next things are hydraulics and track building. Next video may take a bit more time to come out.

[@ZenWithKen]

She sounds sweet! Thanks for sharing.

[@CenterLineDesigns]

No worries! Thank you for watching and commenting! Cheers! There is a whole playlist if you haven’t seen it.

[@alastairgillis5717]

Sounds great Cole! Taking your time is working out.

[@CenterLineDesigns]

Thank you! I really think so as well. Really haven’t had to go backwards on anything yet!!

[@captainding]

Good Job!

[@CenterLineDesigns]

Thank you!!

[@kevinhornbuckle]

I like the lines of the body. It has its own character. Everything is proportionate to the overall design. It really projects a theme of serviceable and functional.

[@CenterLineDesigns]

Thank you so much Kevin! That’s is something that I think largely goes unnoticed. The hours and hours spent just thinking and designing to try and avoid space issues and make it service friendly. Glad it doesn’t go unnoticed. I “try” to think of how everything interacts and often have to think many steps in advance. I can’t even say how much time was spent just staring at it trying to make sure my bases are covered. I have really tried to make it not seem homebuilt! Thank you again. I appreciate it!

[@kevinhornbuckle]

@@CenterLineDesigns I’m a believer in “staring at” something you are designing. People think you’re just looking. But you are using your cognition to imagine alternatives and predict challenges. When you get it operational, undoubtedly issues will come up which you’ll need to address. But they will be manageable because your design included serviceability. I’m eager to see the drivetrain come together.

[@CenterLineDesigns]

Exactly! You get it 100%. I try to design with a Plan A,B,and C. I told myself at the beginning that there will be issues at times. But that’s all apart of the process. I always try to identify what could be an issue then have a backup for that. That may be why I really haven’t had to go backwards much on this build. Actually have surprised myself. Most decisions are made based of how serviceable it is, then functionality and then cost.

[@davidricketts6985]

Nice job young man. You're a loveable dork with excellent skills and attitude.

[@CenterLineDesigns]

Hahaha I love this comment. That’s exactly how I think of myself. Try to think and do things well but also not be too serious because we are all just learning. Thank you so much!

[@DonaldLucus]

Looking great and sounds good

[@CenterLineDesigns]

Thank you!

[@Murphyslawfarm]

G'day congratulations getting it going mate. It sounds awesome too

[@CenterLineDesigns]

Thanks sir! I needed that win. Should sound even better without rattles. Next it’s on to powertrain! Cheers

[@daleolson3506]

Nice job well done

[@CenterLineDesigns]

Thanks Dale!!!

[@keithparady2594]

Wow damn man that’s a great build you’re on the up and up keep it up

[@CenterLineDesigns]

Thank you! It had been going really well. I suppose all the planning had been paying off. So much more to do. Just working on getting everything to start hydraulics, track building, and sprockets. Cheers

[@blackbuttecruizr]

Congratulations!!!

[@CenterLineDesigns]

Thanks!! It’s come so far!!

[@chrisriverol9878]

Badass! love this build!

[@CenterLineDesigns]

Thanks man! It’s really turning into something!

[@lloydmiller5275]

Loving it!

[@CenterLineDesigns]

Thank you! I am very pleased with how things have gone! Now back to the grind on the powertrain. Cheers!

[@evaneverywhere]

Everybody loves an excited Canadian.

[@CenterLineDesigns]

Hahaha lol. Can’t resist it lol. 🤣

[@KarlPersson-pb2zj]

The smile on your face says it all!!!! That is a sweet unit ...I am curious about what your plans are for the rear deck?

[@CenterLineDesigns]

That moment felt so good. I really needed that milestone to get more energy back! So the rear deck I am planing to mainly be flat. There will be a small section that followed the contour of the cowling then transitions to flat. Probably with a small 6” high rail around the three sides. It will hinge on the passenger side and have nice heavy duty latches on the drivers. There will also be angle secured to the frame that will hold a bulb seal to that the lid seals off well. I think it will look slick! Thanks for watching Karl

[@adambergendorff2702]

The finish line is in sight!

[@CenterLineDesigns]

Thank you. So close

[@ypop417]

To Quote Game of Thrones "winters coming"

[@CenterLineDesigns]

Yes! I said the exact same thing in a reply to another person! That’s the line that keeps going through my head 😂😂😂. More motivated than every after listening to that engine run

[@nordicweiss]

Awesome such a great job. Exciting! What pumps/motors?

[@CenterLineDesigns]

I sourced the pump and motors from a manufacturer in China to keep some costs down with it being a prototype. Can upgrade to better one later if they don’t work out. They are I believe 31cc manual displacement control piston pumps. The motors are larger hydraulic wheel motors meant to take a lot of lateral load. I cannot remember the specific displacement of them off the top of my head. I’ll look that info up and include it in the videos about the hydraulic system when we get there. Thanks for watching

[@nordicweiss]

Thx was wondering how you figured out pump sizing etc. You must have prior experience?

[@CenterLineDesigns]

That was about a year and a half ago I dug right into hydraulic design and I also have a friend who also ran the numbers to double check. It started by figuring out the drawbar force I wanted the vehicle to have. Ie the max pulling or pushing force. Variables you have to consider are vehicle weight and traction because you can have all the force in the world but if the vehicle is too light you can never get it to the ground. So I have to make some assumptions and estimate my weight and come up with a force number. That leads you to selecting motors that can developed the speed and torque you need. Then determine hydraulic design specs like pressure and flow rates to size your pump. At the end of the day I just had to decide what do I think will work and what can I afford. I spent months going back and forth on my sizing. Ended up selecting what I did because I errored on the side of excessive power to the ground. It’s more useful to me to have power and move a bit slower then go fast but struggle on hills or pushing snow. I know that wasn’t very specific but I started with some math to get an idea of what I needed then just had to make some guesses. There likely will be issues I need to address.

[@joeyheider9468]

Heck yeah, so for the steering, are you going to do levers or a steering wheel?

[@CenterLineDesigns]

That is a good question. I have it down to two small levers like some of the newer cats or a joystick that will run the two push pull cables. The steering is all just manual to the pumps. Went that route for simplicity. Time will tell what works the best! Cheers

[@funone8716]

So does the ole VW diesel peg that oil pres. gauge when cold?

[@CenterLineDesigns]

Not too much. About 65 pounds. I think that’s fairly typical.

[@funone8716]

@@CenterLineDesigns I drove VW diesels for 26 years, the 1.6 type. Always had mechanical OP gauges. When cold, if you rev them a bit the needle would easily go past 130 PSI.

[@CenterLineDesigns]

Oh hahaha. It really isn’t too cold out yet. But I am curious to see how it is at actual cold temps. Crazy pressure lol

[@funone8716]

@@CenterLineDesigns Yes sir, crazy oil pressure. The oil filters for them are made from extra thick metal.

[@CenterLineDesigns]

Haha wow. Well I guess we will see what this goes up to soon! I really want it to be useable this winter!

[@jamesfinch5134]

Sounds good. How long before tracks get put on and it’s usable

[@CenterLineDesigns]

So I spent last weekend designing the sprockets and dies to bend the track grousers. I am hoping to start track production in the next week or two. I hope to do a test drive in possibly two months or so. Trying to not rush and make mistakes. Building the tracks is a huge labour undertaking. But should be a cool process

[@raymondbrandt7831]

Hopefully you had hyd oil in the hyd pump or bad things could of happen

[@CenterLineDesigns]

Good catch. I didn’t have the coupler in. So the pump wasn’t spinning. Good eye!

[@raymondbrandt7831]

@@CenterLineDesigns OH good ,I did see that my mistake sorry

[@CenterLineDesigns]

No worries! You obviously are mechanically inclined to pick up on that. It’s nice to have folks catch things. Comments have definitely saved me from making mistakes and improving the design! Cheers