Tower Crane

thingiverse

This toy Tower Crane is designed for 6mm thick plywood, potentially other material to be cut from 2 sheets of 600x300cm using a lasercut method. The drawings account for 0.1mm cut width to achieve precise cuts. When fully assembled, the crane stands approximately 840mm tall, excluding the solid wood base that provides stability and support. The horizontal arm, or 'Jib', extends around 540mm from the tower's vertical structure. The hoist block is designed to be fitted with either a hook or magnet for versatile operation. This toy Tower Crane offers three distinct degrees of movement: * Upward and downward motion, covering approximately 600mm in distance. * Radial movement, allowing the trolley to slide around 380mm along the Jib's horizontal axis. * Axial rotation, enabling the top part to rotate a full 360 degrees. The top section connects to the tower via a 25mm diameter aluminum tube that acts as a rotational axle. For actual hoisting action, metal shafts or threaded rods (4 and 6 mm) along with plastic gears are required for smooth operation. As this project is still in its prototyping phase, several measurements may not be exact due to the limitations of the prototype shown in the pictures. The prototype was lasercut from 4mm poplar ply since 6mm ply was unavailable at the time. This resulted in discrepancies such as non-flush box joints. The current designs serve as the basis for the first iteration and include various sizes of wheels to be tested during construction. Several parts had to be modified and changed to accommodate machinery and 'hoist cables'. These modifications allowed for valuable lessons to be learned, which will contribute to a more refined second iteration that promises a less 'hacky' construction. The prototype showcases the Jib with trolley, post-lasercutting hacks visible in several components. The Turntable features a 25mm aluminum tube, hoist cable wheel, and trolley crank for functional demonstration. The Complete prototype includes solid wood base construction and plastic hoist gear sockets. This toy Tower Crane was lasercut at the ZB45 Makerspace in Amsterdam using their Trotec Speedy 100 lasercutter: https://www.zb45.nl/.