This model just keeps getting better and better. You have a ton of detail on this thing. I am still speachless.

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And the next pics.....

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tunneling forever

And the next....


[img]http://foto.arcor-online.net/palb/alben/99/5232899/3663633861306631.jpg"=>

regards

manfred

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tunneling forever

The reason the face is flat on the cutting head is that
the cutters are disc and they undercut the rock thus it
will shatter and drop into the collection pan for removal
with the integral conveyor which discharges into the rail
cars for muck removal. After you back away from the face
you will see circular concentric rings. These are the
remains of the disc undercutting. Thought I would share
that with you guys. Company I worked for tried one of
these units in hard underground copper. Failed because
the bornite ore was way too hard to undercut. They used
the machine to bore a haulage tunnel in waste ground and
it worked fine. Machine later was dismantled and used to
bore the buckshin mountain tunnel near Parker Arizona for
the central arizona project.

Manfred, it has been said many times but "WOW" covers it best, good job. What scale? I was thinking from the close-ups 1/50 th., but seeing the last few pictures with the books in the backround it looks to be more 1/87 th. knowing the length of the real machine. Also it looks from the outside real machine pictures that the project looks to be part of the Longest Tunnel Project through the Alps, am I correct? Beautiful part of the world.
I was lucky enought to be on a TBM in the hole during maintenance about twenty years ago here in Eastern Pennsylvania when the Turnpike Commission put in a second tunnel through Blue Mountain on the Northeast Extention of the Pa. Turnpike. This Lehigh Tunnel is north of Allentown at Lehighten, close to the town of Jim Thorp.
*****REMCO---- As for the Si-Fi question. The answer is simple. You asked why is the TBM flat faced in relation to the animated movie versions that have a cone shaped nose. The answer is STEARING. You can stear the real TBM but don't expect to turn on a dime, more like million dimes. A cone shape would not allow you to turn unless the hole cone nose 'snaked'. Such a ridged protrusion guides you in a straight line only. A good way to show this is with drill bits for wood. Take a regular wood auger bit with a screw on its point. Drill into a thick piece of wood. Once you get in an inch or two, try to apply some pressure to make the bit change direction as it goes deeper. NO CAN DO. The screw tip keeps the bit going in a straight line. NEXT- The second type of test bit (I am pretty sure you can get them at SEARS Craftsmen, but their name escapes me)it is very close looking to a FORSNER wood bit with a small modification that makes it look very similar to the overall shape of the cutter head of the TBM. This bit looks like a jar lid on a shaft (for lack of a better description) with a slightly rounded edge [the FORSNER edges are straight 90 degrees]. This slight beveling and a short outer wall allows this wood drill bit to turn or piviot as you drill into the board. If you would have this bit to test do the same as the auger, drill in about two inches then apply side presure to the bit. Now remember the cutter head is like a jarlid say 2 in. in diameter and the shaft to the drill is maybe 1/2 in. So as you apply force to change directions, your hole drilled is much larger than the shaft so you have room to piviot the shaft applying side pressure to the bit thus changing directions. The real TBM does it with hydraulics at the head. If you watch the tunneling shows on Modern Marvels (HISTORY Channel) or Mega-Machines on Discovery both shows have animations of how direction changes are made on real TBMs. I hope this finally answers your question. And by the way, it was not a dumb question, you were smart enought to notice the difference in shapes and question the outcome. That's called geometry, better known as engineering. Keep noticing things like that, keep asking questions you have a future as a good problem solver. You are the kind of person I would hire. Good luck in the future. Frank L.

Hello guys

Here the first pic of my tbm-model from the Gotthard-Basetunnel. The model is in scale 1:50 and still under construction. I hope that the model will be finished in summer 2007.

I hope the pics from this model will enjoy you.
Regards
Manfred

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tunneling forever

What is the speed of the boring head? and what kind of support or carrier for boring head unit? just curious to know.
thanks

derrick

Thats awesome looking!

And the next pics...

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tunneling forever

wow that is awsome work. very nice detail. I like the first picture. outstanding work.

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