A few weeks ago, i was invited up to Wisconsin to check out the new mlc650 model before it heads back to the factory to start production. so i took the trip up over the weekend. I got to meet Milo finally and Charles, from Weiss Brothers, and meet up with ben again. It was pretty cool to see their new shop and meet them in person, very nice, funny guys!
They let me drool over the model a while and take as many photos as I wanted. So here you guys go, if you haven't already, id suggest ordering one now. This is one awesome model! Id say it rank right up there with the lr1600, if not better. now being the only mlc650 model/prototype sample, i didn't want to mess around with it too much and break something, but i did get a feel for the vpc. and it works very smoothly! It does have LOCKING DRUMS, metal walkways, ladders, handrails, pulleys, pendants. The string used seems very nice, a lot better than the old TWH thread. EVERYTHING BREAKS DOWN for loads/transport. It also has lifting lugs on the boom sections so they can be lifted, using the weiss bros lifting kits! And since everything can break down, it can be configured in just about any setup possible. Not all of the walkways around the house were on at the time, also 1 pendant wasn't on the luffer so the mast angle looks wrong in the photos, it also has cover plates that clip on over the drum key holes.
It is also a good amount of model your getting for the price, it stands at 84 inches (7ft) tall! anyways, ill let the photos explain themselves.

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Brandon

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Brandon, did they say that the project is on schedule and, that delivery is still promised for the spring of 2017? I would rather have one FIRM date than a bunch of missed promises.

Is the paint as good as TWH models?

You said that the rope is better than TWH. Is it braided or something else? I can still see a considerable amount of twist on the load block line.

Is the sheave spacing on the crane and the load block tight enough to prevent the rope from jumping off?

Could you tell us something about that GIANT ringer in the background? Thanks for the excellent photos !!!!! Tom

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Tom
It's pretty sad when the only modeling tool you own is a box cutter.

If the only tool you have is a hammer, you start to see every problem as a nail. Abraham Maslow

That looks awesome!

As for a date, they can't really say yet.
They said they tried a few different lines, and tested them by tying a pencil to the end, and holding up the string do the pencil was hanging, and if it twisted, it was rejected. They were looking for something in the musky master/nzg ballpark. It looked pretty good, I didn't mess around with it much but they showed me the locking drums, the drum on the a-frame/gantry/live mast is a split drum, it's like the 16000 drum with 2 lines coming off of it but as everyone knows with the equal tension problems it causes, they designed that drum as 2 separate small drums, and you can insert the key, tighten one and insert it further and it catches the other side and turns it the same time, so you can turn one or both, to tighten the slack. And they both lock.
The pulleys I think are close together so there's not much play in them.
The paint looks great, think it is the same twh paint.
The assembly shouldn't be anymore difficult than an 18000 or lr1600. It uses the nuts/bolts and metal pins to join everything. The vpc max tray is very quick to change out, and due to everything breaking down for loads, you can configure it in any configuration you want, you don't have to display it with the vpc-max or luffer. So you can make it fit anywhere.
The plan is to ship them pre reeved but if it causes problems constantly, they will just let the collector reeve it themselves.

As for the ringers in the back, they are 1/8th scale, I think one will be a static model while the other will be R/C. They have a few videos on YouTube of the build progress also.

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Brandon

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Why 2 seperate drums? Isn't the A-frame reeving line 1 line going through with both ends on one twin drum, like on the LR 1600?
If the A-frame reeving wasn't such a mess on this model, we could see better how it's designed

Check out the three different videos here.

Awesome pics! Wish I was on a VIP short-list to preview such fantastic models :(

Any indications/discussion about the MLC300? I would like to expect similar quality, but there is a particular concern about the winch drums, where the 300 refers to "friction" vice "locking" drums.

Though an awesome model, the 300 is more in-line with my personal taste.

Regards,

The sheave spacing is pretty tight.
The mlc300 was also there but not together or painted, was the metal samples though, I believe it will come out mid 2017, I did look at it and it looks just as good.
Milo Weiss worked at towsleys/twh, lead engineer I think that helped design and bring the models to reality. Since twh went under, he decided to start his own company with his brother and can use the factories that twh and wsi use. He also has the tools to print off custom decals of anything you want to put on your models.

Here is a video I took of me showing the model and the vpc working
mlc650 model video

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Brandon

my youtube channel
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They plan on producing an extension kit with the extra counterweights but no word on a date. They said the kit should make it reach a height of around 12ft or so

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Brandon

my youtube channel
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Thank you. I have them both reserved. I can't help myself,lattice boom cranes that is.