|
The box.
|
|
|
Tracks extended
out. |
|
Colour match of
the yellow on
the counterweight is not the best. |
|
Detailed cab. |
|
|
High detail. |
|
Kelly bar is
plastic. The auxiliary hoist does not come with a
hook, so one has been improvised.
|
|
Impressive
haulage load. |
|
Parts used as
transport loads. |
|
On site. |
|
Counterweight
removed and side platform folded up. |
|
The Bauer BG40 is a heavy duty piling
rig which can be configured in different ways. It is not listed as a current machine in the
Bauer catalogue.
This model is fitted with a kelly bar and drilling
bucket.
Packaging
The packaging consists of an outer sleeve
enclosing two trays.
There were no defects or missing parts on the
review model although a hook for the auxiliary winch
seems to be an omission.
There no assembly instructions included, which is a pity
because they are really needed for anyone who is not an
expert in piling machines as some assembly details are not
obvious. There is no information about the real
machine.
Detail
There
are good quality metal crawler tracks with
bolt head detailing but there are no working rollers on the track frames.
Step irons are included at each end of the frames, and
on the inside large hydraulic hoses run to the drive
sprocket motors
The cab is very good with excellent interior detailing,
and the grab rails and mirror are metal. Textured
stepping plates sit out side. The body has got
some very fine mesh grilles, and there are more on top,
together with a nice exhaust and air intake, and beacon
lights. There is a hole in the side of the
body for access by the key that operates the main winch.
The counterweight is a nice part but the paint finish
was not right on the review model. The yellow was
not a match for the rest of the model probably because
it was applied over blue in too thin a layer.
The main boom rams have plastic jackets with a very good
colour match, and they have nice hydraulic pipe
detailing.
The leader is metal in two parts, and plastic ladders
clip in to one side. Metal sheaves are used
although they were not all free-rolling on the review
model.
The detailing of the sledge and rotary table is very
good. The access platforms are metal with mesh
floors, and the shock absorbers look great with springs
used.
Hydraulics hoses run from the body to the rotary tool
although the fixing points are loose. Separate
black clips are also provided.
The kelly bar is plastic and was not completely straight
on the review model. The drilling bucket is a nice
part, modelled in plastic.
The auxiliary winch line is not provided with a hook so
cannot be posed rigged unless another part is sourced.
Features
The tracks roll
reasonably well and are mounted on retractable frames.
The rig rotates smoothly.
The model can be displayed in transport mode with a
split leader and the counterweight is removable.
The platform outside the cab can be folded up for
transport.
The rams controlling the leader are stiff but realistic
poses can be set.
The crowd winch is completely loose so it cannot tension
the crowd rope. In any event there is no obvious way to
connect the sledge to the crowd rope.
The auxiliary drum is also loose.
The main winch is operated by a key and it has
friction to act as a brake.
In practice the kelly bar is a tight fit in the rotary
platform so it cannot be raised and lowered by the winch
without the rotary table moving.
The drilling bucket has a hinged opening bottom.
Quality
This is a nice looking model but some aspects of the
quality are not to the highest standard.
The paint and graphics are
mostly very good.
Price
It is moderate
value.
Overall
The BG 40 model first appeared around 2007, and this
latest version keeps the high level of detailing but
aspects of the functionality are not so good. It is
interesting this version of the model has appeared given
it is no longer sold as a real machine.
Footnotes
This model first appeared in 2007 as a Continuous Flight
Auger.
|
|
|
|
|
Profile view. |
|
The tray. |
|
Very nice
etched grilles on the body. |
|
Crawler tracks
are good.
|
|
Very good
detail on top. |
|
Hydraulic hoses
add to the realistic appearance. |
|
|
Appearance is
the model's strong point. |
|