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Bauer BG 40 Drilling Rig with Kelly Equipment

Maker: BYMO
Model No:  25009/3
Scale:  1:50
Review Date:  January 2018


BYMO Index
Foundation Equipment Index


Cranes Etc Model Rating
Packaging   (max 10) 6
Detail   (max 30) 26
Features   (max 20) 15
Quality   (max 25) 16
Price   (max 15) 10
Overall   (max 100) 73%

Footnotes


Bauer BG 40 Drilling Rig with Kelly Equipment Video  [Youku Video]
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.