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| Bauer branded box.
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| As a transport
load. |
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| Site assembly. |
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| Cutter laid
down. |
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| Huge hose
reels. |
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|
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| Guide wheels at
the mast top. |
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Complex machine. |
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Counterweight parts are separate. |
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Heavy cutter frame. Guide plates are plastic. |
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The Bauer BCS 185 Cutter System is a trench cutting
rig which achieves depths of up to 90m. It comprises an
MT 185 base carrier with an HDS 90 hose drum system, and
typically a BC 35 trench cutter.
Packaging
The model comes in a high quality Bauer-branded box with the model
packed within
black foam rubber.
There were no defects or missing parts on
the review model.
There is no information about the real machine. A
comprehensive high quality instruction brochure describes the assembly.
Detail
The undercarriage has metal tracks mounted on
frames which have no working rollers. Metal steps are fixed
to the track frames.
The cab has metal grab rails and a plastic roof protection
screen. There is an unsilvered plastic mirror, and
a windscreen wiper. The walkway outside the cab is
metal with a textured surface.
A metal ladder is mounted on the side of the body, and the
graphics and paintwork are to a high standard. At the rear the
counterweight is in separate parts. On the roof there
are textured surfaces and the exhaust pipe is
metal. The handrails are metal.
Soft hydraulic hoses run from the front of the machine
to the huge hose reels. The reels are metal parts
which enhances the quality feel. The hydraulic ram jackets are
plastic and the colour match is slightly off compared to
the metal parts.
The
metal mast is modelled well with very good detailing.
Connecting bolts are Conrad's typical tough plastic
type At the boom head the guide wheels for the hoses are
metal parts and metal sheaves are used for the hoist
rope. The discharge and hydraulic hoses are of a
nice flexible material so they adopt realistic profiles.
The
cutter has the hydraulic equipment modelled.
It is mainly metal with plastic used for the guide
plates. Like other plastic parts the colour match
is slightly off compared to the painted metal parts.
The cutter heads are also plastic.
Features
The tracks roll well on a rough surface and they are
mounted on extendible track frames.
The model can be posed with an accurate transport width
and height.
The steps on the track frames can be removed, the cab
grab rail and access platform removed. The mirror can
fold in towards the cab.
The transport height can also be represented by folding
the handrails and removing the exhaust pipe.
All of the major elements split up into realistic
transport loads, including the counterweight, the reels,
and mast.
The machine rotates smoothly and without any rocking.
The mast can be
lowered to a near horizontal position to replicate site
assembly.
The winch operates using a supplied key, and it has a
positive brake which is needed as the cutter is heavy.
With care it is possible to simulate lowering the cutter
into a trench with the hose reels turning as long as the
connections to the cutter are secure.
The cutter heads can be rotated but on the review model
they snagged as they clashed with other plastic parts.
Quality
This is solid and heavy model with a high metal
content.
The paintwork and graphics are high quality.
Price
The model is fair value overall.
Overall
This is an excellent model of the BC 185 and it is
particularly flexible given that it strips down for
transport. It looks very impressive fully
assembled.
Footnotes
The model first appeared at Bauma 2025.
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| Inside the box. |
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| Underneath. |
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| Ready to work. |
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| Cab is
detailed. |
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| Profile view.
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Complex hydraulics. |
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Cutter lowered. |
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Cutters are plastic. |
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