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| Hydraulic rams lowered. |
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| Ready to raise the mast. |
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| Very detailed tracks and frames. |
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| The drilling platform. There is an opening debris guard to provide visibility from the cab. |
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| The rig setting up to drill. |
TWH 022 - Bucyrus 49HR Blast Hole Drill
Model Review May 2008
Features
The crawler tracks are free rolling and are mounted on spring loaded sprockets so it is easy to remove the tracks if required. The stabilisers work, but are not the usual screw variety found on other models. Instead they are mini pistons which can be extended and retracted and are stiff enough to hold a set position. These look much more realistic than screw jacks.
There are a number of opening doors on the model to the cab, the engine room and equipment cabinets. Within the radiator room is a large cooling fan and this actually turns. The roof of the model has three removable panels and when these are taken off the very detailed interior is revealed. At the rear of the walkway the stairs can be set in either a raised or lowered position.
On the back of the machine the main electric cable drum turns and there is a working cable guide which slides on a rail as the cable comes off the drum.
The mast can be set in the travelling position, and vertical for drilling. It is also possible to set it an angle to replicate the angle drilling function of the real machine although the drilling platform has not been modelled to allow the drill rod to pass through at an angle. The drill motor sits on a frame which travels up and down the racks on the mast and is moved by using two supplied keys. The mechanism is fairly stiff so there is no problem setting the drill motor at any desired height.
There is a small winch which is operated by a long key. The hook modelled is very small and unfortunately it therefore does not have enough weight to keep tension on the winch string so it does not hang realistically.
Two drill rods are provided, one short and one long, so it is possible to pose the model drilling with either.