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SAVTec S.P.H.I.N.C.T.E.R Loading Shovel

Because everyone needs a good drill sometimes, even you!

• 100% mod-free
  
• No scripts, though I actually do recommend you use a script with this one for better control of the piston! I know - shocking isn't it! I must be unwell!
  
• Build uses 1 Piston and 3 Rotors - all very stable & well tested.
  
• Nice neat control panel - everything named & grouped
  
• Ideal first drilling vehicle
  
• Remains useful for the whole game
  
• Suitable for use only on planets with atmosphere
  
• Blueprint comes as a kit including the completed vehicle and copies of each of the subgrids (see screenshot).
  
• Perfect for new players. Just as useful for seasoned veterans

I'm going to get straight into it today... the description that is.
The S.P.H.I.N.C.T.E.R, as you would expect is a Self Propelled Hydraulic Industrial Nibbler / Crane / Telehandler with Elevating Reach.

S.P.H.I.N.C.T.E.R's can easily be adapted to do many things - they can be forklifts for example or cranes; and they could quite easily be given a telescopic boom for handling lighter objects at distance.
In this particular case however, your S.P.H.I.N.C.T.E.R has assumed the shape of a loading shovel, which in SE translates to a drill.

Your S.P.H.I.N.C.T.E.R is very simple - a 4x4 battery-powered chassis with 4 wheel steering, a cargo container and a couple of drills on an elevating arm. There's really not much more to it than that. Basic, functional, useful and a whole lot of fun!
Specifically, S.P.H.I.N.C.T.E.R's have...

• 1x Large Battery
  
• Antenna & Remote Control
  
• 1x Medium Cargo Container
  
• 2x Drill
  
• 1x Connector
  
• 3 Cameras - Forward, Reverse and left-hand "Wing mirror"
  
• Air intake direct to cockpit (This model is only for use on atmospheric planets)
  
• Some nice pretty lights

Before you start playing with your S.P.H.I.N.C.T.E.R you'll need to prepare it. The first thing you should do is to unlock the rotors with hotkey #9.
It's advisable to lock the rotors any time you carry your S.P.H.I.N.C.T.E.R on board a spacecraft or other vehicle.

S.P.H.I.N.C.T.E.R's are otherwise quite simple things and don't have all that many controls. Nearly all the functions of the vehicle can be found hotkeyed on hotbar #1

That's right! Your S.P.H.I.N.C.T.E.R uses a hydraulic ram (piston) for raising & lowering the boom. This is because the Advanced Rotor alone is not powerful enough to raise the boom while the drills are full of ore.
As a fortuitous side effect, it also makes the vehicle much smoother & easier to operate.
By default the piston is set to a maximum extension of only 1.0 metres. It can however extend to the full 2.0 metres if you wish, without anything getting damaged or broken.
I left it set to 1.0 metre simply because I feel that 1.0 metre is high enough for most of the work you'll want to do.

Operating the boom is done with hotkey #6. If you so choose, you could set up additional hotkeys for adjusting the max & min extension lengths of the piston, so it can be raised & lowered in smaller increments.
You could also use a script to control the piston with the direction keys or mouse if you prefered.
No script is included however. If you want to use one then it's up to you to source & add it yourself.

As you can see in the screenshots, your S.P.H.I.N.C.T.E.R can indeed go inside its own hole. This makes it handy for digging / widening tunnels; and coupled with the S.P.H.I.N.C.T.E.R's tight turning circle, makes the machine exceptionally useful in larger mines.

Note, some wiggling may be required to get your S.P.H.I.N.C.T.E.R into its own hole.
SAVTec recommends drilling in back & forward motions, as well as side to side. This will help to not only level the ground nice & smooth but to clear any invisible "lumps" that wheels are sometimes prone to getting stuck on.

To help you create your own S.P.H.I.N.C.T.E.R in survival mode, the blueprint now comes as a kit.
The kit includes the completed vehicle, as well as copies of each of the sub-grids, so you can take your own separate blueprints of them and use them with a projector in survival mode.

To use the vehicle or take blueprints of the separate parts, just delete the red blocks.

To assemble the parts into a completed vehicle in your survival game, you may want to use another vehicle to carry them & hold them in place.
Try this...
SAVTec P.I.L.E.S Light Forklift
P.I.L.E.S are easy & cheap to build and will help you complete all sorts of construction projects. Everyone needs P.I.L.E.S!

• When the boom is down the drills will just scrape the very top of the voxel.
  
• Avoid potholes while the drills are at lowest depression to prevent digging in
  
• If the drills dig in too deep, the truck can quickly go vertical and bore straight down to the COE (amusing to watch but an easy way to loose machines to the underworld if you're not careful!)
  
• Multiple passes over an area in different directions will make it perfectly flat & smooth
  
• Raise the boom & bring it down on top of outcroppings to tear away huge chunks of voxel.
  
• Raise the boom when using the drills in "weapon mode" or it'll try to dig down
  
• Move around & turn a lot to avoid creating divots
  
• Turn side to side slightly when drilling tunnels to avoid getting stuck on invisible lumps
  
• Slow & steady makes a neater job of the terrain

Why thankyou for noticing! Try not to destroy it ok?!

Comments / questions / suggestions / constructive criticism all very welcome.
I've even been known to do the odd request-build from time to time, so if you have an idea, drop me a line. If I like it I may build it.

If you like this build & want to see more, please check out my workshop pages
https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/profiles/76561198064838288/myworkshopfiles/

For the ever-expanding SAVTec Industries collection click here...
https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1451430759&savesuccess=1