Thread: Caterpillar Mining Truck

Excellent work Jim! Your timber choice of color and grain pattern is fantastic. Thanks for showing your jigs. Your photographs of the pieces contrast really well with the finish on your bench.

I can appreciate the time you put into making the wheels they are very similar to ones I made for a monster truck. If I recall I spent a whole day just cutting and shaping my wheels. Yours look fantastic. Did you glue a center disc between the two halves of the wheels?

Thanks for showing. Looking forward to seeing it assembled.

Bret

Originally Posted by j&j

Here is my latest project, a pattern by toy's & joy's.
I have left out all the boring stuff, this is at the assembly stage.
1st photo, 3 simple jig's to make the tyre's.With the mitre gauge this will cut the tread's at 70 deg on my triton mk3 with 1/8" blade showing. Next up against a disc sander, this will ensure the tyre is round & correct size & the last put's a 15 deg chamfer on the tyre.
Next is cabin with electrical box's etc, chassis & grill assembly , tyre's & wheel's.
Tipping body tilt assembly with hydraulic ram's & mounting bracket's.
Tipping body in make up mode.
Front bumper, access ladder, mudflap's & rear mudguard's
Will be continued as the glue dry's
Cheer's Jim

Hi Jim that’s coming all together real good... it will look great when it’s finished.
What would you think a ball park estimate on completion would be?
I am very slow and been making a road grader since January on and off I think I might be another month with a bit more perseverance but that’s ok it’s the journey not the destination.
Colbra

looking good jim you made a great job on the wheels looking forward to seeing it finished

Looking good so far. What would you all do without the aid of all the jigs that are needed to build great models

Thank's to everbody for their compliment's.Bret, the tyre's are three piece, two with a tread & a spacer in the middle. Colbra, I have been working on this model, on & off for about a month. It will be finished within a week or so as I have a date with an orthopedic surgeon on the 17th of this month for a shoulder tendon repair.
Regard's Jim

Originally Posted by j&j

Thank's to everbody for their compliment's.Bret, the tyre's are three piece, two with a tread & a spacer in the middle. Colbra, I have been working on this model, on & off for about a month. It will be finished within a week or so as I have a date with an orthopedic surgeon on the 17th of this month for a shoulder tendon repair.
Regard's Jim

Jim, Besides you beaut work on the cat, I notice you have shoulder tendon trouble, what is your surgeon going to do as I have to decide by the 6th whether to to have my torn tenon operated on. regards John.

Originally Posted by j&j

. Colbra, I have been working on this model, on & off for about a month. It will be finished within a week or so as I have a date with an orthopedic surgeon on the 17th of this month for a shoulder tendon repair.
Regard's Jim

Thanks Jim I will pull my finger out!..... your mining truck will look great when it's finished I hope my effort turns out half as good as yours.
Good luck with the Operation hope your not off the tools for very long.
Col

Nine Finger's, aka John, I would suggest you dial up google & search "rotator cuff repair " It will tell you all you need to know about our shoulder problem. If your sympton's are nigling pain in upper arm & shoulder most of the time. Sharp pain occasionaly when reaching or the like & pain wakeing you in the early hour's of the morning then I would suggest the operation. It is a straight foreward operation, I had the left done a few year's ago & it is as now good as new. The main problem is 6 week's in a sling to prevent the failure of the operation. The sling has to be on 24hrs a day, including sleeping, showering, shaving & the rest. The way I look at it, six week's is not a long time out of the rest of your life. I am not looking foreward to the operation but I need it fixed.
I hope this help's with your decision. If you need any more advice on this pm me with a phone number & I will be only to glad to talk to you.
Regard's Jim.

This is today's effort, not much because of waiting glue to dry in 15 deg temperature's.Tipping body & truck control glued up. Lifting arm for the tipping body & ram bracket's glued. Grill, bumper & mudguard's glued up. Tyre's & rim's sprayed with Estapol Satin & are ready to go. Front bumper re-aligned after major hick-up.
More tomorrow as I am on a time limit.
Cheer's Jim.

That’s coming together nicely Jim!
When you get your plans from T&G do you keep the originals as a master copy and the copied ones get them laminated. I have done this with mine even though my effort is only a token of yours.
I have just been looking at your albums you are a very accomplished artist in the working of fine woodwork spectacular effort.
You said in your profile you were a retired truck parts salesman…. did you ever have any training in wood work or is all natural ability even if you did have some trade back ground in wood working or machining you have a real natural ability with what you do. I will follow your mining truck with interest and I am enjoy your W I P
Colbra

G'Day Jim,
You were sure hiding this one from everyone.
You look like you're way down the track with the truck, well done.
Keep the photos & notes coming, thank you.
Cheers, crowie

Love Caterpillar stuff!! Watching with interest!!

Col, a quick update on today's effort. I sprayed inside & outside of the tipping body, mounted the lower ram bracket's for the tipping body . I then spent considerable time trying to make a support rail around the driver's cabin with 1/8" dowel. It just did not work out, I have decided to go to plan B. I have yet to decide what plan B will be.
In regard's to your suggestion on laminating, I had not thought of that but will keep it in mind for these plans. As far as your grader is concerned it is looking good, don't put your own work down. It look's good as far as I can see. My backgound has been the motor trade most of my life, but I have alway's worked with timber of some kind.
Cedar slab coffee table's, then many different style's of mirror's. I done intarsia for a few years until kelrob {bob from the uk} introduced me to the Toy's & Joy's website & I have been hooked ever since. I really think all you have to do is start with a simple pattern & work up to the more difficult pattern's
Col, I appreciate your kind thought's. Most people who know me reckon I am just a fussy ol' bastard.
Regard's Jim

Fuzzy, Yes Jim by the quality of your handiwork.....as to the other, a gentlemen to the core.
All the best for the upcoming operation on the shoulder.
Ask the local community health people to send a Occupational Therapist to your place to do an assessment with the view of aids to faciliate the ongoing time in the shed.
My wife is a community O.T. and comes home sometimes with some beaut resolutions to issues to clients needs.
Meantime, keep up the good work & again thank you for the photos.
Cheers, crowie