redneckrigger

I am not sure if it will be done by then, but I'm sure going to try! Haven't been to that show yet as it is smack dab in the middle of deer season, but this year I'm not taking a trip to the midwest to hunt, so maybe???!!!

Installed the boom lift cylinder. Works well!

Made up the main boom lift cylinder today. I make my cylinders by using several different sizes of tube that telescope together along with an aluminum tube for the piston rod. I take the outer tube, make a shallow sleeve as the rod end cap, make a base end cap from several shallow slices of tube and rod slid into each other. The rod has a piston glued on its end and is slid into the body tube before gluing the base in. Then I slid two larger tubes over the whole thing to make the main cylinder body larger. This works pretty well and works for multiple stage telescoping cylinders as well.

Last minute mockup before hitting the hay.

That is from Jamie. Very nice too! Got the boom base roughed in tonite. Time for the sack now! I do too many one step forward and three back exercises if I work too late!

Realized I made the extension boom too big...... it is supposed to be shallower to allow room for the extension cylinder which mounts beneath it. So, cut it down to fit. That's what I get when I build after midnight trying to find time to build. Tried something new to cut long straight pieces of styrene......a paper guillotine. Works great. This is a light duty one that I figured I'd try but will definitely be getting a heavier duty one. Got the hydraulic pump mounted on the front of the engine too. Also put together some proper wheels for it.

Now have to do the boom pivot base, counterweight, manuallly extended boom sections, and outriggers. Then the much more fun part begins, all of the little bits that give it life!

Got the Detroit 4-71 engine from Moluminum put together with the torque converter and transfer case. Made up the main boom section along with the first hydraulically extended boom One piece at a time! Only glued my fingers together about ten times. Not too bad!

They are from the Ertl John Deere 310 backhoe Thanks.....getting there!

Got a couple of hours today to cut some styrene....................made the front and rear outrigger structures, did some body work on the turntable, got the left side tank/toolbox made and installed, and made the front and rear axle mounts. The rear is a rubber block type, while the front is a solid mount. Attached the two drive axles, and did a quick mock-up with the tires and wheels as shown. Still have to make drive hubs for the wheels, but it is starting to get "the look". I will be attacking the boom assembly next, and then all of the hydraulic cylinders for the boom, steering and outriggers. Thanks for stopping by!

Very nicely done!

Looking great!!!

Wonderful work!

Absolutely amazing work! It looks more real than many photos of real trucks! About 3o years ago, I had a resin cab of this from Rick Manz of Arizona............................crude, misaligned lower ribbed section, and VERY rough and made of a very brittle resin. Never built it, and sold it off to get something better. This build is a quantum leap ahead of all of those!

I've always had good luck freehanding it by running it under hot water and getting it straight by eyeball, and then going JUST a bit farther and immediately cooling it under cold water. That accounts for springback and memory of the bend. My sink has the one handle control, so I can quickly swap from hot to cold just by hitting it with my wrist as I hold the frame straight. I have always depended far more on the Mark 1 Mod 0 Eyeball for getting things square and straight, but that is me, your mileage may vary! Good luck!

Yeah, that driveway runs straight uphill at about a 12-14% grade right off the state highway. I don't even try to drive up in my truck in July without putting it in 4WD. The weight distribution just isn't right on it and it chews the **** out of the gravel. Amazingly, my Mustang GT goes up and down fine! And when it rains, I have to take my loader down to scrape up everything that washed out into the road and drag it back up the hill. The spot I live is well worth it, but it's a good thing I have a tractor/loader that is big enough to handle the continuous maintenance!

The wet weather is a curse................spending time dragging my driveway back up the 500' hill every time we get a gully washer. But, am getting in a bit of time. That crane spent a good portion of it's life sitting right in the yard now occupied by John's Excavation in Lanesboro..............we used it there to work on all of the equipment we rebuilt every winter. The one we had was gas powered, but still was a great little machine. Sadly, now it is just a bunch of razor blades! Stay tuned!

I used to work with an Al Scalise.............crane operator supreme. I am TRYING to get some bench time this summer, but it ain't easy. But, got this far, and will keep on trying. The above photo is what I am building but it is shown without the optional operator's cab that I will be including on it. It will have kit tires, kitbashed wheels and hubs, resin engine, axles and transfer case, and everything else will be Evergreen and Plastruct styrene.

Just roughed in the turntable and boxed in the frame. Added the rotation gearbox and the fuel tank.

You did well to keep from blasting him. As an old fart who has little if NO patience with those who know everything, I'd most likely have reacted a bit differently. Good on you sir!

WOW! That looks fantastic! Actually looks like a well used old GMC in her last role of work............................and looks EXACTLY like it would be expected, a little worn out around the edges, but still capable of a day's work. LOVE IT!

Thanks...........................actually just another hair brained idea like the roller I built. But, hopefully it comes out well! Stay tuned!

Fantastic photos! Thanks for sharing!

Started this Galion 12 1/2 ton crane tonight. Have been gathering information, details, specs and parts for it, and started cutting styrene tonight. I obtained a user's manual for it as well as a parts manual. I used to operate one of these where I used to work. Sadly, it met the scrapper's torch about a year ago. But, my memory still works at least a little bit, and lots of info online about these old workhorses will get this project done. I laid out the frame side plates and cut them out in a mirror image of each other, and then glued flanges all the way around. The boom base was then glued on top and the end cap cross members. I have two different types of tires to use, a set from the John Deere 310 backhoe, and a set of resin ones from Mark Savage. I think the Deere ones will get the nod, as they are more accurate in size, but time will tell, as the others may just look better. I am using a pair of powered axles from Moluminum. I have not made up my mind yet whether I will fabricate the boom or get Plastruct tubing for it..................again, time will tell. It will be powered by a Detroit 4 cylinder diesel.Just gotta keep myself going on this, as summer takes its toll on available building time!

I've used it for a lot of small trim pieces and details, and it worked fine. I then used it for a couple of bumpers and grilles and airbrushed it on. I let it dry for about a week, and today, almost two years later, it looks as good as the day it was applied. I also find that it has a much more scale appearance than overly bright mirror finish chrome. It looks perfect to my eye, and seems to hold up fine. Since I don't build show cars or trucks, I like the appearance with a very bright finish that looks real,