redneckrigger

Totally, 100% fantastically AWESOME! Wow, the details, workmanship, and paint are just incredible!

Woods can describe some of the implements of a duffer, or it can be a category of organic fibrous material, or it can be the last name of a gentleman who is just a BIT more than an inept golfer.

Thanks Charlie, you NEVER cease to amaze!!!

Was great meeting you as well Bob. Link Belt did the engineering.....................I have only just reduced it into pieces of plastic! Cheers!

Superb skills, sir...........................WOW!!!

There are some very good skills on display there! You should keep up the work, as well as what Bill says.......................find a way to put them to good use. You, sir, have talent!

The DM600 has one error on the reissues that should be fixed. The left rear corner of the hood has a notch in it that does not appear on the real truck. The hood should have a plain 90 degree corner to it and no notch. The cab would need to have the corresponding bumpout removed and the hood have the notch filled in. This appears to have been done when they reissued the 600 kit so that they could use the same cab mold for the DM800 as well as the DM600. It is quite easy to fix. The attached photo is from an original MPC issued kit with the correct hood details.

Does this method work with enamels or does it have to be acrylics to allow the water to soften it to reach the hairspray? Thank you!

Wishing I had more bench time available, but making the best of what I have. Installed the drum/brake/clutch linkages and made up the radiator. The next step is the operator’s controls and the drum drive guards and finish the fuel tank details. The linkages go down into the floor and then forward under the floor to the operators station as can be seen in the brochure photo. Not making lots of progress, but having lots of fun, and at the end of the day, that’s all that counts!

This is the way I got it. Can’t remember who cast it either! But it works, and when it gets done and the house is put over it, much will be covered up. But the inner fool in me still has to do the details!!!

I think you’re onto something Charlie!!!

I have several options lined up, serving string for a bow, craft string that is tightly wound and looks like cable, fishing leader string, gonna be a while until that will be chosen.

Found some more time to put in at the bench……..made up the upper engine and master clutch chain drive housing and its support brackets. Also put in the jack shaft splitter drive to power both sides of each drum independently of each other, for raise and lower functions.

Thanks Jeff! It was great to hang out all day at the Spring Thaw Show. Had a wonderful time and saw some incredible builds! Loved seeing your awesome Mack snowblower build, because, yup, seeing it in person IS far better than any photo can show!

It was a superb show, seeing friends, incredible builds and just a fantastic time. Thank you to the Spring Thaw crew for making it happen!

Thank you!!!!

As a matter of fact, yes, and I already have a couple micro motors…….! But, I will take a hard pass on that! Got plenty on my plate as it is. All of these drums etc. have literally four or five dozen mechanical linkages that run them as well as hydraulics and electrical controls. That alone will keep me busy for a LONG time!

Spring and band brakes and torque arms made up and installed. Now on to the planetary drives.

That is a fantastic lowboy! Great details right down to the bolts holding the decking down. Wow!!!!!

I have some serving for archery strings which is black, the right size, no fuzz, pretty stiff, and looks pretty good. Gonna give that a try. Done for the night, just added the house rotation drive. Tomorrow gonna work on bracing, planetary drives, band brakes, and the Detroit 6/71 power plant. No shortage of things to do!

Got all eight of the clutch/brake mechanisms made up. Now on to the torque arms, band brakes and planetary gearboxes.

Beautiful work on this lowboy Dan, absolutely fantastic! Keep the updates coming!

Thank you Greg. I remember my Mr. Machine from when I was a kid. Built it, took it apart and used it to power an old Buddy L dump truck, that we promptly blew up just for the heck of it. I am absolutely humbled to be mentioned in the same sentence as Charlie, but he is several quantum levels WAY beyond me!

Made up the first clutch/brake mechanism and installed it. Kinda tricky figuring out which drum/gear/clutch/shaft all has to get glued to which in order to make sure the drums can turn independent of each other and make the whole thing at least look somewhat proper. One down seven more to go!

Thanks Dan. Unfortunately the updates are too few and too far between as I tend to get bogged down in the details. But, since I enjoy the details I guess it's just gonna take time! At this rate, I MIGHT wrap it up in another two years. And then, I can move on to the kits in my stash, as long as I don't embark on another scratch build odyssey! Even so, at age 67 right now, if I get going real hard right now, I MIGHT reach the end of my stash at about the age of 435! All kidding aside, I know that I could build even this crane all buttoned up, with zero working features, kind of like a curbside build, but it simply would not satisfy me, so, full blown detail job it is!