Link-Belt HC-218 Truck Crane

[BK9300]

Hope your recovery goes by quickly - always look forward to updates on your build.

[David G.]

Take your time and get better Tom, we'll be here when you get back to it.

Have a speedy recovery all the same.

David G.

[Gary Chastain]

Heal up quickly 

[redneckrigger]

On 7/3/2025 at 7:33 AM, David G. said:

Take your time and get better Tom, we'll be here when you get back to it.

Have a speedy recovery all the same.

David G.

Thank you sir. Actually, just got to the point where I can comfortably sit at my bench again today. Started cutting the first of hundreds of pieces of tubing and rod to make the scale 100 feet of boom. 1/8" tube for the main stringers, 3/64" rod for the side and top diagonals, and 1/16" tube for the end verticals, horizontals and internal diagonals. The whole thing will end up at 4 feet long. Got my work cut out for me!!! Made up a jig to cut them all uniformly as well as another jig to assemble it all together. Getting there!

[redneckrigger]

On 7/5/2025 at 1:02 PM, Gary Chastain said:

Heal up quickly 

Thank you. This was my ninth back surgery since a construction work accident in 1990. I had a spinal cord stimulator installed to send electrical signals into my spine for pain management. So far it has eased my chronic pain by about 85%. It feels kind of strange to have so little pain after 35 years!

Edited July 10 by redneckrigger

[redneckrigger]

On 6/29/2025 at 12:34 PM, BK9300 said:

Hope your recovery goes by quickly - always look forward to updates on your build.

Thanks!

[redneckrigger]

On 7/3/2025 at 7:33 AM, David G. said:

Take your time and get better Tom, we'll be here when you get back to it.

Have a speedy recovery all the same.

David G.

Thanks!!

[redneckrigger]

On 6/29/2025 at 10:54 AM, Biggu said:

Tom , take your time getting back on the horse as I’m sure you are more than well aware of after 9 ops, let’s hope this is the last of many. Take good care go slow and drop in to say hi now and again. 8 weeks will fly by.

Get well soon

Jeff

Thank you!

[ShakyCraftsman]

1 minute ago, redneckrigger said:

Thank you. This was my ninth back surgery since 1990. I had a spinal cord stimulator installed to send electrical signals into my spine for pain management. So far it has eased my chronic pain by about 85%. It feels kind of strange to have so little pain after 35 years!

Thank God you feel better. I've been dealing with chronic back pain for over ten years, so I definitely know what you have been living with. Hope you are going to be able to fully recover. We all want to see what your next project is going to be.

Ron G 

[redneckrigger]

9 minutes ago, ShakyCraftsman said:

Thank God you feel better. I've been dealing with chronic back pain for over ten years, so I definitely know what you have been living with. Hope you are going to be able to fully recover. We all want to see what your next project is going to be.

Ron G 

I injured my back by being stupid lifting heavy stuff 35 years ago. Have had all sorts of procedures including fusions. This stimulator has so far been incredible. As far as my next project, don't hold your breath! I have to live long enough to finish the crane I started 5 years ago! But it's getting closer every time I get to the bench!

Edited July 10 by redneckrigger

[redneckrigger]

Sat down tonight and started fabricating the first 20’ section of boom.  There will be two straight 20’s, two 10’s for the folding joint, a 20’ base and a 20’ tip. Each basic 20’ straight section will have 64 pieces of tube making it, not counting the mounting pieces and joining plate parts at each end. I also sat and figured out how to make the female joint piece for joining the booms. Males are next. These are the times I wish I was knowledgeable about 3D printing! Sometimes I think I enjoy the planning, problem solving and design of how to build these things more than the building!!!

[BK9300]

Lots of work ahead of you!  From my very limited experience with resin printed items, I think your styrene booms will be stronger than printed ones  would be.  Going to be impressive!

[redneckrigger]

First piece out of the jig, second one just drying.  So far so good!

[redneckrigger]

First 20’ section of boom is done, except for the pin connections etc.  came out pretty well I think, and the second is about 1/2 done. Once the jigs were set up, and a procedure for cutting and such was perfected, it went WAY better and quicker than I expected.  The first section is amazingly stiff.  The size is 60” on centers of main tubes in width and 48” on centers in the vertical direction.  Here is a scale 40’ of boom still needing the connection points, and the boom section on the left is drying before I add the diagonals on the top but it looks rather good!

 

edit: just added last photo to show the second twenty foot section all together as well  

 

Edited July 15 by redneckrigger

[Mopar - D]

Your boom sections look awesome! 

[gotnitro?]

Thats some beautiful work Tom! 

Glad to hear your backs feeling better 

[redneckrigger]

Sixty feet……two 20’ straight sections and two 10’ sections for the folding function.  

[Biggu]

Such precision and an absolute pleasure to watch this. I am so glad you are back at the bench. I’m looking forward to the next update…..

[David G.]

Welcome back Tom!

Those boom sections are just... wow!

David G.

[Randy D]

Very impressive scratch building going on here Tom!!!!

 

Randy

[redneckrigger]

Got a start on the boom foot. Have a lot more pieces to add to it but is starting to look the part. Hardest part is finding the proper reference photos that show all the details I need. I took about 150 pics of the actual crane I used to work with and have about 1500 photos found online, but finding just the right one that shows the details I want is sometimes a challenge. I’ve been working on this for over five years and I would estimate 1/3 or more of that time was spent drawing blueprints, taking photos, online researching, and planning how to do something. But as the steps are completed one at a time, the feeling of accomplishment is worth the tedium.  I wish I had gotten into 3D  but at my age, I’m happy with what I have! One step at a time…….!

 

[BK9300]

Very fine work, Tom.  I totally understand about not having 'just the right view' in spite of all the pics you have.  No matter how many pics are taken, something will be missing from the pics.

[redneckrigger]

1 hour ago, BK9300 said:

Very fine work, Tom.  I totally understand about not having 'just the right view' in spite of all the pics you have.  No matter how many pics are taken, something will be missing from the pics.

Thank you. I can see that you also spend a lot of time doing research as well to get the details right. I know I could reduce my build time by not being so precise, but my OCD won’t let me! I have found that obtaining operators, maintenance, parts and service manuals for all of my builds has helped immensely. Some of them are quite costly, but the return in info is worth it!

[BK9300]

1 hour ago, redneckrigger said:

Thank you. I can see that you also spend a lot of time doing research as well to get the details right. I know I could reduce my build time by not being so precise, but my OCD won’t let me! I have found that obtaining operators, maintenance, parts and service manuals for all of my builds has helped immensely. Some of them are quite costly, but the return in info is worth it!

I found a few manuals for some of the attachments on the plow truck, but I can't get a manual for the bridge inspection truck, because I apparently need to own one before the company will supply one!

[gotnitro?]

Your continued progress on the foot looks fantastic, very tedious work attaching all that lattice !