Link-Belt HC-218 Truck Crane

[redneckrigger]

Will be back here with more updates in about 3 months …….time for a cold weather road trip to somewhere warmer!  Carry on!

[David G.]

Excellent progress on this Tom.

Travel safe!

David G.

[Rockford]

Amazing stuff. It's really taking shape now. My dad drove mobile cranes most of his working life. 

[jmk0303]

I just read through all ten pages of this build thread. Tom, this is a mind-blowing build and the work you have done is beyond impressive. I remember Syracuse Rigging had one of these and remember that 8V roaring. To think someone would scale model one is just incredible. Looking forward to future updates! Regards, Joe Kelly

[redneckrigger]

Well, leaving for three month road trip to warmer climes, but it will give me some time to formulate plans and diagrams to complete this beast!  Thank you all for the great encouragement and support!

Edited January 7 by redneckrigger

[Edward Gore]

Impressive and inspiring scratch building work.

[redneckrigger]

Well, got back home on 1 April from our winter trip south and then west to Texas, weather was nice so even got my Corvette out for a ride.  The next day it snowed and almost every day since then at least enough to stifle Corvette fun.  So…….got some much missed and needed bench time. Worked on the upper crane works.  Made a jig with false sides to allow me to make the guards so they all lined up with the house sides when I put them on. It also lets me rotate the house to work on it without being attached to the carrier.  Makes it easier to work on house and carrier. Was able to get the house and all guards, covers, and upper doors figured out.  Also got the operators cab all roughed in.  Lots of detailing to do now.  After the last year of being so busy trying to sell my business, which fell through about 9 days from closing, we decided to get on with retirement and liquidate it in pieces instead of selling as a going business.  Couple that with TRYING to retire, and didn’t get much time at the bench.  But working on that now! Cleaned my bench off, for the second time in two weeks, holy cow it gets cluttered FAST!  Now more details for the upper works, then boom time! Oh boy!

Edited April 18 by redneckrigger

[David G.]

I'm glad to know that your holiday was pleasant and safe.

Thanks Tom for keeping us up to date on this fabulous project. I'm still watching and still very much amazed.

Nice work area too. Gotta love those old steel desks, I have one myself.

Here's a photo from a few years ago.

You could park a car on one of those suckers and still have room for a desk lamp.  

Cheers!

David G.

 

[redneckrigger]

That steel desk is a beast. And there is a second identical one back to back with it with the same shelving you see on it as well. Guy built it for a reloading center.  Got it got free just had to move it.  Works well!

[Biggu]

Your scratch building skills and attention to the details is jaw dropping. I’ve been quietly watching this build from the sidelines for a long time. Glad it is back in production. A really cool build.  What year is your Corvette? ( from one Corvette guy to another 😉)

Jeff

[BK9300]

Excited to see you’re able to get back at this wonderful project - tremendous amount of excellent scratch building going on!

[Mopar - D]

Tom , I’m  glad to see that you are back working on your crane. You have been busy great progress looking forward for your next update!

[redneckrigger]

7 hours ago, Biggu said:

Your scratch building skills and attention to the details is jaw dropping. I’ve been quietly watching this build from the sidelines for a long time. Glad it is back in production. A really cool build.  What year is your Corvette? ( from one Corvette guy to another 😉)

Jeff

It’s a 95 coupe with the 6 speed.  Just a driver but a heck of a lot of fun. Had a 91 Mustang GT for 30 years but when I got the Vette the Mustang went off to a new home. 

[ShakyCraftsman]

Hey Tom

 I just found this build and I went through all 10 pages. You Sir are a fantastic Imagineer! Your skills are up there with the best on here. 

 I do have a question how ever, how did you make the piano hinges on your doors? Did you buy them? Scratch build them? If you made them could you list what you used please.

Thanks Ron G 

 

[Straightliner59]

It's been a while since I check in, here. It's come quite a way, since then. Your work is excellent! This is going to be an impressive piece!

[Gary Chastain]

Good to see ya back at the bench

[redneckrigger]

On 4/18/2025 at 7:34 PM, ShakyCraftsman said:

Hey Tom

 I just found this build and I went through all 10 pages. You Sir are a fantastic Imagineer! Your skills are up there with the best on here. 

 I do have a question how ever, how did you make the piano hinges on your doors? Did you buy them? Scratch build them? If you made them could you list what you used please.

Thanks Ron G 

 

Thank you..................it is all consuming!

They are from Micro Mark, www.micromark.com. 

[ShakyCraftsman]

59 minutes ago, redneckrigger said:

Thank you..................it is all consuming!

They are from Micro Mark, www.micromark.com. 

Do you have a number?

[Force]

Wrong post

Edited April 20 by Force

[disabled modeler]

Very nice work..!   That is going to be very cool.

[Scott Eriksen]

10 hours ago, ShakyCraftsman said:

Do you have a number?

Ron,I checked on that myself ,,they only show one size on the website Micro-Mark Miniature Brass Piano Hinge, .360 in. x 15 in.  Model Car Garage has some too,,photo etch has to be assembled ,3 sizes ,I got those for a B model Mack butterfly hood Piano Hinges (Small)

[ShakyCraftsman]

Hey Scott 

 I have the MicroMark hinge, I used it on my 1/16 Peterbilt, but its to big for 1/25 scale. I also have the Model Garage PE hinge, just didn't want to screw around with PE. Thanks for answering my question.

Ron G 

[redneckrigger]

 

On 4/20/2025 at 7:44 AM, ShakyCraftsman said:

Hey Scott 

 I have the MicroMark hinge, I used it on my 1/16 Peterbilt, but its to big for 1/25 scale. I also have the Model Garage PE hinge, just didn't want to screw around with PE. Thanks for answering my question.

Ron G 

I use the Micro-Mark #15256, the #85816, the #15259, and the #15258, all dependent upon where it is being used and how big it has to be. They work wonderfully but are TINY! Be ready to chase the tiny parts all over your bench, or floor, or wherever you build. Fortunately, we rid our house of the dreaded carpet monster a few years back!

[redneckrigger]

Just did these hinges last evening. The two side access doors on the upper house are the #15259. They come assembled. The ones on the carrier cab and the upper house operators doors are #15256, and the long one on the upper winch cover is #85816.  The #15256 have to be assembled, which for an old guy with arthritic fingers can be a challenge.  Do it in a box so when the parts go flying they don’t disappear!

[David G.]

Impressive work on those hinges!

David G.