Warren D Posted December 6, 2020 Posted December 6, 2020 Great project. I had to move on of those many years ago, always in the way of my locker. Great progress, I admire your skills!
gotnitro? Posted December 8, 2020 Author Posted December 8, 2020 Thanks , the state brought the truck back from summer storage and getting it prepped for duty again . I took a few more detail photos I was lacking for the hitch frame . The shear size of that unit doesn't show in pics, but the top of the auger box is 5 ft !!! Back to work
Chariots of Fire Posted December 8, 2020 Posted December 8, 2020 Great Photo! What are those primer colored plates on each side? Reinforcement of some kind?
Warren D Posted December 8, 2020 Posted December 8, 2020 56 minutes ago, Chariots of Fire said: Great Photo! What are those primer colored plates on each side? Reinforcement of some kind? I think they are bank cutters for deep drifts.
gotnitro? Posted December 9, 2020 Author Posted December 9, 2020 Probably right as to their purpose, there's a hydraulic cylinder on top that moves them to and fro. Being more of a " push pull " arrangement
gatorincebu Posted December 10, 2020 Posted December 10, 2020 Outstanding project. I like what you are doing here ! Be Well Gator
gotnitro? Posted December 11, 2020 Author Posted December 11, 2020 Thanks Gator glad to see ya around hope you've been doing well ! Decided to start laying out the framework that mounts this to the truck chassis. Luck was on my side during last photo op, and showed a large spacer pack shifting frame over around impeller drum . Then it happened...mocking up the tubing that runs under truck showed an issue . The Mack frames bow out in front...where Oshkosh is straight framed . This will cause the frame to be much wider than planned , but only way . I'll shim the belly frame out so everything lines up properly when attached to blower . Theres a vertical strut mounted to bumper welded to hitch frame rail that'll tie it together..
Mopar - D Posted December 12, 2020 Posted December 12, 2020 Glad you were able to catch the frame difference before you were further along. You’re doing some awesome scratch building here.
gotnitro? Posted December 13, 2020 Author Posted December 13, 2020 On 12/11/2020 at 10:44 PM, Mopar - D said: Glad you were able to catch the frame difference before you were further along. You’re doing some awesome scratch building here. Thanks ! I've wanted to build this piece of snow removal equipment for a few yrs . Its challenging but also teaching me valuable skills I decided the simplest way to approach the frame was to follow Mack's design and make mine bow also ! They already engineered it , why not borrow the idea. So using solid .100 x .250 rectangular stock, I slowly bent a bow into it approx behind the bumper. Then bend again to line up w mounts, and repeat!! I'm more than pleased w shape. One area concerned me where I attached the vertical mount to the horizontal rail. The glue joint was strong but decided to fishplate the joint . Here's the progress Fishplates The final frame before adding cross braces ..one side is much shorter , they shift the rail over to avoid the impeller drum. now for the bracing and hydr cylinder goodies
gotnitro? Posted December 14, 2020 Author Posted December 14, 2020 More work was done on the hitch frame , started the mounts for the hydraulic cylinder, built up a cylinder to lift the snowblower, and mocked the hitch frame up before installing cross braces This little cylinder took 2 hrs of work ...can't believe how many parts it took And under the truck Now a spider web of wiz bangs doodle bugs and thing a ma jigs . Ive gotta plan a few steps ahead or get myself painted into corner Thanks for following
gotnitro? Posted December 17, 2020 Author Posted December 17, 2020 So far the squirrels have assembled quite a few parts ..but still a ways to finish up. Last night I started the impeller drive motor , after mocking up the mounting plate . Here's all the parts the furry buggers stashed around the bench..The discharge chutes still need clean up The blower lift assembly parts made from several different bits then sanded into shape Lastly the motor mounting plate ready to accept the drive motor once its fabricated. Heres the real one for an idea of whats ahead... I asked Santa for some help..even the squirrels laughed ..guess I'm going solo ! Jeff
Mopar - D Posted December 17, 2020 Posted December 17, 2020 Jeff your doing an awesome job with your scratch building you don’t need any squirrels or Santa Elf’s.
mikemodeler Posted December 17, 2020 Posted December 17, 2020 Better hurry up, looks like that could be put to use TODAY! Nice scratch building and the details look great.
gotnitro? Posted December 18, 2020 Author Posted December 18, 2020 4 hours ago, Mopar - D said: Jeff your doing an awesome job with your scratch building you don’t need any squirrels or Santa Elf’s. Lol thanks ! Didn't really want the squirrels help anyway I keep stepping on the shells Santa has his hands full w our daughters request anyway..she would like a dinosaur..and not that talking purple one 4 hours ago, mikemodeler said: Better hurry up, looks like that could be put to use TODAY! Nice scratch building and the details look great. Haha ! I'm actually surprised they didn't send it out to help . Road crews south of me were getting their plows buried after snowfall levels topped 40 inches ..unheard of in this area . 4 hours ago, DRIPTROIT 71 said: Awesome looking work going on here! Thanks ! I hopefully will have a few days off after holidays to work on it steady
Chariots of Fire Posted December 18, 2020 Posted December 18, 2020 Great work, Jeff. With all those doodads, squirrels and thing-a-ma-jigs going in there are there any widgets???
kilrathy10 Posted December 18, 2020 Posted December 18, 2020 Always amazed at the work you do... Very nice... Excellent detail...
redneckrigger Posted December 26, 2020 Posted December 26, 2020 Outstanding work Jeff. Love the auger....................same exact construction method I used on my paver................shapes and pieces. Absolutely beautiful, and very timely with the snow upon us!
gotnitro? Posted December 26, 2020 Author Posted December 26, 2020 On 12/17/2020 at 11:34 PM, Chariots of Fire said: Great work, Jeff. With all those doodads, squirrels and thing-a-ma-jigs going in there are there any widgets??? plenty of widgets..half the fun of building from photos is trying to figure out how parts get fabricated !! Theres a bunch of fun parts coming soon..just tackling the chutes now. On 12/18/2020 at 9:26 AM, afx said: Impressive work. Thanks ! On 12/19/2020 at 9:31 AM, Dutzie said: Nice progress! Thanks ! theres still a ton of parts to make yet ..but its how ya eat an elephant one bite at a time ! On 12/18/2020 at 9:41 AM, kilrathy10 said: Always amazed at the work you do... Very nice... Excellent detail... Thanks ! 19 hours ago, redneckrigger said: Outstanding work Jeff. Love the auger....................same exact construction method I used on my paver................shapes and pieces. Absolutely beautiful, and very timely with the snow upon us! funny how those kept me awake, then it clicked ..I think the major assemblies are close, now to add life t each making a small model from all of them. looking at certain parts now look boringly simplied, but once the bolts, widgets, and thing a ma jigs go on..it should pop
gotnitro? Posted December 27, 2020 Author Posted December 27, 2020 Big mock up day ! Assembled the chute tower mount and had to see how it looked together I almost had a panic attack when it dawned on me the impeller drum wasn't gonna fit..but it dropped right in..whew !!! now for the chute drive motor and bank cutter parts ..the end is closer !!!
gotnitro? Posted December 27, 2020 Author Posted December 27, 2020 Tossed a few braces and Meng bolts on for detailing. After looking at bare plastic for weeks this felt really good! One major part i wanted to knock out was the drive motor / cylinder that rotates the drum . A few pieces of rod, and square tube made up the assembly. The gear was found lurking in a spares bin Back to work tomo to pay for my snow tires... Thanks for following
Bainford Posted December 29, 2020 Posted December 29, 2020 Very cool project. Been following since it started. Really digging your scratchbuilding. It's coming along great.
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