Re: Cat 777D Mining Truck
 

Get yourself a CAD program and sit there and design all the pieces you need to build on the Triple Seven!! This usually takes longer to do than actually building it.
What happened to your foot? My wife is having problems with her's from standing at work all day.

Re: Cat 777D Mining Truck
 

Joe-thanks, I understand. A few days are okay but then-WOW!! Boredom sets in but all we can do is wait. Steve-I wish I could afford a CAD program. I would like to know how to do that kind of work. All my problems are diabetes related. All my toes are curled under from nerve damage and I developed an ulcer on my 2nd. toe from it pressing so hard on my shoe when I walk. They put a steel pin in the toe and cut the ligaments so the bones can fuse together and keep the toe straight and in 3-4 weeks they will remove the pin. So I think I have quite a long road to recovery but I think I can work some before it completely heals up. I hope so!!

Re: Cat 777D Mining Truck
 

I think Google sketchup is free, and know a few people that have used it. It's not a high dollar program but it can get things further ahead than napkin sketches.

Good luck in your recovery, hope you get back to the model soon.

Re: Cat 777D Mining Truck
 

I downloaded Alibre for a free 30-day trial period and after that it switched over to a stripped-down version. I can't print out drawings now, but it's still fun to play with and when the day comes for me to cough up 100 bucks for the full version I'll have some cool stuff ready. Hope all goes well with the foot.

Re: Cat 777D Mining Truck
 

I finally got some work done on the Cat truck.I had the lower body almost finished but it was not level and was a warped and twisted mess and I could not correct it so I threw it in the trash and started over with thicker metal. I used .035" steel and some .050" brass and it is working well so far. Here is how I started. I made the rear of the front fenders and the rear of the lower cab first-
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/100_1285.jpg
Then I added the floor and cut the hole in the center.-
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/100_1287.jpg
This is the only space I have for radio gear-very small-
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/100_1293.jpg
Next I added the front pcs. of the front fenders-
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/100_1294.jpg

Re: Cat 777D Mining Truck
 

I figured you were about due for an update. Hows the health?
On the dump body, you may have to build a fixture to eliminate the warpage. Too bad you don't have a TIG welder.
I'm just about ready to start up too on my boom point.

Re: Cat 777D Mining Truck
 

Next I added the tires to check clearances-
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/100_1295.jpg
Another-
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/100_1296.jpg
I had to make this small press to stamp the grille-
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/100_1300.jpg
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/100_1301.jpg
I may change this later if I can find something better. I have never seen the radiator of these trucks so I don't know what they look like. I have a few pictures but not close enough to see details-
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/100_1298.jpg
Another-
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/100_1299.jpg
That's all for now.

Re: Cat 777D Mining Truck
 

I can get you as many pictures as you need....just tell me what detail you want to see :)

Re: Cat 777D Mining Truck
 

Nice fab work Tom, good to see you mobile again. :)

Have you seen modelkran's 777D model? May give you some ideas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CM0n0...re=uploademail

Re: Cat 777D Mining Truck
 

Steve-my foot has healed up okay but now I am faced with shoulder surgery to repair a rotator cuff. The doc says I cannot use my left arm for 3-4 wks so I'm not sure how that is going to work. I will put it off as long as possible. The silver solder I am using has to get really hot (1400deg. I think) to melt and warpage is a big problem. I plan to use brass on the dump box and I don't know if that will help the problem but I may have to build a fixture like you said I'm just not sure how to go about that. Papy-thanks a lot-I would like to see a close-up of the grille. I don't know what material to use for this. I am not going for exact scale. I don't have enough info for that. I just want it to look close but mostly I need it to operate really good as a dump truck. Lilgiantsjoe-thanks a bunch-that is a very nice model in the link. I don't think my skills are up to that. I just want a working truck.

Re: Cat 777D Mining Truck
 

looking great keep up the nice work

Re: Cat 777D Mining Truck
 

Starting to look like a truck! Looks great.

Re: Cat 777D Mining Truck
 

Nice progress! Its going to be a nice heavy truck.

Re: Cat 777D Mining Truck
 

What do you mean? :confused: You casted your own tires for goodness sakes, your skills are every bit as good as his. ;)

Re: Cat 777D Mining Truck
 

I'd say your pretty close
http://svsm.org/albums/Cat777D/IMGP2509.jpg
Found this guys pic album which has a lot of closeups in it, hope it helps you
http://svsm.org/gallery/Cat777D/IMGP2508

Re: Cat 777D Mining Truck
 

Tom,you should be able to get a finer mesh screen possibly stainless steel. I've been to Cleveland Wire Cloth Co. before and they make all sorts of mesh. Heck I was leaving one time and rummaged through their scrap bin out side and found some real nice pieces but larger opening.

Re: Cat 777D Mining Truck
 

Here ya go Tom... Grill screen..

Plano Model Co.

Use the Morton Pattern

http://www.planomodelproducts.com/203zoom.jpg

They have in in brass too.

-Mike

Re: Cat 777D Mining Truck
 

Thanks to everyone!! Pugs-that is a GREAT picture! All the pics on that site are good. Thanks for finding that. Steve-the mesh I used has .060" squares and I found some at smallparts that has .040" squares but I think I like the round holes much better. I made the grille removable so I could change this later. I am not pleased with the mesh look and I will probably do something different. Dreanweaver-that looks like just what I need. I like the round holes but I knew there was no way I could drill all those holes accurately. I will try to find out the thickness of the wire to see if I can form it and the size of the holes. This is a small truck (1/30 scale) so the size is important. Thanks for the link.

Re: Cat 777D Mining Truck
 

Mcmaster Carr has some really small hole stuff (like down to 0.006" hole dia) and everything in between.

Just search for perforated sheet and then click on round hole. Something like #9360T14 with .020" holes maybe.

Re: Cat 777D Mining Truck
 

Pugs-your right, Mcmaster-carr has a good selection. I counted the holes in the grille of the picture and with my figures It looks like I need .023" holes with .024" spacing but the closest they have is .020" holes with .040" spacing but I think that will work great. The brass has the thickness I believe I need but I would have to paint it silver. The s.steel would probably look the best although it is a bit pricey but I will decide on this later. I have a lot more work to do and I can change the grille at any time. Thanks for the help.