Cat 777D Mining Truck

[Espeefan]

I know it's just a tire, but wow, that is really cool. Something like this is so easy to look at and say, what's the big deal, but the average street going person just does not realize the machining and effort that goes into creating something like a tire. There is nothing better then the feeling of creating something from nothing, even if it is a tire. Great job. It looks perfect. I can't wait to see what's next. I can truly appreciate the work it takes to creat something from scratch. I'm not a master at maching parts, but I've made some things for my own truck that turned out well, and they were much simpler then this.

[SonoranWraith]

Originally Posted by Iron Art

Modelman, Those tires are looking good, I use a vacuum pump from Harbor Frieght and a garage sale pressure cooker as a vacuum chamber for moisture removal from Powder Coating powder, my thought is that would remove the air bubbles from the rubber. So far I haven't seen any problem with this lash-up. Fred

I have watched a few of vids on you tube and they all use vacuum for best results. Cheap way is to pour from a high height, 3 or 4 feet, that elongates the material and removes someof the bubbles. You have to have no air movement for this. I will try to track down vid I saw on this.

Awesome results for first attempt!!

[D8R]

Very well described! Congrate to the finished product.
Maybee there should be a seperate forum called "how stuffs made"
You should be first. Is it possible to cast different material in pattern? Do you use flexibel rubber or is tire hard on surface?
Dan

[9W Monighan]

How much shrinkage was there?

[modelman]

Thanks everyone-here you go steve-

I lost almost 1/16" in dia. nothing in width-

Iron Art-I have a vaccum pump that was used when building boats but that was in open molds. I have no experience with closed mold vaccuming,not sure it will work but I may give it a try. Since the molds are flexible the pressure may distort the molds and of course the tire. I do have a bleeder valve and gauge on the pump so I might be able to just have a slight vaccum and not force the liquid out or distort the molds. I may pull a vaccum on the molds just to see how they react. Pugs-the rubber I am using does not have to be degassed. Espeefan-I agree with you. At first I didn't want to mess with this but since this is a scratch build there is a certain satisfaction in making my own tires for the truck.

[modelman]

Sonoranwraith-I may try the vaccum but if it doesn't work the air bubbles I have are not enough to be concerned about if the other tires turn out this good.D8R-there is many different hardness materials to use and also rigid products. Here is a link to the company I used and you can see for yourself-
http://www.smooth-on.com/index.html
I used the vyta-flex-30 urethane rubber for my tires and they are flexible. You can see the flex here. The wheel of course will stiffen it but I think it is about right-

[dirtpusher9]

Tom, that came out looking Great. If you don't watch it we'll all be asking you to build tires for us and you won't have any time for your build. Very nice work.

[td9clyde]

yea very very nice work i like those tires , just a lil bigger would be great lol

[kerst]

really nice!
In the past I have considered to make my own tires, but it became clear to me early on that it is quite involved. Finding the right tires is difficult, sometimes impossible and it is good to know how it can be done!

Thanks,

kerst

[modelman]

Thanks a lot joe & clyde & kerst- Joe-as slow as I am I doubt if anyone would wait for me to build anything. Clyde-If they were twice as big in dia. and twice as wide you might be calling me huh! Kerst-as the old saying goes "it aint rocket science". Anybody can do this. It just takes time & patience and take care of all the little details. Also 9W-on the dia., I did not measure the tire after I took it off the lathe. It started out 3-1/2" but I sanded it some so I might have lost some there. It may not have as much shrinkage as I thought.

[jffhrvstr]

nice work on the tire!

[modelman]

jffhrvstr-thanks-I am pleased with it.

[BigZracingRC]

wow thats impressive! im going to try this!

thanks

zach

[Rogue]

That sir is quite impressive. And not just the final product, but the entire process. You have my respect.

[Finster]

Awesome job on that tire! Thanks for the mini picture tutorial on how you did it. Seeing your results makes me want to try it myself. Are the supplies very expensive?

[modelman]

Thanks Guys-BigZracingRC-you should try this. It's not that hard. The rubber comes with very good instructions. Just follow them exactly and you should get good results. Rogue-thanks a lot-I don't mind sharing what I do. Finster-thanks-the prices are not too bad. Look at the above post #47 and the link to "smooth on" and you can see prices and all kinds of good info.

[tracksntreadslou]

Good work Tom Ireally like the way they turned out ..did you have to add dye as well?
Its really great that you shared all that with us ...Thanks

[modelman]

TnTLou-thanks a bunch-yes I had to add the black color to the rubber. It only takes 4-tiny drops per tire.I have all the tires made so I am going forward with the build.-

I think it is going to be a challenge to get all the components in the truck but I am giving it a try. While I am waiting for more material for the wheels and chassis I have started the front wheels. I am making the wheels in two pieces. They will be bolted together and clamp on the bead of the tire to prevent slippage-

Here they are together-

That's all for now.

[9W Monighan]

Keep it coming Tom

[td9clyde]

looks great!!! keep up the awsome work