Cat 777D Mining Truck

[td9clyde]

i usually mix things like that 4:1 :1 if it is three parts thinner and and hardner and the paint they sell mixing cups at the paint store those really help if you haven't done much mixin and i usuall add a lil more hardner and thin the last coat it will make it shine or if you let your truck set for a couple 2 or 3 weeks it will dry and be good paint

[9W Monighan]

If they gave him baking enamel,it will never dry unless it's baked at 325degF for a short time. I really doubt that would happen but you never know. We use baking enamel for steel beams and the over spray in the paint booth never dries.

[modelman]

Thanks fellas-but if it's not dry in a week it will never dry. I already have the sticky mess stripped off and have started over. All the bondo and primer have to be removed because it softened also. At the paint store I specified non-catalized Acrylic enamel. After all,I'm not painting a show car-it's a dump truck!! They mixed the color and said it would work just fine. After I painted it and it didn't dry I went back and they checked it out and realized it was the catalized type of paint. Did they care that I had-2-years work in this model-of course not. They offered to help out by selling me the catalyst. Oh well just another set back. Isn't model building fun!!

[ihbuilder]

Tom , I would've riped them a new 1 my paint always makes sure I have all I need when I order . sometimes a set back on my part I can deal with but when it's someone else and it cost me extra unnessary time , all heck breaks loose . All well can't wait to see it hualing dirt

IHSteve

[dirtpusher9]

That's a bummer Tom. I had this happen one time, because I painted in too high of humidity 98%. Hope everything goes well the next time.

[RCLogger]

Very Nice Tom

Hope you get the paint worked out and post some more pics

greg

[9W Monighan]

Any good news on the paint job Tom?

[modelman]

Yes steve-I have it painted and this time it turned out okayI am working on some small details and getting ready to put it back together. I will try to get some pictures up soon.

[modelman]

Well,I hate painting and I didn't want to paint this truck the first time and I really didn't want to paint it the 2nd time but I did and it came out pretty good. Not perfect but nothing I do is perfect anymore. Here is a few pictures-

I had the 777D decals made and put on and I ask "Cat" for their approval and they said no so I had to cover them up.That really stinks because they added a lot to the look of the truck.



I had to put the radio switch and the dump box relay in the cab-

I still have to get the radio and batteries but everything is wired so radio install will be quick and easy. Going by the space I have I only can use a 1300mah lipo pack and not sure about the run time with that. So ???

[FabOne]

Modelman-

I think you did a SUPER job on the paint. We always want to beat our selves up, but honestly, I think it looks GREAT.

-Terry

[pumptech]

Very awesome job on the mining truck ,looks perfect to me.Like the color choice,stickers as well.Lots of time and patience went into it.
Again, Awesome job Modelman

[Espeefan]

I think it looks good too! Just curious why you had to ask Caterpillar for their approval on the decals? I thought you only need approval or licensing for mass production models, for profit. Why can't the hobbiest build an exact replica and decal it, when it's a one off item? That really stinks, to say the least, that Cat doesn't approve. I am sure there are Caterpillar decals and stickers around that haven't been approved. Heck, I wouldn't have even asked. I don't think I'd let that stop you.

[JensR]

I'm pretty sure you could use the stickers - you may not sell it as a CAT model, but for personal use, I would be surprised if Caterpillar had any power over that?!
Still, they should be proud to fly their flag from this fine model, the paint came out really well.
(I might be tempted to black-out the radiator grill? And maybe paint the wheel motors CAT yellow or black?)

[sparkycuda]

Wow! It turned out just great. CAT hands out thousands of decals every year at career days and job fairs for kids to put on hard hats or any where the want, so I don't see a problem at all with adding them to your personal truck. They want people to put their logo on things to promote their products.

A first-class job on the build!

Ken

[9W Monighan]

Very nice Tom, Just print the decals the way they should. Like Nathen said; you only built this for your personal use.

[D8R]

Tom, had the same answer from a CAT (am I allowed to type the name?) official when asking about decals to mine D8.
As said by others, what´s the problem for a one of a kind model, not made for selling.
Some years ago when I built the 992 I got the decal maade by Cat at that time, guess it was better before!

Maybee we should start putting a DOG sign on our models.
Dan

[ihbuilder]

Tom , the triple 7 look great As for "CAT" decals put them on , if they give you a hard time tell them I'm renaming my 2 kittens won't take me long to pull the decal off

[td9clyde]

looks great!!!! wouldn't have asked cat anything it is a one off

[fhhhstix]

The truck looks fantastic and I say put the decals on as well. Most on here know that I work for a CAT dealer and when I took my service truck to work they loved it. I asked for the prints to the decals for our service trucks to get some scale one's made for my truck and the smiles went away and I was politely told no. Cat has to approve the dealership logos and considers them an official CAT logo as well. I am having decals made and will have my name put in as the dealership name. The local sign shop said they had no problem making the decals and that they would make the text part of the decal separate and I could put the two together when I put them on that way they did not make the actual decal just parts to make it.

Travis

[modelman]

Thanks a lot everyone!! The decals are on the truck-I just covered the numbers for the pictures. Espeefan-I just thought it would be nice to ask. I didn't even think I would get a response, but I was really shocked when they said no. Their answer was "political mumbo-jumbo" and wasn't perfectly clear to me but I took the safe road. You can be sure that in my shop the decals will be displayed. I really like the way they look. JensR-according to the picture on page -7-of this thread the grilles start out stainless steel and I guess as they get dirty they look black. I may make a black one and see how it looks.