Great Dane excavating co.

[Cooper]

Thanks Ed, this time around things are being made better, not from necessity but from more welding/milling experience.



The spacing is for when blade tilts and cylinder shafts don't contact supports. Probably wider than needed but it also ties into cutting edge reinforcement. The lift braces only have to lift not push so I figured it would tie into better.

[Cooper]

And thank you Mario for hooking me up with some pics!!! I'm close with the blade except for the dirt blade with rock guard. But backside is going to be close to 1:1. The cat book I have has only a side cut away of blade and part numbers for cutting edges. Thanks!!

[Cooper]

The brass rod is allowing the shafts to pass into. It is acting as my alignment jig. Trying to keep everything square and aligned.

[Cooper]

Well first trial fit with hydraulics working, everything was just tacked in place. I didn't take in consideration of the cylinders becoming more vertical as the blade is fully lifted. So, have to move the lift bushing out about .75". Only problem is I don't want to make all new pieces. They were hack sawed and milled to shape. Just lots of work so another piece will be added and an extra set of holes will be there. If I can press the bushings out I may just weld holes shut. Never know . And after doing some measuring I'm going to lengthen push arms .75" also. That gives more room between blade and tractor. Allows more room for stabilizer arm clearance. Difficult to measure off of the 1:50 scale model for the small details. I'm more so trying for a scale look and not necessarily exact scale. And have to wait on some metal stock delivery. Hopefully it will see paint in less than two weeks. Have dirt piles everywhere, having the dozer in the shop is hurting backyard business.

[Cooper]

[Cooper]

I'm having issues with photobucket on my I pad, once I load a pic it freezes. So posted from phone and now typing on pad!! Anyway,,, I made the push arms .75" longer. Gives more space between tractor and blade. Will allow better placement of stabilizer bar with the proper mounting area. And this time around I was able to remember not to drill too deep for the mounting holes. And was able to remove pivot ball from old ones and place in new ones. (That was good for the first one,, second one had some colorful language added to it). Still have to mill the ends a bit but for fitting and testing its good so far. Have to attach stabilizer bar ( made new one out of steel) make hose mounts for it, and cutting edges for blade, and some little odds n ends.

[Wiskybilt]

I'm sure you have your reasons, and I'm probably not the first to notice, the track pads are on backwards. Just an observation.

[Cooper]

Originally Posted by Wiskybilt

I'm sure you have your reasons, and I'm probably not the first to notice, the track pads are on backwards. Just an observation.

Depends how you look at them, I have them mounted the same direction as the 1:1 cat dozer. The idea is when the grouser digs in , it get traction and at the same time it will force the following grouser down by means of force thus giving more traction. At least that's the way it was explained to me .
http://www.cat.com/en_US/products/ne.../18332635.html

[Cooper]

One thing I did screw up is how the push arm linkage is mounted to blade, on the 1:50 scale model I have the mount is angled like I have it, on the 1:1 machine it is in line with push arm. I didn't catch that till after I made and attached them!! I keep forgetting the scale models aren't accurate but close. The little details sometimes get changed to make a scale model. It's one of those little things but it bugs me to no end!! Lol!!

[Wiskybilt]

Wow, it looks odd but I stand corrected...not standing as tall and holding my as high though...lol

[Cooper]

[Supermario]

Now that's looking just like the real thing It's a shame about the left corner bit tweaked on ya. No big deal though, you don't plan on putting a fancy acu-grade satellite system or do any landscaping in the future eh?
Can't wait to see you wear it out!

[Cooper]

Originally Posted by Supermario

Now that's looking just like the real thing It's a shame about the left corner bit tweaked on ya. No big deal though, you don't plan on putting a fancy acu-grade satellite system or do any landscaping in the future eh?
Can't wait to see you wear it out!

Yeah, I really tried to get it really square and even. I think when I attached the push arm mounts it went a little out. But it might also have been my welding table. If ya can see it in any of my pics I got it from harbor freight, just stamped steel table. It's not even close to flat but along edges where the stamped bends are its good enough. One of those things that I have to work around/with. . It was like $80 verses the one I wanted to get $400. Might get a piece of 3/4" steel and make a better table. Have a salvage yard close by but he doesn't cut, so whatever he has you have to take the whole piece (pay by pound). Last time I looked he had a nice 4' by 5' piece of 5/8" that would have make me a nice 3x4' table. .

[Papabaer]

thats all looks verry nice - iam interested in your CAT Dozer



how much iss it

[headers]

Good job cooper,i sent you a pm

[Cooper]

Pm'ed you papabaer,



Got primer and first coat on. I'm going to 3d print the rock guard for on top. Black and paint blade face yellow. After looking around on the net, there are a lot of variations of blades. Some made by owners, different year models from cat, so having looked through all of them , it really doesn't matter to me as I've always been more for function verses replication of exact model.

[Papabaer]

looks so fantastic - i think i´ve to build some too

[Cooper]

Haven't had much time lately but I was glad I installed lights, a couple short videos that the wife filmed. It looks like some alien planet with someone running a d11 around giant bat-bear-pig animals!!!

http://youtu.be/4Y4-fbRANpk
http://youtu.be/MaWmqg1XLLw

[Cooper]

Still have to make the rock guard, attach tilt hoses to back of blade and to stabilizer bar, paint stabilizer bar

[TRUCKMAKER]

That thing does some serious damage in the dirt! The little guy better watch out or he/she will end up under the dirt, the dozers as big as the dog!