Michigan T-24 project

[frizzen]

Cool, i still hadn't managed to find a tonka dragline scoop to see how well it fits these.

Did you set up the bridle so you could attach other lanyards together to work with adding a boom extension if needed later?

The sky is the limit for wild and different things you can lift!
Cars, machinery parts, shipping containers, concrete hoppers, ac units, porta-pots, transformers, aircraft or marine engines, spacecraft, lumber, windmills, rafter sections, house framing, dinosaur bones, store signs, pianos, anvils, wrecked cars...
To keep it on one invoice, think about what would look good moving on your Trucking company rigs, and in the yard, and on a jobsite?

[jerry56]

The Tonka dragline bucket looks pretty good.. I got a reproduction from Gasoline Alley ...
I can attach a lanyard or make some longer ones, but I don't plan to extend this one. These little truck cranes were for smaller lifts and such, in and around town in the 50s and 60s ( just my view) so this one probably wont get an extension, but I'm going to do a Tonka as a tracked crane and that one I plan to extend
LOL... "dinosaur bones" good one....I was actually leaning toward AC units and transformers they would make good loads for the 56 Ford and make for something different to lift...house framing and rafter sections were in there too...

[jerry56]

Getting close....
Were up on our wheels, these are just stock WPL tires the "hard" one as they are called. But as singles they start to mash out, if I go with these they will have to be duals.


And we needed a place to hold the hook down for transport.


Now it's time to fill those headlight holes.. I'm using some 3d printed headlight buckets and some wiggly eyes from Hobby Lobby for the lenses




And just so you know not all wiggly eyes are the same, the first ones I bought had a big dome to them and looked kind of odd, But I found some glow in the dark ones that had a flatter "lens profile" so to speak.

So When they set down in the headlight bucket they look pretty good


I also decide to add a rudimentary interior ...


An I added a grab bar and mirror.

Plus I added some "glass"


And tail lights and back-up lights... If you do these, there is a tab one the outside edge that's about 3/4 of an inch wide that forms and holds the out rigger box, if you want to avoid drilling into it you have to move everything in a little.

And I plugged up the holes where the toys hand cranks used to be...

I had to paint it with something so I used my Chrome yellow it looks kind of patched up but I kind of was going for that look


Now I need to get my geometry worked out for a dragline bucket and I need to make up some spreaders and figure out how to make the clamshell bucket work...

[frizzen]

Those squishy Hard tires might need something really rigid like Pool Noodle foam chunks.to keep sidewall.

That's wild, cool find about the other profiles of Wiggly Eyes. I wouldn't have guessed that there was that much difference

Love all the printed cab details, that looks great! The machine is really coming together

[jerry56]

Thanks Frizzen....
It's getting there the cab detail isn't super great but it makes it look sort of complete
I might try Lego tires they are rock hard and this isn't really an off road crane

[jerry56]

I've slowly been finishing this up... for the most part just need to do some tweaking on buckets and chokers and accessories...
Anyway I kind of had to paint this side because I filled the holes from the toys crank assembles and such keeping to my theme of patch work repairs....



This is my dragline bucket...I haven't tried it out to much just trying to get the geometry right...


You can see my clam shell in the background, I haven't even started on it yet...

Here it is in travel mode....


A shot of the cable bridle..








And my dragline bucket.... I'm pretty sure I need to shorten the rear chains, and maybe bring them down lower on the bucket, and move the front yoke out to the sides cause it hangs up on the arch, plus I think it needs a little more weight on the front to get it to drop better


I settled on these rims, I think they looked the best ....




My headlight bucket kind of stuck out on the passenger side so I just made a little cover...

It's actually the toolbox step from my 56 Ford dump truck...just stretched out


Even added a few accessories




And for you thrill seekers... here is a warning on the 1mm string I'm using for my chokers ..."Do not use for climbing"


I want to thank you guys for blazing the trail so to speak on the T24 builds...It went way easier than I thought it would but you gave me a pretty good road map to follow.
This will be primarily a clam shell and simple lifting crane I have plans for a Tonka tracked dragline and that will be it's sole purpose...
I still need to see just how much I can lift with this not that it really matters just want to see....As I get more details done and the buckets tweaked I'll up date as I go....

[jerry56]

This will be my Dragline, I'll use an extra T-24 boom with an extension and a lot of counter weight...

[frizzen]

Love how you accomplished the rigging, that's really looking great! Sharp rims.
Wait, 1mm fishing line isn't good for climbing? You serious?

Drag buckets are kinda weird to setup, or tune for the dirt conditions. Plus most of the guys who *really knew* it are either gone or never had much use for a computer. Some of the old manuals help give the basics.

Spreader bar should be wide enough not to foul the bucket on chains, but going too wide with those chains is just more drag / parts wear while in a cut.

Crowd line/chains higher from cutting edge makes the teeth want to dig in deeper, until you go too high above bucket CG and it pulls the back of bucket up & over. Too low attachment skims over dirt and can't start to dig. At-grade and Below-grade dig a little differently

Hoist chains lower than CG help the bucket instability so it can dump easier or have more sitback for carrying without spilling. Or moving hoist chains farther from cutting edge can do that without drilling more holes in your bucket

Clamshell is going to be something you'll want to be able to run a channel-mix with.

[jerry56]

Thanks Frizzen that helps... I'll have to experiment with it a little....
I figured the clamshell would be a bit of a pain.....

[frizzen]

Any luck figuring out the drag bucket geometry yet?

[jerry56]

I haven't looked at it yet... Spring has sprung here so I've been getting mowers ready and the yard cleaned up... it will probably be one of those things I work on on rainy days... at least until it gets really hot....

[jerry56]

Finally got a break in the weather and got outside in the dirt....
I wanted to test my bucket in the dirt before I made a bunch of changes...
1. I think I need a little weight in the front of the bucket just to help it "set down"
2. I need to move my cable attachment points down they set way to high..
I think it will be ok after making those changes






I know I should have hidden my little rake....All the rain we've had I had to loosen the dirt up...

[frizzen]

Glad the first dirt test was a success!

It's really looking great sitting out there on a dirt pile!

[jerry56]

That's kind of why I hadn't made any changes... I wanted to at least test it in the dirt first...
I did lengthen the drag lead that helped... and I have some lead sheet I'll use to give it a bit of weight and move the hoist and drag chains down below the center line on the bucket... I kind of figured I would have to do that ... anyway I'll get it changed then ... figure out the clam bucket...

[9W Monighan]

Jerry, Cut the buckets floor and back all the way out; Taper it so the cutting edge is slightly wider,may be 1/4'' than the rear. Make the sides about 1/16" wider on the top to the bottom. This creates "draft" in the bucket and it will empty much better. Before welding the bucket back together; bend the cutting edge and teeth down a few degrees. This takes some experimenting for the sweet spot. The angle creates a ramp for the material to flow and creates downward force pulling the cutting edge teeth into were you're digging.
You can experiment with the drag chain mounts too.
I've tried a flat bottom bucket just because I didn't have time to make more changes, and it won't dig. Look over my thread and find the bucket build posts.
After like 13yrs and several yards of material moved; It has worked very well. In fact, I really should make some new teeth. They are wearing down.

[jerry56]

Hmmmmm.... I would have to solder the bucket but I guess that could work....
I might get another bucket to chop up....
I was tempted to do something like that to the Buckeye Clipper... the bucket is fine for a toy but the angles were wrong to get it to really dig like it should..
I'll have to ponder this one a spell....

[9W Monighan]

Use brass . Easy to solder. If you want, your not far away throw my son a couple bucks and he'll TIG weld that Tonka bucket back together.

[jerry56]

Now I just might take you up on that...lol... volunteering your son I'm sure he appreciated that... I'll still want to get another bucket.... But I'll send you a message if/when I get to that point... And thank your son for the offer... I'm sure we can work out something