DIY Tractor Cab - Best materials and practices

[RancherSam]

I want to use this thread to get a consensus on what materials to use to build a tractor cab. I can start by saying that according to this thread:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/68903-sweet-home-built-bx-tractor.html

a good framing material is 1" square tubing, 14ga?

They also used floor underlayment for the skin and lexan for the glass. What are the pros and cons o f these? We need to get together a parts list here. We need links to a heater and an air conditioner that can be fitted in the cab. I think we have the knowledge here, I want one thread to all the links to the right parts and why they should be used.

 

[2manyrocks]

If you could afford it, you could build the whole cab out of polycarbonate instead of just the windows. But it would get scratched up after a while, and you can't touch it up with paint to make it look good again. Now if you were handy with fiberglas, you could make the cab out of it. But it's messy to work with. Then there's metal, but you need a sheet metal brake. Then there's the vinyl type fabric they use on popup campers that would make a good windbreak if you wanted to take the cover off during the sumner.

I think each of us builds with what is familar to us and we feel like we can work with given our experience, tools, time and money.

 

[RancherSam]

you'd want as much transparent material as possible for your cab. Visibility and environmental awareness is essential on a tractor.

 

[skidsteer.ca]

DTAC - Heavy Equipment Heat/Cool Systems for heater ac units for all types of heavy equipment.
TheWarBirds had good prices on 12 and 18k btu heater units 12v and 24v.

Lexan or "margard" is good if you want plastic windows, glassis hard to beat if you want scratch resistant
Ken

 

[diyDave]

Most rigid clear plastics get pretty brittle in cold weather. When I enclosed the cab of my ASV, I made a steel door with 2 old windows, made of tempered glass windows, out of the back of an old utility body truck. The walls I made out of the plastic material that they make rear convertible windows out of. I used snap fittings to hold the soft plastic to the sides of the cab. Good luck on your project!

 

[skippy957]

You can also use a old soft cab and modify it like I have done with a Curtis.
Good luck with your project and have fun .

 

[PILOON]

I made a cab for my Mitsubishi MT180D using 2 x 2 sq tubing.
I then attached galvanized sheet (as I did not want 'rustable' finish) with metal screws.
For windows I got school bus windows from doors as they came with the rubber seals (real cheep as scrappers want metal and not glass) and the safety glass does not scratch.
For heater (again school bus) the small heaters that are under the rear seats (about 6" X 6" x 3") to which I attached a 4" x4" 12 volt computer fan as that is super compact and draws less than 1 amp. (the old bus motor draws so much that you'd run the battery flat in no time at all!)

I mounted the heater top right in my cab so as to send hot air downwards (I like warm feet) and it is easy to deflect with a small baffle towards the windshield.

One advantage of schoolbus glass is that you can now install wipers

Sure my cab is 'boxy', but it is also 'toasty comfy'.

Was blowing today in -20deg Celsius and was real cozy!

This setup was made about 5 years ago and performed flawlessly ever since.

Pics are posted in Mitsubishi forum.

NB: before metal screwing the roof on, I 'sanwitched' an insulation 'blanket' to A deaden sound (drumming, essentially) and B to prevent condensation drippings.

 

[MJPetersen]

Piloon,

You ought to put a link to your pics in the Mitubishi forum. I will do it for you and the others who want to see what you did.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/91494-anyone-built-tractor-cab-2.html#post1036405

Looks well used and if it keeps your feet warm it is a double plus--functional does not have to be beautiful.

Mike

 

[Zick]

You can also use a old soft cab and modify it like I have done with a Curtis.
Good luck with your project and have fun .

Dam Skippy that looks nice!

 

[SkunkWerX]

Here are some of the pros and cons I have considered regarding materials.

The square tube is probably the best way to go about the framing.

Lexan vs. glass: Lexan is pretty durable and doesn't scratch as badly as plain old "plexi" glass. over a long time it will cloud up some, more if you keep it out in the sun. The big plus is it's weight. Compared to glass it's going to be much lighter.
if you plan on ever using a windshield wiper, then the front needs to be tmepered glass. A wiper will scuff and scratch lexan, So that pretty much dictates a glass front windshield.

I read about the underlayment used along with lexan, and that Cab came out beautifully. My experience with underlayment (tempered hardboard) is if you leave it in the elements, or it gets wet, it will bubble, blister, and eventually start deteriorating. A light gauge sheet metal would the choice for the longest lasting material , but, as mentioned above, you might have condensation issues to deal with. The PVC lumber is getting plentiful, and I am wondering if there isn't some kind of lightweight synthetic sheet material that might work well?
I would consider making as much of it as possible out of the lexan, for maximum visibility.