chim
Elite Member
Much of the time I enjoy the open air and nothing around me. Then there are those times when my feet and fingers are freezing and it isn't that much fun anymore. After reading about numerous homebrew cabs I decided it was probably something I could handle. What I need is some guidance / tutoring in the finer points of welding. I successfully "glued" lots of stuff together but there is a lack of consistency. I'll never be a "real weldor" but there's a value in improving hobbyist skills. Here's some of the process:
A. Google and read everything I could concerning DIY cabs. Many helpful people posted and blogged about their experiences. There are lots of great ideas out there. No point in re-inventing anything.
B. Get a decent place to work on it. At home the driveway would be the workshop (never convinced Wifey of the need for a pole barn). Just so happens there is some space in the fab shop at work. More on that later.
C. Get pointers from guys who know their way around steel fab and with my welder, rather than have them make it for me. We have lots of machines at work, but I wanted to be tutored and use my Millermatic 175. Remember the old "give a man a fish / teach a man to fish" thing?
D. Have a plan. The amount of detail may be a lot different for different people. For some things I do it works best to make CAD drawings and have everything planned to the last nut and bolt. For others I go with solid concept, some desired details and a fluid plan. Flew with the latter this time.
So, the plan involved a rudimentary sketch or two and a list of several items. Deemed necessary were glass (any plastic will eventually be scratched), wiper, heater and an interestng shape. One cab builder posted that the neighbors named his plexiglass cube first build "the Popemobile". Another noted his first build was, in his words "a cab which not only was an embarrassment to myself but my entire family both living and dead". Mine also needs to be sectional and removeable by 1 or 2 guys. Needs to mount to the tractor without scratching it all up.
I gathered the steel, door handles, wiper and heater over the past month. This week I moved my stuff into the unoccupied work station in the shop at work. I had the welding super get me going and immerse me in things like what order to tack things to avoid the taco looking piece that should be flat. He worked on the back/top assembly with me and although I have a LOT to learn I'm off to a good start. Today I was able to get the front welded up and the right side all tacked.
Here are the master plan, a couple shots of the work area and a saw that would scare the daylights out of my Harbor Freight 6x4. It cuts 6" schedule 40 pipe like nothing. One lever works the hydraulic ram that holds the material to be cut. Another lever controls up and down of the saw. Awesome piece of machinery.
A. Google and read everything I could concerning DIY cabs. Many helpful people posted and blogged about their experiences. There are lots of great ideas out there. No point in re-inventing anything.
B. Get a decent place to work on it. At home the driveway would be the workshop (never convinced Wifey of the need for a pole barn). Just so happens there is some space in the fab shop at work. More on that later.
C. Get pointers from guys who know their way around steel fab and with my welder, rather than have them make it for me. We have lots of machines at work, but I wanted to be tutored and use my Millermatic 175. Remember the old "give a man a fish / teach a man to fish" thing?
D. Have a plan. The amount of detail may be a lot different for different people. For some things I do it works best to make CAD drawings and have everything planned to the last nut and bolt. For others I go with solid concept, some desired details and a fluid plan. Flew with the latter this time.
So, the plan involved a rudimentary sketch or two and a list of several items. Deemed necessary were glass (any plastic will eventually be scratched), wiper, heater and an interestng shape. One cab builder posted that the neighbors named his plexiglass cube first build "the Popemobile". Another noted his first build was, in his words "a cab which not only was an embarrassment to myself but my entire family both living and dead". Mine also needs to be sectional and removeable by 1 or 2 guys. Needs to mount to the tractor without scratching it all up.
I gathered the steel, door handles, wiper and heater over the past month. This week I moved my stuff into the unoccupied work station in the shop at work. I had the welding super get me going and immerse me in things like what order to tack things to avoid the taco looking piece that should be flat. He worked on the back/top assembly with me and although I have a LOT to learn I'm off to a good start. Today I was able to get the front welded up and the right side all tacked.
Here are the master plan, a couple shots of the work area and a saw that would scare the daylights out of my Harbor Freight 6x4. It cuts 6" schedule 40 pipe like nothing. One lever works the hydraulic ram that holds the material to be cut. Another lever controls up and down of the saw. Awesome piece of machinery.
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