riverron
New member
This is my first post and it might be a little long but wanted to give details for those interested in doing something similar.
Hopefully the pics make it as part of the post.
Cab is completely modular and can be disassembled.
Cost is estimated at about $125 for materials.
Time to construct was about 40hrs - including painting and assembly.
List of materials from Home Depot
6 - 8' PT 1" decking
1 - 8' PT 2X4
1 - 4' X 8'sheet Lauan Plywood
1 - can gray spray paint with primer
3 - cans dark bronze spray paint
1 - Qt Kubota orange outdoor paint
25 - 3/8 X 3" carriage bolts, washers, nuts - only 12 are really needed
4 - 3/8 X 5" carriage bolts for fastening roof to uprights
Recycled
1 - projection TV screen clear plastic for windshield
1 - plumbing plate (protection plate which goes on studs to fab brackets on loader center pole)
1 - scrap piece of LVL which was ripped to fit into ROP frame to stub up rear cab upright. Could have used PT 2X4.
PT Decking and 2X4's were ripped down to 3" for uprights, roof trusses, etc.
Decking ripped to 3" provided for 2 pieces per board.
Ripped decking cut 2 - 4' and 4 -5' lenths.
Scrap pieces to be used for roof cross trusses, and fill above loader bar (inside for windshield support).
One decking board full width used in front of loader bar.
Scrap full width board used to fab curved pieces around bar on inside of bar.
Plumbing protection plate cut 2 1/2 inches and bent to accomodate bend of loader bar.
This was done on a bench vise with a chisel in the approximate channel drawn on the metal, and 2 chisels on the opposing side - squeezed in the vise.
Windshield was the front of old projection TV clear plastic (in front of fresnel lens on TV) - it is bolted between a 2X4 and ripped decking.
Plastic cut with metal blade, and notched at top to allow roof truss to pass thru once it's installed.
Drilling the semi rigid plastic - hit the area you intend to drill for a couple seconds with a propane torch before drilling to soften it.
Otherwise expect the plastic to crack as I did on one corner.
Roof is 4' wide and 5'2" long (front to back). 3" ripped decking used 2 - 4' and 2 - 5' - screwed at sides, lauan marked cut and attached.
Initial build of roof was just the lauan plywood and sides and placed on tractor.
2 additional 5' ripped decking for roof trusses, clamped and marked for holes, angles, and cross trusses.
Also while roof is on temporarily mark front of windshield with some extra clearance for front cross truss - the middle and back truss placement was best guess.
Painting
Front frame and ROP stub up wood spray painted off tractor with gray primer dark bronze spray paint.
Roof primed, then painted with 2 coats of Kubota Orange - mixed at Home Depot from cap from Kubota spray can I had.
Adding the roof to the frame - note 2 - 3/4" holes in front side of roof frame.
This was done to permit 3" carriage bolt to be placed into front uprights and roof truss.
Next Planned additions:
LED lights front and back - mostly for plowing snow during limited sunlight days.
Clear thick side curtains for Winter on curtain rod fix to roof and front arm of cab.
Potentially fab front (under loader cross bar on side of engine) skirts clear plastic
2" hitch on 3-pt - ballast/counter weight barrel (concrete) - to reduce lenth of tractor and add more weight.
Notes:
ROP - is down due to standard 7' garage door height. Yes - I accept the lack of ROP.
If you choose to consider building something similar you too will have to accept the risk of the lack of ROP.
Roof at highest point is about 6'10" to permit storing in garage.
As others which have built cabs have reported - engine noise seems louder now the cab is on.
If lauan plywood does not hold up to weather - I will unscrew it from roof frame, replace and cover with aluminum coil - apply sealant and riveted together.
I give credit to Tony Zona on his B2710 Cab build (found online) which inspired my design, and to several other posts on this forum.
After costing out a metal cab, and thinking through construction - I decided to go with wood.
I have a mig welder and means to fab metal - but the wood is sturdy at 3", and secured to various points.
I suspect it would have been at least twice the build time in metal, and likely many times the material cost.
Hopefully the pics make it as part of the post.
Cab is completely modular and can be disassembled.
Cost is estimated at about $125 for materials.
Time to construct was about 40hrs - including painting and assembly.
List of materials from Home Depot
6 - 8' PT 1" decking
1 - 8' PT 2X4
1 - 4' X 8'sheet Lauan Plywood
1 - can gray spray paint with primer
3 - cans dark bronze spray paint
1 - Qt Kubota orange outdoor paint
25 - 3/8 X 3" carriage bolts, washers, nuts - only 12 are really needed
4 - 3/8 X 5" carriage bolts for fastening roof to uprights
Recycled
1 - projection TV screen clear plastic for windshield
1 - plumbing plate (protection plate which goes on studs to fab brackets on loader center pole)
1 - scrap piece of LVL which was ripped to fit into ROP frame to stub up rear cab upright. Could have used PT 2X4.
PT Decking and 2X4's were ripped down to 3" for uprights, roof trusses, etc.
Decking ripped to 3" provided for 2 pieces per board.
Ripped decking cut 2 - 4' and 4 -5' lenths.
Scrap pieces to be used for roof cross trusses, and fill above loader bar (inside for windshield support).
One decking board full width used in front of loader bar.
Scrap full width board used to fab curved pieces around bar on inside of bar.
Plumbing protection plate cut 2 1/2 inches and bent to accomodate bend of loader bar.
This was done on a bench vise with a chisel in the approximate channel drawn on the metal, and 2 chisels on the opposing side - squeezed in the vise.
Windshield was the front of old projection TV clear plastic (in front of fresnel lens on TV) - it is bolted between a 2X4 and ripped decking.
Plastic cut with metal blade, and notched at top to allow roof truss to pass thru once it's installed.
Drilling the semi rigid plastic - hit the area you intend to drill for a couple seconds with a propane torch before drilling to soften it.
Otherwise expect the plastic to crack as I did on one corner.
Roof is 4' wide and 5'2" long (front to back). 3" ripped decking used 2 - 4' and 2 - 5' - screwed at sides, lauan marked cut and attached.
Initial build of roof was just the lauan plywood and sides and placed on tractor.
2 additional 5' ripped decking for roof trusses, clamped and marked for holes, angles, and cross trusses.
Also while roof is on temporarily mark front of windshield with some extra clearance for front cross truss - the middle and back truss placement was best guess.
Painting
Front frame and ROP stub up wood spray painted off tractor with gray primer dark bronze spray paint.
Roof primed, then painted with 2 coats of Kubota Orange - mixed at Home Depot from cap from Kubota spray can I had.
Adding the roof to the frame - note 2 - 3/4" holes in front side of roof frame.
This was done to permit 3" carriage bolt to be placed into front uprights and roof truss.
Next Planned additions:
LED lights front and back - mostly for plowing snow during limited sunlight days.
Clear thick side curtains for Winter on curtain rod fix to roof and front arm of cab.
Potentially fab front (under loader cross bar on side of engine) skirts clear plastic
2" hitch on 3-pt - ballast/counter weight barrel (concrete) - to reduce lenth of tractor and add more weight.
Notes:
ROP - is down due to standard 7' garage door height. Yes - I accept the lack of ROP.
If you choose to consider building something similar you too will have to accept the risk of the lack of ROP.
Roof at highest point is about 6'10" to permit storing in garage.
As others which have built cabs have reported - engine noise seems louder now the cab is on.
If lauan plywood does not hold up to weather - I will unscrew it from roof frame, replace and cover with aluminum coil - apply sealant and riveted together.
I give credit to Tony Zona on his B2710 Cab build (found online) which inspired my design, and to several other posts on this forum.
After costing out a metal cab, and thinking through construction - I decided to go with wood.
I have a mig welder and means to fab metal - but the wood is sturdy at 3", and secured to various points.
I suspect it would have been at least twice the build time in metal, and likely many times the material cost.
