JD 3005 full cage ROPS/FOPS build

[ovrszd]

I agree about CAD data input. Computer programs are only as good as the input. Junk in, junk out.

I admire your ability to envision the finished product then backplan to the initial fabrication. An example is the brackets you built for the screens.

Good work Greg. Thanks for sharing and documenting. We'll never know how many fabricators will benefit from this thread.

 

[dieselcrawler]

While the kids cleaned horse stalls, I got more done this morning.



Bottom panels on, side tubes cut...



The top will be tapered in...



The taper at the top is 8" long, which matches the top panel of the side sections.

 

[dieselcrawler]

I got the side tubes tacked in place, after cleaning the super tough orange paint off in the areas I need bare for welding reasons. Ended up using a belt sander of all things... Worked surprisingly well.

Poor picture but I'm pleased with the progress.

 

[dieselcrawler]

Got the side strips of mesh fitted, and welded in. A little effort was put into getting the wires to line up with adjacent panels. Still have tubing to add to the bottom edge, and need to finish welding the other side, as of now its just tacked.





Now I'm to the point of fitting the bottom mounting points, and attaching them.

 

[sixdogs]

The welded up panels look great.

 

[ovrszd]

Greg has tremendous patience. That's a sign of a quality fabricator.

 

[dieselcrawler]

Thanks for the compliments. Wish I had more time to work on this.

 

[dieselcrawler]

I got the last pieces of tubing cut and welded in, and all the other welding done. I used 1" flat stock on the inner edges of the recess at the bottom for the top link clearance, I should have made that opening 2" wider.



Now to cut and fit the lower mounts to the ROPS about 4" above the fenders.

 

[Rustyiron]

If ya had a nickel for every time you struck an arc welding that mesh………
Looks nice, what were those mesh panels originally from? I'm a huge "re purpose'er" myself, aka a cheap bastard:laughing:
Re-purpose, about the only "new age word" I can get with. Sounds much better than "built it out of old junk"

 

[dieselcrawler]

Rusty: The mesh came from some collapsible wire baskets that came from a local glass plant when it closed 20 years ago. (Ironicly, I now work in the same building the glass plant was in... Viking Glass) A friend of mine (the Beeman) bought alot of stuff at auction, these cage boxes included. He scrapped alot of the bent/rusty ones, gave me half a dozen or so... I'll post a picture when I can.