My Canopy

[EdKing]

Just wanted to post a few pics of the canopy with front and rear work lights I just made for my machine.

Here is one from the front.

 

[EdKing]

One from the side

 

[EdKing]

One from the rear

 

[EdKing]

And finally, one from the top down

 

[bgott]

I like it. I need to build one for mine, I'm still trying to figure out some simple quick release mounts for it. What's that little backhoe in the background?

 

[EdKing]

I originally intended to build a full cab, but after thinking about it I decided on a canopy. I was going to make it a bolt on, but after a considerable amount of time spent trying to figure out an easy way, I decided just to weld it on to my rollbar. I guess you could call it quick detach as there are just 2 pins and 2 anti-vibration screws holding the rollbar on. The barn where I store my tractor has high enough door/ceiling that I have plenty of overhead room so I don't need to worry about removing it.

<font color=blue>What's that little backhoe in the background? </font color=blue>

That is what my wife calls "The Lawn Ornament." It is a Terramite T5B tlb. It belongs to a friend of mine, he brought it over last fall (before I got my tractor) so we could do a little excavation. While we were using it the motor went south, and I am still trying to get the last few parts to finish repairing it. As soon as I get the motor running I am going to take it back over to my friends. The backhoe actually works pretty good, but the hydro tranny on it leaves a lot to be desired.

 

[Inspector507]

I wanna know what that little bugger in the background is......?

 

[EdKing]

<font color=blue>I wanna know what that little bugger in the background is......? </font color=blue>

Jerry, check out my previous message, it is "The Lawn Ornament"

 

[wroughtn_harv]

It looks good Ed. What did you use for sheet?

 

[EdKing]

Harv, I had some 22 gauge sheet metal left over from rebuilding the rear fenders on my wife's cousin's Samuri. I ended up using 1 piece widthwise, and 2 pieces longways, as you can see the bright T on the top down pic. I used some aluminum tape to seal the joints until I have time for something permanant.

 

[TBone]

Great job Ed. Canopies can be a little aggrevating when working under trees but they sure are nice when the sun is boiling down.

TBone

 

[EdKing]

<font color=blue>Great job Ed. ...they sure are nice when the sun is boiling down.</font color=blue>

Thanks. After working moving dirt to fill in the pond the last tenant left us, I had to stop after an hour to cool off. This motivated me to go from the "would be cool to make one" stage to the "lets get this done" stage in my process of making stuff. The added incentive has mounting some work lights, as my headlights are next to worthless with the FEL, and the rear work light was mounted low and was blocked while doing backhoe work.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Ed,

You might consider making your lights quick detach. Let's say you put some studs out board of the canopy up front and back. Then you use some good wing nuts, a couple of bars holding a light each and you have water resistant connectors.

That way you can have your lights when you need them and not when you don't. If you do it right you can have them adjustable so you can lights of to one side or the other or one back one front. The only limits would be your imagination.

Another little trick thing is at a truck stop you can buy "step lights". They're little diode bulbs that you can attach under the canopy for that little bit of light that makes things easier after dark. And if you forget and leave them on it'll take a month or so to wear down the battery. I have them in my tool box on the truck and have found them handier than a pocket on a shirt.

 

[EdKing]

<font color=blue>You might consider making your lights quick detach. </font color=blue>

Actually, I was thinking of adding a spotlight like I have on my quad. It sets in a swivel base and has a coil type cord on it so you can detach it from the base and use it like a flashlight.

<font color=blue>Another little trick thing is at a truck stop you can buy "step lights".</font color=blue>

Now that's an idea I hadn't thought of. Would be nice to have a little extra light under the canopy at night.

Thanks for the feedback, I am getting a lot of great ideas from your posts.

 

[Spencer]

A little extra light under the canopy at night sounds like an invitation to bugs up here in Michigan.

 

[forestcreature]

those michigan bugs are used to landing at airports

 

[EdKing]

<font color=blue>A little extra light under the canopy at night sounds like an invitation to bugs up here in Michigan. </font color=blue>

As bright as the new worklights are, I think that will be a moot point. I actually hadn't thought of that, /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif I wonder if anyone makes a 12v bug zapper ? /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[kokopelli2]

why not just go for the amber step lights? that should keep the bugs away.

 

[xtruckerbob]

Looks good. And exactly what I want to build. Could you tell what the size is? I got the metal this week and can not wait to get started.