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Acco Grader from Italy, first frame sections connected picture
The monster grader is starting to take shape on my workbench now. Most of the details are done like the railings, grab handles, aircleaners, cab interior , console, levers, steps and grab handles.
I am over half done with the blade and should get it done by tonight. Then all I will have to do is complete the construction of both engines. I am very happy with overall look of this latest one of a kind model.
Even though you may see some JB Weld on some of the joints, I only use it for a filler to make the welds look better. Every piece on every model is welded on or bolted on the model. They are built very sturdy and frequent lifting and moving them will not make them fall apart. As I said in the past I tried JB WELD and I would try pulling on the parts after a few days and in several cases the parts would pull right off. So I knew after several years on a collectors shelf the JB WELD would start to breakdown and become very weak. So I decided then to make my models all out of steel and have all the parts either welded together or drilled and bolted together. I am the first to admit my models are far from perfect, but they are some of the sturdiest scratch-built models being built today. Trying to lift this model with this long wheelbase puts a lot of strain on the center frame. I can lift it from the rear , center or front and not worry it will fall apart.
It’s tricky welding things like the levers in the cab and the railings, but I would not be happy if they weren’t all welded in place. My little Lincoln wire welder gets quite a workout. Actually I have four welders, one 225 amp buzz box stick welder and three small Lincoln Wire Welders. I also get a lot of use out of my small Lincoln Plasma Cutter. I have used them for several years with very little probelms.
It would be fun one of these days to make a video clip of me using the little Lincoln plasma cutter , it is a pretty slick tool.
Later today or in the morning we will add the next video clip. It will be a clip showing the Cat D-2 Dozer on our kitchen table and me putting the blade on it for the final assembly.
Big Buck Brewery Resturauant in Gaylord- We heard on the radio this morning the Big Buck Brewery near Detroit is closing this week. We have a Big Buck in Gaylord and we eat their several times a year. Although we don’t drink alcohol, they have great home-ade soda. The black-cherry and the root beer are excellent.
We are hoping with the slow economy the last year that our Big Buck won’t be closing , the last couple times we ate their business was very slow and it was on Fri. nights at peak meal times.
Tomorrows picture of the Acco Grader should have the blade assembly bolted in place.
If you go to the ( Misl. Photos) section in my photo gallery section, I posted a second angle of this picture of the almost completed grader.
