Back into civils at last! 1:87 style...

[Bellboy]

Been a civil engineer for 6 years now, but mainly been doing admin work for a big civil firm that payed my tuition. Now, I got my own fleet, and first project: preparing mielie fields. Pics will follow.

I got a cat 315C, M318D, 627G, 160H, Case 580 MII, Liebherr 580 & MAN TGA 26.410 with lowboy. Got it off an auction lot, and used to belong to Liebherr, as a delivery truck. one strange tipper and a flatdeck.

[Wolf]

what are mielie fields? pardon us yankee ignorance.

[Bellboy]

Ya, sorry about that. "Mielie" is the S.A term for corn/maize. Went scouting the job, but I need a bulldozer. infact, I am looking for one right now. I also have another project lined up, for some time next week.

Does JD have a 1:87 Backhoe loader?

[Tri-Star]

Heck lets see some pics!!!!

[stretch]

Hey Bellboy, I'd recommend a First Gear International Harvester TD-15 or TD-25. I've got a TD-25 and it's a great machine for our land clearing/roadbuilding work. Or if you need something bigger, Norscot's Cat D9T. I just got the D9T and the 627G and they're both working out great.

[Bellboy]

Ya, saw the D9T as I was scouting, but I don't know if my local dealer has one in stock. I am going up to JHB on Tuesday, where I hope to get a 1:40 Doosan, as well as possibly acquiring a machine or 2 so I need to post some pics tomorrow to keep the natives happy. It was too wet and rainy to do anything today, plus I had other things on my mind. I will also hopefully be getting behind the wheel of a Gallion T500d tomorrow, so when I have the time...

Stretch: As much as i would love one of those internationals, at sukke prysie, Aih, Aikhona Baba. I'm very sorry, but I can't afford it, as well as the shipping price. Maar will have to make do with what I got.

WILL POST PICS!!

[stretch]

I hear ya...even the D9 is cheaper! But I got my 25 for Christmas so at least I didn't have to worry about the cost. I still wouldn't hesitate to buy either one if I see it somewhere.

Yes pics please...I'll be out on my job as soon as it stops raining!

[Bellboy]

OK, here is a pic of my 1:87 fleet. As you can see, still dozerless, but I am working on it. Will post some more this evening. Could only take one coz my camera was full...

from left to right: Cat 315C, Cat 627G scraper, Liebherr 580 Payloader, Case 580M II, Cat m318D, MAN with lowboy and Cat 160H on the back.

[Bellboy]

Didn't manage to find a dozer, so I will just have to do the mielie project the south african way with what I got: dig the bush up, haul it and bury it. I will use my new Case CX330 xcavata, case 340 ADT, Liebherr 580 and funny little tipper truck(matchbox). Might need the grader for the roads.

here are some pics of the newbies:

Stretch: looked at your road project last night, looking good. I have got the same DAF flatbed, only in green and black.:cool2

1: The upgraded fleet
2: The new (old) Mercedes Benz 3333 S, with semi detached concrete mixer detached
3: The new Case CX 330 arriving on the lowboy
4: The new Case 340
5: Behind the grader is the DAF lorry, and behind that is my matchbox tipper.
Won't be posting for the next few days, going up to Gauteng for the rest of the week. We'll start the project next monday.

[stretch]

I'd be careful with the CX330...one of the lift cylinder snapped on mine and now it's sitting dead in the yard. And does the boom seem to tilit from side-to-side a bit...or was it just me? I think I'll be sticking with Volvo this time!

And thanks, we'll be on that one for a while!

[Bellboy]

Ya, the case is fine, but it is my cat M318D that has a shifty boom. I will be starting tomorrow, so will post some pics asap.

[Bellboy]

Finally managed to get going on the project.

1: The TLB arriving on the lowboy
2: Case excavata digging a hole in which to bury the waste.
3: An overview of the site 3 days in.
4: I thought this was a cool view.:cool2
5: the Liebherr leveling and clearing bush.

[Bellboy]

Some more...

1: Liebherr loading Case.
2: Tipper, DAF flatbed and Case TLB parked off for the night
3: CX330 doing some more digging
4: Loading cleared bush into the ADTs.
5: Liebherr loading Kaelble, the newest addition to the fleet.

[stretch]

:drinkup But still couldn't find a dozer?

[Bellboy]

Ja. Try as I may, the Bulldozer eludes my tantalizing grasp. Unfortunately, the farmer did not do an Environmental Impact Assessment, so the project was found to be illigitimate. Great. Oh well. Got a drainage project coming up, so I still got something to feed my hungry beasts with. HAHAHA.

[Bellboy]

I hopefully start the drainage project tomorrow. It entails the cleaning up of the end of the canal, and moving the build up to be regraded above the canal. I also need to grade the top of the culvert for a fence that is going in and some landscaping. I'll need the grader, excavata, TLB, ADTs and payloader again. Most of my kit. We will see if I need the scraper or not. Dozer will just have to wait, so in the mean time I am using the payloader.

[Bellboy]

Well, the retaining wall and culvert around the tunnel collapsed yesterday, so there is some more earth to move. I think I'll use the 315C and the rigid tipper there, as it isn't a huge distance that needs to be covered. As soon as the earth is out of the way, I'll stagger the prefab sections, as the last time they were placed straight up. Let me get going on that.

[Bellboy]

Well, I got started this morning, but this one is going to take some time. The collapsed culvert needs more earth moved than was previously thought, so I am just going to leave the 315 and tipper there, quietly getting on, until the bigger machines are free. I have had to build a haul road, from the excavation site to the dumping site, and it is about 2 1/2 km long, two lanes of course. The grader was busy today doing that.
Pics.

[Bellboy]

some more...

[Bellboy]

Last lot for today. We'll see what I get up to in the morning.

[Bellboy]

Helloooo...

[Bellboy]

I read of this KZN roads Dept programme, where they give emerging contractors from Rural areas contracts on large road building and upgrade projects. I'm thinking of getting a Cat D9T, Cat Roller, and a semi for hauling shale and sand for my projects, then maybe I can start building roads.

I seriously need a dozer for this canal, as my scraper is not getting anywhere, and in order for him to be productive, I need several of them. I need to sort out operator accomodation as well as diesel tank and what not. Well, we'll see what tomorrow brings.

I'm using the excavata and ADTs to dig up the end of the canal, with the payloader to collect material for the excavata. As soon as they are done there, I'll send them to the collapsed culvert. Scraper is cleaning out the bottom of the canal, and the grader is maintaining the haul roads.

[Bellboy]

Some pics from this morning

1: The machines getting ready for the day
2. Case and Kaelble at the canal end
3. Case and Liebherr
4. Cat and Tipper at the collapsed culvert
5. 160H doing what graders do best

[Bellboy]

Some more of the same:

1. Dump site, well used
2. Cat and tipper relocating to the top of the culvert. Stuff kept rolling down, so I was just waiting for the big one.
3. Climbing up the mountain. Dunno what Fudge is doing there...

[stretch]

Sorry...been away on vaction for a few! Lookin' good so far...but I think you might want the blade to do a quick pass on the culvert road.

Hope you can find a way to get a dozer...they are a must on projects like these! And I'd say get at least one more scraper in the fleet to make it somewhat productive.

As for that quarry you mentioned...are you setting up a permanent operation or a mobile crusher?

[Bellboy]

It is a disused quarry, so there is a lot of reclaimable shale there. Shale is what we use for building roads here, and the stuff there requires very little if no processing. Shale is like the next step for clay, so it breaks up very easily. Even if there are big chunks, you just level them out with a payloader and follow it with a padfoot roller. After that you just grade it out and follow with a smooth drum roller.I think that we will excavate around the big chunks, and blast them when we need more material.

I finally got round to installing the diesel bowser. I know it looks very permanent, but we are going to be on that site for a while to come.

[Bellboy]

Some pics of the diesel bowser.

We got a lot done now that we are into the week. As you can see, from yesterdays end of day, there is a marked improvement in the canal. I think that we can bend some arms to get a dozer, but I think that actually cleaning the canal will require the dozer to push the material through, so that the ex's can load there.

1. Case digging the foundation for the bowser.
2. " " " " " " "
3. Coming up the haul road.
4. Dumping at the dump site
5. Loading at the canal end

[Bellboy]

These are mainly all of the installation of the diesel tank. I got our mixer to deliver the concrete (no really, I built the footing out of cement and sand mixed (we call it dagha))

1. All the materials arriving on site. The concrete mixer discharging his second load.
2. Again
3. End of yesterday. We got a lot done since Saturday. Half staff, half day. Nothing happened on Sunday
4. This time the tank is in place, we used the excavata to crane it.
5. Dump site in much the same situation.

[stretch]

Did you swing the tank off the flatbed over the cab? :eek:

Otherwise, :drinkup

[Bellboy]

Yes, yes I did. Gotta probl'm widdat?

[Bellboy]

I think i have posted enough pics of the site for now, so I am just trying to clean up my workshop for some pictures of that. My Cat 627G came in today, as it was building a dam on one of my friends farms, and it ran onto a fencing standard and got lodged in the front left tyre. It can't do any work with this protrusion going round and round under the machine. Now I know why I went for solid tyres when I bought that beast! Anyway, I will post some pics tomorrow.

I have a dancing comp tomorrow as well, so wish me the best of luck...:)

[Bellboy]

Here are some of the workshop.

The Case is in for his check up, but the CX330 has had weak hydraulics for a few days, so i had it brought in for a look at. I didn't get a pic of the scraper though. :drinkup

[Bellboy]

I have a dancing comp tomorrow as well, so wish me the best of luck...:)

Well, that comp went kinda well, seeing as for the Ballroom section, I didn't place, but for Latin, I got first in my category. My brother, who frequently comes posting with me, got third in Ballroom, and second in Latin. A lady sitting next to my brother's partner's mother told her that we are very noticible, as we are the only white guys who can dance:o. That was quite a compliment, as there are only a few "white" couples at these comps, and very few of them ever even place. This compliment also came from a 'black' lady, so that is quite something.:)

[Bellboy]

I went to town today, and go my second Case 340 ADT:drinkup, so i'll get some pics of him arriving, and a Bell 225A triwheel logloader. I'll get some pics of him with my two NH tractors.:cool:

the D9T and 966G are on order and should be arriving on Friday next week. I'll take the lowboy and go fetch them on Saturday.:)

[Bellboy]

Well, while I was on a HEF sponsored vacation, I got my 966G and D9T. Here are some pics of me going to fetch them.

The lorry had a fender bender, so his bull bar is skwonk. And if you're wondering why the signage says 'ABNORMAL/E' Its our road regulations. The 'E' makes it Afrikaans.

[Bellboy]

We finally landed a rather large contract. It entails the removing of nearly 400 m3 of old, decrepit concrete at the old port. most of it is 340 mm thick, so it presents no problem to the liebherr and Cat, (the cat's first job). When things start to get thicker, we pried it up with the Case.

And on that note, does anyone know how to fix a snapped dipper rod?:beatsme

pics:

1. Liebherr scooping up some material
2. Case prying up thick concrete
3. Cat stockpiling and breaking, ADT coming for a load, case.
4. Equipment used
5. Over view of site

[stretch]

Uhoh...which cylinder broke, the right-hand lift cylinder? I found that an easy replacement is a paper clip, just take it easy with it afterwards. :) Mine's back at work on a substation job, afraid I can't put up my pics for a few more days though.

Good luck with this job, looks like it's some good work for a while. :cool:

[Bellboy]

Okay, the cylinder that broke was the dipper cylinder. the one that pushes the dipper in and out. I bought some Q Bond glue, the stuff is almost industrial, and used a couple of drops on the rod.

It is stuck together again, but i am too scared that any movement might break it again.

I did however buy a big Liebherr 974 excavator, but my truck is now way too small. Gonna use it on the road project and clearing the port if concrete, still haven't finished, and then use it to do the excavation and mine in my quarry.

Now i need some semi's for road hauling. I think that it could be a while before the road project gets going in earnest, but this is Africa, and it does take a long time to do some thing here.

[stretch]

I did however buy a big Liebherr 974 excavator, but my truck is now way too small. Gonna use it on the road project and clearing the port if concrete, still haven't finished, and then use it to do the excavation and mine in my quarry.

I've looked at buying a 974, maybe for Christmas since it's a bit out of my budget in this economic stuation. :mad: I think I'll look at getting at a 954 w/ a 90' demolition boom first.

[Bellboy]

If you do get the 954 with demo boom, where you gonna use it?

The Liebherr has exquisite detail, well, sort of, and it is a real beaut'. It is really cool and works well with my Case dumpers. I know you got some big trucks, but I suggest you know how to move it with that.

How can I build a Lego lowboy like yours that will attach to a diecast truck?

[stretch]

If you do get the 954 with demo boom, where you gonna use it?

The Liebherr has exquisite detail, well, sort of, and it is a real beaut'. It is really cool and works well with my Case dumpers. I know you got some big trucks, but I suggest you know how to move it with that.

How can I build a Lego lowboy like yours that will attach to a diecast truck?

For the 954, I'd try to hook up a hammer for rock work and a bucket for dredging and long-reach work. Otherwise, I'd use the demo boom and shears as-is for demo and related work.

As for the lowboy, I'm not sure. I had a few Hot Wheels (circa 1979) trucks that were originally dump trucks, but the beds got lost or cracked and disposed of. I'm sure that with some glue, you could put a pin on the neck and see if it will slide in and stay in the 5th wheel. I'm not sure how well it would work, since I've never had a licensed 1/87 scale lowboy setup. I'll stick with my outfits since they work well for me, even carrying the huge 773 trucks without touching the ground. :cool:

[Bellboy]

Ya, as I said, the quarry is now operating, and I'll get some pics of it tomorrow, as well as the first stage of the road project well under way.

[Bellboy]

Finally got it going after some deliberation and planning.

Here some pics:

[stretch]

Seeing quite a bit of new equipment in there...wish I had a new job besides the sand and gravel business right now, but things are just slow...not to mention winter's coming.

And then there's the new 974...:notworthy:drinkup Looks comparable to a Cat 385 with that bucket! Now to decide on the next investment...another scraper to replace the 627 (or to perform crazy experiemnts with:D), or a 954 w/long reach for those demo jobs or a 974 with massive digging capacity? :beatsme

[Bellboy]

I dunno 'bout you, but my pics look real cr**! I think there is a problem with the mystical auto resizer.
Ya, there is a new Volvo A40D, great for the 974, and I might be getting a second one, depending on how things are going.

Built a 35m3 semi detached tipper today, and a 10m3 tipper on a Volvo truck. Pics tomoro.

And, what 30 ton excavator would you recommend, seeing as my Case is busted (thinking of donating it to the local modeling society.)

[stretch]

The pics look only as good as mine...I think it's just the size of the machines. :beatsme

Anyway, great choice with the A40D too, I've had one for about 3 years and it's another real workhorse. As for the excavator...I don't know about other 30-ton excavators in our scale, so I'd say try going up to a Liebherr 954 or down to a Volvo EC240 (the 240 actually has a bigger bucket than the Case and you can take it off using an eyeglass screwdriver and modify other attachments for it).

If the problem is only a busted cylinder, try using a paper clip to replace it, that's what I did for mine and it's been back in service for about 3 months now.

[Bellboy]

Will definately try the paper clip, only my brother is not keen on the idea. What is the EC240 like?

[kostas]

Thats a great fleet. . i like the mixing up the makes.!!!brings you back to the sand box eh?

[stretch]

The HO-scale EC240 is definitely the typical Volvo excavator...about great in everything it does:cool:. (I'm not biased now, am I?) It will outpeform the 330 in cycle times, lifting capacity is alright. If you can't find one of those, the next model down, the EC210, will do almost as good of a job.

I'll grab a pic of the 330 repair later unless you can find it in one of my posts...it's duties are mostly confined to utility work now thanks to that.

[Bellboy]

Pics would be great please, stretch. Are those models from motorart?

Thank you kostas.

[stretch]

Yeah, MOTORART...although the EC210 and A40D I picked up a few years back were from Boley.

Here's the repair pics and a comparison. Sorry for the fuzziness, but the clip is inserted into the cylinder and wrapped around where it attaches to the boom.

[Bellboy]

mmm, I see. Thanx for sharing your knowledge. My A40D came from Siku, the same people who made the 974 ex, and the Liebherr payloader. It looks like your Volvo has some ballast issues, so you might want to tighten the screw on the swing pivot.

Here are some pics of the two new trucks:
1. The new dump trucks
2. The new dump trucks
3. The new dump trucks
4. A40D and 730/Klein water truck
5. 730

[Bellboy]

Here we have some of the days work, ainly road building, but also some extraction etc.

Basically what we did for the day:
Digging, hauling, road building with the M318D (love that machine), and then I brought in the 160H do some grading, as the 12 was a bit sloppy. (Signs of the times, us young guys can't operate anything old!)

[Bellboy]

Finally decided to fix the Case, and it ain't to bad. Took quite a lot of time to get the old cylinder out due to the position of it, but got a paper clip in its place, and it is a bit loose, but it works nice. Now I have an excavator for the road project, and there are a lot of trees there that need extracting, and on extracting...

Last picture: wish I had one of these! Where did you get yours, Stretch?

[stretch]

I got mine, a Deere, from Athearn. I believe they also make a Deere dozer, loader, and grader.

And what do you mean us young guys can't run anything old? I just hired someone else to run it! *** It's a good ol' machine nonetheless.

Glad to help with the Case...no mechanical problems go unsolved without me! :D

[Bellboy]

I see you changed your avatar kostas.

Athearn eh? I will have a look at that.

[stretch]

Hey, I've decided to make my next purchase a 974...can you give me some feedback on the 974? Looks like it's worked out well so far.

And man, do I love the M318D too.

[Bellboy]

Ok, the 974 got a big bucket. It loads nice and works well with A40D's. My only minor complaint is that the boom tends to want to ease down, i think that it is too heavy for the cylinders. It is however very well balanced. My dipper crowd stick is very stiff though. I like it, and I am getting another A40D this week.

Where can one get a good looking, well functioning log loading machine, like an excavator or swing machine??

[stretch]

Thanks again...I'm sure I can work out the kinks myself if I have any.

Log Loaders...log loaders...I know that the Norscot Cat 966 can be ordered with a set and one of the MOTORART Volvo loaders (L180 I think) comes with a high-lift loader set but as for excavators, I'm not sure. Might have better luck modifying an existing machine or simply adding a thumb to one. :beatsme

[Bellboy]

What a pity that there aren't any readilly available log loaders out there in our scale...

I'll think about the thumb idea

[stretch]

I actually figured out a thumb for my EC210...would probaly fit on the 240 too...I took two of the tongs off a Deere composter and stuck on the stick...pics soon.

[Bellboy]

I actually found an old grapple of an old truck, so thinking about using that, when i can get the Ec240.

[stretch]

I finally found the model of the 974 you got...do I need my eyes checked if its up for only US$12.00??? :eek:

And no deal on the 630A scraper...missed the auction deadline.:bash

Follow-up on the forestry equipment...one of the German model manufacturers makes Mercedes-Benz tractors equipped with front-end log loaders and rear grapples. Still would probably be cheaper to do a thumb/grapple modification.

[Bellboy]

Sounds around the right price for one of thoseLiebherrs, mine was only R140, about the same!

Do you have a web address for those MB tractors?

[stretch]

Here's some logging stuff I dug up:

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/284-61005
Cat IT18F loader

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/495-13041
Volvo L180 Hi-Lift

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/283-800310
IH TD-15 w/winch

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/526-55146
Cat 966G loader

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/405-12240
M-B tractor w/log splitter/winch

I couldn't find a few of the exact machines I mentioned, but a quick search in the Walthers site should bring up more results.

[oakland]

too bad you dont collect 1:50th theres a ton of new log loaders coming out in 09 2 john deere's and 2 hitachi's:p

[Bellboy]

too bad you dont collect 1:50th theres a ton of new log loaders coming out in 09 2 john deere's and 2 hitachi's:p

Oh, but I do!:D

http://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?p=108003#post108003

Where did you find that little bit of info bout next years models? Do you have a link? Are they like swingers or wheel loaders?

Thanks for the links, stretch, but they seem really far out of my price range. I like the mB tractor, never seen one before.

[stretch]

Yeah, I hear ya on that price range...I'm just glad I got three machines for a good bargain this weekend! If you have to find a good deal, try Tom's Trains of Wethersfield, CT (http://www.tomstrains.com/). The website may not be too informative, but if you call them up and ask for some prices, they will make you some good deals. I'd say that at least 1/2 of their items are on sale. I'm not sure about international shipping, but I'm sure he would help you out.