With a deadline quickly approaching it is time to concentrate on the truck for the next week or so. I spent the day in the shop cutting, welding and grinding steel to form the box of the little dump truck. It took a little head scratching and some special design considerations to make it work. The bottom of the dump box is raised considerably to allow for the hidden batteries and hydraulic pump that will reside there between the frame rails. The sides of the box go down over the side of the frame to make it look much bigger and deeper than it really is. the dump truck box will be fully functional of course.

The first task was to weld up the hinge pin supports so the box can tip, then fabricate a sturdy but light frame for the bottom of the box.

Then I cut the sheet metal with the plasma cutter and welded the bottom into place. It was instantly a nice looking flatbed truck with a tip bed.

The sides of the box came next. I used 1" x 1" square tubing as a frame and then welded up the sheet metal. The two sides were clamped in place and then welded up good and strong.

Lastly I welded in the front of the box. It will be notched to accomodate the hydraulic cylinder - just like the real ones. Bec also mixed epoxy for me today for a while and we sculpted the window frame and hood side.

Tomorrow we'll pick up where we left off.

-grampa dan