Free 186 More Best Homemade Tools eBook:  
Get 2,000+ tool plans, full site access, and more.

User Tag List

Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 18

Thread: D10 Dozer blade conversion

  1. #1
    Supporting Member Frank S's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    Peacock TX
    Posts
    11,178
    Thanks
    1,974
    Thanked 8,766 Times in 4,195 Posts

    Frank S's Tools

    D10 Dozer blade conversion

    Digging around in my archives reminiscing over some of the things I have built, seeing the pictures of how I converted a Caterpillar D10 dozer blade from a "U" shaped configuration to a straight blade style
    In order to do this I first had to figure out the right places to cut it apart in order to salvage the parts I would need to make it look like a factory blade.
    I may have been the first person to do this. I know that others have done it since because I taught the method to several welders over the years.
    Here was how the blade started out before I began to transform it.
    I did about 10 of these blades though out the years so not all photos are from the same blade however I did not deviate from my process through out all builds. All of the same cutting edges were reused by exchanging ones from the left to the right
    Cutting the blade open is tricky, you first have to cut off the cheeks from both sides then you need a torch that is at least 4 ft long to reach far enough inside to cut the ribs where they weld to the face. You see a cat blade is made originally laying face down then a series of formed angles and U shaped pieces make up the ribs and the back of the blade After the cutting edge of teh mold board is welded back in place the face of the blade must be returned. This requires a broom handle to be clamped to the mig gun and the switch wired shut so you can reach the full depth to weld the face to the ribs If this is not done the first time the blade is used the face will peal off like removing the skin of an orange after all welding and grinding is done a good sand blast will prepare the blade for painting the final product should look exctly as if it were assembled in the factory For welding wire I used either Hobart Excell 550 or Tri-Mark 771 with CO2
    D10 Dozer blade conversion-scan0039c.jpg D10 Dozer blade conversion-scan0048c.jpg D10 Dozer blade conversion-scan0055c.jpgD10 Dozer blade conversion-scan0056c.jpg D10 Dozer blade conversion-scan0059c.jpg D10 Dozer blade conversion-scan0052c.jpgD10 Dozer blade conversion-scan0049c.jpg D10 Dozer blade conversion-scan0050c.jpg D10 Dozer blade conversion-scan0046c.jpgD10 Dozer blade conversion-scan0062c.jpg

    186 More Best Homemade Tools eBook
    Never try to tell me it can't be done
    When I have to paint I use KBS products

  2. The Following 8 Users Say Thank You to Frank S For This Useful Post:

    baja (Aug 20, 2020), Downeast Thunder (Mar 19, 2016), kbalch (Mar 18, 2016), nova_robotics (Aug 19, 2020), Paul Jones (Mar 17, 2016), PJs (May 19, 2016), Radioman (Jul 13, 2018), sossol (Mar 8, 2018)

  3. #2
    Content Editor
    Supporting Member
    DIYer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    3,056
    Thanks
    772
    Thanked 1,850 Times in 1,652 Posts
    Thanks Frank S! We've added your D10 Bulldozer Blade Conversion to our Heavy Equipment category, as well as to your builder page: Frank S' Homemade Tools. Your receipt:


    2000 Tool Plans

  4. #3
    Supporting Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Posts
    140
    Thanks
    27
    Thanked 94 Times in 43 Posts

    Manitoba Man's Tools
    Frank-Greetings from Canada

    Beautiful work. my old Dad who was a Cat man would have loved to see this. Who knows, maybe he is dozing clouds now.

    Bob

  5. #4
    Supporting Member Frank S's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    Peacock TX
    Posts
    11,178
    Thanks
    1,974
    Thanked 8,766 Times in 4,195 Posts

    Frank S's Tools
    Bob; I worked in a cat equipment broker's yard as an independent contractor. He would buy equipment that sometimes looked as if it would be better to haul it to the scrapers. He built a shop so we would have a place to work I did contract welding mechanic and machine work from the back of my truck almost steady for 10 years.
    The Idea of the conversion was mine if I remember correctly because he had several that had been in inventory for years and couldn't sell them. It took me 80 hours or more to do the first one but by the time they were all processed into straight blades I had my time down to a single week but he still paid me as if it was the first one plus a nice bonus. A couple of the guys I taught how to do this eventually got their time down to a week and a half
    We made sure that even under the closest inspection you shouldn't be able to tell our repairs from factory parts
    Never try to tell me it can't be done
    When I have to paint I use KBS products

  6. The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to Frank S For This Useful Post:

    baja (Aug 20, 2020), Paul Jones (Mar 18, 2016), philipUsesWood&Brass (Jul 14, 2018), PJs (May 19, 2016)

  7. #5
    kbalch's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Clermont, FL
    Posts
    5,034
    Thanks
    2,275
    Thanked 531 Times in 383 Posts
    Hi Frank,

    Very nice work, indeed! That blade looks just like a factory component. Your D10 Bulldozer Blade Conversion is the 'Tool of the Week'!

    As you've already received one of our official HomemadeTools.net T-shirts, we'd be glad to award you a $25 online gift card.

    Just let me have your email address via PM and we'll get things processed directly.

    Congrats!

    Ken

  8. #6
    Supporting Member Toolmaker51's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Midwest USA
    Posts
    5,330
    Thanks
    7,041
    Thanked 2,977 Times in 1,892 Posts

    Toolmaker51's Tools
    My contribution; about D10's for sure but not building blades. Warning, Thread Hijack!!
    Heavy metal to me is cast iron, Monarchs, Axelsons, Niles, Americans, Kings and Bullards.....on and on. I'd love to run an earthmover sometime. So for you CAT guys, a little present.

    Do a quick web search for "Heavy Metal (Don't mean rock and roll to me)" by Johnny Cash, a cover of song written by Guy Clark.
    Here's a link


    Here's the lyrics;


    Some days I think this old machine is out to get me
    Some days she does what I tell her
    It's like dancing with the widow-maker forty hours a week
    I'm talkin' 'bout a big old D10 Caterpillar

    I don't know why I like to drive 'em like I do
    It ain't nothin' but a hundred and seventy-five thousand pounds of steel
    Could be the money babe, could be the power
    Could be I love the way it feels
    Could be I love the way it feels

    But you know she's mighty unforgivin' and you got to pay attention
    'Cause the d-10 can be the death of you
    But I get her all fired up and I can feel it in my soul
    And it's hard to tell just who's drivin' who

    I can move Alaska all the way to Beirut
    I can bulldoze a beeline from here to Peru
    I can push the rocky mountains into the sea
    You know heavy metal don't mean rock and roll to me

    I'm like a modern day mule skinner, drivin' ten thousand mules
    So say a little prayer every day
    Lord, just let me get her turned around without fallin' off this mountain
    You know the boss man don't like us treatin' his D10 that way

    I don't know why I like to drive 'em like I do
    It ain't nothin' but a hundred and seventy-five thousand pounds of steel
    Could be the money babe, could be the power
    Could be I love the way it feels
    Could be I love the way it feels

    Could be I love the way it feels
    Could be I love the way it feels
    Sincerely,
    Toolmaker51
    ...we'll learn more by wandering than searching...

  9. #7
    Supporting Member Frank S's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    Peacock TX
    Posts
    11,178
    Thanks
    1,974
    Thanked 8,766 Times in 4,195 Posts

    Frank S's Tools
    Quote Originally Posted by Toolmaker51 View Post
    My contribution; about D10's for sure but not building blades. Warning, Thread Hijack!!
    Heavy metal to me is cast iron, Monarchs, Axelsons, Niles, Americans, Kings and Bullards.....on and on. I'd love to run an earthmover sometime. So for you CAT guys, a little present.

    Do a quick web search for "Heavy Metal (Don't mean rock and roll to me)" by Johnny Cash, a cover of song written by Guy Clark.
    Here's a link


    Here's the lyrics;


    Some days I think this old machine is out to get me
    Some days she does what I tell her
    It's like dancing with the widow-maker forty hours a week
    I'm talkin' 'bout a big old D10 Caterpillar

    I don't know why I like to drive 'em like I do
    It ain't nothin' but a hundred and seventy-five thousand pounds of steel
    Could be the money babe, could be the power
    Could be I love the way it feels
    Could be I love the way it feels

    But you know she's mighty unforgivin' and you got to pay attention
    'Cause the d-10 can be the death of you
    But I get her all fired up and I can feel it in my soul
    And it's hard to tell just who's drivin' who

    I can move Alaska all the way to Beirut
    I can bulldoze a beeline from here to Peru
    I can push the rocky mountains into the sea
    You know heavy metal don't mean rock and roll to me

    I'm like a modern day mule skinner, drivin' ten thousand mules
    So say a little prayer every day
    Lord, just let me get her turned around without fallin' off this mountain
    You know the boss man don't like us treatin' his D10 that way

    I don't know why I like to drive 'em like I do
    It ain't nothin' but a hundred and seventy-five thousand pounds of steel
    Could be the money babe, could be the power
    Could be I love the way it feels
    Could be I love the way it feels

    Could be I love the way it feels
    Could be I love the way it feels
    Well I'm a little late in posting to TM51's comment this one apparently flew under everyone's radar just like mine
    like I have heard said by a staunch compatriot here at HMT.net they don't make songs about milling machines & Volvos
    but the big old D 10 gets its lime LOL
    Never try to tell me it can't be done
    When I have to paint I use KBS products

  10. #8
    Supporting Member suther51's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Posts
    380
    Thanks
    210
    Thanked 150 Times in 115 Posts
    Very impressive, I grew up around an uncle that is what I call a junk yard fabricator. Take a combine front axle and cut it narrower, clock the gear reduction outputs and build a tractor out of it, or a factory cart turned into a frame for a magnatrack size home built bull dozer with a 4 way blade but this is in another league. Impressive. Frank S, do you have any pics of the truck you worked out of? Would like to see some. Thanks Eric

  11. #9
    Supporting Member Frank S's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    Peacock TX
    Posts
    11,178
    Thanks
    1,974
    Thanked 8,766 Times in 4,195 Posts

    Frank S's Tools
    Suther 51 I have a big hole in my picture history but here are a couple of survivors not good shots of the rig this was my rig I built and ran from 1980 through 1988 when I retired it I had over 500,000 miles on it
    [ATTACH=CONFIG]2ad2582[/ATTACH]

    D10 Dozer blade conversion-22.jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails D10 Dozer blade conversion-21.jpg  
    Never try to tell me it can't be done
    When I have to paint I use KBS products

  12. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Frank S For This Useful Post:

    baja (Aug 20, 2020), suther51 (Mar 15, 2018)

  13. #10
    Supporting Member Frank S's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    Peacock TX
    Posts
    11,178
    Thanks
    1,974
    Thanked 8,766 Times in 4,195 Posts

    Frank S's Tools
    Here are a couple more pics of the blade
    D10 Dozer blade conversion-11.jpg
    D10 Dozer blade conversion-12.jpg
    Never try to tell me it can't be done
    When I have to paint I use KBS products

  14. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Frank S For This Useful Post:

    baja (Aug 20, 2020), Jon (Mar 9, 2018)

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •