This Cat's Blade Opens Mailbox
Terry Brouillette admits he spent an insane amount of time building a detailed D11 Caterpillar mailbox, complete with gas shocks to open and close the blade door. Then, after 2 1/2 years of spare time labor, he decided he didn't have the heart to actually use it as a mailbox, for fear of vandalism.
It would have been difficult to break, though, because it's made of solid steel 1/8 to 1/2 in. thick and weighs 130 lbs.
"The hardest part was scaling it down," Brouillette says. Without any blueprints to go by, he started making every piece with just a die grinder, welder and "a lot of hard work."
The only help he had from a professional shop was bending the 3/8-in. metal for the blade and drilling the ball bearings he used for cab controls.
Welds are hidden inside. He made jigs to bend some of the pieces such as the tracks ł complete with the sag that is in real dozer tracks.
He also got creative with a few parts. The dual air cleaners are carriage bolts with the threads ground off. The glass bowls on top are off of motorcycle in-line gas filters.
Brouillette was determined to include every detail of the D11, no matter how challenging. The cab interior has a seat, fire extinguisher, toolbox with tiny wrenches, and a rear view mirror.
The shocks lift the door automatically by pulling out the blade 1/16-in. Since shocks come in 10 lb. increments, Brouillette made several trips to an auto supply store to get the right speed for opening and closing.
The whole project cost less than $20, including the genuine Caterpillar paint he finished it with.
He only has one regret about building the D11 that often kept him up until 4 a.m. "I should have made 10 at the same time," he laughs, noting people have offered him a lot of money for the mailbox.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Terry Brouillette, Feeding Hills, Mass. 01030 (ph 318 640-3181).
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This Cat s Blade Opens Mailbox AG WORLD Ag World Terry Brouillette admits he spent an insane amount of time building a detailed D11 Caterpillar mailbox complete with gas shocks to open and close the blade door The after 2 1/2 years of spare time labor he decided he didn t have the heart to actually use it as a mailbox for fear of vandalism
It would have been difficult to break though because it s made of solid steel 1/8 to 1/2 in thick and weighs 130 lbs
The hardest part was scaling it down Brouillette says Without any blueprints to go by he started making every piece with just a die grinder welder and a lot of hard work
The only help he had from a professional shop was bending the 3/8-in metal for the blade and drilling the ball bearings he used for cab controls
Welds are hidden inside He made jigs to bend some of the pieces such as the tracks ł complete with the sag that is in real dozer tracks
He also got creative with a few parts The dual air cleaners are carriage bolts with the threads ground off The glass bowls on top are off of motorcycle in-line gas filters
Brouillette was determined to include every detail of the D11 no matter how challenging The cab interior has a seat fire extinguisher toolbox with tiny wrenches and a rear view mirror
The shocks lift the door automatically by pulling out the blade 1/16-in Since shocks come in 10 lb increments Brouillette made several trips to an auto supply store to get the right speed for opening and closing
The whole project cost less than $20 including the genuine Caterpillar paint he finished it with
He only has one regret about building the D11 that often kept him up until 4 a m I should have made 10 at the same time he laughs noting people have offered him a lot of money for the mailbox
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Terry Brouillette Feeding Hills Mass 01030 ph 318 640-3181
