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RETIRED HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATOR TURNS ARTIST
Seen here with the Caterpillar PL87 pipelayer he handcrafted, retired heavy equipment operator Don Weisel converts his passion for construction equipment into scale models of the machines he operated. This Caterpillar Challenger, the only machine Don Weisel built with rubber tracks, is a 1/10 scale model and is built with exacting detail.
Don Weisel
Artist
The rear view of the Caterpillar D10 dozer reflects the amount of detail that Don Weisel puts into every scale model he builds.
When Don Weisel retired from his job as a heavy equipment operator in 2000, he relaxed for two weeks and then concluded that he’d had enough down time and needed to tackle a project to keep himself occupied.
Weisel began as an operator at age 15, working at his father’s gravel pit in Louisville, Ohio. He worked the final 12 years of his career at The Ruhlin Company. He enjoyed his work and also recalled enjoying shop class in high school.
“I decided to combine those two interests and set about building my first scale model, a Caterpillar D9 crawler dozer,” he said.
What started out as a minor diversion has become an annual endeavor. Weisel has built one piece of construction equipment every year for the past 21 years. Weighing in at 30 to 45 lbs., the models are built to 1/10 scale and take a month or more, working seven hours a day to construct.
He’s chosen to build the machines he ran as an operator, which were primarily Caterpillar machines, but he also has built a John Deere tractor; a Gradall model 1000 wheeled excavator; a Link-Belt crane; and a Peterbilt tractor and lowboy to haul his Caterpillar equipment. Weisel constructs his scale models of oak and walnut as the two materials offer a nice contrast to the finished product.
Weisel builds each machine freehand, working without blueprints or a pattern. He carefully studies product brochures and relies on his 46 years of experience operating the machines.
“Knowing first hand where the levers should go has been extremely helpful,” Weisel said.
All the scale models he has built are amazingly detailed and have maneuverable tracks and functioning hydraulic components. Getting each moving part to work correctly can be a challenge and on many occasions, he has had to construct parts more than once.
“My goal with every machine I build is to make sure they work like the real machines,” he said.
Weisel has eight grandsons, and he has given or will give each of them two of his scale models when they turn 25. He also has been displaying models at shows for the past five years and at one event that gives out awards, he displayed seven pieces and took home seven first-place ribbons.
Weisel said the most popular models he has built are the
Caterpillar D-10 dozers; the Caterpillar PL-87 pipelayer; and the Caterpillar 345 excavator. At 81 years old, Weisel has no plans to slow down on his annual construction projects. “I’ll need another 20 years to build every machine that I operated during the span of my career,” he said. Weisel plans to sell a handful of the duplicate scale models he has built. Interested parties can reach him by phone at 330/904-7395. This Caterpillar 992D wheel loader is on display in Don Weisel’s (All photographs in this article are Copyright 2021 Construction workshop. Equipment Guide. All Rights Reserved.) CEG
This scale model of a Caterpillar 345 excavator is one of the most popular pieces constructed by Don Weisel.
When displayed at local area shows, this
Caterpillar D10 dozer attracts a great deal of attention.
Westchester Tractor, Inc.
60 International Blvd • Brewster, NY 10509 845/278-7766 Fax: 845/278-4431 E-mail: dan@wtractor.com
Now Serving All of Connecticut
LATE MODEL EQUIPMENT
EXCAVATORS:
2015 DOOSAN DX350LC-5, FULL CAB, QUICK COUPLER, 738 HOURS, 2 WAY PIPING..........$225,000 2015 KOBELCO SK85SR, 2572 HRS, 36” BKT, HYD THUMB, KUBOTA STYLE COUPLER, PATTERN CHANGER, RUBBER TRACKS....................................................................................................$79,995 2003 KUBOTA KX91-3, NEW ENGINE JUST INSTALLED, MACHINE HAS 3697 HOURS, CAB W/HEAT NEW BKT TEETH & TRACK ROLLERS........................................................................................$28,500 2017 NEW HOLLAND E30B, CAB W/HEAT/AC, 300 HOURS, MANUAL COUPLER, 4 WAY BLADE, 24” BKT & 48” GRADING BUCKET....................................................................................................$41,995 SKID STEER LOADERS:
2006 NEW HOLLAND C185 TRACK SKID STEER, 808 HRS ON METER (NOT ACTUAL HRS), PILOT CONTROLS, CAB HVAC, JUST SERVICED, NEW BATTERY & ALT. 84" BKT, HAS HOLE IN BKT $29,995 2017 NEW HOLLAND L220, 130 HRS, CAB, HVAC, 2 SPEED, PILOT CONTROLS......................$37,995 2012 NEW HOLLAND L223, 2 SPEED, PILOT CONTROLS, CAB HVAC, 2525 HRS....................$32,995 2015 NEW HOLLAND L230, 501 HRS, 2 SPEED, CAB HVAC, HIGH FLOW, HYD COUPLER, PILOT CONTROLS................................................................................................................................$36,995 2017 NEW HOLLAND L234, 270 HRS, 2 SPEED, CAB HVAC, HYD COUPLER, PILOT CONTROLS........ ..................................................................................................................................................$39,995 2017 NEW HOLLAND L218, 161 HRS, CAB HVAC, PILOT CONTROLS, HYD COUPLER............$34,995 2019 KUBOTA SSV65, 88 HRS, CAB HVAC, FOOT CONTROLS, HIGH FLOW..............................$41,995 CHIPPERS:
2013 RAYCO RC1220 12” CHIPPPER, 1880 HRS, AUTO FEED, NEW DRUM BEARINGS, WINCH, 100 HP KUBOTA ENGINE..................................................................................................................$24,995 SCREENERS:
2018 VIBROSCREEN SCM40C BOX SCREENER W/CONVEYOR, 123 HOURS ..........................$129,000 2018 VIBROSCREEN SCM40 BOX SCREENER, 200 HRS, NO DPF, NO DEF................................$54,995 NEW VIBROSCREEN SCM75C BOX SCREEN W/CONVEYOR, TIER 3 ENGINE..........................$165,000 NEW VIBROSCREEN SCM115T TROMMEL, NO DPF, NO DEF....................................................$150,000 2018 VIBROSCREEN SCM115T TROMMEL, 400 HOURS, NO DPF, NO DEF..............................$123,500 TRACTORS:
2014 KUBOTA M108 “OVER THE RAIL” BOOM MOWER, CAB, 4WD, 2150 HRS, ROTARY HEAD..$79,995 WHEEL LOADERS:
2009 JOHN DEERE 304J, 1.4 YD BKT & FORKS, HYD COUPLER, APPROX 6000 HOURS, NEEDS SOME WORK, GAUGES/ELECTRIC NOT WORKING IN CAB. OIL MUST WARM UP TO DRIVE. SELLING AS-IS..........................................................................................................................$34,995 NEW HOLLAND LW170B, 3YD BKT, JRB COUPLER, CAB HVAC, CAB HAS RUST/ROT. MAKE AN OFFER........................................................................................................................................$45,000 MISCELLANEOUS:
2003 BOBCAT 5600 TOOLCAT, 3025 HRS, JUST SERVICED, CAB HVAC, HYD DUMP, INCLUDES TOW HITCH PLATE (NO BUCKET INCLUDED)....................................................................................$29,995 2017 BOMAG BW213D-4, CAB W/HEAT/AC, VIBRATORY ROLLER, 84” DRUM ROLLER, 64 HOURS.... ................................................................................................................................................$106,800 2014 DOOSAN DXB260 BREAKER, 8500 LBS, FOR DX350, HAMMER TOP FOR PIN GRABBER ..$35,000
DOOSAN DX350LC-5
