This is one of those strange DIY projects that is awesome, silly, and just plain weird all rolled into one. If I were going to spend thousands of hours making an exact 1/16 scale replica of something it would certainly not be a Caterpillar 5230B front shovel. This is one of those things you might see at a construction site digging out the basement of a building.
The weird subject of this project aside, this is one of the most awesome showcases of DIY wood building prowess on the planet. The whole project is made from solid cherry and walnut wood and has over 4,000 pieces that are each individually hand crafted. The builder, Rob Fisher of Woodchuck and Co. says the project took over 3,000 hours to finish.
That works out to about a year and a half of construction time. The part that really blows my mind is that every piece of this model actually works. The treads roll, the bucket opens and closes and it can pivot around as well. Gander at the close-ups in the gallery and see just how detailed this thing is. The little railings must have taken days alone to make. Oh, and it can be yours for the tidy sum of $35,900 on Etsy.
