The cab is the construction mans office and some operators spend more time in them in their lives than they do their bed. What the manufacturers make furnish and design them with can have everlasting effect on the entire machines life. For example take a JCB 3C from the 1970s the cabs in those days were of basic design and although offered the operator some ROP (roll over protection) and basic FOP (fall on protection) its main objective was to shelter the operator from weather elements. Roll on 15 - 20 years later and the machine although off any serious hire projects is still capabe of farm work etc but as we all know the 3C cabs were only good for 10 plus years before they started falling apart with rust - thus jeapordising the entire machines future life. Not many people will consider buying a machine if the cabs falling or ready to fall off - It was a sad fact that many of these machines were neglected and cast aside from continuied operation just because the cab did not offer sufficient protection anymore. It was a major reason why many of these classics ended up on the scrap heap prematurely. Same could be said for the Italian built Hitachi FH machines compared to the EX cabs.
(Hope I'm not too old school folks but the modern stuff is still to come.) In the 1950s when cab protection was starting to become more popular, cabs were usually designed around an already well established machine design which gave the impression that many cabs were just "stuck on" and somewhat of an after-thought. This did make a lot of machines less pleasing to the eye and even helped them into the ugly stakes. As keen plantmen the cab is one of the very first things that we notice and want to sit in when we first approach a machine. look how many times the handle of a new machine is pulled at a construction or agricultural show (even when we probably know it's locked
) We simply want to sit in the cab. Talking of the ugly stakes remember these ill fitting and less astheticly pleasing cabs - Caterpillar Traxavator- Drott BTD6 - Whitlock Dinkum digger - Any early Japaneese excavator (tight squeeze)- David Brown 900 range, Ford 655C - are a few of my own personal miss-fits where either the cab looked like a borrowed greenhouse or the accessability ment you had to be double jointed.
(Muir-hill Cabs are brill tho)I remember a TV programe in the 1980s called You Bet and remember thinking that I could have appeared as a contestent were my skill would have been to identify an excavator or piece of construction equipment from just seeing a little section or outline of a machines cab. Maybe not a masters degree but skillfull nevertheless.
However rather like how all the new supercars all seem to share the same design line I feel the same has happened to cabs on construction machinery. It's like they have all came from the same design studio with nothing standing out as an individual anymore. Inside it's much the same seats, servo controls digital read out instruments, grey grey grey or brown interiors. I'm not expecting white sheepskin rugs or a pimp my ride pink seat with fluffy armrests but a cab that posseses a bit of character and individuality from the masses is were my interest lies. I do think Hitachi is a good machine but something that put me off was simply the GREY GREY GREY interior and if that wasn't bad enough the outside was grey as well - it's just soooooo boring.
Now forgive my Lawrence Llwellen Bowen (check spezling plseae) rant but as I said at the beginning we spend most of our lives inside these steel boxes and it would be nice if they were interesting even from a visual point of view.Comfort and common sence features are such a seller to the operator - well placed air vents for aircon and demisting, adjustable armrests and controls, levers that are within easy reach and smooth to use. Good clear all round visability so we can see where we are going and where we have been. Clear and basic instruments that tell us what's happening and nothing too complicated either is appreciated. Windows that fold up neatly and safely without having to be a strongman to open and close them. A nice simple but modern radio/CD player helps get in the day also and consideration for flask, lunchbox and junk storage areas also help us keep the workplace tidy.
Most importantly of all and the real dealbreaker is the Throne or I should say seat. Can you believe years ago we were expected to sit on bum shaped piece of metal! it was in the same category (for those older than 21) as the grease proof toilet paper that our schools provided and expected us to perform a good job with
But plonk your rear end on a comfy seat that has nice back support and nine times out of ten you have a happy chappy in the cab prepared to do a bit of overtime if necessary. As many of you Know I sell old classic machinery to farmers and self builders and the one thing that I've noticed over the years is spending a bit of money on a decent seat makes more difference to the purchasing decision than how smokey the engine is. 
The cabin is of the upmost importance now, it defines a machines character and determines dedication of the operator, it also determines on many occasions whether the driver gets to go home alive or not and still does its now basic job - to keep us sheltered in the summer and dry in the winter and most importantly - when the wife does finally kick us out at least we know we have somewhere to stay for the night
Please use this thread to share your CAB, inside and out
