Hi,
Bronson Tate in the USA make a laser cut slatted crate as a load. However I did not want to buy one from him as the postage will I suspect could be almost as much as the kit ? which is $11.00. Buyers can contact Doug Bronson as he is aware that the postal charges can be excessive; please contact him direct as he has methods of reducing it.
So I worked out a method of making one similar but not a copy to it. My version has a load inside it, and is NOT laser cut, neither will I be selling it, being hand made it can take a time to put together, it is mainly made from 1mm plywood..
It is much easier if you have a small circular saw to cut the slats, as they are the major part of it. They are cut from 1mm plywood, as that provides a wood colour without painting, but it is varnished in due course. The base is made from 1mm plasticard, w2ith pre-painted edges, and has a tarpaulin covered load on top of it, this being made from some bits of polystyrene foam (from old packaging), to an ?interesting? shape. Into the base of it I have pushed some old lead flashing (remember to wash your hands after using it) to add some weight. Glue the load to the base with PVA glue which won?t dissolve the polystyrene, and then its time to cover it. I used PVA for glue and some thick paper scrumpled up and then flattened off draped over the load, to replicate a couple of tarpaulins. Around the edge of the load I added some scrap 4mm square strips to indicate some fixing strips for the (thread) I used for ?rope?. Paint the tarpaulins with acrylic paint to suit ? mine are for an early period (1880) so are plain canvas colour, but with different levels of dirt on them. Leave it to dry, and now add the rope over the load gluing it down on the side pieces as above.
With the load now complete, I made the sides keeping the horizontal planks inside, and leaving a space on the extreme ends for the ends to be glued into. Also the vertical stiffeners and cut overlong as they will overlap the floor and top of the crate when all is assembled; I used Evo-stik for assembly. When the sides are made continue with the ends (to be fitted inside the ends and finally the top which fits on the inner planks of the sides and ends but inside the stiffening strips. Leave to dry when the whole ensemble will be quite strong; I then added a number of strips at the joins to replicate some iron stiffening brackets: as this will not be left outside they are of black painted paper which is varnished down.
Finally to assist in moving the crate around and get chains underneath it I added on the base 4 strips a scale 2.5 inches thick ? this would allow spreader bars to be fed through for moving it.
For the varnish I use the kitchen floor preparation by Johnsons ? Klear ? it?s much cheaper than modelers paint and it is an acrylic varnish that dries to a satin finish.
It is a somewhat fiddly thing to make, and I will be buying another one from Bronson-Tate as part of a larger order for Doug Bronson?s coach kits, (thus the post cost will be lower), having made one the price is actually quite good. The kit has 6 pieces that are laser cut for the main body of the kit, extra to that are the supporting strips for the stiffening pieces round the shell of the crate ? the laser cut parts alone makes the assembly much much, easier. Doug Bronson has seen this article and has approved it. The kit can be made with the top loose so 'mock' loads acn be inserted in it if required.
Here are a couple of photos of it: the length of it is just below 4"
Bronson Tate in the USA make a laser cut slatted crate as a load. However I did not want to buy one from him as the postage will I suspect could be almost as much as the kit ? which is $11.00. Buyers can contact Doug Bronson as he is aware that the postal charges can be excessive; please contact him direct as he has methods of reducing it.
So I worked out a method of making one similar but not a copy to it. My version has a load inside it, and is NOT laser cut, neither will I be selling it, being hand made it can take a time to put together, it is mainly made from 1mm plywood..
It is much easier if you have a small circular saw to cut the slats, as they are the major part of it. They are cut from 1mm plywood, as that provides a wood colour without painting, but it is varnished in due course. The base is made from 1mm plasticard, w2ith pre-painted edges, and has a tarpaulin covered load on top of it, this being made from some bits of polystyrene foam (from old packaging), to an ?interesting? shape. Into the base of it I have pushed some old lead flashing (remember to wash your hands after using it) to add some weight. Glue the load to the base with PVA glue which won?t dissolve the polystyrene, and then its time to cover it. I used PVA for glue and some thick paper scrumpled up and then flattened off draped over the load, to replicate a couple of tarpaulins. Around the edge of the load I added some scrap 4mm square strips to indicate some fixing strips for the (thread) I used for ?rope?. Paint the tarpaulins with acrylic paint to suit ? mine are for an early period (1880) so are plain canvas colour, but with different levels of dirt on them. Leave it to dry, and now add the rope over the load gluing it down on the side pieces as above.
With the load now complete, I made the sides keeping the horizontal planks inside, and leaving a space on the extreme ends for the ends to be glued into. Also the vertical stiffeners and cut overlong as they will overlap the floor and top of the crate when all is assembled; I used Evo-stik for assembly. When the sides are made continue with the ends (to be fitted inside the ends and finally the top which fits on the inner planks of the sides and ends but inside the stiffening strips. Leave to dry when the whole ensemble will be quite strong; I then added a number of strips at the joins to replicate some iron stiffening brackets: as this will not be left outside they are of black painted paper which is varnished down.
Finally to assist in moving the crate around and get chains underneath it I added on the base 4 strips a scale 2.5 inches thick ? this would allow spreader bars to be fed through for moving it.
For the varnish I use the kitchen floor preparation by Johnsons ? Klear ? it?s much cheaper than modelers paint and it is an acrylic varnish that dries to a satin finish.
It is a somewhat fiddly thing to make, and I will be buying another one from Bronson-Tate as part of a larger order for Doug Bronson?s coach kits, (thus the post cost will be lower), having made one the price is actually quite good. The kit has 6 pieces that are laser cut for the main body of the kit, extra to that are the supporting strips for the stiffening pieces round the shell of the crate ? the laser cut parts alone makes the assembly much much, easier. Doug Bronson has seen this article and has approved it. The kit can be made with the top loose so 'mock' loads acn be inserted in it if required.
Here are a couple of photos of it: the length of it is just below 4"
