25 Pounder info needed.

[Private_collector]

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The canvas for the tool box lid is now finished.
A single stitch run has been run along all sides, beneath where the leather strip will go, to keep the edges fairly straight. Before it's completely tacked in place, I'll iron the edges and apply some spray starch to help the edges retain their shape.

Incidentally, I have not made any attempt to clean inside of the box itself, but did clean inside the lid. Sandblasting isn't just for metal! The lid will need another blasting before reassembly. It has some PVA glue residue to come off.

[Private_collector]

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New leather strip for the tool box lid has now arrived.
It was custom made and sent within 2-3 days, by an Australian business that I will definately use again. I can think of several areas that will require custom made leather pieces, including straps for the sunshine roof on my CMP.
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My cut tacks are here now too. This is equivelent to the larger of the sizes originally used, and they are SHARP! I'll do a test hammer through the end of my leather strip, to see how easy they drive and what, if anything, happens to the leather. It's a good thickness so hopefully they won't distort on the way through. If they do, every hole will need to be punched, or have an awl poked through.
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I've been cleaning up all the screw heads by sanding to shiny, then applying two layers of gun blue. They should look quite nice when finished, and will match the brackets and hinges. I know it's a lot of work, but I thought they came up well.....until I took the closeup photo. Now I can see there is still grot in several of the grooves. Those will get another run through with sandpaper. I'm sure my eyesight is getting worse.

If the good lords willing and the creeks don't rise, I should have color on the box itself this weekend, and the lid should be completely finished.

[Private_collector]

Getting there.
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Still have a dozen or so screws to clean and blue, before the lid can be properly attached.
It's just sitting on the box, in the above photo.
I found I am not good at nailing leather straight, but it sure is secured well.
Those tacks cut right through leather, canvas, and harwood with very little effort.

[Private_collector]

And just like that, it's finished.
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I'll line the inside with something like felt. Then I can store number one good things in there, and keep them secure with one of the 1940s locks I bought a few weeks ago.


Next project!

[Wayne Hingley]

Looks great Tony! That box is "filled" with an incredible amount of detail.

[Private_collector]

Thanks Wayne. The metal hardware was the most time consuming. So much wet sanding of screw heads, followed by two coats of gun blue.

This coming Saturday I hope to be going on a trip to retrieve a set of brake parts to complete my axle. I've been offered a set of the genuine brake components, and when they are cleaned and painted, my axle will then be complete. When that is finished, I'm at a bit of a loose end really. Don't have any other parts to go onto, and don't yet have the room for working on anything big. I really need to get the cabin on my truck. It takes a lot of space in the workshop, sitting on the rolling frame I assembled it on.

Also on Saturday, I am taking one of my 16" CMP wheels to the fellow who I bought my grey truck from, so he can look into why the military pattern tyres aren't fitting. He swears he has put those tyres onto identical wheels without problems. While there, I'll be picking up a radiator fan shroud, passenger side floor grip ring, two windscreen frames & glass, and another one of the civilian pattern tyres to replace the one that went flat driving on the highway months ago. I have not driven that vehicle further than a few miles from home, since having no spare tyre.

[Private_collector]

Level now has a new bubble inside.
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A new vial was found that was the exact size I wanted.

A fortnight ago, I made a trip to get the main brake parts.
The pull rods, cross shaft brackets, and U bolts are finished and temporarily fitted.
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Some minor finishing pieces for the brake system are yet to be received, and one of the cross shaft bushings is being fabricated by a friend of mine, who is also a MLU member!
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Speaking of the cross shaft piece, the handbrake lever attached to it, has a slight bend that will be knocked out tomorrow afternoon. A neighbour and I will tackle that job after work. He has an oxy set and an anvil. It'll be basic blacksmithing work, but because the lever is welded to the cross shaft, a second person is needed to hold the shaft up, while the other one belts the brake lever back into shape again. It's fairly thick metal, so will take some persuasion.


I won't be getting the sight assembly I wanted. Although a repairable one was available here in Australia, another from UK became available and was in full working order. I overlooked the local one, in preference for the better condition (and dearer) overseas one. Wasn't fair to keep the other guy hanging after I had decided to spend the extra for other one, which as it turns out won't be happening, so guess I get none out of two. A technical hitch with export/customs leaving UK caused the package to be returned to sender. Apparently the issue was their inability to scan within the multiple layers of metal, and because they couldn't be sure there wasn't anything hidden inside, they rejected the parcel. Afterwards, the shipping company stated the assembly could have proceeded if it had been totally pulled apart, for internal imspection. There's a lesson learned at considerable time and expense, to both parties involved.

Once the remaining brake pieces arrive, they and the cross shaft (with lever) will be finished and put in place, completing the entire axle. Because I don't have anything else to start on, I'll be stopping work on the gun at that point, so another post or so will see the end of progress for an unknown period.