Repro WS No 19 Cdn battery box

[maple_leaf_eh]

I have a couple of "cords" of CNo.7 rifle chests, all dated 1945-46. At a glance, Bob's No.19 radio set battery boxes are probably constructed from the same design principles. It follows therefore, that they would be finished similarly. The original paint of a CNo.7 chest is Canadian olive drab. All of mine were overpainted externally with gloss darker green sometime post-war. The drab paint remained untouched inside. By the way, the correct hardware should be slotted screw heads, and depending on the maker, combination slot-and-Robertson head. Not Phillips heads.

If anyone wants hinges or hasps for a CNo.7 or No.15 sniper rifle chest, speak up. I have several dozen sets all stripped out, coated in motor oil, packed in big plastic pails.

[Bob Carriere]

Hi Terry

There may be a reason for having the original boxes waxed similar to the then available "butter boxes" now expensive collectable items.

In the case of the butter boxes they were waxed to protect the taste of the fresh butter and keep the butter from saturating the wood.

In the case of the battery boxes a deep imbedded wax would have protected the wood from accidental acid spills or splashes.
Once waxed no paint would be required or stick to the wood.

Bob C

[Grant Bowker]

Many of the battery boxes were inside vehicles. As a result, protection from acid could have been seen as more important than green for camouflage.
I'm not 100% sure but think I remember saving photos from the "for sale" section of David Gordon's VisualCollector web site. I can try to find them but if we are lucky David may have kept a copy too.

[Grant Bowker]

http://www.royalsignals.org.uk/photos/battery-box.htm
http://www.onesixth.co.uk/vb4forum/s...k-installation
I still haven't found the images I wanted, will have to look more.

[Grant Bowker]

All info from ads posted on www.visualcollector.com as part of listing of items that were for sale June 2011. There is a PDF file that includes the descriptions of the boxes that were for sale and then images that correspond to the text (see the file names to match to the text - the original images had to be split to fit the size limits).

[Grant Bowker]

Another battery box style

[Grant Bowker]

Once again, another type

[Chris Suslowicz]

Originally Posted by Grant Bowker

All info from ads posted on www.visual collector.com as part of listing of items that were for sale June 2011. There is a PDF file that includes the descriptions of the boxes that were for sale and then images that correspond to the text (see the file names to match to the text - the original images had to be split to fit the size limits).

I think that 6V 100/125Ah accumulator with the handle on the lid is a bodge job to turn a scrapped battery into a toolbox. The battery is _very_ heavy, especially when filled, and there's no way that the lid clips would take the weight of lifting it by a top handle like that.
(Also the fixing bolts go through the filling and charging instruction labels.)

Only very small (6V 16Ah, 6V 40Ah and the 12V 22Ah) batteries had single lifting points, and those were usually a rubber strap bolted through the end case sides.

Chris.

[Robert Bergeron]

Thanks all for the support in these difficult times.

I will be going parrafin wax as Geoff suggested. Sounds right and i like the smell of hot parrafin in the morning. It reminds me of my cross country skiing days in the Sutton Québec area, a place called Farmer's Rest.

Next set of boxes i will try Oak or Beech and see what result it gives.

Thanks all for the very good info.

Leaving the net ( as Terry said ) for a few days, off to Sherbrooke tomorrow for the brother's funeral on sathurday.Sad.

[Ron Pier]

Originally Posted by Chris Suslowicz

I think that 6V 100/125Ah accumulator with the handle on the lid is a bodge job to turn a scrapped battery into a toolbox.

Chris.

I agree with Chris here! You can see the holes in the side in the inside of box shot where the handles have been removed. You would not want to put many tools in there either. More likely a sewing/knitting box.
Here are some of my boxes where as Chris says, the small ones have a leather strap and in the case of my smallest box it's canvas.
None appear to have ever been painted. Just natural wood colour. Although I have satin varnished a couple after sanding the blackened wood.
Apart from one 1942. They are all dated 1945. Shame, as my FFW Morris is 1940. But then my WS11 set and ancillaries are all Australian........Beggars can't be choosers!! Ron