Andrew Erickson wrote:
In article ,
"Leon" wrote:

"Tom Watson" wrote in message
news
My son is going to Boy Scout Camp in mid June. They ask that each
boy have a footlocker.

(snippage)

So, I figured I'd just cobble up a footlocker.

I have some half inch cherry ply left over from a job and some
nice
brass hardware left over from a different job. I figure I can
make
this thing with no outlay.

My thought was that I would use finger joints in the corners,
house
the bottom in a plough, lay the top in a rabbet, and that would
make a decent enclosure.

Then I figured I'd put a pinrail on the inside and sit a divided
tray on it.

Has anyone made one of these before? I'd hate to build something
stupid because I didn't ask enough questions about it.

Hey Tom,

Like Charlie mentioned you may want to think about weight. Wood
would be very cool unless it was heavy and had to be moved around
by
a young'en. We always used a plastic container that resembled a
large ice chest except with out the insulation. A big plus is that
they are water resistant, rain is not a problem. Usually you can
find these in the larger sporting goods stores. Just a thought.

I'll second the "big plastic box" idea. Wally world and similar
often
have something of that sort in the general region of automotive
cruft
that they claim is a toolbox or some such. My mother, who retired
from being a missionary around a year ago, recommended one of them
when I visited her as they are sturdy, hold a lot, and don't weigh
that much--all concerns for international air travel. The fact that
they're pretty inexpensive is also a plus.

There's a reasonably detailed couple of articles on "Making one's
own
steamer and wardrobe trunks" in the fourth of the (original) Popular
Mechanics Boy Mechanic series, such as Lee Valley has available as a
reprint (pages 328-329 and 331-333). It appears from google books
that it's also in the modern edition reorganized from the originals
(pages 51-57). Their basic design uses 1/2" plywood or boards, butt
jointed to form a box, glued and nailed, and then sawn asunder to
form a chest and a top. The outside is covered in heavy fabric
glued
on (theatrical "scenic linen"--probably canvas?), the opening
reinforced with essentially angle iron pieces, and 2" x 1/4" slats
attached at the edges and across the faces for reinforcement.

Just a comment, but for that "heavy fabric, glued on", my temptation
would be fiberglass and epoxy.

But I'd also go for the "big plastic box". If you don't like the
cheap ones at Wally World, a Pelican 1630 should do the job. Not
pretty, but waterproof and tough--drop a motorcycle on one at 50 mph
and all that happens is that it gets scuffed up a bit.

--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)