Derk’s new Universal carrier Mk 1*

[derk derin]

I received my handgrips today from Jeff Hunter. He does a fantastic job and they will look way better in my carriers than the bicycle grips I’ve had in there for over 20 years now. I’ll have to wait until spring to put them on, too cold out there in the shop now!

[derk derin]

My tool box lid needed pads, my original carrier I made from canvas so wanted to replace it with a pad of proper material and my new carrier has it rotted away so completed 2 pads. Need to find a source for proper rivets now.

[derk derin]

My original blanking board was rotten at the bottom 3 inches from sitting on a damp ground and I wanted to save it so I rebuilt the bottom 3 inches with plywood, picked up a roll of laminate to resurface the front and back and glued it down.
Once I trim the sides I’ll have to add a strip of laminate on the side as well as that’s how the original board was finished. Lots of effort for a board but it’s an original so wanted to use it in the carrier.

[derk derin]

The floorboard was rotting away that held the buttstock mount and tripod head bin so had to cut a new piece of plywood and remount the items on it. While I had the tripod bin off I made a duplicate to add to my original carrier which had it missing. I’m having a hard time finding felt thick enough to replace the old felt so for now had to make it out of plywood until I can source thick enough felt.

[derk derin]

What started out with me looking for one set of tripod clamps ended in me completing 2 sets which was a welcome find. Now I can outfit both carriers with tripod clamps. One of the items I was always looking for to add to my original carrier. I also made a dipstick. Dave’s carrier had the dipstick holder but no dipstick. My first attempt I wasn’t pleased with so tried again. The second one will do!

[derk derin]

And the dreaded wooden inserts for the grenade bins. It was a lot of work trying to get these as close to original dimensions as the ones in the reference photo’s I found on MLU of original ones.
This was what my final product turned out like! I routered the sides too wide as the grenade rocks back & forth but at this point I’ll have to live with it.
Again, I will have to find some thick enough felt for the top lid.

[derk derin]

I had one item missing on my carrier that I needed to install my convoy light setup. It was the 90 degree elbow on the conduit that has the wiring run through the access plate through the flexible metal conduit to the light housing.
Well my good friend dug through his pile of parts and amazing as it was, he had one! I’m all set. Just have to source a section of flexible conduit to run the wiring through.