Wireless Set No. 52 Canadian - Project

[David Dunlop]

Sanding down the exterior of the Tool Box has now been completed and the next step will be to prime all the metal hardware to get it ready for the topcoat of Flat Army Olive.



David

[David Dunlop]

I was hoping the sanding of the front of the Tool Box would bring up more of the factory original stencil but no such luck. I can still see ghosts of some of the information lines as per the Tool Box Geoff Truscott recently purchased here on MLU, to know the layout was consistent with the images in the manuals. The three later sets of markings (all differing from each other) are a bit more legible. Two, along with the factory original are done in a ½-inch high by 3/8-inch wide font. The last and simplest (VAOS Reference Numbers only) is in a larger ¾-inch high by ½-inch wide font.

Similar stencil font software is still available on-line but differs slightly in where and how the individual characters are split to avoid them falling apart when the stencil is cut. That will all need further investigation. In the meantime, I am making notes of how these older stencils were cut for each character to get a better idea of what I am up against.


David

[Lynn Eades]

I have a Marsh Stencil cutter, made in Belleville, Illinois. Google it. They are still making them and there is a new one for sale on trademe (N.Z. auction site) listed by Grainger inc. in the states (I guess they make them now?) NZ$ 4300.00
Each machine only does one size, and cuts a stencil into Oil board (cardboard)

[David Dunlop]

Thanks for posting that, Lynn. That is quite an interesting machine. Bit of a staggering price, however.

There are a couple of machines on the market at the moment that can handle Manila weight materials and also work with Vector Graphic software, which is a huge plus when it comes to sizing stencils. Sales on such equipment will be in season soon, so I have my fingers crossed.

Same goes for software. I have my eye on one that looks very promising for doing the decal work I am going to need for the Supply Unit and Coils, Aerial No.2A, and I think it will also work for any adjustments needed with stencil software.

I will post more on that as it all unfolds.

Cheers,

David

[Lynn Eades]

David, the Marsh machines are definitely hardware (heavy) They were around during WWII and it's possible / probable that the stencils used on your tool box were cut in a Marsh machine.

[David Dunlop]

Since the Olive Drab paint I am working with on the various 52-Set wooden boxes and cases is a latex, eggshell finish paint, I was wondering how I was going to deal with priming the metal hardware on all these wooden items, given the grey oxide primers I have on hand are all oil based. Then I remembered several months ago I had seen some small cans of Tremclad metal primer somewhere that I thought were water based. I could not remember where, so started searching the usual stores this morning. On the third try, at a local RONA, I found what I needed, had them shake a can silly and bought it.

This afternoon, I now have all the metal hardware on the Tool Box primed and curing. With luck, I should be able to get the finish coat of Olive Drab applied this weekend.


David

[David Dunlop]

Time for an update on the project.

Physical work wise, not a lot has been going on with any of the kit. What time has been spent on the 52-Set has been reading up on tuning procedures for the full set and working through them with the set. Not happy with it all so far. It is taking me between 10 and 15 minutes to sort out each time. I think the timeframe is slowly improving, but I would really like to be able to accomplish the task is 5 minutes or less, once the set has warmed up. That seems a long way away at the moment and nothing about the process feels ingrained, or automatic. But I persevere. The bulk of my time, as expected this time of year, is spent on yard and household activities. Sigh.

I was hoping to get at least the Tool Box painted this summer, but the weather has impacted even the simple window/door paint-trimming refresh I had hoped to accomplish. The other problem I discovered was that the air compressor I have had for the last 10 years cannot deliver enough air volume to operate the paint gun I have planned to use. The gun requires 2.0 CFM at 40 PSI. I could not find any useful reference data in the manual at hand but did eventually find the compressor in the CH Archives on line and the air delivery was a very uninspiring 0.8 CFM at 40 PSI.

As it turned out, Canadian Tire had an 8-Gal Compressor on sale for half price last week that delivers 4.8 CFM at 40 PSI, so that part of the project can get back on track, with the new compressor broken in and ready to go.


David