Derk’s new Universal carrier Mk 1*

[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.

[derk derin]

I have a question about the front junction box located at the front left ammunition bin on the carrier. It has 2 plugs coming out of it for 2 headsets. One is obviously for the Gunner/commander. Was there a headset for the driver as well for I.C. Communicating with the rest of the crew? If so, it would have run off of a headset extension to the drivers side of the carrier?

[Ron Pier]

When I fitted my axle flood lamp many years ago, I got my switch and change over labels from https://www.lwdparts.com/

They still have them I think. Ron

[derk derin]

Perfect, thanks Ron, I was just thinking about the switch and labels. I have a switch in the pile of spare parts from Dave but I need to find the RED/WHITE labels. I’ll check Dirk’s site for them.
Cheers,Derk

[Petr Brezina]

Originally Posted by derk derin

I have a question about the front junction box located at the front left ammunition bin on the carrier. It has 2 plugs coming out of it for 2 headsets. One is obviously for the Gunner/commander. Was there a headset for the driver as well for I.C. Communicating with the rest of the crew? If so, it would have run off of a headset extension to the drivers side of the carrier?

Yes Derk, thats correct

[Ron Pier]

I found this in Ford Canada Trucks, maybe he still has them separate?
https://www.lwdparts.com/product/pla...-tail-sublamp/

Ron

[derk derin]

I fabricated a second A set antenna base for my carrier and at the same time cleaned up and fixed my antenna mount I built over 20 years ago that I made a few mistakes on that are now somewhat corrected. Not perfect but presentable!
It sure helped having a hydraulic press to use this time. I made a few sets of tooling out of angle iron and flat stock to make the bends which worked perfect for me.

[derk derin]

Getting them mounted on the carrier sure added to the look. I’ve also made the B set antenna mount and just finishing up the fitting of it to the carrier.

[derk derin]

Here’s a dirty job I started. Grinding off years of rust & old paint! My arms & hands can only take so much each day so it’s going to take me awhile to get it ready to prime & paint. Lucky I’m retired and in no rush!

[derk derin]

Another piece of the puzzle added to the carrier today. Finished fabricating my B set antenna mounting bracket, mount and cage. The hardest part for me was trying to figure out how to bend a 6 inch diameter ring so I was looking around the shop and the base of the acetylene tank worked perfect. The rest of the pieces were fairly simple to make.
On to the next pieces!
Derk

[David Dunlop]

Nice work on the mounts, Derk.

David

[derk derin]

Thanks David. This carrier is definitely going to need a new paint job by the time I’m finished fabricating all my pieces!
Derk

[derk derin]

The crewlocker is done! What a dirty job. Glad that’s over with. Enjoying most of the jobs but this wasn’t one of them! The other one is trying to router out the grenade bin wooden inserts. I’ve tried 3 times already, finally just accepted what I had built for the 3rd time!

[derk derin]

Todays accomplishments. Primed & painted the wooden items for the carrier. Let them dry for the week, fix the straps to hold the rear seat cushions down, got the wooden inserts & felt in the grenade bins done, made up 2 sets of 19 set headset extension cords so the driver has a headset. And my smoke generator bin that requires 2 smoke generators and cutouts for 2 ballistite rounds tins. Both almost impossible to find so I had 2 smoke generators 3-D printed just so I can fill the spots and found 2 old tobacco tins that were the exact size of an original ballistite rounds tin I borrowed from a friend. I sandblasted them and had paper labels printed. Will fill the empty spots for now until originals show up (which will probably be never!). That’s enough for today. Time for a coffee!
Derk

[Tim Bell]

Re smoke generators - indeed very hard to find, so much so excellent reproductions are available in the UK.

Sample product:



The exact finish varies depending what version and paint finish you want.

If interested in any, please send me a PM and I will put you in touch with the manufacturer.

Tim

[Tim Bell]

Smoke Generators in my collection for reference:





Tim

[derk derin]

Wow, I didn’t think smoke generator reproductions were available. They look great and I would definitely be interested in a couple of them but Canada post is so fussy with dummy ammunition that I wouldn’t want to risk shipping it here and having them destroy it.
Has anyone attempted shipping these into Canada and what were the results?
Tim if you could get me a contact for the manufacturer I would like to ask him if he ever shipped any to Canada? Or if you talk to him and get back to me that would work as well. Thanks for posting the information and your photo’s.
Regards,Derk

[Ed Storey]

A solid block of resin is fine, but once you paint it up with the appropriate markings, and then try to send it through the post, is where you could potentially get into trouble.

[derk derin]

Appreciate the input Ed. I am doubtful in this day and age it would pass through customs without an issue. I’m not sure I want to find out the hard way that it’s not allowed to be imported.
I’ll wait and see what Tim or the manufacturer has to say about it.
Derk

[derk derin]

The 3 grenade bins were installed today. I was missing the front bin and one of the left rear bins but once again my good friend came through for me and supplied me with 2 for my project. I realize I have $20 dummy American pineapple grenades in there. For now it will have to do until 6 (cheap) No. 36 Mills grenades are found to replace them. The average price for them here is $300.00 to $400.00 each so will take many years to fill the bins!!!
Derk

[Ron Pier]

My current loaded smoke bomb is an old Ford Transit oil filter. I'll send you a PM Tim as it would be nice to have something more realistic. Ron

[derk derin]

I thought of an oil filter too for a quick & easy reproduction but all oil filters now have the flat spots on the end so it doesn’t look right. The 3-D printed plastic ones I have don’t look right either but it takes me 3 or 4 attempts at all my projects until I’m fairly happy with them.
Those replica smoke generators you have Tim are spot on. Just not sure of importing them into Canada. Will have to do some checking once I have more information.
Derk

[tankbarrell]

I suspect if they are unpainted or certainly unmarked, the correct colour is Light Brunswick Green, they should be possible to ship. They are only a piece of plastic. The Mk 4 generator, which is the correct type for the discharger, did not have the wires for electrical ignition either so they would look even more innocuous.

[derk derin]

Everyone that knows me knows that I’m always saving stuff that gets thrown away. Picking out old garage door rubber weatherstripping out of the garbage barrel paid off for me today when it was time to make all my rubber straps for my carrier. It helped to have some original straps on the carrier I got from Dave. I could do an exact copy. This project was relaxing!

[Tim Bell]

Originally Posted by derk derin

Appreciate the input Ed. I am doubtful in this day and age it would pass through customs without an issue. I’m not sure I want to find out the hard way that it’s not allowed to be imported.
I’ll wait and see what Tim or the manufacturer has to say about it.
Derk

you'd be surprised what happily goes through the post as a Lamp Base.