34 and 42 repo transit chests avalable

mg34ss · Post by **mg34ss** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 1:50 pm

I met a re-enactor named Bruce Pitt. He is a carpenter in his spare time and builds reproductions of anything wood, used in WWII. He came to my shop and asked if there was a market for 1919A-4 transit chests. We sold a couple for him and I asked him if he would do the German chests. He figure it was not a problem, and to make a long story short, we took all the pictures we could find and used my '34 and '43 to do the final fitting and he has '34 and '42 chests for sale. He can make alterations to fit the spare parts leather box or the Yugo canvas bag, which ever you have. The '42 chest is based on the '34 chest. Whether or not these chests were used by the Germans is kind of irrelevent, they are fine chests to store your equipment in. He found accurate repo's of the latches or you can use your Rommy ammo box hardware. His website is still under construction and the pics I took are going to be there soon. He wants $150, not a bad price to such an accurate reproduction. He builds a lot of other stuff too. Check it out at http://www.victorymfg.com

Post by **Blanksguy** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 7:35 pm

Most "old-school" chest are dove-tailed on the corners.......is this man "open" to change some of the design for a better product that would look more "period"/WWII issue (?)

I believe that Harbor-Freight has the tools to do the dove-tails for a decent price.
Also....would he be open to the buyer providing his own "hard-ware" to use in this construction from old ammo-boxes (?).

I know that he will hear people on the Board saying that they never saw a WWII issue transit-chest......but even the Germans had to ship the MG34 and MG42 in something other than throwing them in grain-sacks in a pile in the corner of the ware-house.

I believe that if you look at the weight that two-average men could lift.....they were probably shipped two-MGs in a crate with spare-barrel/carrier, and maybe a spare-bolt. I believe that the other "accessories"/ammo-cans/belt-loaders/etc. were provided separately shipped in other boxes.

Regards, RichardS in MI.
Blanksguy2001@chartermi.net

Post by **Bil** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 11:12 pm

Those chests look pretty good.I think that dovetailing might be overdoing it.Any chest would really be a 'crate' that was made in a factory.Sturdy,easy to build,and with the minimum work and material to do the job.Good,but not too good.The dovetail would be for something that would be re-used.Personaly,I think the reason we dont see things like this is that they were broken down at their final destination,and the wood used for other purposes.Many war-time stories tell of burning anything they could get to keep warm,also put in trenches and bunkers for shoring and to stay out of the mud.That said,a dove-tail box sure would look good for your mg. ---bil

Post by **tomcatshaas** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 7:21 am

I will be dovetailing the joints on both of my transit chests.....even if I decide to paint it. It's all in the details.

I just wish I could find the hasps and hardware that where used on the heavy tool chests.

TC

ChevyM14 · Post by **ChevyM14** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 10:32 am

I have asked this before and NO ONE has ever given me an answer! How much dos it way? How much is it with every thing in it and when it is empty?

Post by **M1 Tanker** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 11:20 am

I have a few wooden German ammo boxes and have borrowed a friends MG15 transit case. They were all box cut joints, not dovetails. To do box cuts you need a table saw, dado blade and you have to make your own jig. They aren't hard once you get it setup.

I was going to build these, but have no time with the Frau deployed.

joshk98k · Post by **joshk98k** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 11:31 am

Hey Guys,

Just an FYI: All my original German packing crates and such have the box cut joints. NOT dovetailed.

As for correct hardware... Only one place I know has them for sale, Vormann in Germany:

http://www.vormann.com/contentserv/vorm ... dnung=2926

Now if you are good with German and can find a retailer to sell them to you PLEASE let me know. I have been turned down or ignored everytime I try to talk to them about it.

The crates look good though!

Josh

ChevyM14 · Post by **ChevyM14** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 12:37 pm

you can also find good stuff here http://www.protex-fasteners.com/

joshk98k · Post by **joshk98k** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 12:41 pm

DAMN!!! That almost exactly it Chevy!!!! Thanks!!!!!

Josh

Post by **Blanksguy** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 1:27 pm

M1 Tanker,
Thanks for the correction on "terminology".....I thought they were called "dove-tails"....and you are correct with the photos...."Box-Cuts" (?).
This is all that I have ever seen used on the ammo-crates and weapon-shipping-boxes.

Now, all we have to do is come up with someone to make these with "period-type" hardware (not chrome-plated).

Any ideas....or prices (?)
Regards, RichardS in MI.
Blanksguy2001@chartermi.net

Post by **DARIVS ARCHITECTVS** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 1:32 pm

Just some shots of my crates and stuff in my living room...

joshk98k · Post by **joshk98k** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 1:34 pm

I have been looking at the Pro-Tex catalog and they offer 2 finishes in the Fastenerâ€™s and Catches we need. Stainless and zinc plated. I wonder if the zinc plated would look less like chrome? I am going to order a bunch and see. If they are shiny I'll find a way to dull them down.

By the way... The Pro-Tex parts I came up with are:

Fastener: 30-560 (US$3.40 ea.)
Catch: 03-502 (US $.91 ea.) OR 03-2480 (not sure which is more correct)

Hey Darivs, They even have a matching lockable Fastener in the same correct style (Part 30-1850)

Thanks again for the link!!!!!!
Josh

Post by **DARIVS ARCHITECTVS** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 1:47 pm

More stuff... and it all works.

Post by **Bil** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 3:08 pm

DA-I love it!I keep my stuff in the living room,too.I take it you are not married?Real nice stuff.PS-in pic 1-have you lost weight?

---bil

Post by **Bil** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 3:11 pm

Blanksguy-dovetail joints look almost the same,except they are cut at an angle.They lock together,used in furniture mostly.Stronger joint. ---bil

Post by **Blanksguy** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 4:26 pm

Joshk98k,
Just a suggestion...after working on Harley-Davidson motorcycles for "many-years"....you should be able to bead-blast off the "zinc"......but you will be there a long-time trying to get that chrone off.

My suggestion would be to try using a wire-wheel on the grinder....and then paint them flat-black...or a semi-gloss-black.
....and show us a photo of the hardware you are getting .... (?)

Next.....who will "custom-make" bare-wood (IE: Not painted) transit/shipping chests to order that will have the "box-cuts"/joints on the corners (?)....and estimated costs (?).

Regards, RichardS in MI.
Blanksguy2001@chartermi.net

smoggle · Post by **smoggle** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 3:42 am

You could also try reverse plating them. Use the part as the anode. This would electrically strip them. Either way it will be a dirty hassle

Post by **helix60** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 5:14 am

Get the Zinc ones. Easiet way to remove the Zinc, Muratic Acid. Easy enough to find and relativly safe to use as far as Industrial Acids go. 20% solution would strip the zinc off in about 5 min or less. Better than any blaster or wire wheel ever would. Muratic acid also works extreemly well at restoring old carburators.

Regards,
Heli

joshk98k · Post by **joshk98k** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 10:10 am

Maybe I should just paint them?

The original ones I have are rusty so I assume they are plain steel.

Here is a pic of the ones I was thiking of getting. The display is the stainless steel so I am not exactly sure what the zinc finish will look like.

Post by **Bil** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 11:10 am

Be careful when you add water to acid.It makes a BIG differance how you do it .you can add acid to water or you can add water to acid.One of these ways is explosive and I always have to look it up.BE CAREFUL. Can this also be used to restore old'karbinators'? ---bil