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Thread: Troop Seats... Finally, Well, Close!

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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Fernandina Beach, FL
    Posts
    3,689

    Default Troop Seats... Finally, Well, Close! NO, FINISHED!!!

    I have been busy, but who isn't? I finally have some time and I am putting together my troop seats. I bought the hardware years ago. The angle supports that keep the seats upright were missing. I was able to get six of them but of course, the middle ones are shorter. One of the members here sent me an old center brace and I was able to cut down two of the NOS braces that I got from VPW (I think?).

    Anyway, thanks to many posts and to the help from others, I purchased red oak because white oak was scarce and expensive. I ripped the boards to exactly 3" and they were already ¾" thick. Perfect. I got out the router and found that I didn't have a ⅛" radius round over bit. Got a kit for $16 from Home Depot, all with roller bearings. That work is now done! (Oh, did I mention that the router "threw a rod"? One of the commutator pole pieces on the armature flew off. Needless to say, that router is history. Heck, I bought it in the 70s, I guess I got my money's worth out of it. I bought a new Bosch from Lowe's)

    I measured the locations for the holes to be drilled. I will use a ¾" forstner bit to sink the heads of the carriage bolts. Then, drill the ¼" hole for the bolt. But I have to move the truck to get at the drill press on the bench!

    The metal parts have all been sanded and primed. They were yellow. After that, I used a base coat of Krylon camouflage olive drab so that I didn't have to use so much Rapco Gillespie 24087 paint. I have four gallons but don't feel like mixing up the stuff and cleaning a sprayer for small parts. So, I have purchased a few cases of the spray cans. Works for me...

    The unrestored tailgate of the M715 makes an excellent work bench.

    [rant]Also, Photobucket still works for me if I am patient. About a year ago, I paid $99 for a year subscription. That eliminated all of the Bovine Scat with ads and page jumping around. Now, it does work but is extremely clunky. There is no way that they will extort the $400 a year that they want. I suspect they have priced themselves into extinction.[/rant]



    To Be Continued...
    Last edited by Don Cavey; January 18th, 2018 at 04:25 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 1998
    Location
    North Central Wisconsin
    Posts
    11,520

    Default

    Wow...this is gonna be good!!
    Lord send your Holy Ghost into our hearts and make the desire of our hearts Your Will.

    Pro-choice, that's a LIE, babies don't choose to die!!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Fernandina Beach, FL
    Posts
    3,689

    Default

    "Next episode"

    Since I have so much stuff (junque as some call it), I had to move the truck out of the garage to get access to the workbench.

    First picture is for reference purposes:



    After careful measurement for the location of the holes which were spot on by the way, I used a scratch awl to help locate the drilling. I didn't know if the forstner bit or brad tip would do any "walking".



    I used a Forstner bit to recess the heads of the carriage bolts. It worked very well.







    Next, to drill the 5/16" holes for the shank of the carriage bolts, I used a brad point drill. It gave a very nice clean hole with minimum splintering on the other side. But let's be clear here, "We ain't buldin' no piano!" as a good friend of mine always said.



    This hole is for the tab (#18 in the illustration above) that holds the seats in the upright or closed position. Curiously, the illustration only shows one of them per side and I don't remember my trucks. But my hardware came with four so that is what I will go with.



    There are 12 boards, 2 tops, 2 second boards and 8 seat boards. Lots of boards, some differences so attention is required and an occasional adult beverage may cloud the issue!


  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
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    Fernandina Beach, FL
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    3,689

    Default

    A mock up with some scrap lumber.


  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Louisville, KY
    Posts
    1,041

    Default

    Beautiful, meticulous work as always!! You are correct, 4 #18s.
    Thanks for all the help!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Fernandina Beach, FL
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    Quote Originally Posted by kyken View Post
    Beautiful, meticulous work as always!! You are correct, 4 #18s.
    Thanks but you are too kind. I do try to do things right the first time. I figure that I won't be doing it again. My truck is far from a museum piece. But it starts and runs great. I don't have the patience, or time to do a frame off. I will be 70 in February and whilst not a fatalist, I consider myself a realist.

    Now, more progress. All of the metal is painted. I was going to use some of the original bolts but by now, I have just about replaced it all with new. I don't have my stand grinder here yet (has a wire wheel on one side) so I don't feel like painting hundreds of bolts and nuts.

    Picture of the metal parts. Notice on the two uprights in the bottom of the picture, there is a piece of pipe welded to the frame. I don't think that it is original but I just left it. What's your opinion please?



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