The high point of my day today was finding a really interesting shop on the outskirts of Oldham town centre: they sold all kinds of mechanical stuff! Tools, lathes, reclaimed metal bits and bobs, steel shelving bits, and ex army things.
I bought an ammo box, which will make part of a Christmas present to my nephews (I thought it would have a lot more coolness factor than any old plastic storage box!), but need to do a bit of touch-up work on it.
It has a couple of rusty patches inside, and some dodgy paintwork in other places, which has yet to turn into rust. Would it be ok for me to just sort out the rusty bits, and repaint the flaked but non-rusty bits, or should I just do the lot? I know rust has this tendency to spread if you don't get rid of it properly, though it is probably going to live an indoor life from now on, so this may not be as bad.
I've just thought actually, I might put a pot of the right type of paint for the box in with it (in a different colour), for the boys to "decorate" it with.
I also bought a proper soldering iron, e.g. pointed lump of metal on a stick. I could have spent my life in that shop, it was great!
lloyd
Is it matt olive green, or terracotta brown?.....either way, why not just enclose a tin with it?.....Or if you have the time, treat it with rust cure, repaint and re-stencil some letters on, such as "AMMO BOX", ?
Haize
Terracotta brown. Though I'd have just called it brown, to be honest
If we had a larger shed or something, I'd have bought more of them, they seem pretty handy.
Stenciling Ammo Box on sounds like a good idea, they'd probably think that was even cooler, thanks.
lottie
What a great present Haize - how old are you nephews?
Just thinking something like that might do for my oldest grandson - but as a toy - storage box.
Do you have a photo ?
Pilsbury
As opposed to putting on Ammo box, which might be a bit inflamatory ,(i dont think my brother would appreciate me encuraging ammo and guns) how about a camo pattern, still a solder theme but a bit less if you know what i mean.
Haize
The nephews will be pretty close to 7 and 4 by Christmas. It would make a great tox box, though there is one thing that might be good, might be bad, depending on your point of view: The lid is pretty stiff, so I am guessing that the 7yr old will be able to open it fine, but the 4yr old will probably not.
However, as this one is going to contain glue, glitter pens, and all manner of sticky messy things, the 4yr old needing help is probably a good thing!
I need to charge the camera, will take a photo at some point, but I'm very forgetful
A camo pattern is also a nice idea, though I'm leaning more and more toward the idea of getting a couple of different colour paints and letting them scrawl on it. It is not like they couldn't neaten it up if they fancied in a few years time.
lottie
I think that letting them paint it themself would be brilliant - mum might not be too keen in the winter with all the paint - but lots of newpaper down - in a shed would be such fun.
Go for it. A lovely idea
Haize
Aha! Right, there is no way I'll be able to fill the entire box with the materials I'm going to get anyway, so I'll put a bunch of newspapers inside too. What a good idea
