Willys Jeep Update; Pioneer Tools...

 

The Pioneer tools on my Jeep were a bit of a mess, partly my fault just covering them in spray when I added a canvas shovel head cover, and the steel was covered in paint of several shades of black. I sanded the whole shovel and axe with rough sandpaper then with all paint removed masked the wood and painted the metal with matt stove paint. once dry I oiled both tools just using some Danish Oil to let the wood breath...

How the tools are attached to the side of the Jeep is pure genius, indented areas on the side of the tub body keep the tools close in on the side and the axe is secured through a loop bracket near the end of the shaft and a hinged bracket under the head of the axe whose sharp tip is in a metal sheath bolted to the tub along with footman loops bolted to the tub and a canvas webbing strap looped through them and secured with a serrated buckle...

The shovel goes on top of the axe and the shovel tip is secured in a bracket bolted to the tub, then another canvas webbing strap with serrated buckle is looped around the shovel handle and again around and through a footman loop bolted on the tub then secured...

Both tools are held solid and secure with no rattling when the Jeep is being driven. With that done I went a drive down to near the harbour where recently the Dunbar 25 Pounder Gun has had an overhaul and lick of paint...

There used to be 3 of these guns here when we were kids, on the area north of the former military barracks where now the swimming pool stands. There is often a bit moan online about what happened to the other 2 guns?, but I guess they will be on display elsewhere,  1 gun is better than no gun on display!...

Wee film, music is from the series Band Of Brothers

More soon...