Building a pochade box W.I.P.

[Rene']

Originally Posted by antgeek

wonderful work, woodstock! how nice of you to make this for a friend and share the photos here. you are multi-talented!

Thanks Sarah, (you may call me René )
I had a lot of the pictures placed here also Lemohead, Marc and others have also given much idears i thought maybe i can contribute.

[manfrommerriam]

Just remarkable... but you have those 9-million wing nuts. I have an open box M and the wing nuts were my only regret. I finally bought an Artwork Escencials and stripped off their locking hinges to have them for my OBM in lieu of the wing-nuts. Works fine but now I have a couple of ideas that might work better yet.
1) One is to use a reworked SECO clamp, on the LH side only.
2) The other is to make a pair of knife hinges that share a common pin, separated by a tube the pin slides in. One end is captured and the other has a rotating knob. The pin and knob are threaded and when the knob is turned the pin is shortened, working against the tube. The result is the clamping together of the two sets of knife-hinges. Probably fibre washers need to be between the two halves of the hinges. So... both sides lock up, with only one knob.
Lets see if you can put something like that on your box?
Have fun, Dave

[manfrommerriam]

Back again.... I have reservations on the use of the aluminum pallet. Even if it has a finish on it eventually it is going to start giving a dingy aluminum oxide tinge to the paints.

What about that?

Have fun, Dave

[Rene']

Originally Posted by manfrommerriam

Just remarkable... but you have those 9-million wing nuts. I have an open box M and the wing nuts were my only regret. I finally bought an Artwork Escencials and stripped off their locking hinges to have them for my OBM in lieu of the wing-nuts. Works fine but now I have a couple of ideas that might work better yet.
1) One is to use a reworked SECO clamp, on the LH side only.
2) The other is to make a pair of knife hinges that share a common pin, separated by a tube the pin slides in. One end is captured and the other has a rotating knob. The pin and knob are threaded and when the knob is turned the pin is shortened, working against the tube. The result is the clamping together of the two sets of knife-hinges. Probably fibre washers need to be between the two halves of the hinges. So... both sides lock up, with only one knob.
Lets see if you can put something like that on your box?
Have fun, Dave

You could be right, but i've already send it.
#2 i don't get completly, maybe you could explain it with a drawing??

Originally Posted by manfrommerriam

Back again.... I have reservations on the use of the aluminum pallet. Even if it has a finish on it eventually it is going to start giving a dingy aluminum oxide tinge to the paints.

No it won't because you constantly use it as palette, it become's pearly like
in use, ........... atleast mine is.

Anyway thanks for youre comments and looking in.

[Dharma_bum]

Rene---Very nice finished product. Kind of fun to work things out as you go isn't it?

Dave---I second Rene's request for a drawing of the knife hinge arrangement for the lid stay, also the SECO clamp rework. I struggled with a workable adjustable stay on my box. You can see my solution here
http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=314377


Dan

[manfrommerriam]

Back again... okay on the aluminum being protected by a glaze of oils.

I liked my OBM but wanted a better way to set it up. I have that now with AE's hinges. I was going to have something like them made-up by a machine shop but buying an AE and stripping them off it was actually cheaper... plus I still have the AE and can set it back together some day.
1) SECO clamp... this company makes hardware for surveyors. They have a clamp that is part of an extendable GPS antenna pole. I believe if I cut one in half, put in some tapped holes and fabricated a couple of panels for it I can make an adjustable locking hinge. I have a couple of the clamps scrapped-out from trashed poles. I have to work out attaching a 1" dia tube to a flat panel/strap before I can proceed. This must be supported by actual hinges... this is just a clamp.
2) the stretched rod in a tube idea... you have a pair of "knife hinges" (you can Google that term and see photos of what I mean). The axis/pin in these hinges is however a threaded rod, common to both hinges. This hinge pin passes through a tube and the tube is so sized in length that when the pin is shortened, (by action of a threaded knob on one end) the pin must stretch a bit. This stretching pinches the two halves of both of the knife hinges together... compressing them against the ends of the tube. The stretching action comes because the rod/axis/pin is afixed at one end to the outside knife hinge half.... and on the other end the rods threaded and a threaded knob is turned on and off, changing the tension on the pin. Fibre washers are fitted between the knife hinge halves to creat friction more readily.
.... I have been able to acquire tubing, all-thread rod and matching threaded knobs from a hardware store here... however I have yet to get the knife-hinges, (set-up for a common, removable pin) made up.
.... I hope that is clear now. Do you still need a drawing? I can never quite get posting to WC right.
----------------------
Say, you both have fine wood working shops. I'm a bit envious.

Have fun, Dave

[Rene']

Originally Posted by manfrommerriam

Back again... okay on the aluminum being protected by a glaze of oils.

I liked my OBM but wanted a better way to set it up. I have that now with AE's hinges. I was going to have something like them made-up by a machine shop but buying an AE and stripping them off it was actually cheaper... plus I still have the AE and can set it back together some day.
1) SECO clamp... this company makes hardware for surveyors. They have a clamp that is part of an extendable GPS antenna pole. I believe if I cut one in half, put in some tapped holes and fabricated a couple of panels for it I can make an adjustable locking hinge. I have a couple of the clamps scrapped-out from trashed poles. I have to work out attaching a 1" dia tube to a flat panel/strap before I can proceed. This must be supported by actual hinges... this is just a clamp.
2) the stretched rod in a tube idea... you have a pair of "knife hinges" (you can Google that term and see photos of what I mean). The axis/pin in these hinges is however a threaded rod, common to both hinges. This hinge pin passes through a tube and the tube is so sized in length that when the pin is shortened, (by action of a threaded knob on one end) the pin must stretch a bit. This stretching pinches the two halves of both of the knife hinges together... compressing them against the ends of the tube. The stretching action comes because the rod/axis/pin is afixed at one end to the outside knife hinge half.... and on the other end the rods threaded and a threaded knob is turned on and off, changing the tension on the pin. Fibre washers are fitted between the knife hinge halves to creat friction more readily.
.... I have been able to acquire tubing, all-thread rod and matching threaded knobs from a hardware store here... however I have yet to get the knife-hinges, (set-up for a common, removable pin) made up.
.... I hope that is clear now. Do you still need a drawing? I can never quite get posting to WC right.
----------------------
Say, you both have fine wood working shops. I'm a bit envious.

Have fun, Dave

Do you mean something like this:


if so its clear and youre right everything could be different, better or what
ever but héé it was fun, and i hope the person who is going to paint with it
has a lot of fun with it. Keep learning, and commenting, is it not for me then
for other people who maybe going to built a pochade box

[Richard1]

I agree that the OBM has too many wing nuts and even knurled nuts to deal with and have often thought how much more convenient it would be to have a single knob at the hinge to tighten the lid into place. The combination of the slim, OBM palette with the single knob of the Easyl would be the best for me.

Rather than to re-engineer the locking mechanism, however, I removed the left support arm off my 11 x 14 OBM (which is not entirely necessary anyway) and did likewise for all of the knurled nuts on the sides and bottom, eliminating those all too delicate extensions, which I suspect will break off in the first tip over of the box. I place my brushes elsewhere instead. I now deal with only three wing nuts and only one support arm and not two support arms and a plethora of knurled and winged nuts.

I am somewhat hesitant to re-engineer a knob locking mechanism as I suspect that it will require some trial and error to re- manufacture, which by itself is not a problem, but its longevity is still unknown as tension is applied daily to the home made mechanism. Nevertheless, it is still worth considering if I could find the part. The single support arm that I have now, however, makes re-engineering of the locking mechanism less of a necessity.

Woodstock, you are to be commended for your efforts. Watching the construction of pochade boxes is one of the few threads that I look for at WC. Thanks.

[manfrommerriam]

Yes, that is it exactly. I think this would really improve the OBMs. The tube needs to be wear resistant material as it is also going to be keeping the strain off of the wooden components; it needs to maintain it's length. Probably it needs a couple of flat washers on the ends if the knife-hinge is made of some thing softer, (brass, etc). Have fun, Dave

[manfrommerriam]

Richard1: When I modified my 11x14 watercolor version OBM, I purchased an EasyL and took both of the locking hinges from it. I stripped-off all of the OBM hardware except the two hinges. I located the centers of the EasyL hinges in line with the existing hinges. Two knobs and works great. But I must point out that Artwork Essencials now makes the EasyL with the pallette holder in a "landscape" orientation and I did this when they did not. It now makes perhaps more sense to get the EasyL, (if you like their manner of mounting the panels, I still prefer OBMs).

[Richard1]

Hello Manfrommerriam,

I have ruled out the Easyl because the depth of the box is really too deep for a palette alone but not deep enough to add a palette on top and use the remainder of the space below for storage. They would need to make it slimmer, like the OBM or a little deeper for me to reconsider. This is why I took an interest in Woodstock's adaptations. I'll google "scissors hinges" and see what comes up. If I can get all of the parts reasonably, I may replace the single support arm, which I think is less useful than the double or single tightening knob of the Easyl.

[manfrommerriam]

Richard I: The firms that make them call them "knife hinges". Attached is a photo of my OBM with EasyL hinges fitted to it. Some day I'll get it together and put something else on more along the lines of whats discussed above. Meanwhile, this works very well. Have fun guys, Dave

[Richard1]

Dave,

Do you have any names of firms that make them? If I can find all of the parts, I'll be hapy to put them on my OBM. Yours looks great and is easier to open and close than the OBM lid supports which have a tendency to bind. I'll go google around for it under the search term, "knife" hinges. Thanks.

Richard

[manfrommerriam]

Richard I,
no, I just googled "knife hinge" and found manufacturers not retailers. Looking at that photo of my OBM makes me think putting a 90 degree rotation into the hook that supports my water-bucket would get the bail outa the way. That I can do tonight. My biggest project at the moment is building a 6x8 palm-box out of two old #11 Nielsen picture frames. I'm really about finished but am unhappy with the table-leg brace I found for securing the easel when open. I need something smaller and I need different hardware to hold it more solidly. I'm finding most hardware is from China and the selection is very limited. Might have to get some brass straps and make my own brace. The 6x8 is intended for Alkyds and has room for two panels, inserted back to back and both of which can be viewed. It was a real hack-saw job and unfortunately looks it too.
Have fun, Dave

[Donna A]

Hi, Dave! IF there is a manufacturer in the USA----I've contacted one several times to find out the nearest local outlet---or at least an outlet where I could order the item. Best wishes! Donna ;-}