# Hand truck restore for Fathers Christmas



## chuckorlando (Dec 28, 2014)

Heres the hand truck I restored for my Pops Christmas. He's into trains and this is supposed to be a railroad truck. He gave it to me cause I thought the wheel would make some cool belt sander wheels. But I cant trash something so cool. I'm no wood worker and this is my first try. Figure I did ok. De rusting was simply white vinegar. As you see I had to turn a new axle. I took .100 off the old axle and still could not clean up the rust. All Oak with a cherry oak stain with very little sit time so not to dark. I had nothing to tell me how this thing should look. I just made it how I thought it looked good. Even my 5yr old used the bridgeport on this one


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## chuckorlando (Dec 28, 2014)

more...


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## chuckorlando (Dec 28, 2014)

More..... The End


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## Andre (Dec 28, 2014)

Very, very nice work Chuck! Also nice to put a face to the name, who was taking the behind-the-lathe shots?


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## chuckorlando (Dec 28, 2014)

Thanks brother. My wife and son were sitting on the stairs. That 12x36 was slinging crap everywhere. I got a video of me buy hot chips in the palm of my hand forced me to use some rough language ahaha.


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## chuckorlando (Dec 28, 2014)

Hers a couple more face shots. Maybe see my ugly mug better


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## DMS (Dec 28, 2014)

Really beautiful work. Nothing quite like a well executed restoration.


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## extropic (Dec 28, 2014)

Nice job and very heart warming too. That's my idea of a very merry Christmas.


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## invisabledog (Dec 28, 2014)

That turned out great.  Also glad to see I'm not the only one using my mill for wood working.


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## CoopVA (Dec 28, 2014)

Excellent work!  That looks great.  I'm sure your father will love it!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## chuckorlando (Dec 28, 2014)

Thanks guys. It was more work then I thought at the start. But worth it IMO


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## GK1918 (Dec 28, 2014)

thats funny I just did the same with an 1800's grinding wheel ya pump.  good work Chuck saving another...


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## chuckorlando (Dec 28, 2014)

Brother you cant find a new car that can sit out in the weather as long as that cast iron has.... I see value in most anything old. I dont like yard selling round here cause no one has anything rusty ahaha. Same with my 59 bridgy. It's old and wore out but it's like twice my age and it sure aint scrap junk. In fact, it never will be long as I am alive. I mean just look at the pitts and rough parts on the wheels, thats straight up rough casting. Holes in the cast and all and they cleaned it up and sent it out.

Today everything is icicle slick and nothing but junk.

IMO if it's made of old cast iron, it has value above scrap prices


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## chuckorlando (Dec 28, 2014)

Do you have a thread to your grinder? I would like to check it out.


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## 12bolts (Dec 28, 2014)

very nice work Chuck. Did you bend, carve or laminate those bent handles on?

Cheers Phil


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## chuckorlando (Dec 28, 2014)

No sir I paid for those. I dont even own a belt sander. I like to think I'm smart enough to pick my battles and I fear I would have lost that fight. I have never worked with wood at all really and I would have ruined more money in wood then handles cost.

35 bucks on ebay for some Oak plow handles.

 I only made the cross sections. You can see in the pictures my set up for milling the tabs on the cross section. Just mill, flip over, mill, flip end to end, mill flip over, mill, remove and repeat. Then I hand filed the round ends top and bottom.


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## thomas s (Dec 28, 2014)

Great work Chuck it looks good.


 	 		 			:thumbzup3:


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## kd4gij (Dec 28, 2014)

Verry nice work. Your Dad  will charish that.


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## herbet999 (Dec 28, 2014)

Very nice.


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## 18w (Dec 28, 2014)

Your Dad is a lucky guy. That is the kind of gift that money can't buy. You did a beautiful job.

Darrell


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## fastback (Dec 29, 2014)

Chuck, you did a real nice job. That repair should be good for another 100 years.

Paul


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## road (Dec 29, 2014)

That is a Saweeeet cart for a gift.   Very nice job chuck..    :thumbzup3::thumbzup3:


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## chuckorlando (Dec 29, 2014)

Thanks guys. I appreciate the kind words.


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## rdean (Dec 29, 2014)

Turned out very nice!
We were at a antique shop today and saw two hand trucks there.  Made me think of yours.

Ray


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## Ski (Jan 3, 2015)

It doesn't get any better than that ! great job.


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