My son and I restored this Electric 5130 Flare Box several years ago, then set it on an extra running gear I had and pushed it into the back of the shed. Late this fall, I finished a long process of swapping this gear from under that wagon, etc., etc., until I got to the Electric running gear that I wanted to put under this 5130 box. So at the end of last week I finally finished getting it all mounted on this gear with a Midwest hoist under it and freshly painted tip-top side boards. Here are some pics of the process:
The original galvanized sides were in pretty good shape, just had large areas where the galvanizing was worn off and kinda rusty but not pitted or rusted thru. We cleaned everything up with a wire cup brush in an electric drill, then used a Rustoleum product called Cold Galvanizing Compound. It comes in "rattle cans" and there are 2 different kinds - a flat gray type and a shiny/bright type. We used the shiny stuff and it took quite a few cans to cover it all. It still isn't the same as shiny new galvanized metal, but it's as close as one can get. The floor was shot so we installed a new one of treated 2 x 6 tongue and groove material.
I had the decals made by a guy in Wisconsin that specializes in decals for toys and race cars. I took detailed pictures and measurements of the original ones before I sanded them off and he did a really nice job. The "Electric" decal is in 2 pieces since the material he was working with at the time came in 8.5" x 11" sheets. I think now they have access to larger sheets of vinyl decal material.
For the sideboards, I had an old set of sideboards off another wagon that I had junked out, with the original stake channel uprights that were supplied by Electric when these wagons were new. I cleaned up and repainted these channels and used them for these sideboards, using some old stock 1 x 12 lumber that I had around here.
It will probably end up being another "show only" wagon, joining my JD 6 x 10 barge box that I restored last year. I still have plenty of other wagons around here in nice original shape to play with when we pick ear corn or harvest oats with a small combine.
-- Edited by jdtom on Friday 24th of February 2017 08:59:32 AM
Tom, my first post here but been lurking for a couple years. Dad bought a new Oliver (EWC). 5150 flare box and Oliver 5026E 8-ton gear in either 1966 or '67. He had a brand new Midwest hoist ready to install when the neighbor discovered a low profile twin cylinder hoist that straddled the reach, let the box sit right on the frt & RR bolsters, let you use more side boards. The Midwest hoists had to have the box sit so high to clear the Godbersen link.
We made sideboards with two 1x12's and sloped the front of them back at about 30 degrees to clear the wagon elevator of the 2M-E picker. Those EWC boxes were so wide you didn't need Bang Boards, the flared boards on the top of the side boards. The wide top steel sides of the 150 bu Box were about 6 inches taller than the 130 bu. Box. By the time you got a box that big full of ear corn the M under the picker was barking pretty good pulling some of our hills!
Dad made a comment about being able to pick all morning or all afternoon on the same load of corn made the yield look worse that it really was. The other wagon we picked with was a much smaller Economy flare box, about 120 bu with side boards, and a Midwest hoist.
We only picked corn with those sideboards installed, well, Dad helped shell corn at the neighbors one day and got a big load of corn cobs to fill hog wallows. Combining oats with our JD #25 and #30 combine we took the side boards off. The feed mill goofed one year, put too many loads of ground hog feed on the books with high priced shell corn, Dad bought a grain bin of shell corn off the neighbor and We hauled corn for several days. That wagon hauled right at 10,000# of shell corn with no side boards. Wagon box, hoist, & gear weighed a little less than 2000#. It was a REALLY big load for my Stage II Super H to pull that big wagon loaded but I always got where I needed to go! By the way, Our side boards were red too.
Anyhow, that's a great looking wagon & gear to add to your collection. Looks brand new with all the work you and your Son have done. Watch the two bolts & nuts that latch the swinging tailgate closed. Our 5150 had a habit of them working their way out of the "U" shaped channel that they fit into. We safety wired them into the channel with heavy wire. I'm looking forward to seeing more pictures of your wagons in the future!
Jd Tom, that wagon looks fantastic! I like making stuff look new again too. In your post you mentioned it to a lot of the cold galvanized spray cans of paint to cover well. Do you have any ideas on if there's anything else or if not, about how many cans it would take to do a smaller gravity wagon. I have one, but it will have to stay a user so I was looking for a cost effective way to protect the areas that are starting to rust, but maintain at least the galvanized look, as that's how it was originally.
I just happened to think, company I used to work for buying parts made industrial sized ice cream freezing machines. They were about 99-1/2% 316 stainless steel to prevent corrosion from the constant cleaning with caustic cleaners. The 1/2% made with carbon steel were all painted with STEEL-IT 316 stainless steel paint. I bought a case of six 16 Oz spray cans like we used, it was expensive but passed every tough durability test I put it to. Battery tray in my pickup was made from aluminized steel but rusted anyhow in 3-4 years, I wire brushed it and painted it with Steel-it and it didn't rust anymore and I traded trucks when it was 9 years old. Painted the steel wheel the spare tire was mounted on because the powder coat paint was rusting around sharp corners on my new pickup. Sprayed the wheel with Steel-it after wire brushing. Wheel still looks great at 21+ years old.
It'S not cheap, but would be a great coating for these EWC wagon boxes, they would still look fine after 20 years sitting outside. It resists abrasion, sunlight, great stuff!
Jd Tom, that wagon looks fantastic! I like making stuff look new again too. In your post you mentioned it to a lot of the cold galvanized spray cans of paint to cover well. Do you have any ideas on if there's anything else or if not, about how many cans it would take to do a smaller gravity wagon. I have one, but it will have to stay a user so I was looking for a cost effective way to protect the areas that are starting to rust, but maintain at least the galvanized look, as that's how it was originally.
I may or may not be correct, but it seems to me that Menard's had that cold galvanizing paint in gallon containers. I don't remember if they had both kinds or not. That's the best place I have found to get Rustoleum products, both for their wide selection and the best price (especially if you wait until they have an 11% off sale!)
Great job, Tom! Love the fact that you take the time to show respect for the "old" ways to bring in the harvest. Truly enjoy your pictures and appreciate your sharing the experience! Again, GREAT JOB!
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