RandKL's
GI Joe Modeling Page
Footlockers
Joe-scale Footlockers
Ok, I think the pic plan is self explanatory so I won't go into anything but the details here.
Cut all your wood from 1/8" Liteply or some really good quality basswood or birch. I don't recommend balsa....it just won't give that painted wood look that you want.
Your bottom panel is the first thing you'll work with and that is simply to cyanoacrylate the end panels to it. With the bottom panel flat on your table, the end panel edges sit *on top* of the bottom edges as seen in that overlap pic at the top right. With the end panels glued in place, the sides will be exactly 2" high.
The front and back panels then get glued to the edges of the bottom and end panels. The top, toss it to the side for now.
With the rough box all done, lightly sand all the panels to make sure everything's square and clean and there are no fingerprints left in the glue ;)
Next, find some good quality 1/32" or 1/16" styrene sheet to cut into strips. Don't go out and buy a new pack of Evergreen for one sheet! Use a window from a Joe box or a flat part of a bubble-packed accessory card etc. Cut up a bunch of 1/8" wide strips and cut those into 1/2" lengths....bend them double, cyanoacrylate them on in the places indicated and they're your corner and edge straps.
On the four corners around your bottom panel, you can use the same strips. Each corner will take three strips to make a three-sided pyramid corner brace. Find yourself a good, HARD square former to build them on and it'll be much easier! I use a handful of six-sided dice to build them on and use an MEK-based liquid model cement to assemble them and finish them. The dice aren't effected by the MEK so once the cement is set, they pop right off and are ready to cyanoacrylate into place. (The end of one goes under the end of the next and so on....once assembled, give them a final all over brushing with the MEK and they become one piece.)
The hinges and hasp are made from the same sheet styrene and each part is 1/2"x1/4". Make a couple of strips that are 1/4" wide and approx 3" long and then cut those into 3/4" lengths. Next, use your liquid model cement or heat to curl the ends around a 1/16" diam wire hinge pin and let them cool or cure til they're solid. Use a razorsaw or an Xacto knife to slot them to make your hinges and hasp plate and another length of 1/16" wire to make your lock hasp.
The wife just pointed out to me that not everyone is used to making their own hinges....so if you need to, you can buy premade nylon hinges from just about any RC model store or online. Nylon hinges, if close enough to the right size, can be cut down to fit.
The grips on the end panels....simply cut two 1" lengths of 1/4"x1/4" basswood or birch stock and then angle the ends down at a 45 deg angle. They're centered on the end panels exactly 1/3 of the way (that's a hair from 5/8") from the top edge of the panel as shown on the pic.
That's it for the outside. Just spray it down with some decent OD or weather it with some "medium field green" for the aged look.
If you want to go for a tray, simply cut another bottom panel and start shaving one end down until that panel fits perfectly flat on the inside bottom of the footlocker. Once it sits flat and snug but not tight, add a 1/2" edge around it (same 1/8" Liteply). To fit it into the locker, cut four more 1 1/8" lengths of your 1/4"x1/4" stick and cyanoacrylate those into the inside corners of your box. Your finished tray will sit onto those corner sticks and the edge will be perfectly flush with the edges of the footlocker.
Trays....they're only divided right down the center and across the center again on the right. They don't have those individual spaces like you've seen so don't go wild. ;)
Stenciling....everyone's got their fav technique. Mine's dry transfers.
Have fun and be careful!
ral