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I have hunted a WWII handcart for years. Meaning, it was always on the radar. About 5-6 years ago I made a facebook post asking my family and friends to be on the lookout for one as well. You know, flea markets, yard sales, and even the scrap yard.
Those of you with facebook know that each day you can see your “memories” which are posts that you made on that certain date for each year of your account.
Well, each year, when my request would pop up in my memories I would repost it.
Lo and behold after 5 years someone actually saw my post and recognized the sample photos that were in it. It turned out that they had recently bought a new (to them) house and when they moved in, there was a rattle little old trailer behind the barn. They were actually going to haul it to the dump until they saw my post. I was super excited! I tried to buy it from them, they wouldn’t accept any money. I tried to give them some gift cards to their favorite restaurants and they wouldn’t take them. I explained to them that the cart was indeed desirable and had value. They finally “let” me pay them with a quart of honey from my bees.
I picked it up in October. It looked like it had been stood on it’s bottom and propped up against the cinder block building and the grass burned under it. It was charred and sooty, and the bottom of the tires had been cooked to the point of blistering. I didn’t care. It was awesome!
Here are some pics of how I got it.
![Automotive tire Road surface Asphalt Wood Gas]()
![Wheel Tire Automotive tire Motor vehicle Hubcap]()
![Wood Road surface Rectangle Composite material Brickwork]()
It had undergone some mild “Bubbafication” by having the original lunette ring cut off, and those plates welded to it so that it could be pinned to a lawn mower. It was also missing the drawbar and had some incorrect hardware. Ya’ll know by now that I am chea…..er,ugh,…frugal. I don’t buy things that I think I can make. There are reproduction parts available for these…..nope….I made them from scratch..
The tongue had been shortened when they cut the lunette off. I dismantled the cart and cut the tongue and spliced in a new piece of tubing under the bottom where any imperfections are less likely to be seen. I also used dimensions and photos provided by other forum members over a g503 to make a new lunette ring and drawbar.
Below is a pic of an original set that I tried to replicate as closely as possible.
![Wood Household hardware Auto part Metal Tool]()
Here is my fabrication of the lunette
![Motor vehicle Automotive tire Automotive exterior Gas Bumper]()
The original center of the crossbar was cast. This started off as 10 individual pieces. I lightly tacked the pieces together with a MIG welder, then brazed it solid. I left it rough so as to appear cast under the paint.
![Household hardware Auto part Metal Fashion accessory Gas]()
Many years ago, a former student asked me if I ever marked the things that I made. I told him “no..why?”
He replied…”well one day you’re going to die, and your kids will inherit a pile of cool stuff that no one would ever believe that their daddy made.” So, ever since then I have put my name or initials on everything I’ve made and a date.
My name and date was stamped on the bottom of the spade. You’d have to turn the thing completely upside down to see it, but it is there.
![Grey Font Rectangle Gesture Foot]()
Finished cart pics in the next post
Those of you with facebook know that each day you can see your “memories” which are posts that you made on that certain date for each year of your account.
Well, each year, when my request would pop up in my memories I would repost it.
Lo and behold after 5 years someone actually saw my post and recognized the sample photos that were in it. It turned out that they had recently bought a new (to them) house and when they moved in, there was a rattle little old trailer behind the barn. They were actually going to haul it to the dump until they saw my post. I was super excited! I tried to buy it from them, they wouldn’t accept any money. I tried to give them some gift cards to their favorite restaurants and they wouldn’t take them. I explained to them that the cart was indeed desirable and had value. They finally “let” me pay them with a quart of honey from my bees.
I picked it up in October. It looked like it had been stood on it’s bottom and propped up against the cinder block building and the grass burned under it. It was charred and sooty, and the bottom of the tires had been cooked to the point of blistering. I didn’t care. It was awesome!
Here are some pics of how I got it.
It had undergone some mild “Bubbafication” by having the original lunette ring cut off, and those plates welded to it so that it could be pinned to a lawn mower. It was also missing the drawbar and had some incorrect hardware. Ya’ll know by now that I am chea…..er,ugh,…frugal. I don’t buy things that I think I can make. There are reproduction parts available for these…..nope….I made them from scratch..
The tongue had been shortened when they cut the lunette off. I dismantled the cart and cut the tongue and spliced in a new piece of tubing under the bottom where any imperfections are less likely to be seen. I also used dimensions and photos provided by other forum members over a g503 to make a new lunette ring and drawbar.
Below is a pic of an original set that I tried to replicate as closely as possible.
Here is my fabrication of the lunette
The original center of the crossbar was cast. This started off as 10 individual pieces. I lightly tacked the pieces together with a MIG welder, then brazed it solid. I left it rough so as to appear cast under the paint.
Many years ago, a former student asked me if I ever marked the things that I made. I told him “no..why?”
He replied…”well one day you’re going to die, and your kids will inherit a pile of cool stuff that no one would ever believe that their daddy made.” So, ever since then I have put my name or initials on everything I’ve made and a date.
My name and date was stamped on the bottom of the spade. You’d have to turn the thing completely upside down to see it, but it is there.
Finished cart pics in the next post
