TK 54218 HWT Backpack Build

[Eric_Brousseau_54]

Greetings from Kingston Ontario Canada. TK-54218 here.

I have been researching parts to start a HWT backpack but the recommended Wedco 83150 Recylce Drain Pan is out of production and no longer available online.

What are people currently using as the base for their packs? Is there another similar drain pan that is 501st approvable? I'd be grateful for any advice. Once I get the base I'll be posting photos of the build.

Thanks!

[MaskedVengeance[Staff]]

Good morning, Eric! Have you tried searching for the GarageBoss 12.5 oil can? It's actually the exact same one as the Wedco 83150, just under a different name, and it's the one I purchased through Walmart. Below is a link to my HWT build thread, which has a TON of purchase links for components for the backpack. I was a little obsessed with documenting my process.

 

 

Additionally, here are some direct links I quickly found for the pan you asked about. I'm not sure what shipping would be like to Canada.

 

https://www.zoro.com/garageboss-oil-recycle-drain-pan-125-qt-gb150g/i/G6591299/

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Hope this helps!

 

Edited July 10, 2022 by gmrhodes13
link removed no longer working

[Eric_Brousseau_54]

On 9/10/2020 at 10:47 AM, MaskedVengeance said:

Good morning, Eric! Have you tried searching for the GarageBoss 12.5 oil can? It's actually the exact same one as the Wedco 83150, just under a different name, and it's the one I purchased through Walmart. Below is a link to my HWT build thread, which has a TON of purchase links for components for the backpack. I was a little obsessed with documenting my process.

 

 

Additionally, here are some direct links I quickly found for the pan you asked about. I'm not sure what shipping would be like to Canada.

 

https://www.zoro.com/garageboss-oil-recycle-drain-pan-125-qt-gb150g/i/G6591299/

 

https://www.ebay.com/i/223554056537

 

https://www.amazon.com/GarageBOSS-GB150-Quart-Drain-Funnel/dp/B01I7275GY

 

Hope this helps!

 

Thanks! This is great info! I actually looked on my local Kijiji and Marketplace and found a used (but cleaned) Wedco pan. As soon as I have it in hand I'll start posting build pics! Cheers!

[Eric_Brousseau_54]

Another question: For the buttons on the backpack, would actual keyboard keys (the high profile kind) be acceptable? I have an old broken keyboard that I could strip for parts. Just curious. I don't mind getting the rubber bumpers but I thought the keys might work. Thoughts?

[MaskedVengeance[Staff]]

Another question: For the buttons on the backpack, would actual keyboard keys (the high profile kind) be acceptable? I have an old broken keyboard that I could strip for parts. Just curious. I don't mind getting the rubber bumpers but I thought the keys might work. Thoughts?

Interesting idea. Do you know if they’re the same size? I can check my bumpers with an old keyboard myself later this evening. Once painted black, they’d probably look relatively similar. It may depend on the interpretation by your GML.


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[Eric_Brousseau_54]

5 hours ago, MaskedVengeance said:

Interesting idea. Do you know if they’re the same size? I can check my bumpers with an old keyboard myself later this evening. Once painted black, they’d probably look relatively similar. It may depend on the interpretation by your GML.


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Thank you! If you could give me a comparison in size that would be awesome! Seems to me that it might be a simple, cash-saving idea. Especially since the bumpers are supposed to be push buttons on the pack.

[MaskedVengeance[Staff]]

Alright Eric - Here are some photos I took of the black bumpers from Amazon along with an old keyboard. Interestingly, the color and texture of my black Dell keyboard appear to be a pretty close match with the bumpers, but there are obviously differences in shape. The bumpers have a larger footprint but a smaller plateau on top. I would say they're about the same in height, and I believe you may actually find some differences in height of the various keys on the old style keyboard, and could therefore select the appropriate ones.

 

All that being said, I'm not sure what the cost of the bumpers would be for you in Canada, or what post would cost from here in the US to you, but if it'd be cheaper I'd be happy to mail you some of my extras, since I have way more than I need. I could ship to you from Lookout Mountain, Georgia, 30750 in case you want to look up pricing. I hope this helps!

 

 

 

 

 

[Eric_Brousseau_54]

55 minutes ago, MaskedVengeance said:

Alright Eric - Here are some photos I took of the black bumpers from Amazon along with an old keyboard. Interestingly, the color and texture of my black Dell keyboard appear to be a pretty close match with the bumpers, but there are obviously differences in shape. The bumpers have a larger footprint but a smaller plateau on top. I would say they're about the same in height, and I believe you may actually find some differences in height of the various keys on the old style keyboard, and could therefore select the appropriate ones.

 

All that being said, I'm not sure what the cost of the bumpers would be for you in Canada, or what post would cost from here in the US to you, but if it'd be cheaper I'd be happy to mail you some of my extras, since I have way more than I need. I could ship to you from Lookout Mountain, Georgia, 30750 in case you want to look up pricing. I hope this helps!

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks so much for looking into this. I looked into Amazon in Canada and I can get a smaller package of these for $8 CAD, so I think I'll just do that. I thought the keyboard key idea was neat but the rubber bumpers will be easier and cheap. Thanks for the offer to ship though!

[MaskedVengeance[Staff]]

1 minute ago, EricEBGA said:

Thanks so much for looking into this. I looked into Amazon in Canada and I can get a smaller package of these for $8 CAD, so I think I'll just do that. I thought the keyboard key idea was neat but the rubber bumpers will be easier and cheap. Thanks for the offer to ship though!

No worries at all! It's always fun to consider alternative construction techniques and components, which was pretty much the theme of my backpack build (still unfinished). Cne thing you may want to try when eventually installing the bumpers is to add screws to them from inside the container box so that you don't have to rely exclusively on the pre-applied adhesive to keep the buttons on.

[Eric_Brousseau_54]

Another question - there will be many: Are the sizes of the various boxes and components strictly enforced or are they guidelines? It's proving challenging to find items exactly the same size as outlined in Ukswrath's build threads. In other words, is close good enough, as long as everything looks good and proportional? And are there any rules that say we can't build the boxes from scratch?

5 hours ago, MaskedVengeance said:

Alright Eric - Here are some photos I took of the black bumpers from Amazon along with an old keyboard. Interestingly, the color and texture of my black Dell keyboard appear to be a pretty close match with the bumpers, but there are obviously differences in shape. The bumpers have a larger footprint but a smaller plateau on top. I would say they're about the same in height, and I believe you may actually find some differences in height of the various keys on the old style keyboard, and could therefore select the appropriate ones.

 

All that being said, I'm not sure what the cost of the bumpers would be for you in Canada, or what post would cost from here in the US to you, but if it'd be cheaper I'd be happy to mail you some of my extras, since I have way more than I need. I could ship to you from Lookout Mountain, Georgia, 30750 in case you want to look up pricing. I hope this helps!

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks so much for looking into this. I looked into Amazon in Canada and I can get a smaller package of these for $8 CAD, so I think I'll just do that. I thought the keyboard key idea was neat but the rubber bumpers will be easier and cheap. Thanks for the offer to ship though!

[MaskedVengeance[Staff]]

I don't think you're gonna find any GMLs measuring your boxes, so as long as everything is proportional you should be fine. In fact, HWTs all over the work have limited access to different boxes, so you do truly have flexibility on that front. That being said, the Popit Stackit boxes on Amazon fit the bill excellently. If you're looking for other good builds, check out the ones I list at the beginning of my own build thread. =)

[Eric_Brousseau_54]

I finally found the proper Wedco oil pan on a local marketplace! I also have all the boxes, buttons, straps, tubes, lids, a new TK belt, my orange pauldron, and a resin cast MG for conversion to a DLT-19.

I still need to collect a couple of cups/containers to make the funnel, thick craft material for the box details, faux leather for the ammo packs, paint, and various fasteners.

I hope to start the build after a couple of paying side jobs are out of the way. I'd like to have it done by Oct 31. But we'll see. I will post more parts/production photos when I get rolling.

[Eric_Brousseau_54]

A quick update on parts collection. Looks like everything fits well so far. The radio box doesn't overhang as much as the photo suggests.

[MaskedVengeance[Staff]]

Very nice. Perspectives can deceive you; don’t trust them. Haha.


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