Pallet Wood, Shutters and Thingamajigs



Pallet Wood and Shingle Slats shadowbox with railroad foundry molds

Welcome back and Happy Halloween.  I don’t look forward to Halloween as much as I used to…my kids are too old to go trick or treating, so whose candy stash am I going to raid? A girls got to have her chocolate ya know.

Having said that, I still spent last night carving pumpkins and roasting pumpkin seeds.  Some traditions never die.

Pallet Wood and Shingle Slats shadowbox with railroad foundry molds

One of my flea market tips was to look for something that is out of the ordinary, something unique, something that you wouldn’t think to look up on Ebay, and with that tip, I bring you these thingamajigs.

After a long day in sweltering heat, this was our last stop of the day.  The gentleman selling these was packing up but we were intrigued.

These thingies were definitely not on our to ‘buy’ list, but since they looked old and they were wooden, we had to find out what they were.  

Apparently, they were part of the molds from an 1800’s railroad foundry…at least that’s the story the guy gave us, and it was a great story.

Definitely not on my list, but I had to have them.

Pallet Wood and Shingle Slats shadowbox with railroad foundry molds

I didn’t think I would do their history justice if I transformed them, so they are going to become the artwork. What better way to display them than a shadowbox made out of my trusty pallet wood?

Pallet Wood and Shingle Slats shadowbox with railroad foundry molds

The pallet wood was cut with a miter saw, and the corners were attached with a nail gun and finishing nails.

Pallet Wood and Shingle Slats shadowbox with railroad foundry molds

I held up several backings for my frames including corrugated metal and more pallet wood, but I eventually decided on this blue shutter.

You may remember that I used a blue shutter for my shutter and slats coffee table…that was his other half.

Pallet Wood and Shingle Slats shadowbox with railroad foundry molds

Once I cut off one side of the slats, I was able to pull them out of the other side easily.

Pallet Wood and Shingle Slats shadowbox with railroad foundry molds

Some of the black paint had oozed thru from the other side of the shutter, and I don’t even want to know what the brown stuff is.  Luckily, most of the excess junk was able to be sanded off.

Pallet Wood and Shingle Slats shadowbox with railroad foundry molds

The slats needed something to attach to, so I cut a couple more pieces of pallet wood to fit inside each frame and I used a nail gun to secure  in place.

Pallet Wood and Shingle Slats shadowbox with railroad foundry molds

The shutter slats were cut to fit inside each frame and overlapped just like the original shutters.

I didn’t have quite enough full length slats to fill all three boxes, so instead of cutting up another shutter, I pieced the middle slats where they would be hidden behind the wooden pieces.

Once again, finishing nails from the nail gun secure the slats in place.

Pallet Wood and Shingle Slats shadowbox with railroad foundry molds

A couple more nails secured the wooden pieces in place.

Pallet Wood and Shingle Slats shadowbox with railroad foundry molds

Pallet Wood and Shingle Slats shadowbox with railroad foundry molds

Pallet Wood and Shingle Slats shadowbox with railroad foundry molds

Pallet Wood and Shingle Slats shadowbox with railroad foundry molds

Pallet Wood and Shingle Slats shadowbox with railroad foundry molds

Pallet Wood and Shingle Slats shadowbox with railroad foundry molds

These shadowboxes can be used for any of your collectibles, but whatever thingamajig you put in them, you’ll know that your artwork is as individual as you are.

Stay inspired have a great week and save me some chocolate.  🙂

Flipped Flea Market Finds

I’m adding to my flea market makeovers.

Hand Truck Coffee Table,  Apple Picking Bucket,  Feed Sack Ottoman, and the Barrel Hoop Mirror I shared with you last Thursday. These railroad foundry pieces are in the middle in the top row.  I should also include the termite trunk, but he wasn’t in my original picture.

Shared at Talk of the Town, DIY Salvaged Junk,

Link Party Palooza, Metamorphosis Monday,

 

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