My wife is much beloved amongst her friends, because she will take in junk that people have too much emotional attachment to throw away, but nonetheless no longer want in their homes. Mostly, I find this to be pretty annoying, and I certainly felt that way when this wagon made it's way into our garage:
http://www.johnnyego.com/wood/2017Pr...on/wagon06.JPG
It was mostly a combination of rusting steel, faded paint, dirt, scratches, and bird crap. It was also pretty big, and my son already had a wagon taking up space in the garage. His modern Radio Flyer was made out of injection molded plastic, which had the twin advantages of not rusting when left in the back yard, and not heating to a molten skin-welding furnace in the afternoon son.
http://www.johnnyego.com/wood/2017Pr...on/wagon07.JPG
I asked if I could give it to someone else, and/or throw it out, but of course the answer was 'no'. So I shoved it up in the loft I built in my garage, and forgot about it for four years. Except at Christmas, when I swore at it while trying to get to the boxes of decorations in the loft.
ain.
Fast forward to 2017. My son is going to Cub Scout day camp, and my wife has volunteered me to be the pack leader for the week. I've got to cart a sun shade, a cooler, several folding chairs, food, and sundry crafting supplies about a quarter mile through a rutted field. My son's little plastic wagon was not going to be able to carry all the stuff, and wouldn't make the unpaved terrain. I was going to try to strap it all to a dolly, when I remembered the wagon in my loft the day before camp.
I did a quick Ritchie Brothers Refurb, which means I sprayed it with a garden hose and then hit it with a lot of paint. In this case, farm implement spray paint. Two fairly thick coats of red for the body, and gloss black for the wheels.
http://www.johnnyego.com/wood/2017Pr...on/wagon01.JPG
http://www.johnnyego.com/wood/2017Pr...on/wagon02.JPG
http://www.johnnyego.com/wood/2017Pr...on/wagon03.JPG
I sanded a lot of rust off a lot of bolts while the paint was drying.
http://www.johnnyego.com/wood/2017Pr...on/wagon04.JPG
http://www.johnnyego.com/wood/2017Pr...on/wagon05.JPG
My wife made me a canvas cover that came out pretty well.
http://www.johnnyego.com/wood/2017Pr...on/wagon10.JPG
I was able to strap down all the gear pretty tight with some ratchet straps, and it proved very stable over the rough terrain. I chained a team of Cub Scouts to it and they were able to pull it to the site without much problem. The tractor paint has held up surprisingly well. I am not too thrilled with having to hoist it back into the loft until it is needed next year, but I certainly don't resent it as much. As pleased as I am that it worked out well and only cost me $10 worth of tractor paint and canvas, I am saddened by the fact that my wife will use it forever as justification for bringing home the neighbor's trash.
