Spark Plug Boxes

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CudaMan
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Spark Plug Boxes

Post by CudaMan » Wed Jun 24, 2020 5:04 pm

A lot of the antique spark plugs that show up on Ebay and swap meets are missing their original boxes. To address this issue with some of my plugs, I scanned an original Edison 14 box and saved it as a .jpg file.

If your original box has some flaws in it, you can use a photo editing program to fill in or re-color any damaged sections.

I can then print out as many copies as I need on 8 1/2 x 11 card stock, then cut and fold them into "new" boxes. Here are the .jpg files for Edison 14 and Edison 13 plugs. If you have a scanner and an original box of your rare spark plug of choice, you can do the same. You can also make changes to the .jpg file using your photo editor of choice (for instance, to change the spark plug number on the ends of the box, that is how I created the Edison 13 box).

You can also import the .jpg file into Powerpoint, make your changes, then group everything into a single object, right click on it, and save it as a new .jpg file.

You may have to experiment with scaling when you print the file to get a box with the correct dimensions. I find that it helps to disable "auto scale to fit the page" when printing. Enjoy! :)
Attachments
edison_14_box.jpg
edison_13_box.jpg
Mark Strange
Hillsboro, MO
1924 Cut-off Touring (now a pickup)


Scott_Conger
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Re: Spark Plug Boxes

Post by Scott_Conger » Wed Jun 24, 2020 5:25 pm

what a freakin' clever idea!!
Scott Conger

Tyranny under the guise of law is still Tyranny

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CudaMan
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Re: Spark Plug Boxes

Post by CudaMan » Thu Jun 25, 2020 8:35 am

Here's a pattern for a blank box. You can scan or find on the web whatever graphics you want and paste them onto this blank to create your own custom spark plug boxes. :)
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blank_box.jpg
Mark Strange
Hillsboro, MO
1924 Cut-off Touring (now a pickup)

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A Whiteman
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Re: Spark Plug Boxes

Post by A Whiteman » Thu Jun 25, 2020 6:23 pm

"two thumbs up" :-)


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Re: Spark Plug Boxes

Post by jiminbartow » Sat Jun 27, 2020 10:22 am

Very good idea , but I have a couple of critiques. It is very difficult to match an original color, because the old colors have inconsistencies that have occurred over time such as dirt, hand oils and age. There is a white border around the 13 and the orange line is slightly off from the original orange that are dead giveaways and the whole purpose is to make it look as perfect as possible. You can eliminate this white line and correct the orange color by enlarging the image and the areas you and, using the clone feature, correct the areas you are working on. Position the clone circle as close to the white line as possible and move the original white color over the bright white border line and you can do the same thing for the two orange lines. Be sure and reduce the clone circle to a size small enough to allow you to deal with only the areas that need attention and will allow you to get right up to the border of the areas so the repairs are imperceptible once the image has been reduced to original size. Jim Patrick

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Fordwright
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Re: Spark Plug Boxes

Post by Fordwright » Sat Jun 27, 2020 11:20 am

If you want to weather the cardboard, you can stain it with tea or coffee and then bake it in an oven. To take it further, you can paint it with a dark solution that is made by soaking steel wool in vinegar.

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Ed Fuller
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Re: Spark Plug Boxes

Post by Ed Fuller » Sun Jun 28, 2020 10:52 am

Thanks for taking the time Mark to scan your box. I used a piece of card stock that is a similar color to a manila folder. I think it helped make it look a little more aged.

I think I will try to make a custom box next using your template.

766D7CC1-B0F9-4ECE-AB70-3A895E84A3B2.jpeg

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CudaMan
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Re: Spark Plug Boxes

Post by CudaMan » Sun Jun 28, 2020 1:07 pm

Looks good! :)
Mark Strange
Hillsboro, MO
1924 Cut-off Touring (now a pickup)


jiminbartow
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Re: Spark Plug Boxes

Post by jiminbartow » Mon Jun 29, 2020 2:05 am

Avery makes a nice 8 1/2” x 11” adhesive backed copy paper that you can copy the image onto, then peel off the back and stick it onto the thin cardboard and cutout with a razor blade then fold and glue. Then spray with a crystal clear satin fixative, sold in office supply or art supply stores, to preserve the colors from from moisture which if allowed to get wet, will cause the colors to run. Jim Patrick

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Re: Spark Plug Boxes

Post by A Whiteman » Mon Jun 29, 2020 4:42 am

Probably a good idea to spray the boxes with fixative even if printed directly onto card.
Great idea IMHO

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A Whiteman
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Re: Spark Plug Boxes

Post by A Whiteman » Mon Jun 29, 2020 4:43 am

Probably a good idea to spray the boxes with fixative even if printed directly onto card.
Great idea IMHO

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A Whiteman
Posts: 992
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 3:36 pm
First Name: Adrian
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* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 TT, 1924 Colonial Roadster, 1924 'Bullnose' Morris, 1925 'Bullnose' Morris, 1936 JD AR
Location: South Island, New Zealand

Re: Spark Plug Boxes

Post by A Whiteman » Thu Jul 09, 2020 5:44 pm

For those of us who bought Commonwealth products (i.e. Made in England), here is an English AC box. It is still as dirty as the day I found it ;-)
This is slightly smaller than the 'std' US sizes from what I see.

The rule is there for a scale in case you need to alter it on your printer.

I included the tissue paper notice the plug is wrapped in for your info. I tried ironing it smooth but gave up in the end, it just wrinkled too much.

Spark003.jpg

Here is a version with the two end tags facing "the same way". My box has only 1 tag so I edited the other one in but I was not sure which way it should be - so now you get to choose :-)
AC Spark Box vers2.jpg

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A Whiteman
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Re: Spark Plug Boxes

Post by A Whiteman » Thu Jul 09, 2020 6:22 pm

OK, this is not a T plug, but 'radioactive' I mean that has to look good on your display shelf!!
Spark001.jpg
And here is the plug too:
P1014583.JPG

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Topic author
CudaMan
Posts: 2385
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2019 4:17 pm
First Name: Mark
Last Name: Strange
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1924 Cut Off Touring (now a pickup)
Location: Hillsboro, MO
MTFCA Number: 30944
MTFCI Number: 23667
Board Member Since: 2013

Re: Spark Plug Boxes

Post by CudaMan » Thu Jul 09, 2020 7:09 pm

I have a set of five of those Firestone Polonium E-100_F plugs in those boxes for a T, but the ones I have have dark pink porcelains. They also came in white and a lighter pink hue.

The half life of Polonium 210 is 138 days, so any radioactivity they originally had is essentially gone by now. :)
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dark_vs_light_firestone_plugs.JPG
Mark Strange
Hillsboro, MO
1924 Cut-off Touring (now a pickup)

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A Whiteman
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Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 3:36 pm
First Name: Adrian
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* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 TT, 1924 Colonial Roadster, 1924 'Bullnose' Morris, 1925 'Bullnose' Morris, 1936 JD AR
Location: South Island, New Zealand

Re: Spark Plug Boxes

Post by A Whiteman » Thu Jul 09, 2020 7:15 pm

The half life of Polonium 210 is 138 days, so any radioactivity they originally had is essentially gone by now.
Whew! nice to know!

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