Portable power

To go with the portable gazebo for use at the RHS Hyde Hall flower show, I have rigged up an inverter with a large 12V AGM leisure battery.

I calculated that a single 110Ah battery should last all day powering the 42" LED TV. It did and could have gone on longer.

The battery weighs 24kg. Not something you want to carry very far. As it needed to be brought home to charge at the end of each day, I put it in a strong wheeled tool chest.

I always knew the plastic tool chest would look unsightly on the event stand, so I planned to hide it inside a wooden trunk. As it turned out, what worked out a better idea was a 3 sided box with a lid.

That arrangement was easy to transport because it could fold up. It is also quick and easy to surround the tool chest.

I tried to age it with a bit of stain and the age old technique of bashing it with a length of heavy chain. It worked to a degree but if I had more time, I think it could have done with a little more ageing.

The end result blends in well and does its job. It also makes a good seat.

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