SMC Discussion Areas

If anyone is coming to Chicago show or anyone who has any old Soda crates for sale, I'm looking to buy a few.
I am looking to make a project out of them so only need the side logo'd parts in "Decent" but not perfect condition. a little weatherd is preferred.

let me know what you have.

Thanks
JOhn

Are you looking for the short crates like the Coca Cola ones that you see all of the time, or can you use earlier crates that have 10" sides? I have some of the tall crates.

I'm open to anything really.. I am making something out of them.  very hush hush.. will showcase it when done.
 :glare:
would be great to find a variety of soda brands.. ideally the standard size would fit best..

I saw this a few years ago...on the net kinda cool!

Love that staircase! Anxious to see what you'll build.  :biggrin:

i just checked my bookmarks but must have deleted it

i had a site that was devoted to making/upcycling old

beer and soda crates

there was a tremendous amount of funky projects people had done

and i mean really funky they had used the old crates for, shame i

have deleted it in error at somepoint.

GP

good luck with your project

      http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cbd/5307621560.html  (http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cbd/5307621560.html)

http://soda-machines.com/discussions/index.php/topic,17804.0.html

Similar thread from '13, has a link to a website of uses for old soda crates

Did you find enough crates for your project John?

No I am still looking... I have plenty Coke 7up ones.. bought a cool Grapette one.  but need about 20 more.. hopefully other brands.  stuff on ebay is crazy money .. so still looking..
the hunt is half the fun too... gives me something else to scour craigslist for now.. as much harder to find rare machines and cheap signs...

any help would be appreciated.. really dont' want to spend more than 10-15 for a crate.. and most online buys it costs at least that to ship it...

Dang, They are marked at $25 and up here. Not many and in the antique stores. Have you thought about just making what you want?
Creighton

I never even thought about crates until you asked here. They used to be everywhere and we burned them if they were damaged at all. I'm looking now and they're all asking a mint. Those divided boxes were always higher, but not the open ones that held four six packs. I wonder if anyone is buying them for these prices?

Prices are all over the place on these but I think they are worth it on some of the harder to find brands... And nice
survivors are hard to come by. I have several I use to hold my bottle collection and display with my coolers and
machines... Bothers me seeing nice older crates cut up into little wagons or doll benches... Cokes I'm ok with as they
are still plentiful (well... unless it is yellow and the colors are sill bright and it's clean) but nice, older Pepsi double dots
or odd brands kills me.. something that was made to take such a beating, somehow survives just to be cut up... Ugh...
So what ever you're making.... it better be awesome! 8)

there are a lot on ebay, and of course everyone wants $$$ for the obscure ones.. 30-40 on up pending the condition...
plus you have to pay shipping of $15-20 to get it..

I was going to make a new bartop out of them.. lay them all out and then lacquer over them and put a nice bar rail on the edges.. figured would fit my soda theme in my bar room..

but at 25.00 a crate... will be an expensive project.. but we'll keep looking.. no hurry and as we know the HUNT is most of the fun!!!

         If that's your use, you don't need complete crates, just the 2 advertising sides.
Crates with broken bottoms can be separated and the parts can be shipped to you at a much more reasonable cost.

The trashy ones have mostly been discarded or used, so all that are left are the $20.00 ones. ( it would appear)
That giant load of the red carriers was sold off in 1993 and that's when all of the little wagons and treasure chests started popping up. The number was 10,000 crates I believe.

I want John to get what he needs, so we can see what he has on the drawing board.

Ive been buying a lot of crates over the last year or so, They do sell well when I put them out for sale, I probably have 30-40 different ones stacked in storage. They make a great display when you stack them up next to a few machines.

I believe this is a painting.. think of doing this myself in brands I collect... would be awesome as a 4'X5' painting.

this is true and I have done this on one so far.. but you would not believe the push back I get from people when I ask them to take it apart as I only need the sides.
People are very reluctant to help.... :darn:

joey, I'd be interested in a few if you would part with some.. lets chat!

Hey John,
For a bar top I would just get something like Eric posted printed on car wrap. Put it between two pieces of glass, depending on the wrap could light from below. Best if bar tops are smooth easily cleaned surfaces :-).
Creighton

The plan is to lay it all out, fasten it to a sub-board and after putting on drink rail and bar rail I'd use the pour on epoxy to give it that smooth bar top finish.. sealing all the vintage panels underneath...

John,

These just popped up on CL in Greensboro, NC...$8 per is a pretty good deal

http://greensboro.craigslist.org/atq/5381927411.html

Thanks, but he says Buyer Takes All.. I don't need that many of one or two brands...
Thanks for the lead though! :happydrinkers:

       We see so many of these crates that are beat up. Here is a real trophy, priced at triple what it's worth but it would be nice to own.

  http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Coca-Cola-Bottle-Crate-Yellow-Excellent-Condition-Unused-Rare-hard-2Find-/252323990053?hash=item3abfae8a25:g:IZsAAOSwoudW63he  (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Coca-Cola-Bottle-Crate-Yellow-Excellent-Condition-Unused-Rare-hard-2Find-/252323990053?hash=item3abfae8a25:g:IZsAAOSwoudW63he)

Yes that is a nice one.. I have 2-3 of those in that condition... but those are "TOO " nice for what I'm looking for .
this has been a challenge as crates used to be 10-15 anywhere you look, now at the bottom end , 25.00 on up depending on subject matter..
I am looking to make a bar top, with the pour epoxy coating... just did it with a friend on a multi color wood top bar top, and looks great.
The Bar top is about 96" x 28".. that is 2688 sq inches.  Each crate panel averages about 64" sq inches for the standard size.. so that is 42 panels, div/2 is 21 crates.
figuring around $25.00 per crate, I'll have about $525.00 in materials for the top, plus the cost of bar rail and epoxy... so all in all not too bad for the top.. the rest of it is already in place.. as I'm putting this on an existing built in bar...
the fun Is in the hunt.
so far I have plenty of Coke (but only want about 4-6 coke panels in it . , also have a few 7up, 1 rc cola, 1 Grapette, and working on a mission orange and Nesbitts.
so I appreciate keeping an eye out for me... I am watching Ebay and my local craigslist , but thanks for the tips.
John