Shower Cart for the Musical South Pacific

hello everyone! This is an instructable on how to make a shower cart!

This is used in the musical south pacific, but if you want one as a prop, these are some steps you can take into building one!

Step 1:

If you are wanting to make a shower cart (for whatever reason either for the musical South pacific or just for a prop) These are some steps that you might want to use in order to make a shower cart!

Step 2:

First thing you want to start on is cutting out the pieces of wood that you will need for the base.

This means that you will need to cut each of the following.

(2) pieces of 2X4 @ 6'

(5) pieces of 2X4 @ 33"

Once you are done cutting these out, you then need to wood glue them together, and then screw them together w/ 2 1/2" screws so it makes this rectangular shape.

(you will want to put 2 2X4's (@ 33") at the ends, and two in the inside so it makes equal sections)

(In our picture we put in an extra one to help support the weight that is going to be put on top.)

(as you can see, I also did not use the precise measurements that was given on the sheet, I decided to switch them up a bit)

Step 3:

The next thing that you will want to go is to then cut 2 pieces of plywood (3/4" thick) and cut those at around 1'X6' and place those on either side of the cart (screw them down) so that you can attach casters underneath it.

For the casters, you will want to drill holes into the piece of plywood you just laid across the base and then bolt the casters onto that piece of plywood. (I recommend using flat head bolts!)

Have a total of 6 casters, so two on either end, and two in the middle.

Step 4:

The next step you want to do it to cut about 20-25 pieces of 2X4 at 3' 4"

These will be your actual base. once you have cut those out you will want to mark off about 3" off one side of the 2X4 and the cut jagged pieces into that section of the wood, to give it more of that wood look to it. (this will be done on the band saw!)

If you don't have a band saw or something to do this with, you can just cut the 20-25 pieces of 2X4 at 3' 1-3/4"

and lay them across the base (and screw them down with 2 1/2" screws)

Step 5:

Great! At this point you will have your base part completed. The next step you want to take is making the top part of your shower cart!

For this next step you will need four pieces of 4X4 cut to about 6 1/2'

(THIS DEPENDS ON HEIGHT OF THE PERSON WHO IS GOING TO BE IN THE SHOWER CART)

*For example: the person I made this shower cart for was 5'3" so I made it so it wasn't 8ft tall, but 6 1/2 ft tall instead*

remember that once you place these 4X4 pieces on your shower cart (by using L shaped brackets) you will have to cut out 2X4 pieces to go around the top)

Step 6:

Once you are done with that last step completed, you will to start placing thin sheets of plywood around the sides

I recommend using either plywood that is either 1/2" thick or 1/4" thick

and cut them to the appropriate measurements so that they will cover a 3rd of someones body (from the knee caps to their shoulder), but they will also not create a gap between each column.

Step 7:

One you have the pieces of plywood faced around the sides of your shower cart, you will now want to make swinging doors for the front of the shower. This is made by cutting one of your regular sheets of plywood that you cut for one of the walls, in two. and then attach swinging hinges to them

Step 8:

Now for the finishing touches...

for the roof of your shower cart you will want to put some 2X4 @ 3' 1-3/4" on top of the roof (by screwing them down) and add some scenic touches to it.

Some things I recommend for making your shower cart is by using watered down brown paint to paint your shower cart so It bring out the wood grain in your piece, and also printing out some posters and old signs to help decorate

Step 9:

and of course, if you want a ladder to add to your shower cart this will be your cut list:

(2) 2X4's cut at 8' at a 15 degree angle

(8-10) 2X4's cut at either 18" or 19"

Then you can take either long L brackets or other another type of bracket where you would be able to hang your ladder onto the shower cart

Step 10:

Things to keep in mind:

-use drywall screws!

-wear eye protection/ gloves! (I've gotten splinters from making this!)

-have fun! this is a great project/ prop to work on!

I hope this was useful!