Coffin 3D Coach Model

Make it a Gothic Halloween with 

this highly-detailed Victorian hearse. 

Vehicle chassis includes stand-assist rectangle bump-outs

 that support the vehicle along with delicate, 

non-working spoke wheels with  3/16" wooden dowel 

for reinforcement. 

Carriage has side panels, 

back double door, interior with raised dias 

(waiting to accept a spooky coffin such as 

the sized-to-fit "Coffin 3D Box" design). 

At front, coachman's platform includes seat riser,

 plank and handles. Completed project as shown 

measures approx.10" long x 7.5" tall x 4.5" wide. 

For extra whimsy, cut "etched glass" vinyl 

for "Rig R. Mortise Funeral" sign added onto

one window panel.

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:
A front with side hull
B front with back hull
C door overlay panels (2 each side) 
with optional knob build up "washers"
D upper latch panel (for doorway) with four latch nibs
E door trim overlay build up (2 left, 2 right)
F clear door panels
G base panel (with stand bump out openings)
H axle box (2)
J & K crown molding strips
L corner support posts
M floor panel   N dias bump up
O side window clear vinyl panes
P lid build up shapes (includes top contr layer)
Q lid bottom layer (with slots)
R lid "roof" bump out

S wheel layers build up (5-7) and face wheel 
for four sets of wheels
T hub build up (4 stacks of 6-8)
U scallop overlays and plain circles
V axle tubes
W coachman seat structure
X side accents (front accent not shown)
Y coachman platform (floor) build up layers
with platform plain back layer
Z seat riser main shape with side accents (4)
AA riser cross brace front, back, middle
BB seat plank build up layers, plain bottom
CC handles front, back & middle

2. Several of the shapes in this design are layered

for build up dimension and strength. Most are listed

at the beginning of this tutorial so that they can be

drying and ready for the assembly sequence.

A. layer left and right door overlay layers

into individual stacks, taking care (here and throughout)

to align all cut edges as precisely as possible.

Place a flat weight or equivalent over the layered,

glued up shapes to help keep them flat

and avoid warping or curling during drying

until completely dry.

B. Layer and glue up door trim overlays into 

left and right stacks.

C. Layer and glue up side window trim into 2 stacks.

D. Layer and glue up the plank seat slotted layers.
E. (NOT SHOWN: Layer and glue up the platform
slotted layers. Also layer handle interior shapes
into a stack.)

F. Layer and glue up the "lid" roof stack plain layers.
(NOTE the model has a contrast top layer,
plank and platform also have contrast outer layers
as a style and coloration choice.)

G. Layer and glue up the four hub stacks.

H. Layer and glue up "triangle center" wheel
shapes for each of 4 wheels.

3. Prepare the back/side hull shape by bending back

on panel division perforations, top tabs, bottom flanges,

side flange. Also bend door panels forward and

back to loosen the perforation so that it will swing.

4. Prepare the front/side hull panel by bending
back on panel, flange, tab perforation lines.

5. Prepare the tiny door latch "nibs" by bending

on the perf cuts into an inverted 'V' shape

with side tabs as shown near bottom of this image.

6. Add dab of glue between the 'V' arms and

glue together to create the nib tab.

7. Insert the nib through the slot near the top of
the door panel, front to back and glue the side tabs
in place. Repeat for the other top slot, and for
the bottom slots.

8. Place hull panel face down on work surface,

and apply glue to the narrow area above door cutout

and crown molding slots, then . . . 

. . . position the upper latch panel over the upper door

area, with rounded "tab" downward . . . 

. . . and fit slots over the vertical nibs, then

apply pressure to latch panel until . . . 

. . . it is attached.
NOTE: the bottom latch nibs will fit into slots
that are on the back end of the floor structure,
which is prepared later.

See how the latch panel extends below the door frame

to keep door from closing back into compartment.

9. Position and attach the door trim unit over 

the corresponding door overlay unit.

(Use weight while gluing these units together.)

10. Prepare to attach the clear vinyl panels behind
 the prepared door units by attaching permanent
clear double sided tape (or equivalent) to clear panel
edges. Then . . . 

. . . place behind door frame and attach in place.

Repeat the process for the back surface of door overlay

to attach to the door panels of hull shape.

11. Layer and glue together 4-5 optional knob washer
rings. When dry . . . 

. . . position and attach behind the door panel
(next to hull face) to align over the knob holes.

12. Position, align and join the two hull shapes

at one side seam, overlapping straight edge

over opposite flange.

13. Form the hull into a tube shape to align
and join the second side seam.

14. Position and insert the floor panel into

the interior of the hull assembly, and attach in place

over the bottom flanges (which are bent inward) . . . 

. . . and apply pressure along the seam area
at all four walls.

15. Bend top flanges inward and glue in place
to the backside of hull walls all around.

16. Prepare the floor bump out (stand) boxes

by bending back on all panel and tab perforation

lines, except bend the bottom edge flanges outward.

17. Form the box into a tube to bring together
the side edge and flange, overlap, and complete
side seam. 

18. Bend the top flange downward, side tabs inward,
then tuck lid panel into box and glue all tabs in place.

NOTE the following two images show the placement

and attachment of the stand boxes into floor panel

separate from the rest of the hull which should

be attached when bump outs are attached.

19. Insert top end tabs into the bottom openings, then . . . 

. . . bend flanges back, and glue in place

to the floor backside.

20. Prepare the coachman seat structure by bending

back on all panels and flange tabs back, with

inward edge tabs bent back.

NOTE: inward bottom rounded connector "flange"

is NOT bent back, but remains rigidly in place.

21. Form the structure by bending side shapes
back, center panel edge flanges into position,
to tuck and attach behind straight edges of
side panels, as shown.
Join and attach front and top panels 
in this manner, then  . .

. . . bend the sequence of narrow panels forward

to match up with the "curved" inward upper edge,

align and join each tab to corresponding segment

of side panels until all are in position.

22. Position and attach the front and . . . 

. . . side accent panels to the structure.

23. Bend end tabs of handle outer shapes back.

Position and attach stack to inside edge of

one outer handle shape. 

24. Position and attach second outer handle

layer onto the assembly, with tabs bent outward.

25. Insert handle tabs into seat slots, 

and push through . . .

. . . until tabs are extended beyond bottom.

Bend tabs outward and glue in place.

Use scissors to trim off tabs that extend beyond
side edges.

26. Position and attach bottom plain seat plank layer.

27. Prepare the seat riser shape by bending

side extensions downward, end tabs outward.

28. Position and attach riser middle panel

behind the seat/handles assembly,

centered in both directions.

29. Prepare the riser brace by bending end tabs

outward on the two outer face shapes.

Glue center shape (no end tabs) shape between

the two outer face shapes . . .

. . . with tabs remaining

free and bent back.

30. Insert brace end tabs into riser side slots,

then bend tabs outward . . . 

. . . and glue tabs to backside of riser sides.

31. Position and attach side overlays to cover
tabs, with side edges attached.

To help accents attached, consider using folio clips

to apply pressure at edges.

32. Insert riser bottom tabs through platform slots,
bend tabs outward and glue in place.
Position and attach bottom plain platform panel.

33. Position seat assembly to top panel of coachman

structure, centered.

34. Position the coachman's seat assembly

over the front of the hull to wrap bottom extension

under the floor/base panel, with center and side

tabs aligning with corresponding slots

on hull front.

Insert tabs into slots, bend tabs outward

and glue in place on hull inside faces

while also gluing bottom extension in place

at hull bottom.

35. Prepare the 2 short and 2 long crown molding
shapes by bending back on panel perf lines
with tabs extended away.
36. Apply glue to the tab-cutout shape, then
bend back ('X' marked) panel to overlap and . . .

. . . glue the two layers together, taking care
that tabs remain extended outward.

To help join this seam, consider using 

a narrow-enough dowel inserted through the molding

channel, then placing seam-side on a flat surface 

to roll the dowel

back and forth to apply pressure to the face.

37. Position long SIDE molding shape over

side of hull and insert tabs into slots.

NOTE that 'X' back surface is toward top.

Bend tabs upward and glue in place.

38. Apply quick-grab glue such as the Fabri-Tac

shown to the 'X' face . . . 

. . . then bend molding upward into position

to attach to hull.

39. Bend end tabs back to wrap around hull corner.

Repeat for second side molding.

40. Position front (or back) shorter molding in place

and insert tabs into slots. Bend tabs upward

and glue to hull inside as for side molding shapes.

41. Bend short molding upward into position
while at the same time  tucking side molding
top corner under the miter edge on top and . . . 

. . on outer lower front miter edge, applying pressure

to keep the seams tightly in place until glued.

Glue overlapped edges in place, and hold

until glue dries.

Repeat for second short molding shape.

42. Prepare axle tubes by bending back on
long perf lines and flange, also bending end tabs
back.

43. Form the shape into a triangular tube,

then wrap around a 3/16" dowel as a press-against

surface to overlap straight side edge over

opposite flange tab, adjust for end alignment,

then apply pressure all along the seam until joined.

44. Measure, mark and cut two dowel lengths to fit
length of axle tube with end tabs bend back.

45. Insert dowel into tube, align ends of dowel
and tool, and glue in place.

46. Prepare the axle box by bending back on

all perf lines, except bend internal tabs back

so that they extend away from box walls.

47. Form the shape into a tube with tabs extended
to overlap straight edge over corresponding flange tab
opposite, and glue in place.

Bend end tabs inward, then tuck into the box end

and glue in place. Repeat for both ends.

48. Push axle end tabs inward on one end, then
insert into one triangular end opening with
wall shapes corresponding to opening.

Continue inserting axle through box to exit
through opposite triangle opening.

49. Slip one wheel build up assembly over axle

end tabs, bend tabs back and glue in place.

50. Position and glue the face wheel (with no hole)
over the wheel build up shape, taking care to
rotate so that all cut edges of wheels match up,
and glue in place.

51. Repeat for the opposite axle end, adding

wheel build up . . . 

. . . and another plain face wheel.
Repeat for second axle and wheels.

52. Position and attach one hub build up stack
over center of scalloped accent shape to
complete four assemblies.

53. Position plain hub circle over wheel center.

Position and attach hub assembly over top

of plain circle - centered.

54. Position wheel assembly at hull underside,

where axle box tabs can be inserted into

corresponding tabs - NOTE that inward edge

of axle box lacks a middle tab, and there

is no center inward slot either.

Insert tabs into slots, bend outward on floor

underside, and glue in place.

55. Prepare corner posts by bending back

on all vertical perf lines.

56. Fold post shape into a triangular tube

to overlap straight edge over opposite flange,

and glue in place.

NOTE that the triangular footprint of the post
has a right angle corner which should fit into
the corner of the hull structure as reinforcement.

57. Position and attach one post into each interior

corner, with bottom resting on the base panel.

TIP: use quick-dry glue.

58. Prepare the floor panel and dias pop-up shapes

as shown, bending back on perforation lines,

except bend outer flanges of dias upward.

59. Prepare the dias as a tray, by bending side

panels back with end tab inward to complete

the short corner seams.

60. Push the dias bump out structure from the bottom
upward through the rectangular opening on floor shape,
push all the way through so that opening edges rest
against flanges. Glue edges to flanges
(see next image).

62. With floor structure edge flanges bent inward
apply glue to the flange face surface, then . . . 

. . . insert into the hull interior, with floor corner
angles aligned near corner posts.
Push fully into position so that flanges attach
to base panel.

63. Position and attach clear side window panels

behind trim build up, as with back door clear panels.

Position and attach side windows into position

over side openings.

64. As desired, position and attach metal knob

embellishments at back door openings.

(NOTE model uses Tim Holtz Hitch Fasteners.)

As alternative, use other metal findings or

large brads, etc.

65. Prepare LID structure bump out by bending

back on perforations, bending sides inward to

complete corner seams as for dias bump out

as shown in Step 59.

66. Position bump out over roof under layer
with tabs and slots aligned. Insert tabs,
bend outward, and glue in place along all edges.

67. Position bump out assembly on underside
 of LID build up, with edges aligned, and glue together.

Complete the Coffin Coach by placing the LID

assembly over the top opening, with bump out

inserting inward to hold it in place.

68. As desired, prepare the "frosted glass" vinyl logo

Rig O. Mortise Funerals design.

TIP: Remove waste vinyl around the arch window

shape, then cut a short cut into the vinyl to match

the trim shape bottom width as an alignment tool

and also across the vinyl strip to separate it.

Mark center top and center bottom to help with positioning.

Remove the remaining interior waste vinyl around
letters, also leaving  bottom registration strip cut
in previous image.

Transfer the logo onto transfer tape, then

use bottom registration and marked center top

and bottom to position and attach to side window

before attaching the window in place, Step 63.

Here is the completed coffin coach with

window vinyl attached to one side window panel.