This is from Alton Hall, if you have any questions please see him:

REENACTING BC-611
Always bare in mind an authentic set of BC-611s can sell for up to $300.00 Our
goal is to build affordable replicas for re-enacting. (It is advised to have one "real"
BC-611 around to use as a guide)
The basic premise for this project is to provide an enclosure for a modern radio
making it less offensive to equipment purists while providing the command and
control an event needs for authenticity. We needed atleast 10 radios and maybe
more so costs were a factor.
Rather then go into the details of a real BC-611 for comparison sake, Ill just
concentrate on the replicas here. Ill also describe the process, methods, and using
the tools I had, its up to you to work around what you have. Now, I made 10 radios
so I batched the work, but Ill describe it in the relevant steps. In any event, think
RUGGED, and they are going to get beat up. The Ear and Mouth pieces are
opened to the interior of the box so that the radios internal speaker can be heard. If
the radio allows external keying then the radios built in microphone can by used.
In the case of the FRS units we use, we must provide an external mic, this is
installed in the BCs mouthpiece.
The PTT switch and function, is going to depend on the radios selected and how
much modification you want to do to them, bearing in mind modifications at least
reduce the value of the radios and at worst make them unreliable. Since the FRS
radios we chose require grounding of a microphone element to transmit, I selected a
remote microphone (dynamic element 2K ohms) and use a push button momentary
switch in series with the mic element and soldered to the standard 1.5mm male jack
these radios use. This in effect gives the radios an external microphone and requires
no modifications to the radio unit.
The bodies basically consist of a 3 box channel (steel) 12 long, cut sections of 2
pipe (steel), two ABS (black plastic) pipe caps, two decorative 3x3 caps (steel),
two 1.5 footman loops, and 4 sheet metal screws.
Steel was chosen both for its low cost and durability. That and the fact that welding
steel is fairly straight forward. It also gives the radios a realistic heft.
Construction of the unit begins with cutting 12 lengths of 3x3 decorative box
channel. This material can be had at your local steel yard in various lengths. The use
of the decorative (material like you would use in fencing), means thin skinned, in
this case 1/16 (14 gauge). Once the box is deburred and trimmed two 1 holes
are drilled on one face and a 9/32 hole on the left side for the PTT switch.
Next mouth and ear pieces are cut from 2: pipe. Use thin wall electrical conduit pipe
if youre good at welding (these can be glued with RTV instead) or schedule 40 water
pipe. These pieces are angled and are best made in pairs, IE two Ear and then two
Mouth pieces. Its also easier to use a cutoff saw but that east up more material.
Dont forget to allow for cut thickness when measuring your pieces. Finish sanding
the ends to debur them and to make the ends as flat as possible.

Weld the Ear and Mouth pieces to the box, centered over the 1 holes. Weld on the
inside of the pipe to keep the external pipe/box interface (seam) as clean as
possible. Clean off the flux, prime and paint. The original units were a fine crinkle
finish; we just used flat early war OD. But you can buy wrinkle spray paint in black,
paint that on first and then when dry apply a second coat of the OD. When dry install
the PTT switch preassembled with jacks/microphone as required.
Ear and Mouth pieced are identical and are made from a ABS 2 pipe cap. This is
thicker then the cap on the original radios which were metal and screw on, but
everything is based on standing back 15 feet and squinting. I used a lathe to cut
down the cap from its depth of 2 to about 5/8 to give it the right profile. Then I cut
a lip on the inside to allow the cap to press on the pipe end about . (Youll notice
this on the original cap, a similar internal structure its just too deep.) Next I used a
3/32 drill to make the holes in the face of the caps. This as you can imagine is
required to allow sound to pass, but I was amazed how this little effort increased the
realism of the units. The caps normally bulge out, which is the way I left them. The
originals are almost flat, bulging in slightly. But they look ok (remember the
squint/distance thing). I used an original Ear/Mouth piece cover as a drilling
template. Once this is done they should press fit on to the Ear and Mouth piece pipe
sections you welded onto the box. Remember, glue is forever and they are already
black.
End Caps. I couldnt find flat end caps, being decorative and all. But I did find a
simple stair step design. I made an anvil from a chunk of 3x3 solid steel that the
cap would slide on as it would the box channel. Then I simply beat out the
decorations until I had a basically flat cap. With two of these you have almost a
complete unit. Im assuming youre going to paint these caps. Put the bottom cap in
place and line up a footman loop to use as the lower carrying strap holder and drill
holes to attach the loop and hold the lower cap on at the same time. Use two screws.
For the top cap, locate the footman loop below the cap line, so the top cap can be
removed. Attach the footman loop with two screws. Use a 1 to 1.5 wide web strap
to finish out both the look and utility. It should be adjustable.
For the top, locate a position for a hole that will allow the antenna of your radio to
poke out and drill an appropriate sized hole.
Thats about it. Set your radio to the appropriate frequency, turn the volume up and
place it the box. Jack in the PTT/MIC and put on the top cap. Incidentally the cap
should be a tight fit so its wont vibrate open. You can tighten it up by compressing
the sides. Most of these FRS radios are good for the whole day on a set of batteries
so you wont have to pry it open until evening.