Ball block

[bioprof]

Finished staining a 19th-century ball block inspired by an 18th century patchbox finial. I used AF with an overcoat of LMF maple stain. The overcoat turned out pretty blotchy, so I fussed and fussed with it for over an hour. I finally sanded it down and just used the LMF maple stain. It should get darker and not so orangy over time.

 

[PitchyPine]

Man that`s nice, great work. :thumbsup:

 

[blacksmithshoppe]

Sure looks like an 18th century bullet board to me, are you sure it 19th century? I like it just the same though.
Jeff

 

[bioprof]

I made that statement after reading a thread on another discussion board about the existence of bullet boards in the 18th century. According to the experts that were posting, there has never been a verified bullet board from the 18th century. One one found that was dated 1757, but some claimed without substantiating evidence, it still doesn't prove they were used in the 18th century. Others claim it is an out-right fraud. :shake:

Sooooooooooooo, I guess my little project is a fantasy piece! :surrender: I still had fun with it.

 

[blacksmithshoppe]

I had read the same about the bullet boards, I was just having fun with you. Some of those guys get way too worked about things like bullet boards and when they came into use. Its cold here in Michigan and I can't get out as much as I would like so I need something to entertain my self. Still nice work, I like it. :thumbsup:
Jeff

 

[dodgecity]

Nice job bioprof. I can't speak as to the historical use of loading blocks, but I have them for all my frontloading smoothbores that I hunt with. Like you, mine are all designed to hold 6 rounds. That's plenty for hunting. I prefer maple, and, I leave mine natural except that I season them with ballistol since I use dry lubed Ballistol patches. I also make mine fairly loose so that I can start them with my ramrod rather than have to carry a short starter. Like I stated, I use them simply because it's a system that works well in the woods. As far as the PC part goes, I have the highest regard for Mark Baker. He uses a loading block as part of his exhaustingly researched equipment. I'll have to go back over his previous articles and see if he lists any source material.

 

[AeroncaTAL]

One found one that was dated 1757, but some claimed without substantiating evidence, it still doesn't prove they were used in the 18th century. Others claim it is an out-right fraud.

You mean that not ONE rifle man, hunter, trapper, etc. in the 18th century woke up one morning with the idea to bore some holes in a board, stick some patch and balls in it and put it in his pouch? Common, they were human beings, ideas were and still are plentiful. :shake:

I like your bullet board. I have some scrap mahonagy that I want to use for some bullet boards, and maybe do some carving. Guess I don't have to worry about the correct period carving since they aren't PC anyway... :winking:
Scott

 

[dlemaster]

Bioprof
Don't worry about it being a fantasy piece, I made one myself just for fun. I tried to follow the design of the questionable/fake bullet board, I just used mahogany.
It is interesting that the design you came up with is very similar. Great job.

I think you were right on with how you gave an approximate time period.
It's not a question of whether they could have used bullet boards in the 18th century, the question is did they use them. For that there is no proof or documentation for them, but we do see them show up in later 19th century bags.
It's sort of like the later flintlocks made with a roller on the frizzen toe or frizzen spring. It's a great idea, and they could have been made in 17th century when flintlocks came into favor. But they don't show up until the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Regards, Dave

 

[RonT]

Here's one that I just finished. Note the counterbore....
R

 

[paulvallandigham]

Bioprof: Seems to me that the burden of proof rests in the hands of the critics. Let them prove a ball block was not made in 1757, or earlier for that matter. Men have been boring holes in wood with hot embers, rocks, and metal tips since the stone age. I just can't see much chance that the idea of boring holes in a wood block to hold PRBs waited until the 19th century for someone to think up. I do understand that these kinds of things were done by individuals, that there was really no way to make a profit making them for shooters and hunters, since they could make their own, so we are unlikely to have catalogues, or other written references to such blocks of wood, or to the use of a ball block in the scant writings of the period. Few hunters could read and write, and fewer had the money to acquire, much less have on hand, pencil and paper. So, just who would have been there to write about these things?

Paul

 

[PitchyPine]

Thanks for posting that pic RonT, i was thinking about doing that then the balls wouldn`t have to stick out to line em up. :thumbsup:

 

[john s mosby]

PC or not, it's a nice piece of work, well done.

 

[XXX]

Nice! You could have started a whole new trend here.