ball blocks

[rabjr]

:haha: Tan's just taunting the Fed's.

 

[skunkskinner]

ooohhhhkay...I thought I just had to much wisky :shocked2:

 

[rabjr]

The Greek phrase Molōn labe! (Μολὼν λάβε; approximate Classical Greek pronunciation [molɔ̀ːn labé], Modern Greek [moˈlon laˈve]), meaning "Come and take them!", is a classical expression of defiance reported by Plutarch in response to the Persian Army's demand that the Spartans surrender their weapons. It corresponds roughly to the modern equivalent English phrase "over my dead body". It is an exemplary use of a laconic phrase.

 

[skunkskinner]

Have you ever seen the velvet painting of the little mouse fliping his middle finger at the eagle, just abought to land on him? with the saying "Defiance".

Thanks for the education. :thumbsup:

 

[omarick1948]

Skunkskinner,

That cartoon's title was: "THE LAST GREAT ACT OF DEFIENCE"! .... Loved it! :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:

Rick

 

[musketman]

Generally any dense hardwood will do, old wooden chair slats are a good source as well as some shipping pallets.

I make them up of different designs and some guys can get quite creative.

Here are pics of three I made up few years back.

Μολών λαβέ

I really like the horse head design, very creative and on topic... :thumbsup:

 

[tjohnson56]

I like the idea of using slats from chair backs, looks like some of these were made out of them. Wonder if the wife will notice some are missing?

 

[bwhoffman]

I really liked that one too!...
...so much that a few years back I asked Tans if He wouldnt mind if I copied it.
pritned it off, enlarged it and made my pattern.
Best block I have made yet!

 

[Grizzled Roberts]

Paul, You are right about teaching folks who don't give a care. Two weeks ago I went to a Charlotte NC Middle School to help a Teacher friend of mine. I was dressed like 1780 militia and had on me a flintlock rifle, my Ferguson rifle, Tomahawk, knife and militia saber. I was not able to carry any of this stuff to this school system when I attended it in the 60s!
I explained all of my militia gear from frying pan to firelocks. I then described the Battle of Charlotte, the Battle of King's Mountain and of course Cowpens. I have been told here lately that history is not being brought out in school today.
So when I was given a chance to do my history Dog & Pony show for the school kids, I jumped on it.
I do not know if any of this sunk in to the kids but I had a far better chance in that classroom
than I do on this board where you have grown up people with their minds made all up for many years. You are right Paul, this ain't the hill to die on!
:v :v :v

 

[rebel727]

Like Paul said movies are entertainment. If Hollywood portrayed events like most of them really happened nobody would go see them. You know before you watch it it's not going to be accurate. If it gets under your skin so much why watch in the first place?

 

[Zonie]

ff

Although some want to talk about Hollywood, it, and its creations have nothing to do with ball blocks, making them, storing balls in them or any other related matter.

Please folks. Lets stick to the topics subject.

 

[tg]

"The above gives rise to an interesting question. Today, things like drill presses, a multitude of inexpensive bitts in many sizes and rat tail files & sandpaper are readily available to many of us & we can knock off a couple of bullet blocks in an hour. How would the "simple backwoods man" who only had such very basic tools as an axe & saw & knife make the precisely sized holes that it takes to make the bullet block work??
"
A very good question and quite likely why we don't see much in the way of early ones as calibers were not standard, and the smith would lkiely nave been respnosible for the gun, mold and board, this in isteslf is pretty strong evidence against the practicality of them.

 

[jtmattison]

"The above gives rise to an interesting question. Today, things like drill presses, a multitude of inexpensive bitts in many sizes and rat tail files & sandpaper are readily available to many of us & we can knock off a couple of bullet blocks in an hour. How would the "simple backwoods man" who only had such very basic tools as an axe & saw & knife make the precisely sized holes that it takes to make the bullet block work??
"
A very good question and quite likely why we don't see much in the way of early ones as calibers were not standard, and the smith would lkiely nave been respnosible for the gun, mold and board, this in isteslf is pretty strong evidence against the practicality of them.

I think if the common mountain man wanted to make a ball block it would be relatively easy with just the tools on hand. I believe if he had a couple hours sitting around the fire he could make one with nothing more than his knife.

Nothing like a little whittling by the fire.

HD

 

[Zonie]

And if the common folk back in those days had a iron rod such as a fire place poker he could heat up one end in the fire and "bore" a hole thru a wooden block with the red hot metal.

After getting a hole make it could be whittled , burned with more use of the red hot metal rod or scraped to a larger size if that was needed.

 

[Grizzled Roberts]

I have used a long thin bladed knife to whittle out a loading block while setting around a campfire. It just has to be close it ain't rocket science! When you look at original cartridge boxes, those holes were drilled over 4 inches deep
in most cases. For a loading block 1/2 to 3/4 inch
will do. :thumbsup:

 

[paulvallandigham]

If you find a tree branch the diameter of your bore( stick the end in the barrel, and see how close it fits!) you can light the stick in a campfire, and burn a hole in your ball block to take the ball and patch. It doesn't have to be exactly sized, as its only holding the ball and patch. Actually, the charred wood on the sides of the hole make it easier to enlarge the hole a bit with a knife.

It the sticks are too large, you whittle them down to size before lighting them. Easy. It just takes time, but when you don't have TV, radio, or anything else to do around a campfire, you can take a few days to make the block the way you want it to look, and with the number of holes in it for he rounds you wish to carry.

 

[ohio ramrod]

It is interesting that when they started to plan the movie they were going to do it based on Francis Marian (spelling ? )known as "the swamp fox" but when researching Francis's life they discovered just how pollitically incorrect he really was. (another way of saying a blood thirsty killer who had perverse values with slave women as well). It seems that the most effective people in times of war are not the most socially acceptable in times of peace!

 

[ohio ramrod]

I m ke mine about 1/8 inch thicker than the ball. About .007 over caliber diameter holes. And fill them flush to the top of the block with a dry patched ball. Then turn over the block and fill the base side with lube (80% lard 20 % beeswax ) . This way when the ball is pushed down the barrel the outside of the patch is lubed while the ball side of the patch has been pushed dry against the ball while in the block. This was explained to me by my old neighbor in the sixties. "Dry side grips ball, lubed side slides over barrel. " (Toad still had his grandfather's loading block and short starter. Lets see: Sixties . Toad was in his seventies so his granfather must have been using short starters and loading blocks in the ???'s . Too bad he did not leave written documentation of their usage.)

 

[Goldhunter]

That's a good idea. :hmm: I'll try it this week.

I stuck a large dowl with sandpaper in the holes last night and took a little wood out, but they still seem too tight.

thanks.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Saw a slot in a wooden dowel, to put your sand paper in, or other abrasive "paper", and chuck the dowel in a hand drill. Then use it to polished, and widen the holes in your ball block. Its saves a lot of sweat labor.