camp box

[spudnut]

Scored a cheap pine round top little chest at the SA store, the kind you get from the craft store,
Whats the best way to affix leather handles to the side? seems little nails would pull out easy.

 

[Artificer]

Are you trying for something historically accurate and if so, what time period?

Gus

 

[Billnpatti]

I don't know what part of Michigan you are in but I have a friend, Ralph Babcock, who lives in Kalamazoo who makes historically accurate boxes from several different eras. I don't have any contact information but you can find him online by looking him up in the white pages. He would be able to tell you the HC way of attaching the leather handles.

 

[spudnut]

:slap: I mostly do local rendevous and I'll paint the box i a nice color hat suits me. Most of my kit is mid to late 18th century. hc is great but so long as it doesnt look out of place its ok by me

 

[Artificer]

OK, here is a post I wrote a while ago that talks about various HC/PC handles and shows ways to do them, as well as other information. http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showpost.php?post/1459199/

Probably the easiest way to secure leather handles in an HC/PC fashion would be on each side of the handle use two clenched nails with their heads on the outside of the box (4 nails each handle). The nails would go through a metal washer or strip of metal with holes for both nails then through the leather, through holes in the sides of the box (I would probably drill holes for them through the box), then clenched over on the inside of the box.

Of course you could make or buy period iron handles, but as explained in the above linked post, most camp boxes would not have had them. I know folks use period brass handles, but those would have only been found on boxes of very affluent folks in the period.

Gus

 

[bpd303]

Sorry about the dark pic, but my camera is acting up. I usually make a bracket and cut the strap so it will slide flat when not using it.

 

[Stophel]

Well, it's not going to be really "historically accurate" anyway. But iron nails, clinched over inside would be the simple, and old-fashioned way to go. :wink:

 

[Rifleman1776]

I know you said leather. So, feel free to ignore me. :wink:
I would simply get some manila rope, drill a couple holes and tie knots inside the box. Would look 'authentic', be strong and cheap.

 

[Artificer]

Sorry about the dark pic, but my camera is acting up. I usually make a bracket and cut the strap so it will slide flat when not using it.

PLEASE understand I am not in the HC/PC Police or trying to be a "Stitch Counter," but I never found evidence of this kind of handle during the Flintlock era. It may be as early as the Civil War Period, but was most common on boxes and trunks from about the 1880's onward and well into the early 20th century.

Also, I am not trying to tell anyone how they have to put handles on their camp boxes, as that is up to the owner. I just provide the information in case it matters to the person wanting to put handles on his camp box.

Gus

 

[Artificer]

I know you said leather. So, feel free to ignore me. :wink:
I would simply get some manila rope, drill a couple holes and tie knots inside the box. Would look 'authentic', be strong and cheap.

This is how I put handles on my Civil War Period Box that has painted letters on the top denoting it was originally a shipping box for hard tack "bread." These were pretty good size boxes, but also never had handles on them as they were shipped to and stored by the Army. There are original pictures of these being temporarily stored outside and packed/piled up QUITE high with no handles showing - while waiting to be shipped to the front lines. This type of box can be found under "Army Bread Box" in the following link. http://www.civilwarwoodreproductions.com/CampBoxes.php

However, these and similar boxes were only temporary shipping and storage boxes that were not intended to be used long term to store/protect things. I THINK the sheer quantity available during the WBTS allowed people to drill holes in them for handles, AFTER they were delivered and emptied of their original contents, when such handles had not previously been put on the boxes.

There is also another type of handles that is actually just strips of wood that are screwed to the sides of boxes as in the "Arsenal Box (U.S. & C.S.)" shown in the link above. When packed with Minie' Ball Cartridges, these would have been pretty heavy and needed substantial handles. However and again, there is little or no evidence anyone did this with camp or storage boxes much before the Civil War.

Gus

 

[Stophel]

I know you said leather. So, feel free to ignore me. :wink:
I would simply get some manila rope, drill a couple holes and tie knots inside the box. Would look 'authentic', be strong and cheap.

Actually, I think that would be the easiest way to go now. :hatsoff:

 

[Rifleman1776]

I know you said leather. So, feel free to ignore me. :wink:
I would simply get some manila rope, drill a couple holes and tie knots inside the box. Would look 'authentic', be strong and cheap.

Actually, I think that would be the easiest way to go now. :hatsoff:

I put some on my big heavy range box. Much easier to carry this way.

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[spudnut]

thanks some good ideas there, :thumbsup: