Cartridge box

[rich pierce]

I’m starting a cartridge box using cherry harvested on our place for the box portion. It will have a hair-on bearskin flap. A linen strap will be tacked directly to the wooden block. In other words, the box will stand alone, rather than reside in a well-fitting leather bag.

It’s a work in progress.

 

[tenngun]

Keep the photos coming as you build it

 

[jmull4609]

Looking good!

 

[TDM]

Sure looks nice so far.

 

[rich pierce]

I may have it bass-ackwards in that there should be more rows on the inside than the outside curve. Sorting it out.

 

[Notchy Bob]

It looks great, Rich. That cherry wood will be really nice-looking, not covered up with a leather pouch.

I don't remember how the holes were arranged in the original, but I would think there would be more holes on the outer row, the way you have it. The wider radius of the outer row would have a longer arc, with room for more holes. I think you probably got it right.

I'm looking forward to further installments on this project!

Notchy Bob

 

[user 34486]

Have you ever seen an original with a bear fur flap? I'd sure like to, as I have extra bear scraps that would work perfect.

 

[bud in pa]

What type of drill bit are you using? I have made a couple using a brace & bit.

 

[Artificer]

I may have it bass-ackwards in that there should be more rows on the inside than the outside curve. Sorting it out.

American Cartouche Boxes:


British Cartouche Boxes:


Gus

 

[Artificer]

I may have it bass-ackwards in that there should be more rows on the inside than the outside curve. Sorting it out.

As a "Militia" Cartouche Box, who cares?

You are going to really, Really, REALLY appreciate your good sense in making a CURVED block once you wear it.

Take this from someone who wore the straight front and back British Cartouche Box and you really have to tighten them on your belly or they flip over on you.

Gus

 

[rich pierce]

Thanks, Artificer. It’ll be my first box. I think I can make it work and hope the hair-on flap distracts everyone from the box design mistake. I’ve got primitive snowshoe biathlons coming up so gotta get it made!

 

[sheriff john]

Excellent. Hope this thread sticks around awhile. Thank you.

 

[Artificer]

Thanks, Artificer. It’ll be my first box. I think I can make it work and hope the hair-on flap distracts everyone from the box design mistake. I’ve got primitive snowshoe biathlons coming up so gotta get it made!

Rich,

Folks back then and today didn't do everything the same and folks made mistakes back then just as today. If I had done this, I would just say it was the first block I made on Monday morning without enough coffee, after suffering through a hangover in the 4 to 6 hour sermon in church the day before. (Ultra-long sermons were very common in the period.) Grin.

The GOOD point is you alternated the rows of holes so there is less chance of breaking through the wood and into the holes in the block when tacking the straps on.

I'm sure folks are going to be much more interested in the bearskin flap than how you spaced the holes. I've never seen nor heard of an original done that way, BUT since it is a Militia Box, it is surely something someone may have done in the period.

As I'm sure you know, some Shot Pouch flaps were made of "hair on" deer hide to better dispel rain, as they thought in the period. The British used "hair on" goat skins for shoulder packs for the same reason. As a militia man, you may not have had smooth sided leather on hand when you had to quickly make a Cartouche Box flap, but a thicker than deer hide, bear skin hide with the hair on would have been more serviceable than a hair on deer skin flap.

Gus

 

[Artificer]

What type of drill bit are you using? I have made a couple using a brace & bit.

Hi Bud,

In the period, they almost exclusively used a brace and center bit to drill the holes.

Below is the cutting part or front of a center bit.

The following link shows how this was done, for those who aren't familiar with period bits.
https://brfinewoodworking.com/sharpening-center-bits/
Today and for most folks who have them or want to make a quantity of the blocks, they most often use Forstner bits.

Oh and FWIW, you shouldn't use the same size bit as the caliber of your gun because then a cartridge with a paper wrapped ball WON'T fit in the holes.

For example in a modern made .75 cal Brown Bess and if you want to use paper cartridges, most folks use a 13/16" diameter drill bit.

Gus

 

[Timber Wolf]

Nice! What kind of smoke pole is the box for?

 

[rich pierce]

Nice! What kind of smoke pole is the box for?

This one is for my English Wilson fowler/trade gun, about 1770, modeled after one in the book For Trade and Treaty, pgs 135-140. These guns were ordered by Sir William Johnson, Superintendent of Indian Affairs, to be given at big get-togethers intended to consolidate support for the Crown. The original is beaded, as is mine. English walnut, Rayl octagon to round 48” barrel, custom Chambers round faced English lock assembled by Chris Evrard without a pan bridle. I made the buttplate, trigger, sideplate, front sight, and I think Mike Lea made the ramrod thimbles. His are the best.

 

[rich pierce]

Lemme see if I have a full length in here

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Most impressive Wilson, especially with the parts you made! Ohhhhh, if only she be a lefty ...

 

[Artificer]

Rich,

I apologize for again going off topic, but since today the cartridge blocks are often drilled by drill presses, there may be a questions on how far back drill presses go and would they have been used in the period?

Drill Presses as we know them were known as Blacksmith's or Post Drills in the period. I think the term "Post" drills came from the fact they were mounted on a post in the shop.

Here's the earliest such drill I know of and the date may be as early as the 17th century:

Would be wall-mounted over a workbench. It can swing on an arc as well as telescope to reach many areas of the bench. Wonderfully ornate! Used with a blacksmith-style brace that would have a dimple in the top in place of a head. The screw is capable of applying the tremendous force needed for drilling metal. Phenomenal patina. 36" high. Can be extended approximately 20" to 30" from the wall.

A much simpler version of this COULD have been made and set up to drill the wood blocks in the period. However, because even a simpler one would still have been expensive and not generally needed in most wood or blacksmith shops, I really can't see a tool like this being used in anything smaller than a factory shop in Europe and not in North America until after the AWI and maybe not until the early 19th century.


Gus

 

[springfield art]

I’m starting a cartridge box using cherry harvested on our place for the box portion. It will have a hair-on bearskin flap. A linen strap will be tacked directly to the wooden block. In other words, the box will stand alone, rather than reside in a well-fitting leather bag. View attachment 188781
It’s a work in progress.

This is really nice! Excellent work!