Late 18th/Early 19th Century Cookbox

[buffcreekforge]

I just thought I would share my latest weekend project. I put together a late 18th/early 19th century cook box loosely based on a box I saw up at Bent's Fort several years ago. The box measures 11 1/2" (H), 23" (L), and 11 1/2" (W). I forged the long bean hinges from some scrap banding I got from a buddy, the handles are forged from 3/8" round stock, and the wood comes from a 150+ year old house my Dad and I tore down about 20 years ago. The paint is milk paint that I antiqued and distressed to make it look like it had some age. I forged all of the hand forged items in the box - the tin and enamel bowl are bought items. I made the bags out of scrap linen and brain tanned antelope hide. The box includes the following items: 4 hand forged cooking skewers, a hand forged cooking grate/trivet, 4 tin plates, an old grey enamel bowl, a tin pot, hand forged spatula, cooking fork, and spoon/ladle, antique butcher knife, chain trammel, 12 feet of manila hemp rope, salt and pepper bottles, 4 spoons, 4 forks, 4 tin cups, and a fire kit with a forged "C" striker, grey gunflint, and charred punk wood. It was a busy weekend, but very satisfying. This rig is going with me this coming weekend to the Kansas Muzzleloading Association Winter Convention in Topeka, Kansas. I apologize that the post is a bit picture heavy in advance - I hope you can wait to load it on your computer.

Hope you enjoy!

Dave

 

[rabjr]

Nice work! :thumbsup:

 

[Nifeman]

Got to build one myself. Yours is one of the nicest I've seen...Bud

 

[Troy Allen Christianson]

Wow! Impressed would be an understatement. :thumbsup:

 

[deseeb2001]

Very impressive! :hatsoff: I like the look of the paint, but I'm not familiar with "milk paint". Is it a special mix or type of paint?

 

[buffcreekforge]

Milk paint is an old style paint. I have had some for quite some time - don't remember where I got it, but you can easily find it on-line by googling "milk paint". The wood I used was very old 12" wide single boards which had no pre-existing finish. You mix up the powdered paint with milk and paint on as usual. I gave the wood one coat then sanded it back and distressed it to give it the appearance of age. I mixed a little black with the green to give it the old green color. It makes a nice finish on an old looking piece IMHO. Thanks for the kind words on my work!

Dave :wink:

 

[omarick1948]

Dave, Nice chest!...You did good!

Just one little thing!...While you went to the trouble of making it look old. Why did you use Phillps head screws on the interior lid?..Just fill the X with a little black wax and they'll look like pins!

Rick

 

[BillinOregon]

Dave: Very fine work all the way around. Really like your milk paint finish. I've been planning to try it myself.
By the way, to add to horner75's comment on the Phillips head screws, I found horseshoe nails at the local hardware store that would give an even older square-nail look to this kind of project.

 

[hoochiepapa]

THat's a lot of work! Good job! :thumbsup:

 

[gearheart]

Now you just need to build y'self a chuck wagon to go with that. Oops Charlie Goodnight didn't invent that until after the Civil War. :idunno:

 

[msuspartan]

They called it a 'mule' :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:

(pre-chuck wagon=mule or soldier!!!!)

Cheers, DonK