Period mold handles?

[cornstalk]

I've got a revolutionary war era mold that i want to use to run balls.

It needs some sort of handles if I'm going to run more than a couple balls.
1. What would be period correct for handles? I mean maybe I could just use leather but the the purchase would be awfully short.
2. And how would the handles be secured?

And it has a smashed copper alignment pin that I need to replace. Dont wan't to damage the mold getting it out.
1. Thoughts on how best to get the pin out?
2. Thoughts on where i might find a piece of copper that could be used as a replacement pin?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Brokennock]

Leather wraps and heavy leather gloves.

Dried corncob has been used for handles on many things for a long time.
Let a couple dry out, somewhat trim the surface and shove onto your existing pointed metal handles.

 

[flntlokr]

Those pointy tangs are just asking to have a couple of short dowels or sticks driven on to them. I would personally find a piece of willow or something with a soft pith for that. Bark on for a more rustic look. When i worked in the woods, that's what we did with our sharpening files most of the time.

 

[Robby]

I would hollow out that pin with a drill and have at it with an ice pick type tool and digit out, carefully. You should be able to fins a copper nail like they use for gutters, if you don't have a lathe, an electric drill and a file will work just fine, and those l\anils are pretty long so you got a lot of try's to get it right. Best of luck, thats' pretty cool!!!!!
Corn cobs sounds like a great idea.
Robby

 

[cornstalk]

Thanks guys. especially the tip on the copper nails. I figured I'd have to take a drill bit, wrap it in duct tape, and hand drill it till I could pick the pieces out.

I've got another one with a sprue cutter from the late 1700's that is all 50's which until now is what all my guns were. But I'm buying a 20 bore double sporting gun so this mold is perfect as I can run both sized balls with it.

I find this mold intriguing because of the four different cavity sizes. Maybe something that was issued covering the most popular "revolutionary's" calibers?

 

[Whitworth]

After taking some careful measurements you could drill in that pin from the backside and drive it out with a punch. Corn cobs with their pithy center would be my choice for handles as driving even soft wood over such a shape could be difficult without splitting but careful step drilling could lessen the chance.

 

[Daryl Crawford]

I agree with Cobbs but wonder if willow wouldn't last longer.
Nice piece there.

 

[Tenring]

If items like that could talk, just think of what was going on around them and who was there and even who had used the items. WOW…Cool.

 

[cornstalk]

If items like that could talk, just think of what was going on around them and who was there and even who had used the items. WOW…Cool.

Agreed! I was able to get the old pin out and ordered some copper nails and rivets so in a week or two this should be useable. Guess I need to get out in the woods before it snows again and find something that will work for handles. No corn grown up here so it is very seasonal. Wonder how many years it's been since this was running balls. Thanks everyone for your ideas.

 

[Tenring]

What are the calibers.

 

[cornstalk]

This is my best estimate with calipers measuring the cavity size. The exact measurements I wont have till I run ball. 50, 58, 62, 68

 

[Tenring]

Wow thats really cool, I would love to take a Deer with one of those.50 cal that would be so let’s say Colonial ha ha, I would buy a half dozen for posterity sake.

 

[cornstalk]

Once I've run em I'll let you know the size. If you still want em I'd be happy to send you some. There is no sprue cutter with this mold, nor with my 1590-1640's mold (it's 50 as well). I do have another from the late 1700's-early 1800's (also a 50) that I have been using up till now as it has a sprue cutter. So I've got a couple of options for you to pick from.

 

[Tenring]

Yea, when you run them give me a holler . The mold is pretty cool..

 

[Crockford]

You might find a corn cobb at a store that sells bird and squirrel feed. They usually have corn on the cobb for squirrel feeders. The Copper pin could be cut from a short piece of electrical wire. HomeDepot sells it by the foot in many different gauges that may be close to the pin size. Also a roll pin could be used instead of copper.

 

[cornstalk]

Chucked a copper nail (I got a bunch of them now) and took a file to it. Made a dandy pin for the mold. Electrical wire was too soft but a good idea non-the-less. Cut a frozen Alder for handles. Worked tolerably till I find something better. Think a corn cob will be too big in diameter but I'll still give it a try. Ran ball tonight. Gotta wonder when the last time was that this mold was used- pretty cool to put it to work again. Actually being able to put a caliper on the balls instead of the inside of the mold I was wrong on the size. Smallest is for a 54cal (don't know how I missed that one so bad). Next up fits the double ignition double gun I just got, 20 bore. Didn't run ball on the last two sizes, won't fit anything I own anyway. Tenring, sorry brother. I am happy to run ball for you from my late 1700's-early 1800's mold if you'd like, just let me know.

 

[Tenring]

I will do that , thanks so much man.

 

[cornstalk]

Tenring I sent you a PM.

In this photo is the revolutionary war era mold and the bag ladle I use to run ball. The mold below that is the 1700's-early 1800's mold. I'm thinking maybe it was used by a gun maker to supply ball for his clients. Or perhaps an armorer. Or maybe used at home. Brilliant design and it works great.

My bag ladle doesn't hold enough lead for all the chambers in this mold. So looking around on the Internet I found a mold that was advertised as being huge. That ought to work I thought so I bought it. Bit of an over kill don't you guys think. Yea, that ain't gonna work. Good for pouring ingots maybe so I'll hang onto it.

 

[Tenring]

The worm type ladle is far out that’s cool. As far as the bigger ladle you needed hay you did not know from the picture probably you bought it from I have done the same thing. You can always use it for something else.