WWA Info Exchange

I decided to plunge into my next limber chest build. This will be my fifth build.
I also decided to photo document this one. I will post it here for your viewing pleasure.
It will be built to specifications from "Antique Ordnance Publishers" drawings.
When finished, it will be posted on my website for sale.
This is a work in progress and will take a while to complete. I am logging my work hours so I can see how long it takes me to build one.
Here is what I have so far.
Zulu

Rough cut all the wood to prepare for gluing.


Bisquit join and glue, front, back, sides and bottom panels.





Cut to final size. and start dovetail process.








Finished dovetails and bottom panel.




Glue up of box.






Note the fit on the dovetails.






Glue up of lid. The curved ribs on top will allow the copper top to shed water. They will be covered with 1/4" plywood, then the copper top will be installed later.









Insetting the reinforcing angles into the bottom. The last time I built a chest, I made double the amount of bottom and corner angles that I needed. So I had these already in stock.






Next, I will start on metal work. It is time consuming. I will take pictures and continue this post as I progress.
I have always enjoyed the project build pictures that others post. I hope you enjoy these.
You can see more pictures of other limber chests I have built here on my website.
http://www.jmelledge.com/PortfolioLimberChest.html
Zulu

You mean you DON'T HAND CUT YOUR DOVE TAILS?!?!?!?!?

Why, what would General Lee think?

Outstanding build in all seriousness.

So, I take it that the bottom reinforcements are NOT inlaid into the sides, but are on the bottom? I know that'll give it a nice flat bottom to sit on the casan (SP), but won't that leave the sides a little rough?

Thanks for posting and I look forward to seeing more.

_________________
Frank
WWACOAUX#1
"I love the smell of Sawdust in the morning, it smells like, victory."
WWA'ers I've met: Popeye, Ed Avery, Stephen Wolf, Rockfish, Rodedon

Angles are inset only into the bottom according to the 1862 drawings.
Zulu

"Oh, I am heartily tired of hearing about what Lee is going to do. Some of you always seem to think he is suddenly going to turn a double somersault, and land in our rear and on both of our flanks at the same time. Go back to your command, and try to think what are we going to do ourselves, instead of what Lee is going to do." -- An uncharacteristic burst of temper from Grant when being reminded repeatedly of the powers of Robert E. Lee.

On a serious note, that is a great looking project and a great tutorial Zulu.

ron

_________________
"To all those who work come moments of beauty unseen by the rest of the world." Norman Maclean

Metal work is dirty!

Cutting and center punching 3/8" flat bar for hinges, front and rear stays, handle flats and some other stuff.












Angles I already had drilled and countersunk.





Starting on handles with 3/4" round bar.





This is what happens when you try to take a picture while using a torch.
Pardon my vise. The screw stripped out and I had to jerry rig it to work.














More pictures later.
Zulu

That brings back some memories, I was in the metal fabrication business for about 15 years back when I had a real job. I gave it up due to lack of talent.
And now that I'm retired and trying to work with wood, I may have to give this up too after seeing your work.
Good job so far, can't wait to see more pictures of progress and the finished project.

Rog

_________________
Dont badmouth no strangers, they just friends you aint met yet.

An ounce of responsibility is worth a pound of State and Federal laws.

I spent most of my money on woodworking
tools and beer, the rest I just wasted.

Here are some more progress pictures.

Hinges, front stays, rear stay, and handles prepped and ready for welding.









Handles and stays welded.



Insetting hinges in the top and stays in bottom of box.













Top in place.



Hinges welded.







The hinges run vertically down the back of the box, then turn 90 degrees and run 3" under the box. I still have to cut the verticals to final length and weld on the 3" tab. Then inset it into the bottom.
Most of the ironwork is done and ready for cleanup. I still have to do the front lock hasp and hinge that goes with it.
There is a lot of stuff still to do on this chest.
Zulu

A few more pictures.

I got the hinges cut to final size and the bottom tabs welded on. I also inset the tabs in the bottom. All eight insets are now finished.





Testing and adjusting the hinges. They take a lot of fine tuning to get them perfect.








In this picture you are looking at the lid upside down. Notice the 1/4" strip that runs around the perimeter of the lid. This helps prevent rain from getting in the box when the lid is closed. It will be covered with copper when the time comes.



No pictures tomorrow. I'm going fishing.
Zulu

Aside from the obvious beauty of the piece, it's sure he!! for stout looking!

_________________
Nullum Gratuitum Prandium

Cheers - Dennis

Stout looking?
It had to withstand the forces of a bouncing limber behind six horses while carring multiple charges of gunpowder.
Zulu

I went fishing yesterday and caught a bunch of flounder in Galveston Bay. Dinner tonight.
I got some stuff done today on the chest.
Here are some pictures.

Getting ready to drill the handle holes.


Drilled the holes for the center spreader bar. I use a solid copper, 1/2" lightning rod. There will be no iron in the finished chest that could cause sparks. The rod still needs to be cut to final length. The cutouts in the side in the first picture are to allow for the welds in the hinges. They are there on purpose.





Nailing and gluing the 1/4" plywood top onto the top frame. This will be covered with copper.





Biscuit joining and clamping the center divider.



Some of the metal work cleaned and ready for paint.



Still a lot to do.
More pictures later.
Zulu

I still have about 25 hours left to go on the chest. I have been thinking about what I want to do about paint or clear lacquer.
Here are pictures of two chest I made. The unpainted one was made for someone who wanted it that way. The painted one is painted the regulation green of the time.

I was thinking about stain and lacquer on this one but it's not original and I don't know if it would sell.
Opinions?
Zulu

Although I like the unpainted version for aesthetic reasons, I think that a buyer/collector would want it as close to regulation as possible. So I'd go with Regulation Green for selling.

_________________
Gene

I'm kinda curious, Zulu. You've done a magnificent job recreating the chest to period correct design, color and so forth. And while the dovetails are covered with the corner hardware, I have to ask if it wouldn't be yet more accurate to have cut them by hand rather than with a router & jig. Or does this sort of thing matter? Serious question and no criticism intended.

_________________
Nullum Gratuitum Prandium

Cheers - Dennis

DennisS,
No offence taken.
Sure it would be more authentic. It would also be more authentic if I didn't use electricity, or an acetylene torch, or my welding machine. But I have to draw the line somewhere.
Doing everything the old fashioned way is going to take a whole lot longer and no one would be willing to pay more.
As it is, I will have close to 100 hours in this thing. I'm tracking my time so we will see.
Zulu

I get your point. (grin)

_________________
Nullum Gratuitum Prandium

Cheers - Dennis

Maby a black wash or ebony stain?

_________________
"It is not a mistake it is a learning experience"
Monte

I am VERY appreciative of your work and THANK YOU for taking the time to share the process with us!

My opinion- make it regulation... but I'm sure it feels a shame to cover up the grain in paint sometimes...

Great, GREAT job

Lawrence

_________________
My woodworking portfolio
http://s171.photobucket.com/user/ldr_kl ... lio?sort=6

I'm with Gene. Go regulation if you are trying to sell to anyone. If you already had a buyer for sure who wanted so see the beauty of the wood then of course you'd work per his order. However in this case, I'd stick as close as possible to Mil-Spec. Make it as close to original as you can.

_________________
Frank
WWACOAUX#1
"I love the smell of Sawdust in the morning, it smells like, victory."
WWA'ers I've met: Popeye, Ed Avery, Stephen Wolf, Rockfish, Rodedon

The front hasp is one of the hardest things to do on the chest. It has to close in a predetermined place and the hasp has to be made to close there. I don't know if that makes sense or not but it is a hard thing to get right.
Here it is.





The small 3/8" washer will be the stop for the tang that the lock goes in. I will put the copper rod in the freezer overnight and then heat the washer red hot. Then I will drop it over the frozen rod to a certain place and as it cools, it will seize into place.







Making the sliding trays for the chest. Glued rabbit joints and 1" copper nails.







Center divider in place with copper rod installed over it.



Still more to do. More pictures coming.
Zulu