Variation on a theme.....your thoughts on a concept

[Roger Chandler]

Okay, now that I got the fix on this lidded box from the Stonewall Jackson Prayer Tree, I had an idea....a concept if you will on a variation to the basic shape........

228702 What do you think about taking this basic shape and making the lid resemble one of the rounds in a civil war rifle............I know that they had some rifles with a black powder cartridge, and since this historic civil war era wood is associated with General Stonewall Jackson himself, I was wondering if you folks on the forum thought that concept would fly with folks who might be interested in a keepsake from this wood?

Chime in if you have any comments on the concept. [I hope that I explained it well? ]

[James Combs]

Roger, I think it sounds like a great idea and I think it would go well. But just a thought, if I am not mistaken some of the "big guns" of the time i.e. cannons used a projectile similar in shape to your box above. Not all cannons fire cannon "balls". I might have the timing off as to when this shape of projectile was use, might be later wars, but might be worth research. I am a fan of the TV show "Top Shot" and in one episode the contestants use a cannon and the projectiles looked like your box except solid aluminum. To me the cannon looked like something out of the civil war. They provided details of when and what wars it was used in but I don't remember the details.

[Rick Markham]

The union was using mini balls, and I'm pretty sure at that point in the civil war the south was using alot of mini balls too. James is right, there were many types of "fodder" for the cannons as well. None of which would I want to be on the receiving end of. When I first saw your box it reminded me of what a mini ball looked like, seems like a brilliant design idea Roger. Good use of small blocks of wood too. It seems fitting to make something reminiscent of the civil war. I guess I'd probably make sure the family liked the idea too, wouldn't want anyone to get offended.

edited to add:
http://www.civilwarprojectiles.com/articles.asp Look at the article called "Rounds of the Razorback" it has alot of the Mini ball designs the Confederates were using, some of which weren't known until they were found in Arkansas. Those by far would be the best to design around, as they have the interesting flutes on the sides, in many different configurations. The artillery shells largely are very plain, though there are a few strange ones too.

Did some research they did use rifled field cannons during the civil war (I was pretty sure they did but wanted to check) here's a big un...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v295/Rick357/full-image.jpg

[Robert Henrickson]

Interesting idea. And they are "Minié" or "minie" balls.

[Roger Chandler]

Thanks Rick! That is awesome research and I much appreciate your taking a look at the thread and offering a suggestion or two.............

One could visualize that pointed end of the round and the box lid I turned morphing into a shape that resembles the cannon round you have pictured above. This would likely interest those who like civil war history and such........not the average lady of the house! ;)

[Steve Schlumpf]

Roger - I think your idea is worth some research. I know that you can Google Confederate mini-balls and see a bunch of examples but I was wondering what the main difference would be between the Confederate variety and those used by the Union forces. Sure wouldn't want to get the two mixed up!!

[Roger Chandler]

Roger - I think your idea is worth some research. I know that you can Google Confederate mini-balls and see a bunch of examples but I was wondering what the main difference would be between the Confederate variety and those used by the Union forces. Sure wouldn't want to get the two mixed up!!

Thanks Steve for the encouragement.........I will have to take time to look into the differences between union and confederate mini-balls. Perhaps find the one most common or has the nicest application to replication in a box lid......that might determine which one I should use.

Thanks for the tip!

[John Keeton]

Roger, you might want to consider this book - seems reasonably priced for the purpose and authoritative.

http://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Civil-War-Bullets-Cartridges/dp/0939631946

Most all the "mini balls" were very conical in shape and don't seem very conducive to this use unless one used a "cartridge" look. Unfortunately, if my memory serves me, most of the cartridge guns were issued to Northern troops, but I am sure some ended up in Southern hands given the logistics of a long fought war.

It will be interesting to see what you come up with here!

[Rick Markham]

Interesting idea. And they are "Minié" or "minie" balls.

Thanks Robert! I will remember that!

[Rick Markham]

I was doing a quick search for "Southern Minie balls" and came up with this image, a head on collision of a union and confederate minie balls. Too cool, not to post!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v295/Rick357/head2.jpg

[Roger Chandler]

Thanks John and Rick,

In looking this up last evening I found the main difference to be that the Union minie balls had 3 grooves and the confederate only had two......of course those grooves were there to hold lubricant that made them easier to load. Interesting that the design of the minie ball was from a Frenchman named Minie'.

John, one thing for sure if I go this route with a lid that is conical shaped..........the lid must not be tight! The grooves might be a necessity in order to have a gripping surface of some sort.

[Mike Cruz]

Roger, when I saw this piece, that is EXACTLY what I pictured!

[Rick Markham]

If you make the opening below the conical shape, you can make them just as you have been. I think if you put the joint in the conical section, you are going to have to get everything more Morse taper shape. it might be interesting to mess with. You could also make the lid at the bottom, with one of the grooves hiding the seam, sort of a "half and half" box, or you could make it an upside down box and have the bottom come off. Who said boxes have to follow the standard concept. You could always thread the bottom (not sure if Oak works terribly well for that, maybe someone here does)

[Roger Chandler]

Many ways to do things, Rick..........I have not gotten in to making threads as of yet, but is something I have thought about a few times....;)......this vortex is something! I just ordered Malcolm Tibbets' book on segmenting from Amazon.com........geez, a guy can go nuts trying to learn all the techniques he needs to be a well rounded woodturner! :eek:

I think I am going to have to settle on some of the things that really spark my creative juices and focus on those for a while.

The boxes we are talking about might be something I pursue.........likely will make a couple just to see how they turn out, and if there is any interest in them.........who knows, it might open up some "pent up demand" that I was totally unaware of that has just been lurking and waiting for someone to make! :D:D:D

[Roger Chandler]

Roger, when I saw this piece, that is EXACTLY what I pictured!

Hey Mike, they say great minds think alike! :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: Btw, I still have that ambrosia box and have not sent it off yet...........I wanted to put something in the box besides just that........have had precious little time to even get to do anything else, but it will be on its way to you as soon as I can figure out what else to send along with it!

[Rick Markham]

I have a sneaking suspicion that they might get popular (poplar... couldn't resist the temptation :D) enough for you to get really tired of making them LOL ;)

[Mike Cruz]

That's very kind of you, Roger. You don't have to put anything inside, though. Heck, just having one of your pieces is more than enough...