The Making of a Full Scale Limber Chest

[buzz36]

Zulu im sure enjoying this thread and the pics  let me say thanks much for doing this
I dont have the tools space and limited time for my prodjects so im just a lurker enjoying the sights
for now
 

[seacoastartillery]

Zulu writes:  "A friend has told me that I am giving my secrets away by posting  this build.   I don't see it that way.  Yes, I'm showing everyone how I do some things.  I hope I am helping someone.  I think that if someone has the tools and skills to build a limber chest, they won't be buying one from me anyway.  Many folks lack the time, tools, or even the desire to take on a project like this.  That is the person that will buy this chest. I think that seeing how it is made from scratch is a good selling point."

      We agree with you 100% on this subject, Michael.  That's why we show lots and lots of the detail work we do and how we do it.  ALL, that means every last one of our customers have told us that the in-process pics showing the details of building a seacoast gun are what caused them to pick up the phone to inquire about owning one.

     Bye the way, we have been following this thread intently.  You do such brilliant work that we are constantly in awe.  Keep those pics coming; they are fantastic!!

Regards,

Tracy and Mike
 

[Zulu]

I went fishing yesterday and caught a bunch of flounder.  Dinner tonight.
I got a little done today on the chest.
Here are some pictures.
 
Getting ready to drill the handle holes.

Drilled the center bar holes.  I use a solid copper 1/2" lightning rod for this.  The finished box will have no iron in it that could cause a spark.  The rod still has to be cut to length.
The cutouts you see in the first picture in the side wall are to allow for the welds in the hinges.  They are put there on pourpose and will never be seen.
 


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


Some of the metalwork cleaned and ready for paint.  Even the hinge parts that will never be seen are cleaned 100%.

 
Biscuit joining and gluing the center divider.

A lot more still to do.
Zulu
 

[onegreatshot]

Zulu I'm with buzz 36 all the way. I think the most prettiest thing is something hand made from wood. My mind is boggled as to how perfect it is going together. As a farmboy born in the mid 40's I understand growing and raising items to consume. I think what I'm trying to say is, how did they do this back in the early 1860's when hand tools had no cords to plug in, no oxy/acetylene torches, slow turning drill presses. Again maybe that why it lasts so long.  just great work.

[Zulu]

Zulu I'm with buzz 36 all the way. I think the most prettiest thing is something hand made from wood. My mind is boggled as to how perfect it is going together. As a farmboy born in the mid 40's I understand growing and raising items to consume. I think what I'm trying to say is, how did they do this back in the early 1860's when hand tools had no cords to plug in, no oxy/acetylene torches, slow turning drill presses. Again maybe that why it lasts so long.  just great work.

I know that the 1860's was a long time ago, but technology was hardly primitive.  They had locomotives!  I think this stuff was childsplay for them.  They certainly didn't have the hours in these chests that I will.  Their talent, by far, exceeded mine.
Zulu

[Zulu]

To paint or not to paint?  That is the question.
The unpainted chest just has clear laquer on it per a customer request.  The painted one, of course, is what the drawings say.
I want to stain and laquer this one but it's not original and I want it to sell.
Opinions?
Zulu
 

 

 
 
 
 

[moose53]

Very nice !! . Its fun when it all comes together. 

[Zulu]

Very nice !! . Its fun when it all comes together. 

It's not together yet.  I estimate 25 more hours to finish.  Those pictures above are ones I already built.
Zulu

[moose53]

Not to start a paint war but I am curious if the painted limber was a customer match, it seems pretty blueish. Your avatar is more toward the greenish hue

[Zulu]

Not to start a paint war but I am curious if the painted limber was a customer match, it seems pretty blueish. Your avatar is more toward the greenish hue

Same color, two different stores.  Bad match.
Zulu

[onegreatshot]

looking pretty

[Artilleryman]

Not to start a paint war but I am curious if the painted limber was a customer match, it seems pretty blueish. Your avatar is more toward the greenish hue

Same color, two different stores.  Bad match.
Zulu

I have been given to understand that there were variations originally depending on what materials were available and the skill of the person mixing the paint.

[Zulu]

The hasp is one of the hardest things to make on the chest.  The hole in it has to come out in a predetermined place and with the fabrication and the welds, it takes a lot of time to get it exactly right.


 
The 3/8" thick washer will be the stop for the tang that the lock goes in.  I will put the copper rod in the freezer over night and heat the washer red hot, then drop it over the rod to a certain place.  It will cool almost instantly and sieze into place.



Glueing the sliding trays.  They are glued rabbit joints with 1" copper nails.



 
The center divider in place with the copper rod over it.

 
Still more to do.  More pictures later.
Zulu
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

[Doc Brown.]

Beautiful work. You should get into building Coffins. People are always dying and they would love to be put into something that nice.
 
How many coats of lacquer does it take to get a mirror finish like that and what brand did you use. Is there any special tricks to getting such a deep mirror finish on wood? Is that High gloss lacquer? I love it.

[Zulu]

Beautiful work. You should get into building Coffins. People are always dying and they would love to be put into something that nice.
 
How many coats of lacquer does it take to get a mirror finish like that and what brand did you use. Is there any special tricks to getting such a deep mirror finish on wood? Is that High gloss lacquer? I love it.

If you are talking about the green paint, it is three coats of an oil base.
Zulu

[Zulu]

Here is what I got done today.
The 3/8" washer was heated red hot and dropped on the frozen copper rod to a predetermined place.
It's purpose is so I can tighten the rear nut and not have the copper bar slip.
Besides the copper top, the hasp is the hardest thing to get right.  After installation of the tang, the copper rod is hammered over to prevent slippage of the tang.



 
The handles are bolted in place.  The nuts and washers are covered with a wooden facing, countersunk to accept the copper washers to hide the nuts.  They will be secured with brass screws.




 
The tray slides in place and trays in position.  Brass screws are used to secure the slides.

 
I made dividers in one side to hold 3" charges.  They are easily removed in case someone has charges of a different size.

 
Note the "prop pole" in the picture.  When finished, the top will not open more than 85 degrees.  This is intended to make the lid close unless someone was holding it open.  That way it is not subject to firey debris raining down on an open chest lid.  That could cause some consternation.

 
Tomorrow, I go get the piece of copper for the top.  The installation is a very time consuming process.  It involves over 300 copper nails.  Each nail hole must be predrilled with a pilot hole.
Stay tuned for these pictures.  They will be cool.
Zulu
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

[moose53]

A question if I may, how are the copper washers secured to the wood blocks covering the handle ends ?

[Zulu]

A question if I may, how are the copper washers secured to the wood blocks covering the handle ends ?

Just a dab of glue.  If for any reason you had to remove the handles, you would just remove the screws holding the blocks.
 
Zulu

[moose53]

Was gluing excepted practice at the time of civil war for attaching metal parts to wood , or is your technique a more modern adaptation?Thank you for your answers.

[Zulu]

Was gluing excepted practice at the time of civil war for attaching metal parts to wood , or is your technique a more modern adaptation?Thank you for your answers.

I doubt that glue was an accepted means.  There is no provision in the drawings for hiding the nut and washers.  I use the copper disc so there is no exposed iron on the  inside of the box.
I strongly suspect that artistic license was taken no matter who made a limber chest during the war.
Zulu
Zulu

[Zulu]

I started on the copper top.
I used a 52" X 29" piece of 16 oz. per square foot copper I got for $80.
It was my intention to take more pictures than I did but the copper installation is very frustrating and I missed a couple of pictures that I should have taken.
Here is what I got done yesterday.

The new copper sitting on the box.



One edge of the copper clamped in place. Drilling pilot holes through a template I made.



Copper nails installed. Getting ready to make the first bend. Bend is done with a block of wood and a mallet. Then finished with a long strip of wood and clamps to get a sharp edge.





A different template is used to drill the side holes.



Side holes finished and nailed, the copper is pulled over the top of the lid and glued in place.



I should have had a couple of more pictures here but I missed my chance.
Both sides are nailed. I am getting ready to cut the copper to final length and nail the underside.



Underside nailed. Both ends still have to be done.



The above work took me five hours.
The ends have to bend over the curved top of the lid. It gets harder.

I'm not sure if I will work on it today. It is my birthday. I turned 60.
What's the deal with that? One minute you are hanging around young and dumb, and the next minute you are hanging around old and dumb.
I will have to ponder this today.
Zulu

[GUNNUT in Iowa]

Over 300 nails!
What - did they think this thing was going to fall off in the wind?
 
 
Beautiful work, Zulu!

[Max Caliber]

Happy Birthday, Zulu. Take today off and have a beer or two.... or eight or ten. Very nice work as usual.

[Double D]

 
I'm not sure if I will work on it today. It is my birthday. I turned 60. 
What's the deal with that? One minute you are hanging around young and dumb, and the next minute you are hanging around old and dumb.
I will have to ponder this today.
Zulu[/size]

I can remember being that young...barely.  Congratulations for surviving this long...

[Zulu]

My wife asked me today what I wanted to do on my birthday. I told her that I did whatever I want to everyday of the year. Today is no different. Everyday must be my birthday.
I went to my shop cause that's where I love to hang out.

Finished the copper top. Here is how the ends came together.







Template in place to mark the holes.



Holes marked, drilled and nailed.





Finished copper top.







7 hours total in the copper top.
Now final sanding and finish.
The next pictures you will see will be the final product.
Zulu

[GGaskill]

So how many hours are in it now?

[Zulu]

So how many hours are in it now?

George,
As of right now, I have 68 hours in the project. 
I still have to;
final sanding
apply finish
paint ironwork
install ironwork (about 150 screws all with a predrilled pilot hole)
polish copper top
make and install leather belts on top of the copper (used to hold tarps)
install planking on the inside of the lid to hide the ribs ( another 80 copper nails)
apply linseed oil to the interior of the box including trays and dividers
Maybe another 15 hours, making around a total of 83 hours.  This will be the fastest one I have built.  My first one took around 125 hours.  There are untold things that have to be figured out.  This is my fifth chest and I have most of the kinks worked out of the process.
It's a lot of work, but as anyone knows who has done a long project, it is very rewarding.
Zulu

[flagman1776]

Note to self:  Buy stock in copper nail factory!
!!

[Cannoneer]

Cannoneer,
A 1/4 scale limber chest will have the same number of parts as a full scale one.  Each part will need the same attention as the big one.  Yes, there is a little savings in material but I think it is minimal.
Just because something is 1/4 scale does not mean that it carries a 1/4 price.  It just doesn't work that way.

As I see it this could work out either good or bad for the buyer. Great, if you're paying a fair golf ball mortar price for a beer can sized mortar, but not so great if you're paying a fair beer can sized mortar price for a golf ball mortar.  

Happy Birthday Zulu!

[Zulu]

I'm Back!!
 
Finally got it finished!
84 hours total.  A new record for me!
Here are some pictures.
Painted the metal work and stained the outside of the chest.  I decided to stain it because I wanted to.  Good enough reason for me.
Pardon all the junk in the picture.  I suspect most of us have a place like this.



 
Installed five oak planks in the lid with 80 copper nails.  This brought the nail total to over 300.

After three coats of clear satin laquer, the metal work went on and everything assembled.  over 150 slotted head screws in the metal work each put in with a pilot hole and an old fashioned screwdriver.    Never use Phillips head screws in a project where they didn't exist in the original.
Everything inside the chest was coated in boiled linseed oil.  I like this finish in the inside.  Maintenance is easy.  A light sanding and a recoat of oil will make it look brand new again.

 















 
Note the black hinge stop to the right of the brass plate.  The stop keeps the lid from opening more than 85 degrees.  It will close on it's own without the prop pole.

 
My lovely assistant made this chest cover for me.  It is canvas with leather trimmings and brass grommets for tie downs.




 

 
This is the end of the pictures.
If there is anyone out there who is contemplating building a limber chest, you ought to bookmark this thread for reference.  If I had some pictures like this to go with my first build, they would have come in very handy.  I believe there are about 120 pictures in this thread.
This was fun to do.  It isn't always easy to remember to grab the camera when you should but it was worth it to have this reference for myself.
My lovely assistant is working now to get some pictures up on my website.  I will post the link when she gets it done.
Hope you enjoyed the show!
Zulu