18th century seachest

[Ol Man From the Sea]

This thread pertains to GAoP common seaman’s sea chest.

While at the Echo’s of the Past Trade Show I had the pleasure of meeting James Kimpel who has a collection of some 15 extant 18th century chest. Further, he has had the opportunity to examine, some times destructively, a number of other period chest and chest remains. Some are landsman’s chest but a few are seaman’s chest. Many have rounded tops, a few are six board, even some with rope grommets for handles. At least one is from very early in the century. I believe this man to be a very good source on the style and construction of common man’s chest for our period. I have an offer to go visit his collection in person but it is a full days drive from here and at the time his door was under 10' of snow, that will have to wait. To sum up my conversations with him;

Early and late 18 century chest differed in the quality of the forging of the hardware.

Landsman’s and seaman’s were built much alike at this time

Sizes were in no way uniform, although often smaller than we would think.

Most chest were of pine, some were of poplar.

“Modern 3/4" wood is way to thick” Maybe ½" thick for the largest chest, but mostly around 3/8" some tops only 1/4"

Boards were glued up. In fact one chest had a curved top that was laminated.

Joinery was nailed butt joints.

Nails were close, about every inch on smaller chest, on larger chest they are farther apart

Bottoms were set up inside the front, sides and back

Tills were usually set in dados, but a few were just nailed through the sides. All of the nailed tills are now missing.

Chest could be leather covered or painted. (Milk paint I believe)

All the chest he has seen have runners on the bottom. All the pictures of sea chest I’ve seen don’t?

You say, nailed butt joints, boards glued up with hide glue, that won’t last. Aye, but these have lasted nearly three hundred years and here is how. First, after the boards were glued up they were sealed with paint, shellac, etcetera to keep moisture away from the hide glue. That is if a side of any board wasn’t glued or painted it was shellacked. Second, the nails on every chest he has seen were angled toward each other, some at rather steep angles others not so steep, which is why they didn’t pull out. Superman would see it this way.

Built in this manner, a period correct sea chest using 7/16" thick wood, high enough to sit on (15" to 17" high), long enough to contain a short hanger and/or 15" barreled blunderbuss (about 31 3/4" inside), and meeting, or better just under, the airline max of 62" h+w+l could weigh a bit less than 20lbs. A smaller (more correct) chest that wouldn’t fit weapons would be even lighter.

[Tartan Jack]

THANKS!!!!!!

I see a project on the near horizon (probably a few-> to hold gear and "kilt stuff")!

[Quartermaster James]

Aye! Many thanks, indeed!

Truly a project for the undertakin' soon. And, with the added benefit that, given these proportions, it can be built with dimensional lumber readily available - a plus for those of us with limited shop space!