Pirate Handicrafts

[MorganTyre]

Over in the plunder forum there is a post by someone offering up for sail some great knotwork (check it out_ which got me thinking about handicrafts in general. I'm looking for pictures or descriptions of nautical projects people have tackled. Costumes are great but that's not what I had in mind for this thread. Barrels, Sea Chests, Cat-O-Nine-Tails, Seam Rubbers, Coins, Jewelry, Scabbards, Weapons, Scrimshaw (not to period but to 'ell with it), Pipes, Merrels Boards, or anything else you might have fashioned, show us what you've done. Alas, I personally only have some knotwork to my name and that vast bulk of that has been given away but I'm sure some of you out there have made some really fascinating items.

[Captain Bob]

I've already posted these pics in "Chests. Treasure and Otherwise" in Captain Twill.

It's roughly an 8" cube and its made of pine 1×2s and 1×6s. After discovering I can't cut wood to save my life, I enlisted my neighbor's help (he's an experienced cabinetmaker) to make the body and the lid. I finished the wood bits and added the hardware. In exchange, I'm drawing up plans so he can make a blanket chest for his wife.

The "iron bands" are painted wood and the brasswork is too modern. The next one's gonna have iron metalwork and other antique hardware bits.

--Cap'n Bob

[Bald Sam]

Do a google search for blacksmiths in your area. Any one of them should be able to fashion simple hardware from iron bar.

[Captain Bob]

  Do a google search for blacksmiths in your area.  Any one of them should be able to fashion simple hardware from iron bar.

Dude! You're talking to a man of very limited means. When I spend much more than 25 bucks in one whack, I start to sweat. I'm looking at a supplier called Restorers. If anyone can recommend places I might find inexpensive antique-style hardware either on-line or at brick-and-mortar stores I might expect to find here in the Big Tomato, start recommending. I'll listen.

--Captain Bob

[cyneful]

BEAUTIFUL WORK!!! If ye tried, a little output in coin could reap ye many rewards...I would order one in a thrice if given the chance, for me treasure...well done!

[Patrick Hand]

Capt. Bob.... See if you can find something at a thrift store....

You also can try banging the snot outta the metal parts with a ball pean hammer to make them look forged, then paint them with black paint.....

If you can't dent the metal, at least you can work out any frustrations....

[LadyBarbossa]

Wicked, Mr Hand... most wicked of ya.

I have brushed luck a few times finding some grand items at Thrift Stores/ 2nd hand stores. A lantern, candle sticks, Virginia quills pen pair (unfortunately passed it up), pewter goblets (passed them up, too), plates, silverware, etc.

The clothes be the hardest part ... which be fair enough.

But... I still enjoy going to these places to find period or period like items.

I haven't ventured into making anything yet.

[MorganTyre]

You should be able to find primitive hardware on e-bay without much problem. That said, basic metal work is surprisingly easy to do. For doing riveted strapping like that all you would really need is a ballpeen hammer, vise, drill, small file, and hacksaw. Buy some steel bar stock and bend it to shape over the vise. It's possible to hammer it around a corner but you'll end up with a softer bend that won't look as good once you have it on the wood. Mark, drill and drill where your "rivets" are going to end up. File these holes square. Now take your ballpeen hammer and pound the hell out of the metal. You want deep, obvious tool marks. Even though it would have been easier to distress the metal when it was flat, it's a better idea to drill the holes first before the metal gets work hardened. Now assmeble your box using carraige bolts for the rivets. The best way to go is to use wood inserts which have a wood thread on the outside and a machine screw thread on the inside. You drill a hole in the wood and then screw the carraige bolt into that. You can do them blind so that from the inside you don't see anything and yet everything is held together very securely. A cheaper and easier option is just to through-drill the wood and put a nut on the bolt. Alternatively, you can cut the threads of the bolts off entirely and use epoxy to glue them into place. In any case, after a coat of paint or exposure to weather (and allowing them to rust) you get authentic all metal sturdy construction.

[Captain Bob]

After I complete my current project (a quaker cannon with naval carriage), I'm gonna try my hand at a seaman's chest. I already found a good antique-type padlock. It seems that the Beverly Crafts store in Carmichael (a suburb of the Big Tomato) regularly orders random lots of reproduction antique padlocks. I picked one up for about four simoleans. It looks exactly like this one.

The new padlock's shackle barely fits the hasp on the little treasure chest, so now I must build something that needs a padlock.

--Captain Bob

[Nelson Cooke]

My self-portrait done on a cocktail napkin (medium of all self-respecting artists):

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

Here are a few of the small items that come off my anvil/forge.

I tried re-sizing the photo, but it obviously didn't take.

Guess I'll have to get some more help from the crew. :)

Capt. Bo

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

Well, I'll try one more and if it's still too big, I'll call for help...

OOOPS! Over done it!

This is a "spyder" that folds flat. Great for coffee pot or skillet.

Capt. Bo

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

OK... think I got this figured out... lets see-

OK! It's "flyin"! Enjoy folks... I'll make some more!

Capt.Bo

[Rumba Rue]

By George he's got it! Good for you Capt. Bo, hey yer doin' better than me, I still have problems re-sizing the dang pics!

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

Rumba... Hope everyone read the thank you's in my "DUMMY" thread. I wouldn't have done it without the crew! I figured out the sizing thing just awhile ago! If you have photobuckets, click on the "edit" button over the pic. you wanna size. It should give three options in the "resize" frame below the photo- 75%,50%,25%- of original photo. I took the iron work from 1200x1600 down to 25% and you can see the result. Hope this helps! You're a DOLL and I owes ya!

Capt. Bo