Cartridge Box Plate...help needed

[Pritchett Ball]

OK:

A friend of mine gave me a nice US cartridge box plate to go on my cartridge box. This plate came with the wire attachment, but no lead!

I have been able to place the wire hooks centered into the stamped brass plate, heat up the plate, melt lead for the backing, and fill up the plate over the wire hooks.

When I let it cool, it turned out great...until the plate dropped away from the lead backing! :cry_smile

What did they do to KEEP that from happening? The lead backing has a perfect mold of the face of the US plate, just wouldn't stay on.

Any suggestions?

One more question: what is the reason for the cartridge box plate in the first place?

Kevin Dally

[Clark Badgett]

I've never done this before, nor have I ever heard of anyone having the problem you've described. One possible remedy would be to solder the wires to the brass shell then fill it with lead, but am not real sure if the molten lead would melt the solder or not. Another method may be to braze the hooks to the shell. Sorry I have no first hand information about how all the others manage to keep the shell on the lead. Now you got me wondering.

[Jimmayo]

I made some puppy paw US belt plates using unfilled US faces and dug hooks. What you have to do is clean the inside of the plate with a solvent or scotch bright and apply flux prior to pouring the lead. I used the plumbing flux for soldering copper pipes. This will enable the lead to bond with the brass face.

[Rob Walker]

OK:

A friend of mine gave me a nice US cartridge box plate to go on my cartridge box. This plate came with the wire attachment, but no lead!

I have been able to place the wire hooks centered into the stamped brass plate, heat up the plate, melt lead for the backing, and fill up the plate over the wire hooks.

When I let it cool, it turned out great...until the plate dropped away from the lead backing! :cry_smile

What did they do to KEEP that from happening? The lead backing has a perfect mold of the face of the US plate, just wouldn't stay on.

Any suggestions?

One more question: what is the reason for the cartridge box plate in the first place?

Kevin Dally
Not having made any plates I am not sure how to adhere the lead to the brass, but as far as the purpose. I have been told that the purpose is to give wieght to the flap causing the flap to close when the hand is removed therefore preventing sparks from entering the box and igniting the powder.

Regards,
Rob Walker
Co. H 119th NYSV

[JimKindred]

Kevin,

Contact me off the list and I will tell you how to correct this.

[fedhead]

Right i have done this a few times and the important thing is to make sure the inside face of the plate and wire are clean .Use flux but not a large amount ,you are on the right track through heating the plate .Also it might of intrest to you to visit this article about cartrige box plates.

http://members.lycos.co.uk/lazyjacks/plates.htm?

martyn goddard

[Charles Heath]

The next step is attaching the plate. To answer your next probable question in a scholarly manner, see Paul Johnson's excellent book, Civil War Cartridge Boxes of the Union Infantryman, page 287, for a good photographic example as to the attachment of plates to boxes and belt. In fact the entire section on cartridge box and cartridge box belt plates is well worth reading (pages 276-293). Additionally, page 5 in section II.17 of the Columbia Rifles Research Compendium gives an excellent illustration of the issue wedge shaped leather pieces utilized for installation. If the slots aren't already cut in the box, it will give an indication as to where they should be, and surviving relics show some variety in this regard.

Sydney C. Kerksis 1974 (reprinted in 1991) book Plates and Buckles of the American Military 1795-1874 gives an exhaustive photographic account of the various plates and buckles, including the backside arrangement of wires, paws, studs, and arrows, and is still available in some shops. Why mention this? Well, as you now know, belt plates are wholesaled in kit form as stamped brass faces, and the arrangement on the back can be customized. This book also illustrates the subtle change in plate faces up until the end of box plate issue (on paper) in July 1864. At that time, the embossed box came into service, although the Mann's Patent Boxes appear to have had a jump on the embossed flap by nearly a year.

The jumble of federal issue accoutrements is subtle yet complex. There is a lot more to developing a matrix of what to wear when than is often considered.

Charles Heath