ball blocks

[tjohnson56]

What's a good wood to make ball blocks out of? I'm thinking of making a few and don't want to go through the work only to find out, " you never make one out of pine because they split when you load them".

Is there a good wood thats easy to find? Not to exotic now.

 

I make mine out of Maple.

 

[tjohnson56]

Hard or soft maple? We have both here, and is there a trick to spacing the holes?

 

[Zonie]

Maple, Walnut, Cherry, Birch, Ash, Oak, or most hardwoods that don't split when they dry.

This one came with a possibles bag that I bought at a gun show. I think it is made out of stained Maple.
The builder installed a old cartridge case in the end to serve as a powder measure.

 

I Like sugar(hard)Maple, but like Zonie have used ash,oak, walnut and even locust and osage. Anything hard like these will last. As to how far apart, I usually leave a distance of about half the diameter of the ball between the edges of the holes, but I don't measure anything, it's all done by eyeball.

 

[tjohnson56]

Thanks guys, maybe I'm making this harder than it really is. I'll give it a go one of these days.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Maple, oak, cherry, purpleheart


Here's an oak one Huntin Dawg made me:

Here's an assortment:

Top two are maple, straight-five is purpleheart, 10-holer is cherry and the canoe/gorget is walnut.

I have a clear pine one somewhere that works as well as any, but the holes have to be spaced or staggered or I'm sure it would split.

 

[rafterob]

I know you asked about wood, but thick sole leather works real well also. I actually like it better than wood because it is flexible, grips the patched balls well and leaves a generous protrusion of the ball for quick centering in the barrel. Of course wood is a lot easier to get unless you just happen to have sole leather laying around-I used to make sandals so I had a supply. Unfortunately had to sell all my ML stuff when I first got married so I don't have the leather ones anymore. Thankfully I have been married long enough now that I have been able to rekindle my ML hobby.

 

[mazo kid]

I've used hard maple, walnut, cherry, oak and cedar to make ball blocks. A friend of mine made one out of 2 thicknesses of leather stitched together and that works great too. The picture is of 2 walnut ones and the leather one. As far as hole spacing, just make sure that you can punch the ball into the barrel easily, without interference from the other balls in the block.

 

[tg]

Hey look! we now have dated examples for ball blocks that makes them PC clear back to 1735,
Stumpkiler, put an early date on one of those short starters and that issue will be settled as well :wink:

 

[Grizzled Roberts]

There actually is a ball block in a museum some where than has a 1757 date on it just like the pictured ones. The problem is the museum has some disputed items under display so the historical purists will not accept anything from this collection. They are looking for a paper trail that mentions ball blocks and short starters. They
always find something wrong with the ones in collections. It is a very sore topic in some groups.

 

[Blizzard of '93]

I made mine out of hard maple, a 4 holer for hunting.

 

[tjohnson56]

Thanks guys, some good points were made. I would never have thought about the spacing to allow for the barrel till it was to late or I got lucky and left enough room just by chance.

The leather is another good idea and I like Stumpy's ball starter, think I'll make one of them too and tie them together. Should save digging in my pouch some.

 

[bwhoffman]

I've had good success with furniture grade mohogany!
Had a bunch of it and still do. had so much infact, my mother-in-law was burning it as fire wood.
easily workable and have not split one out yet,withproper hole/ball fit.

 

[gbsclohn]

:hmm: Why didn't I think of that.Powder measure and loading block all in one.Another project to do.I use dried live oak or mesquite.

 

[redwing]

Hey TG, need proof they used them in days of yore? Well I got it. Mel Gibson had one in the "Patriot" if its in a movie an't it true. :bow: :wink:

 

[mazo kid]

Hey look! we now have dated examples for ball blocks that makes them PC clear back to 1735,
Stumpkiler, put an early date on one of those short starters and that issue will be settled as well :wink:

Yeah, right!! :rotf: I didn't think I was providing provenance for dating ball blocks by making those. I do stamp my initials inconspicuosely on the edge of the block. When I make one for a friend I substitute "17" for the "19" of his birth year. Those pictured were copied from the MuzzleBlast magazine article a couple of years ago, .50 and .54 caliber. For hunting, less is more, thus I do just a plain block with 2 or maybe 3 holes to help keep weight down. I, too, like Zonie's pictured block, great idea. I think when I make my similar block I will drill a hole for suspending it ....somewhere. These ball blocks are a great way to use up scrap wood that might otherwise be discarded (not by me, I save EVERYTHING!).

 

[Grizzled Roberts]

The only thing correct about The Patriot movie is that the British did invade South Carolina in 1780. The rest is hollyweird hogwash.

 

[rabjr]

I've actually saved a piece of wood from all my guns builds for two things eventually, one to make knife handles and to make a ball block for that gun. Always thought it would be neat to have both made for each gun that matches the same wood the gun was made from.

 

[mazo kid]

I've actually saved a piece of wood from all my guns builds for two things eventually, one to make knife handles and to make a ball block for that gun. Always thought it would be neat to have both made for each gun that matches the same wood the gun was made from.

That's another good idea. Looks like I will be making some out of curly ash next year!