Blue paint

[rifleshooter2]

Does anybody have a formula for blue paint used on carriages from rev war through 1812? I have seen olive drab paint from Civil war but nothing from earlier eras.

Andy
Legion Ville Historical Society[url] www.legionville.com[/url]

 

[Mulebrain]

I assume your this is what your talking about. A British 6 pounder in the war of 1812 and earlier

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I have been digging to no avail :cursing: I would suggest searching out a conservator from the Revolutionary War Museum

 

[rifleshooter2]

That looks like the right color. Were repainting our King Howitzer. Right now it's grey but we have found the order from General Wayne to paint all the carriges blue. We also know that he was ordering both Prussian Blue and Lead White. If we mix them in the ratio he ordered them in its about 3 White to 1 Blue. We are going to mix some paint up at that ratio and see how it looks. JUst Waiting till payday to get some paint.

Andy

 

[Wes/Tex]

"Round Shot & Rammers" by Peterson indicates the guns were originally grey "Lead colored" but changed to blue like the British (whose guns are refered to as blue-grey). Iron barrel and fittings were usually black but some old paintings suggest red as well. French guns of the Gribeauval system were blue at the time but changed to green during the later Napoleonic era. Some paintings also suggest the carriages were red-brown but this may have been the artists attempt to illustrate oil finished oak carriages before they were painted. Confused yet?

This really doesn't answer your original question but in addition to the blue-grey for the british, the Prussian gun carriages were listed as light-blue. The green of the French gun carriages is the only one with an actual color mix listed for European armies.

 

[rifleshooter2]

It would be so much easer if they just left them the natural wood color, but then we would loose all the fun of figuring out wat shade of blue is correct :grin:

Andy

 

[TheDoubleD]

Paint provides better protection to elements. If left the natural wood color then the ultra violet rays of the sun would have broken down the wood fibers and like old weathered grey barn wood the carriages would deteriorated faster. Pouring down rain only speeds the process.

Ever notice how bad uncared for town square cannon carriages deteriorate. Most of them started out painted. Wood has to be protected from the outdoor elements and paint is the best way.

 

[Bullmoose]

DD your right on with paint.
If they paint houses to protect them from the elements, Well :thumbsup: my friends paint the cannon carriage grey blue too.

 

[Mulebrain]

Just remember, that paint can also hold moisture in, and cause more rot!

got to keep it in check

 

[mike alexandre]

This colour is a bluey/grey that we use on all our cannons. Dave D, our historian has reseached it and he's happy we are in the ball park. Its a Crown Collection 2001 paint product, colour number SN.02.44.

 

[rifleshooter2]

Ok here is some infor I just received.
This was written by Mark Hilliard who is with the Marines on the Constitution. He is connected with several museums, etc. The whole article is about canteens but states it is to recreat light blue paint for "canteens, knapsacks,ORDINANCE CARRIAGES, ammunition boxes, officers hatboxes, &c, &c.
Obtain hardware store paint card for Benjamin Moore, book2,#796 and mix to match
Andy