On Sun, October 18, 2009 8:33 am, Conal O'hAirt Jim Hart wrote:
> Anyone here done a mastermry reproduction/inspired chest?
>
>
> What did you learn in the process?
> What advice would you offer before I start?
> Anything surprise you?
> Anything not work like you thought it would?

I've never tried an actual replica of the Mastermyr box, but after seeing
it I used the "Norse half-lap" (or whatever the official name for the
corner joint is) on several wooden chests.  I like it, enough to use it on
a tool tote and at least one other non-period box over the years.

What I do have considerable practice with is the hardware.  I really like
Norse ironwork (making a replica Oseberg lamp is what got me into
blacksmithing in the first place, lo these 35 years ago) and I've made
four Mastermyr-style chest locks and plenty of the hook-and-eye style
hinges as well.  I can supply irons for your replica, or coach you through
making your own if you prefer.

The locks are really cool.  One key in the middle opens both hasps
simultaneously.  You insert the key and work it into place--tolerances are
loose and the key is fairly unconfined in there, so finding the proper
place for it is not so automatic as it is with a modern lock.  When the
key is seated, it's turned ninety degrees, which brings its teeth past the
wards and through the sliding plate, where they lift the locksprings clear
of the tab that's bent up on the end of the plate.  Now the key becomes an
operating handle, as you use it to slide the whole lockplate and lockbar
sideways.  This pulls the tips of the lockbar free of the hasps, and they
pop open.  The lid is liftable now.  Locking is the reverse: close the lid
and push the hasps home, then use the key to slide the bar back until you
hear the springs click down.

Tre Tryckare's book _The Vikings_ has a three-panel drawing showing the
operation, which is what I used to build my first copy.  Look at it if you
have it, but do realize that they screwed up and printed the illo upside
down and inside out.  It doesn't match the captions at all, but it finally
made sense once you realized that you were standing on your head inside
the box.

I assume you have, or have access to, Arwidsson and Berg's _The Mastermyr
Find_?  It has some archaeological drawings, descriptions and photos.  My
copy is English language but printed in Stockholm; I've heard there's been
another edition made over here at some point.  If you don't have the book
or have trouble getting it, I could copy you the relevant info.

Ulfhedinn

I posted pictures of my Mastermyr replica in the "Eirikr's Camp" folder in this
Yahoo group quite a while back.  For the woodwork, I used a couple of the
available articles from the web and kind of synthesized my own version.  One
point that many people skip from the original is that each type of piece (end,
bottom, top and sides) are different thicknesses.  My box is primarily red oak
(before I knew better) but the top is white oak.

I made the iron work, including the lock mechanism.  All of my information about
the lock came from "The Mastermry Find" by Arwidsson and Berg.  I will try to
take some detail pictures of the workings of the lock and post them here, but
that means emptying all of my event tools out first.  Now that I mention it,
that may not be a bad idea, just to find out what has migrated to the bottom... 
:)

If you've got any specific questions, I'll try to answer them.

In Service to the Dream,
Eirikr Mjoksiglandi
Ashgrove, Barony of Angels, Caid

--- In medievalsawdust@yahoogroups.com, Conal O'hAirt Jim Hart <baronconal@...>
wrote:
>
> Anyone here done a mastermry reproduction/inspired chest?
>
> What did you learn in the process?
> What advice would you offer before I start?
> Anything surprise you?
> Anything not work like you thought it would?
>
> Thanks in advance!
>
>  Baron Conal O'hAirt / Jim Hart
>
> Aude Aliquid Dignum
> ' Dare Something Worthy '
>

All of my random Viking 6 board chests have "legs" from the end boards extending
below the bottom board like the Mastermyr.  To pick them up, I just reach around
the front and back and grab the bottom, it works well even with the Mastermyr
fully loaded with tools, currently about 55 pounds.

Along that line, if you are planning on using the chest as a tool box, the
original Mastermyr is surprisingly well sized, I would not scale it up at all. 
It holds full size hand saws and all sorts of other tools.  If the chest was any
bigger, it could get unwieldy as it got loaded up with heavy stuff.  The
hollowed lid really makes a difference, it lightens the empty box and lets you
load the box with funny shaped items that wouldn't fit otherwise.

I like the fact that it is highly functional and more than "almost"
documentable.  It's nice item to own, mine was well worth the effort...

Eirikr

--- In medievalsawdust@yahoogroups.com, Brian Wagner <hrothgar950@...> wrote:
>
> Just wish I could find early period documentation for rope handled chests.
>  Even a chest with a couple holes in each end...
> Hrothgar / Brian
>
>
> On Mon, Oct 19, 2009 at 9:15 AM, Bill McNutt <mcnutt@...> wrote:
>
> >
> >
> >  Putting handles on it also reduces the amount of kvetching you get from
> > household members.
> >
> >
> >
> > *From:* medievalsawdust@yahoogroups.com [mailto:
> > medievalsawdust@yahoogroups.com] *On Behalf Of *Brian Wagner
> > *Sent:* Monday, October 19, 2009 10:02 AM
> > *To:* medievalsawdust@yahoogroups.com
> > *Subject:* Re: [MedievalSawdust] Mastermyr chest
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > My camp chests are all Mastermyr inspired to a degree.  I too like the
> > half-lap corner joint.  I also like the out-sloping chest ends.  I kept the
> > from & back vertical, which avoids the compound angles, and just used a flat
> > 3/4" plan lid rather than a thicker lid with hollowed interior.  I have
> > about 7 in various lengths that I use regularly - I made them all the same
> > height so that they make a nice packing platform in the bottom of my
> > trailer.  I had to break down and add rope handles to the one for my tools,
> > as it was a bit heavy to lift without.  Reminds me, I need to make another
> > for the lathe stuff...
> >
> >
> > Hrothgar Fiscabana
> >
> > Kingdom of Gleann Abhann
> >

Hrothgar,

I have also made about a dozen of Viking 6 board chests, mostly starting with
1x12 pine.  Like you I keep the fronts and backs vertical for simplicity and to
keep the interior volume as large as possible.  I use a plain 1x12 for the lid
too.  If I'm in a hurry I just do a full lap joint to simplify the joinery.

My latest kick has been to plane the fronts and backs down to 3/8" and the
bottom to 1/2".  The empty chest is lighter and these simple changes actually
increase the interior volume of a 24" long chest more than 10% with no changes
to the outside dimension.

Eirikr
Ashgrove, Barony of Angels, Caid

--- In medievalsawdust@yahoogroups.com, Brian Wagner <hrothgar950@...> wrote:
>
> My camp chests are all Mastermyr inspired to a degree.  I too like the
> half-lap corner joint.  I also like the out-sloping chest ends.  I kept the
> from & back vertical, which avoids the compound angles, and just used a flat
> 3/4" plan lid rather than a thicker lid with hollowed interior.  I have
> about 7 in various lengths that I use regularly - I made them all the same
> height so that they make a nice packing platform in the bottom of my
> trailer.  I had to break down and add rope handles to the one for my tools,
> as it was a bit heavy to lift without.  Reminds me, I need to make another
> for the lathe stuff...
> Hrothgar Fiscabana
> Kingdom of Gleann Abhann
>
>

Anyone here done a mastermry reproduction/inspired chest?

What did you learn in the process?

What advice would you offer before I start?

Anything surprise you?

Anything not work like you thought it would?

Thanks in advance!

Baron Conal O'hAirt / Jim Hart

Aude Aliquid Dignum

' Dare Something Worthy '

On Mon, October 19, 2009 2:09 pm, Eric wrote:
> All of my random Viking 6 board chests have "legs" from the end boards
> extending below the bottom board like the Mastermyr.  To pick them up, I
> just reach around the front and back and grab the bottom, it works well
> even with the Mastermyr fully loaded with tools, currently about 55
> pounds.
>
> Along that line, if you are planning on using the chest as a tool box,
> the original Mastermyr is surprisingly well sized, I would not scale it
> up at all.  It holds full size hand saws and all sorts of other tools.
> If the chest was any bigger, it could get unwieldy as it got loaded up
> with heavy stuff.  The hollowed lid really makes a difference, it
> lightens the empty box and lets you load the box with funny shaped items
> that wouldn't fit otherwise.
>
Eirikr is quite right on this one--I've had a weakness all my life for
building boxes that were too large, and then of course filling them.
Somehow, though, they seem heavier than they did thirty years ago...

I'm trying to reform.  I'm going to try to hold my new iron chest for
smithy tools at events to under 100 lbs.  And if that doesn't work, I'll
go metric and try to keep it under fifty kilos.

Long enough for a handsaw is a good dimension, so many mundane boxes can't
manage that.  But if you go for a box that long, it's good to give up on
the idea of making it tall enough for a stool or sawing support!  Try to
include all those functions, and it gets tippy.   So you make it deeper
front to back...

I also try to remember that "bursten" (severe hernia) was a fairly common
cause of death for workers in the old Mortality Bills.

Ulfhedinn

He'll live forever in syndication.

--- In medievalsawdust@yahoogroups.com, "McNutt Jr, William R" <mcnutt@...>
wrote:
>
> I realize that very little of his work is useful to the period
> woodworking, but he was still heavily influential in amateur woodworking
> over the past two decades.
>
>
>
> The king the laser-guided-nuclear-powered chop box and pre-set jointer
> has decided to retire.  An era is coming to an end.
>
>
>
> http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/20355/new-yankee-workshop-series-end
> s
>
>
>
> Master William
>

I must concur.  Though I always enjoyed the irony of watching the Woodwright
Shop back-to-back with New Yankee Workshop.  The woodwright fellow (who's name I
can't remember) would do cool stuff with nothing but a wooden mallet, a chisel,
and maybe a handsaw (his pedal-power lathe was way cool though).  Then you got
Norm with every tool known to man, plus a few we haven't discovered yet :).

Fun times!

-Guillaume

--- powell.sean@... wrote:

> As obnoxious as it was to watch 95% of an episode on a very cool project only
to realize at the last moment that the cost of the dedicated purpose
uber-tool would cost more then just buying the finish product... he was an
inspiration, a reasonably good teacher and he made it look easy enough to want
to try it on your own. I'm going to miss new episodes of Yankee Workshop.

Roy Underhill.  And since I had read LotR first, I always thought he was from
the run from somebody.

--- In medievalsawdust@yahoogroups.com, "gbeauvin" <gbeauvin@...> wrote:
>
> I must concur.  Though I always enjoyed the irony of watching the Woodwright
Shop back-to-back with New Yankee Workshop.  The woodwright fellow (who's name I
can't remember) would do cool stuff with nothing but a wooden mallet, a chisel,
and maybe a handsaw (his pedal-power lathe was way cool though).  Then you got
Norm with every tool known to man, plus a few we haven't discovered yet :).
>
> Fun times!
>
> -Guillaume
>
> --- powell.sean@ wrote:
>
> > As obnoxious as it was to watch 95% of an episode on a very cool project
only to realize at the last moment that the cost of the dedicated purpose
uber-tool would cost more then just buying the finish product... he was an
inspiration, a reasonably good teacher and he made it look easy enough to want
to try it on your own. I'm going to miss new episodes of Yankee Workshop.
>

--- In medievalsawdust@yahoogroups.com, "Dwarf" <mross7@...> wrote:
>
> Roy Underhill.  And since I had read LotR first, I always thought he was from
the run from somebody.
>
   I forget where I read it, but part of the reason for Roy's frantic pace is the
production companie's desire to shoot each episode in a single day.
   Due to Roy's frantic pace, and his un-even workman ship, I'm afraid many
people ended up thinking that hand-work woodworking always results in lower
quality. I, myself, was not impressed with Roy's workmanship until I saw one
episode where he took his time, and did a very good job.

   If you have (had now I guess) ever watched the NYWS web-cam (which was active
when they were filming) you could see that it took more then a week to shoot an
episode of the NYWS.

   I guess Norm's "retirement" from NYWS is not a surprise, last "season" was
actually just re-airing of old episodes, with a new introduction.

   Continuing the thread on PBS wood-working shows, I really don't like the
"Router Workshop" as they try to do everything with the Router, even when it's
not the best tool for the job.

   I like Tim Yonder's Woodturning Workshop. He does a good job and the pace of
the show is about right. But then I've become a avid turner myself.

   I've never seen the Woodsmith Shop, so I can't comment on that show

TTFN
Ralg
AnTir

Since snipe bill hinges cost alot ($16 a pair)
http://www.lucianaveryblacksmith.com/catalog/snipehinges.htm

Does anybody have alternatives?  2" cotter pins would be great, but the metal is
too hard to effectively bend into a staple.  Can you anneal stainless steel?

----- Original Message -----

From: Conal O'hAirt Jim Hart

To: medievalsawdust@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Monday, November 02, 2009 10:33 AM

Subject: Re: [MedievalSawdust] Alternatives to Snipe Bills..

I'm having a little trouble imagining an application for those hinges...

Wouldn't they have to be VERY close to the edge of both the back and
lid to work? And that would make it likely to tear out?

 

Baron Conal O'hAirt / Jim Hart

Aude Aliquid Dignum
' Dare Something Worthy '

---

From: Mark <mross7@...>
To: medievalsawdust@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Mon, November 2, 2009 8:21:35 AM
Subject: [MedievalSawdust] Alternatives to Snipe Bills..

 

Since snipe bill hinges cost alot ($16 a pair)
http://www.lucianav eryblacksmith. com/catalog/ snipehinges. htm

Does anybody have alternatives? 2" cotter pins would be great, but the metal is too hard to effectively bend into a staple. Can you anneal stainless steel?

Best explanation - 
http://www.pbs.org/woodwrightsshop/schedule/27season_video.html

The top one, bible box.  The pins are bent back like clinch nails.

It's period (for me, anyway) and it's just something I wanted to try.  I got
them positioned OK, but the steel pins were resisting being bent into staples.


--- In medievalsawdust@yahoogroups.com, Conal O'hAirt Jim Hart <baronconal@...>
wrote:
>
> I'm having a little trouble imagining an application for those hinges...
>
> Wouldn't they have to be VERY close to the edge of both the back and
> lid to work? And that would make it likely to tear out?
>
>  Baron Conal O'hAirt / Jim Hart
>
> Aude Aliquid Dignum
> ' Dare Something Worthy '
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Mark <mross7@...>
> To: medievalsawdust@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Mon, November 2, 2009 8:21:35 AM
> Subject: [MedievalSawdust] Alternatives to Snipe Bills..
>
>
> Since snipe bill hinges cost alot ($16 a pair)
> http://www.lucianav eryblacksmith. com/catalog/ snipehinges. htm
>
> Does anybody have alternatives?  2" cotter pins would be great, but the metal
is too hard to effectively bend into a staple.  Can you anneal stainless steel?
>

> Last time I saw a demonstration for one, they were used on a Bible box. It was
an episode of The Woodwright's Shop (natch)
>
>
And that's where I got the incentive to try it (natch).  :-)

Looking for somewhere that I can find plans for a horizontal loom, similar to
the ones that began appearing in the late 11th and through the 12th centuries in
Europe. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Gratefully,
Lady Catherine Vallemont

On Tue, 2009-11-03 at 13:49 +0000, ladycatherinevallemont wrote:
> Looking for somewhere that I can find plans for a horizontal loom, similar to
the ones that began appearing in the late 11th and through the 12th centuries in
Europe. Can anyone point me in the right direction?
>
> Gratefully,
> Lady Catherine Vallemont
>
From: http://www.woodworkersworkshop.com/resources/index.php?cat=707
http://www.cs.arizona.edu/patterns/weaving/webdocs/df1_loom.pdf

Is that it?
also (untried) http://www.woolery.com/Pages/booksplans.html has a list
of books.

http://www.cd3wd.com/cd3wd_40/vita/handloom/en/handloom.htm

http://www.bobscrafts.com/bobstuff/2-h-loom.htm

Lady Catherine Vallemont wrote:
> Looking for somewhere that I can find plans for a horizontal loom,
> similar to the ones that began appearing in the late 11th and
> through the 12th centuries in Europe.

Do you mean the sort of loom seen at <http://scholar.chem.nyu.edu/
tekpages/loom.html>?


Coblaith Muimnech
<mailto:Coblaith@...>
<http://coblaith.net>