Artillery Hammer?

[emike123]

The Boxer fuse shown in John's drawing above is a very, very uncommon fuse type for use in the American Civil War.  Apparently some were imported as they made a blockade runner's manifest, but I am not aware of any battlefield recoveries in shells or even of the brass top piece.

Because they are so uncommon, I am not sure anyone in American Civil War circles knows what the special tool for punching in the holes in the side was.  John, perhaps one of your colleagues over on the British projectiles forum does as they are British and saw wider use there, especially after our Civil War ended.

All this said, the holes in the sides are already started as your drawing shows so it would not take an auger to punch them.  It looks to me like a nail or small diameter punch would suffice.

David provided the answer I was thinking of (prior to John clarifying that he meant the Boxer) for the several million times more common wood fuse adapters that saw widespread use in the American Civil War. 

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Muzzle Loading

[Dave the plumber]

         John,     beautiful renedering of a very rare fuze. Nice work !!

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Thanks Dave and Mike,
     I didn't mean to imply that particular fuse was used, only that type.  The same type of adjustable time wooden fuses were also employed like the ones shown below for smoothbore shells.
      The common 'hook borer' was used to select the desired time.The  outer reference holes were filled with clay to allow the boring bit to center itself before being clamped.  An awl or nai,l as Mike suggested, could not be used as the bit had to penetrate the center powder core. The hook borer is shown below. My only purpose was to illustrate how English wooden time fuses (and metal ones) had its time selected.
Regards,
John

[emike123]

So, it was a trick question that only you knew the answer to!

Interesting stuff.  Are you aware of any confirmed battlefield use of this fuse in the US?

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Mike,
   Certainly not.  Perhaps my original question did not contain enough info for members to reply.
 Initially I thought the hook borer was common knowledge among older collectors/historians.  We learn something new each day.
John
P.s. I have photo proof of the naval metal time fuses but surely most wooden fuses would have rotted or lost in a shell explosion.  I find it hard, however, to think that the English didn't supply wooden time fuses with their shells.  If only percussion fuzes were sold to us there would be no time option and no I know of no such recoveries.

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Sorry, I must apologize for again mixing different subjects under one topic.
John

[scottfromgeorgia]

This kind of gimlet is what I was referring to - all of them are carpenter's tools. I don't think any were military issue.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/civil-war-cannon-gunners-GIMLET-artillerymans-vent-pick-implement-/150857038015?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item231fc7b8bf

http://www.ebay.com/itm/vintage-hand-tool-gimlet-auger-boring-gunners-spike-steel-handle-cannon-/370585716596?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5648a14774

Please note the nonsensical claim that this short gimlet was "used for clearing the vent hole & punching a path into the powder bag." 

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

right Scott, I knew what you were referring to.  that tool may have well been used by the gunner but it is nothing more than a carpenter's gimlet or hand forer and seldom used by today's shop woodworkers.
 I had hoped to show the members what a real fuse borer looked like.  If they were used in this country has yet to be proven. -30-
John

[6lbgun]

     There was a special tool for boring out a fuse to reduce it's burning time.  It was called a fuse auger.  It had a bit of .2 inch (13/64) diameter with a sliding brass socket graduated to 10ths of an inch, held by a thumb screw in the side, with a wooden handle. This tool is shown in Mordecai's drawings.
  From what I can find the Fuze Gimlet was a common gimlet (nothing special) .2in diameter used for boring across the composition of the fuse to reduce it's time instead of sawing off the fuse.  I haven't found any tool used for extracting a fuse plug.
Hope this helps.
Dan

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Dan,
   Unless this borer, you mentioned, placed a hole through the side of the fuse below the fuse hole and into the powder chamber,  the flash would have dead ended against the side of the fuse hole, particularly in mortar shellswhich had thick walls. Thus, the reason for the fuse saw. There was only one central powder core in our fuses.  You can look at my color plates and understand  why the Brits bored through marked positions on the side.  The side chambers held pistol powder so when the central core  burned down to the drilled hole it flashed the pistol powder which immediately flashed down into the main shell filler.  Hopefully my drawings illustrate their function without a lot of explaination.
Regards,
John

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Scott,
 Here is a set of carpenter's gimlets.
http://www.garrettwade.com/product.asp?pn=37J03.04&SID=W6071001&gclid=CLis2LGBjrICFQWCQgodyRkAXw
John

[Dave the plumber]

         6LB GUN,    there is a tool designed for extracting wood fuze plugs.  Actually there are 2 types. Again, Mordecai drawings, page 227 of Ripley's book, second row, first item labeled " shell plug extractor'.
     Then also top row center - a big wine cork like tool.  Cool story here about this item......    a buddy of mine was studying these drawings and getting familiar with these oddball items.  Well, damn, low and behold the next week he went to a flea market and found one of these shell extractors !! Needless to say, I was blown away when he put it in my hands. But of course - not for sale. But truthfully, he says he has put it in his will for me because he knows how bad I want it !! Someday........
      Also, same page are a multitude of 'official' gimlets and the copper artillery hammer mentioned way back in this thread.             And of course, the portfire cutter I desperately seek for my collection too...

[6lbgun]

John,
     I understand you drawing without further explanation.  My post was in reference to a gimlet that was specifically called a Fuse Gimlet  The use of the fuse gimlet was directly taken from the 1862 CS Field Manual for The Use of the Officers on Ordnance Duty.  It does not state whether this is pertaining to wooden large caliber fuses or field projectiles with the paper fuse and fuse plug. It was the definition given for "Fuse Gimlet"
Dan

[6lbgun]

Dave,
     This is my understanding of the tools you pointed out in Mordecai's drawing.  The item Fuse Extractor would be used to extract the fuse itself not the fuse plug.  The other item, Shell Plug Screw is something I'm not 100% sure of.  Since the names given to implements seem to be very explicit (FUSE extractor, FUSE auger, FUSE setter, FUSE gimlet, etc) I don't feel that the Shell plug screw has anything to do with fuses.  If I remember correctly, Abbot talk about mortar shells being filled in the siege lines.  To protect in interior of the shells I feel that they were shipped with a wooden plug sealing the fuse hole.  The shape and type of screw threads (deep and sharp) on the Shell Plug Screw are made for screwing to a piece of wood.  The large ring to grab hold of would be great for pulling out the plug.  I'll have to get back into Abbot and refresh my old memory.  The use of the Shell plug screw is conjecture on my part.  Sooner or later I'll find out for sure.  Just a matter of time.
Best wishes,
Dan