mess kettle construction

[adamandnicole]

Is it appropriate for mess kettles to have cast ears that the wire handle hooks to? I have looked at some original photos that have kettles and I can't see any ears. I have, however, seen pictures of original coffee pots that appear to have cast ears on them. Thoughts?

Adam Dickerson

[Tyler Underwood]

Re: mess kettle construction

Hey Adam, I just did a quick Google image search and found some kettle photos.


This photo shows what appear to be ears along the sides.

The next two clearly do not have ears for the bail.



I am by no means an expert on this subject, but I hope this helps in some way.
Maybe try contacting Axel Ulrich. You can find him on FB and I am sure he can provide you with some great info.

Best of luck in your search!

[Ambrose Bierce]

Re: mess kettle construction

From the Hot Dip Tin website

http://www.hotdiptin.com/blog/cwkettles

As Tyler mentioned, contacting vendors who specialize in the reproduction of these items is a great resource.

Millions of soliders were supplied with sets of these. The specifications for volume were (generally) specified, but it seems up to the whim of the supplier to have ears for the bail or to have it punched into the body of the kettle. Some were made of sheet iron and others of tinned metal.

The mess kettles pre-date the Civil War as a camp item for cooking for large numbers of soldiers as evidenced by some recovered at various Rev War sites like Fort Ligonier and Fort Ticonderoga.

Olson's Tinware makes a set of three, also.

[faabala]

Re: mess kettle construction

I am very happy with the one I got from Hot Dip Tin.

[Olson's Tinware]

Re: mess kettle construction

I make camp kettles both ways, which is with and without bail ears. I find the punched kettle body is much quicker and easier to make and less expensive. The bail ears, however, are necessary if the kettle is to have a lid because the bail punched through the kettle body would prevent a lid from seating. I glanced through "The images of War” and found five photographs that show camp kettle like containers. The first image is in Vol. II and is of a field bakery (P. 203). The kettle closest to the camera looks like it does have bail ears whereas the one in the background on the table looks like it does not. The second image also in volume II (p. 209) is of a much larger kettle and has oval wire handles and no bail. The third image from vol. II (p. 211) shows a kettle that clearly has bail ears. The fourth image (p. 212) is of a relatively new kettle (no soot from a camp fire). The beading around the kettle is clearly seen and it not only has bail ears, but the bail has a wooden handle. The final image is in vol, IV (p 108) and shows some soldiers making coffee during a halt. I cannot be certain but it looks like it might have ears.

The sizes of camp kettles are dictated by the size of the tinplated sheets of iron that were available, which was 10 inches by 14 inches. The nesting set consists of three kettles which comes close to standard volumes but use even multiples of the tinplate. The largest kettle is made with 4 sheets of 10 X 14 (finished 9 ¾ " high and 8 15/16 diameter, bottom, and lid). The middle size uses one half-sheet and two full sheets (finished 9” high 7 10/16 in diameter). The smallest size is made with two 7" by 10" half sheets (finished 6 ¾ " high and 6 11/16” diameter). The use of multiples of the 10X14 sheet was mostly to save materials (the entire set of 3 requires 9 sheets of 10X14 “tinplate). In today’s money that is over $31 in tinplate, and then add small parts (solder, rivets, the wire in the rims, and bail ears) and you are looking at $40 or more for materials. It is my opinion that both types of bail attachments would have been found in camp because the tinsmith would tend to use up supplies on hand. And it would be very common for a tinsmith to have the bailers in stock but would be more difficult to replace as the war dragged on.
Jim Currens
Olson’s Tinware

[Jeremy Bevard]

Re: mess kettle construction

This reminds me I need to email you about some kettles and tinware! Thank you for providing detailed information and resources on the subject.

[Material Culture]

Re: mess kettle construction

Can you provide pictures? Is there a more specific title... The Images of War does not show up on a google search of books.

Thanks
Sam Hayle

[Olson's Tinware]

Re: mess kettle construction

Here is the bibliographic citation for "The Image of War" There are 6 volumes and most of the 450 to 500 pages of each volume are taken up by period photographs. The dust jacket says there over 650 photographs in volume 1.

Davis, W E., ed.,, 1981, The Image of War; Shadow of the Storm: The National Historical Society, v. 1, 464 p.

Sorry it took so long to reply Jim Currens