Actual Measurement On A Correct Size Grommet

[Cumpston1862]

Gents-

At the risk of being lynched. I have to ask. I checked the AC search engine and all that is refrenced in regards to grommets for a gum blanket is the "correct small grommets".

What is the exact correct size?


Which brings me to my next question. Who has correct gum blankets in stock?

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Actual Measurement On A Correct Size Grommet

Someone please correct me if I am mistaken, but...

I believe the correct size grommet for Fed gums/ponchos is a size "0", which has a 1/4" hole.

[Jimmayo]

Re: Actual Measurement On A Correct Size Grommet



I had to dig back in the memory for this info. Here are three dug grommets lying on a (Jarnagin ??) rubber blanket. About 20 years ago the grommets sutlers were using were much larger. This was brought to Jarnagins attention and he was one of the first to use smaller grommets. The original grommets are approximately 1.5 cm in OD. All three originals are slightly different and probably made by different contractors. The hole size on the Jarnagin grommet looks slightly larger than two of the originals but the OD is exactly the same as one of the originals. Today there are other people making rubber blankets with correct size grommets. I just happened to have an old Jarnagin I obtained after he changed the grommet size.

[Cumpston1862]

Re: Actual Measurement On A Correct Size Grommet

Thanks for the replies John and Jim.

So a correct sized grommet should be roughly 9/16" (overall/outside dimension) with about a 1/4" hole?

And a correct gumblanket should have 6 grommets?

The only vendor I have been able to find that has gum blankets in stock is a mainstream outfit and when asked said their grommets were the size of a quarter-which would be almost 2.5 cm or 15/16".

Anybody wanting to part with one or know of a vendor with stock??

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Actual Measurement On A Correct Size Grommet

Lederarsenal makes a dandy gum! Though they're in Germany, they generally ship pretty fast.

[GrumpyDave]

Re: Actual Measurement On A Correct Size Grommet

What's a correct sized grommet? I've seen 3 original gum blankets and all three had different sized grommets (GNMP). largest (outside diameter) was 9/16ths smallest 5/16ths. BTW, all three holes were different sizes too and I'd swear in a court of law one of the three had copper grommets, but I wasn't allowed to scratch them to find out.

What's a correct grommet? Whatever the contractor had on hand when he filled his order way back in 186x.

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Actual Measurement On A Correct Size Grommet

Thanks for keeping us honest, Dave!

[Cumpston1862]

Re: Actual Measurement On A Correct Size Grommet

Thanks for the information...everyone!

And thanks for the heads-up on where to go for gum blanket John.

I was very close to buying a gum blanket from a mainstream vendor but figured I would confirm the grommet question here first before buying and I am glad I did.

A small difference sure but lets face it...it's all in the details.

Thanks!

[GrumpyDave]

Re: Actual Measurement On A Correct Size Grommet

None of the three were the same size neither.

There's what the book says and then there's what actually happened. It's fun to learn the reality of the 1860's.

[Pumpkinslinger]

Re: Actual Measurement On A Correct Size Grommet

Here are two grommets I've dug recently out of a Union camp near Grand Junction TN

[Cumpston1862]

Re: Actual Measurement On A Correct Size Grommet

Thanks for posting the pic with nice examples Mike!

Kind of eyeballing it but are both your examples about 3/4" overall with a 3/8" hole opening?

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Actual Measurement On A Correct Size Grommet

Hallo!

I have mispaced my "U.S.S. Maple Leaf" article.

Can anyone post the data on the recovered originals to expand the discussion here?

Curt

[Pumpkinslinger]

Re: Actual Measurement On A Correct Size Grommet

I'd say that's about as close as you're going to get.

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Actual Measurement On A Correct Size Grommet

Here's a swag at interpretting the dimensions:


Does that look right?

[Cumpston1862]

Re: Actual Measurement On A Correct Size Grommet

Great pics guys!

I would agree with Dave there would and does seem to be some variance by the different contractors using what they had on hand when they fulfilled their orders. But for the most part I think a proper repro gum blanket should have a grommet that has an overall outside dimension of 12 to 13/16" and the opening/hole would seem to be a 5/16th to 3/8" based on the examples we have seen in this discussion.

Keeping in mind there will be something to throw this all off at some point lurking in a collection or museum somewhere :)