Plumbata - Printable Version

Plumbata - Printable Version

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+--- Thread: Plumbata (/showthread.php?tid=1271)

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Re: plumbata - Vindex - 08-02-2010

Quote:Vortigern this is true but I can understand D D
Regards Brennivs

Aha! Excellent! On my way up to dig at Arbeia that week...will PM you!

Re: plumbata - brennivs - tony drake - 08-19-2010

I have been experimenting with a two part mould Big Grin

I placed a thin piece of plastic bag between the two halfs pushed together then held in place by 4 rods.
When the clay dryed I drilled a filling hole through the two pieces. I placed the shaft of the Plumbata in the mould the sealed around the imprestion with clay.
[Image: P8191347.jpg]

I then placed the other half and tightend in the vice.
[Image: P8191341.jpg]

Then slowly poured lead in Big Grin

Regards Brennivs Big Grin

Re: plumbata - brennivs - tony drake - 08-19-2010

These are the results Big Grin

The result is not bad so I can now move on to makeing a one from fire clay Big Grin

D
Regards Brennivs Big Grin

Re: plumbata - Ron Andrea - 08-19-2010

Cool. Very inventive.

Re: plumbata - Paul Elliott - 08-19-2010

Tony, thanks for documenting this so meticulously. We plumbatae throwers are very interested in any and all construction techniques ...

Re: plumbata - M. Demetrius - 08-20-2010

I can see a very similar method used to make lead sling bullet molds. Hmm. Now back on topic.

Re: plumbata - brennivs - tony drake - 08-23-2010

Thank you Ron Big Grin

lol: These ones are for pure throwing for the public we are keeping the genuine ones to show the public. I have used bamboo for the shafts much thicker rod with no barbed head on so we hope they last a lot longer. I have since found three more plumbatas from my experiments in the loft :lol: :lol: At this rate I will be able to arm a Cohort Big Grin

D
Demetrivs yes you could use the same idea for sling bullets but use a tree method when casting Big Grin

Regards Brennivs Big Grin

Re: plumbata - Robert Vermaat - 08-25-2010

Hi Tony,

Thanks for sharing these pictures!
This looks a bit like my plaster cast experiments, which were inspired by Aitor Iriarte. A clay mould functions similarly I think... How would you say this would function differently without the plastic layer?

Measurement? Of this clay mould and of the resulting plumbata (weight)?

How do you get rid of the excess lead? By re-heating it?

Re: plumbata - brennivs - tony drake - 08-25-2010

Hi Vortigern the plastic layer was only there until the clay dried it stopped the two halfs sticking Big Grin

As you can see in the pic then removed. I will give weight ect asap the eccess lead was just cut off with a pair of tin snips and a quick hammer to smooth out Big Grin

Regards Brennivs Big Grin

Re: plumbata - Vindex - 08-25-2010

Hello! Very interesting once again.

May I ask how the head is attached to the shaft? Am I right in assuming the metal end is merely firmly inserted into the shaft?

I was in Chesters museum at the weekend and two of the pieces in the arrowhead display cabinet looked suspiciously plumbata like to me! No lead weight, but the section of the metal end looked very similar to the drawings in the David Sherlock short paper you sent me (also without the pin).

Re: plumbata - Robert Vermaat - 08-25-2010

Hi Vindex,

Plumbatae heads are either shafted or socketed. Yes, it's firmly inserted over or in the shaft, but the real means or securing it is the lead weight, which is poored over the junction.

The nail (still showing in the attached image) was a mistake - either way it's never been noticed on any of the 120+ plumbatae that I now know of.

Chesters - I was tipped that there were plumbatae there, but the museum denied it. Could you (or anyone in the neighbourhood) perhaps take pictures for me?
If you are interested in articles (Bennet, Eagle, Rebus Bellicis), PM me your email address.

Re: plumbata - Vindex - 08-25-2010

Quote:Hi Vindex,

Plumbatae heads are either shafted or socketed. Yes, it's firmly inserted over or in the shaft, but the real means or securing it is the lead weight, which is poored over the junction.

The nail (still showing in the attached image) was a mistake - either way it's never been noticed on any of the 120+ plumbatae that I now know of.

Chesters - I was tipped that there were plumbatae there, but the museum denied it. Could you (or anyone in the neighbourhood) perhaps take pictures for me?
If you are interested in articles (Bennet, Eagle, Rebus Bellicis), PM me your email address.

Well...it is only the head of the plumbata as far as I can see and no lead weight and no shaft, but the sections are very like those you have added in the illustration above. I will try and go back tomorrow as I am due to go to Corbridge museum in the afternoon, but the photo I took of the section is too poor to show anything. They are classed as arrow heads in the museum guide which they certainly don't look like to me - but It wouldn't be the first time I am a victim to wishful thinking LOL!

Brennivs has very kindly sent me copies of articles etc - including Julian Bennet's article in JRMES, but I will PM you just in case you have something I don;t already have if that's ok.

Slightly off topic (and I will do a search on here) has the South Shields (Arbeia) mail shirt been discussed anywhere - found in 1997 and in pride of place in the museum?

Re: plumbata - Vindex - 08-25-2010

Lets see if this works...the pencil is a pants scale I admit :oops: but I didn't have anything else. What you see is approx 9cms in length.

Yes? Or have I strayed in to la la land again? :lol: Could be ballista bolts I suppose but they weren't catalogued as such...

Re: plumbata - Robert Vermaat - 08-26-2010

Quote:..approx 9cms in length.
Yes? Or have I strayed in to la la land again? :lol: Could be ballista bolts I suppose but they weren't catalogued as such...

Hmmm, difficult to say. Due to the length and what I think I can see of the shaft, I think they're spearheads. Not ballista bolts, they're not massive enough, plus I doubt that these had barbed heads? Too bad, really.

Re: plumbata - Vindex - 08-26-2010

Quote:
Vindex:q9x7qjr7 Wrote:..approx 9cms in length.
Yes? Or have I strayed in to la la land again? :lol: Could be ballista bolts I suppose but they weren't catalogued as such...
Hmmm, difficult to say. Due to the length and what I think I can see of the shaft, I think they're spearheads. Not ballista bolts, they're not massive enough, plus I doubt that these had barbed heads? Too bad, really.

lol:

ok, ok...la la land! Big Grin

Still, it was fun