Source for high quality patchbox

[frogwalking]

I have bought and used several patchboxes from TOW, and although the are OK, I am not greatly impressed by the quality.  Does anyone know of a source that can provide a higher quality product at a reasonable price.  Thanks.

[Dave R]

Make your own!

[jerrywh]

 What is a reasonable price?

[Kevin Houlihan]

Not sure what you're looking for but you can try:
http://www.tennesseevalleymanufacturing.com/catalog.php?category=patch_boxes
http://www.muzzleloaderbuilderssupply.com/mbs2cart/agora.cgi?cart_id=7155783.26260&product=Patchboxes
Or, Jim Chambers offers a patch box kit in brass that has the hinge pre formed - you cut out the knuckles and finial shape.
Kevin

[smylee grouch]

What quality's are you lookin g for that you dont get with TOTW patchbox's? More knuckles in the hinge, thicker/or thinner brass, less clean up, or a draft already filed on the edges, or something else?

[frogwalking]

Thanks Kevin.  The hinge is the main issue.  I have a jeweler's saw.  Of course most pre-made ones are either too big, too narrow, or too wide.  I am sure one sold by Chambers would be nice quality.

[flinchrocket]

    I have used 4 from muzzleloader builders supply in the last two years without a problem.

[Mike Brooks]

Make it yourself, then you get exactly the quality you want.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Chambers makes the only one that I know of, where the barrel for the hinge is actually soldered.  I've used a couple of Chambers' kit boxes and they are nice thick brass with a well formed dome.

[bama]

I will agree with those that say to make your own. Nobody to fuss at but yourself if it is not right

[Mark Elliott]

I will also chime in on make them yourself.   However, you will need to make some tools to do it properly.   You will need a hinge former, a die and swage to form the curve, and a separate swage and die to make the closed end lids.   I always make my patchboxes from sheet, but a lot of original patchboxes,  particularly the fancy ones, were cast.   Then it was just a mater of drilling the hinge pin holes and filing everything up.   If you get someone to show you how to do it properly once,  I don't think you will have a problem from then on.   Once you have all the proper tools and figure out the process,  you can knock out the patchbox pretty quickly.    The part that takes me time is the release mechanism.   The best designs require some forging and/or a good bit of machining.   I usually end up making two or three hardened and tempered springs for my designs.   

[Pete G.]

The box kits from MBS are nice, but they are copies of some well known patchboxes. They do offer some more styles than some other suppliers, and if that will work for your build then you are good to go. They also sell a kit blank which has a good hinge and you cut your own outline. I like this style because the hinge is already formed. Building your own quality hinge can be really tedious work. I do not like the tab soldered to the underside of the lid for the spring. It is not difficult to remove, but doing so leaves evidence of the solder joint.

[frogwalking]

I already had an order with Chambers, and just added a patchbox kit to it.  I am not in the business of building rifles, and am not therefore going to make the necessary tools to properly form the hinge.  I can make the dies to curve the box out of wood.   Thanks everyone for the information and suggestions.