Marcy Field Cot

[G.W. Strong]

I am looking fro more information about the field cot illustrated in Captain Randoph Barnes Marcy's 1859 book, The Prairie Traveler: A Hand-book for Overland Expeditions

I was looking at this as a spring project. I would love a larger or higher resolution picture of this image. I would also be interested in  knowing if  anyone had successfully reproduced this cot.

http://www.kancoll.org/books/marcy/pt14b.gif

[G.W. Strong]

I found a slightly higher resolution image and I think I understand what is going on. I am still curious if anyone has made one. I would love to stand on the shoulders of giants than reinvent the wheel.

[Books OToole]

I have built two of them.  I did not do the canvas; but instead added a lip to the rails to facilitate slates.  When you build the pivoting legs the grrain usually runs the wrong way and that is the weak spot (the top ot the leg).  I have broken enough, that I usually carry a spare leg.

But it does sleep nicely.

books

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[G.W. Strong]

I have built two of them.  I did not do the canvas; but instead added a lip to the rails to facilitate slates.  When you build the pivoting legs the grrain usually runs the wrong way and that is the weak spot (the top ot the leg).  I have broken enough, that I usually carry a spare leg.

But it does sleep nicely.

books

Would you be willing to show some pics of the legs and the ends?

[Books OToole]

I'll see what I can do.


Books

[WaddWatsonEllis]

G.W.Hopalong Strong,

I tried to PM you (cascity.com still could not 'find' you), then could not find the thread again ....

Here are dimensions for a wide rope bed ... I m thinking that the front and back can be made shorter to make a cot ...

http://www.greydragon.org/furniture/beds/ropebed.html

TTFN

[G.W. Strong]

G.W.Hopalong Strong,

I tried to PM you (cascity.com still could not 'find' you), then could not find the thread again ....

Here are dimensions for a wide rope bed ... I m thinking that the front and back can be made shorter to make a cot ...

http://www.greydragon.org/furniture/beds/ropebed.html

TTFN

Thanks for that link. I had made a similar rope bed when I was doing medieval reenacting.

Did you try clicking on the little "IM" bubble under my name to send me a message? It worked when I tried it. I was also able to send myself a message by clicking on my name.   

[Delmonico]

Cots seem to be the most dangerous thing GAF members face at musters.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Hi,

When I tried the 'Little Bubble', I got:

Unable to find member 'g.w.'.
Unable to find member 'strong'.
Unable to find member 'hopalong'.

and

One or more 'to'-recipients could not be found.

"g.w.", "strong", "hopalong"

??

Perhaps it is the interface with my computer? Frustrating to say the least ....

[Major 2]

Cots seem to be the most dangerous thing GAF members face at musters.

The question that come to mind ....

how fast were going when that blew out ?

[G.W. Strong]

That was quite a sound coming from the Colonel's tent when that cot gave way. 

[Delmonico]

The question that come to mind ....

how fast were going when that blew out ?

We call that "The Wreck of the Colonel Pitspiter." 


The searchers all say he'd have made it till day
if he'd of weighed fifteen pounds less in the behind 'er.

I will be doing KP till the 200th anniversary of The Spanish American War for that one.   

[GunClick Rick]

 Who wants to make me a rope bed

[River City John]

[WaddWatsonEllis]

 Quote,
 Who wants to make me a rope bed Grin

Rick,

Actually  I have been considering making a ' pseudo rope bed for reenacting .... only instead of using a 2"X6" I am thinking about fore to aft beams of 4"X6" of oak by 84" ... that way I could cut a rabbet about 1"X1" out of the inner top and have the best of both worlds .... it would LOOK like a rope bed, but I could put 1" x6" slats in the rabbet and sleep on a normal mattress ....

What do you think?

TTFN,

[GunClick Rick]

I'd say just make the rope bed and get a thin plug and blow air mattress.The when you let the air out,roll it all up together with a rubber sided saddle rig. My cowboy buddy did that with a thick sleeping bag with blanket liner and wrapped it all up with the outer rubber on canvas blanket,of cousrse it was to big for a horse but he carried it in the back of his truck,we woke up in the mountains one morning and i had froze my toenails off and he was sound asleep with ice on his mustache toasty as a flea on a hound dog!

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Hi,

Fortunately it is kind of a 'car camping' situation where I set up right next to where I unload ... other wise, Yes, your suggestion sounds great!

But instead of slats, I am thinking why not just put a piece of 5/8" plywood beneath it?

TTFN,

[G.W. Strong]

I have built many beds in my medieval camping and reenacting days. These are my thoughts and impressions...

My first bed was Viking style and based on the bed in the Osberg ship find. It was a true rope bed. The first night it was great but as a week of camping wore on the rope stretched and bed got saggy. I devised many ways to tighten the rope and they each worked. The problem was it was a lot of adjusting and maintenance.

I then converted the same bed to a platform bed with a sheet of plywood. That was excellent as it easy to set up and was always the same night after night. We covered the platform with camping pads and it was quite comfortable. My wife found that it did create some pressure points and after several days of camping she would wake up a bit sore. I never found it uncomfortable. My wife has a bad back and is more sensitive than I am.   

I then made a later period (14th century) bed that was designed to be more like a double cot or hammock. The head, foot and sides each fit into a sleeve in the canvas and there was an additional sleeve that ran from head to foot  for a closet pole that ran between two sleepers. This bed transported well and needed no adjusting and was the most comfortable of all. We used a big feather bed on top of the canvas. This one was like sleeping on a cloud. This one I still use from time to time.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Hi,

So I kinda 'grok' that a cot is about 84",but what is the width of a Marcy Cot ... or any cot for that matter ...

TTFN,

[A.J. Hamler]

Hi, all...

I'm a bit late finding this topic, but I'm just wrapping up a Marcy bed.  At the moment, it looks like this:



And here's a closer look at the joinery:



There were no measurements given in Marcy's "Prairie Traveler" book, so I started with basic Army cot dimensions, which are typically around 75" long and 25-26" wide, and then adjusted to my tastes.  (I have wide shoulders, so I made the width 27".)  I'm a pretty big guy -- 6' 1" and 200 lbs. -- so I'm thinking of adding a riveted-on fold-down leg at the center of the rails on each side.  Haven't decided yet.

A.J.