A Hunting Horn How To

[Tim Crosby]

Back in Feb Tim Albert sent me a couple of pics of a blowing horn he had that had some damage. I do not have the skills to repair the damage it has so I decided to do the next best thing, make as close a copy as I could using the pics and a life size drawing Tim did.
Since there has been some interest in hunting horns of late I decided to record the process.
  The original has, as you can see, a turned mouth piece but the band at the base seen to be hand shaped making me think it was a later addition. 
   Had to do it in 3 section the number hopefully coincide with the pics.

   Tim C.

1.Damage
2.Overall view
3.Hunting horn to be
4.This will be the Mouth piece
5.Layout for mouth piece and end of body cavity. It is drilled and tapped 1/4-20
6.Bolt in and chucked up in lathe.
7.Turned down to 1/2", you can see how much the horn has to be worked down.

[Tim Crosby]

1.Drilling the mouth piece
2.On the mandrel and squared up
3.Rough turned
4.Lining up mouth piece in chuck using  ¼” bit
5.Drill both end with a ½” bit, maybe ½” deep. One
   end will go on the horn the other the mouth piece.
6.The mouth piece end hollowed out
7.Back on the mandrel for shaping
8.Test fit. At this point you can give it a blow and see what you’ve got.
    If you don’t like the sound you can put it back on the mandrel and deepen
    The mouth piece or with a reamer open up the ¼” a little. Go slow and test.
     It may just take one or the other or a little of both.
     A ½” counter sink can be used to help shape the bottom of the hole.
     BE SURE AND DRILL ALL HOLES WHILE THE BLANK IS AT ITS LARGEST SIZE.

9.Look close at the tip and you can see how much has to come off during shaping.
    Shape the whole horn not just the tip area. 









lion king ending fight

[Tim Crosby]

1.Shape with Spoke shave, rasps, scrapers.
2.Tip protected with tape.
3.Paint on a coat of something and scrape it off, it helps level out the horn.
4.This is the piece I cut off the end of the horn, a piece of it will become the band.
5.Here it is on the sizer ready to be cut off. Since the original band looks hand shaped
   once it is on the horn it can be worked down.
6.On the horn and is being shaped, that is tape to protect the horn.
7.Brass pins holding the band. The tip is attached with 3 steel pins,
   sorry no pic, it was to blurry.
8.The color came from a couple of coats of AF, a coat of thined out oil base Light Brown
   leather dye and a coat of Brown shope polish lightly brushed.

8. The finished horn.

 If something is not clear or I missed something let me know and I will see what I can do.

  Tim C.

[T.C.Albert]

I have to say when I opened the mail box and found the package from Tim and saw the horn, I was blown away...I cant begin to say how happy I am to have such a great horn...I blew it at the dogs last night, and it rang out so nice...thanks a million for the photo essay tutorial, and the horn Tim...
sincerely,
TCA

[alyce-james]

Tim; Thanks for sharing the pictures and the tutorial with us. Outstanding great work. Turkeyfooter. (Jim) 

[eseabee1]

Great Job Tim With th e write up and the horn

[seesbirds]

nicely done Tim.  Thanks for the tutorial.

[G. Elsenbeck]

Excellent horn and tutorial Tim.  When you put the brass pins on the band, I'll assume you peaned them to stay secured?
Gary

[The Original Griz]

Wonderful Tutorial, just one question.... can ya blow it for us so we can hear how it sounds... turn your speakers up

[Down South]

Great Job Tim:  Both the tutorial and the horn are great.  Really fine work.
Come by and see me at Dixon's.  I'll be making one all by hand over at Jeff Bibb's table.
Down South

[Habu]

Thanks for posting this Tim!  Hunting horns just aren't part  of the hunting culture around here so I've had little exposure to them--I've always wondered how they were made. 

Jim

[ajrd]

a very  good work and a great 'inspiration' for french longriflers
ajrd

[Tim Crosby]

  Thanks for the comments. I have had no internet access for 11 days and am just getting back.

   Tim C.