Author Topic: CLA/ALR Auction Rifle (Read 36895 times)

tallbear · « **Reply #25 on:** February 01, 2012, 04:45:50 AM »

Bruce
I put the sideplate in my vice and hammer the initial bend.My vice jaws have no teeth so I'm not afraid of marking the soft brass.Once the initial bend is formed I loosen the vice and raise the piece out of the vice just a little bit maybe 1/32" to a 1/16".I tighten the vice and hammer very lightly with a hammer that has a slightly rounded face.I then switch and put the hook portion in the vice leaving it up slightly.I then gently hammer that straight down.I keep doing that back and forth switching which side is in the vice and raising it slightly up from the vice jaws until I upset enough metal to make a sharp corner.Remember to use a light tapping instead of heavy blows.
If you still have trouble let me know I will take some pics next week when i get back from the Lewisberg Show.

Mitch

brobb · « **Reply #26 on:** February 01, 2012, 07:03:15 AM »

Tallbear

Thank you for your response. I understand what you said and will try your technique.

Bruce Robb

deano · « **Reply #27 on:** February 01, 2012, 03:52:45 PM »

Thanks for sharing some building tricks along with the pictures of the build. Does anyone happen to remember the number of this butt plate and the guard you are planning to use from Reaves?

I assume info regarding Raffle Ticket purchase will show up soon.

Ken

C Wallingford · « **Reply #28 on:** February 01, 2012, 05:42:34 PM »

If I am not mistaken the rifle will be auctioned.

tallbear · « **Reply #29 on:** February 01, 2012, 06:27:22 PM »

The buttplates is Reeves #4 and the trigger guard is #1.

Charlie is correct,the rifle will be auctioned off at the CLA show in Kentucky this August.

Mitch

tallbear · « **Reply #30 on:** February 01, 2012, 11:19:15 PM »

Since the theme of the CLA auction is the war of 1812 it was decided among the moderators that we would pay tribute to the "Hunters of Kentucky" and make the cheekpiece inlay a Half Horse and Half Alligator.

tallbear · « **Reply #31 on:** February 01, 2012, 11:22:45 PM »

Well here is my progress so far.I leave for the Lewisberg show in the morning.http://www.18thcenturyartisanshow.com/ Please stop by my table and say Hi!!!!!

Mitch Yates

C Wallingford · « **Reply #32 on:** February 01, 2012, 11:44:29 PM »

Mitch, I am leaving tomorrow morning as well. I will be sure to stop by and take a look.

deano · « **Reply #33 on:** February 17, 2012, 03:50:33 PM »

I was enjoying watching this build infold, any recent updates?

tallbear · « **Reply #34 on:** February 17, 2012, 04:21:51 PM »

Thanks for the interest

The rifle is currently visiting Tom Curran otherwise known as Acer.He is doing the engraving on the patchbox and horseagator inlay.We will post pics when the engraving is done.Tom really does some great engraving ,I'm sure the results will be something special!!!

Mitch

Acer Saccharum · « **Reply #35 on:** February 19, 2012, 05:44:41 AM »

Will post pics soon. Almost done, almost done.

Acer Saccharum · « **Reply #36 on:** February 26, 2012, 12:16:51 AM »

Here is the engraving of the patchbox, perhaps it's an Alligator-Snake:

And the cheekpiece inlay, possibly an Alligator-Horse:

rich pierce · « **Reply #37 on:** February 26, 2012, 12:46:06 AM »

Nice work. Really evokes the American frontier spirit.

Tim Crosby · « **Reply #38 on:** February 26, 2012, 01:26:16 AM »

Engraving looks Great Tom.

Tim C.

Jim Kibler · « **Reply #39 on:** February 26, 2012, 01:29:38 AM »

I'ts looking really nice fellas. Thanks again for the contribution. I like the engraving, Tom.

Jim

tallbear · « **Reply #40 on:** April 11, 2012, 02:55:33 AM »

In case you wondered what was happening with the rifle

.Here's some progress photos.Stain and Finishing begins tommarrow.

Rough sketch of the carving.

I recently got to see pictures of an unpublished later style Dickert Rifle.It was pretty clear that the carving was done by outlining with a v tool rather than stabbing in like I ususally do.Since i havn't done a lot of that style I decided that was the method that i would use for this rifle.It was fun to try something new.

smylee grouch · « **Reply #41 on:** April 11, 2012, 03:56:01 AM »

Well it sure looks as though you have done some of that kinda carving, it looks real nice from where I sit. The whole gun is going to be a keeper for sure. Smylee

Acer Saccharum · « **Reply #42 on:** April 11, 2012, 04:59:59 AM »

Is that a horse or an alligator on that there gun?

Carving is nice and crisp. It's also loose and creative. Great job, Mitch. Keep us posted.

Tom

Swampwalker · « **Reply #43 on:** April 11, 2012, 05:48:28 PM »

That's looking good, Tallbear! I think that's gonna be a successful rifle.

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #44 on:** April 11, 2012, 06:35:28 PM »

My congratulations to the bunch of you, and to you especially Mitch. The rifle is going to be a thing of beauty, and some lucky person will be taking it home.

tallbear · « **Reply #45 on:** April 16, 2012, 12:22:09 AM »

Next is the finish.The stock was whiskered several times before carving.After carving I wisker a couple of more times.Since I stain with aqua-fortis this is very important.I make my own aqua-fortis(1 part acid/4parts water),to this I add wrought iron I salvaged from a Rev war period house.Here is the stock with the first coat of stain.

After staining I blush it with heat and repeat a second time.Here is it blushed.

Once the staining is done I go over the stock with a scotch brite pad being careful on the high spots.This gets rid of the whiskers raised by the aqua-fortis.

Then I neutralize the aqua-fortis.I use household ammonia.This not only neutralizes the acid but picks up the dust made by the scoth brite pad.

The i coat the stock with a thin coat of seedlac.

Finally I finish with several coats of oil finish.On this rifle I am goig to use Jim Chambers Oil Finish.

tallbear · « **Reply #46 on:** April 16, 2012, 12:24:06 AM »

Here are some pics once the oil finish is applied.

Vomitus · « **Reply #47 on:** April 16, 2012, 12:55:03 AM »

Hey Mitch,
Awesome rifle. A question about AF. If you had left it without neutralizing a while longer,would it turn darker? Just wondering how to judge when to end the "cure" of the second application. Or would you just apply a third coat for a darker color? Probably dumb questions,sorry.

Meteorman · « **Reply #48 on:** April 16, 2012, 01:07:45 AM »

Great thread and a great project, Mitch and all, thanks for sharing.
that is a killer finish job.
/mike

tallbear · « **Reply #49 on:** April 16, 2012, 01:08:08 AM »

I don't think neutralizing makes any difference in the short term.Long term I think it keeps the stock from darkening over time.I stain twice because somehow I always miss a couple of spots the first time.If I want a darker gun I use a different aqua fortis solution.I have several and each one stains a little differt color.I make a test piece useing a piece of wood from the rifle I'm staining and pic the one I want.I've never really tried three coats of Aqua fortis but it should make a darker color in theory.

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Author Topic: CLA/ALR Auction Rifle (Read 36895 times)

brobb

Vomitus

Meteorman