Fall Rifle building class at Calvary Longrifles

[bama]

Well the fall class started yesterday and I have 5 students in this class. This is going to be a great class, 2 of the 5 students have taken a class before with me and are returning to finish the projects they started in an earlier class. One is a previous student that with a new project and the other 2 students have never built a rifle.




First we have Paul, and his dad Bob, they were part of the Start from a Blank class in March of this year. They brought these projects back to finish them up in this class.

Paul (AKA Rabid Beaver) and his copy of my original John Bull iron mounted rifle.




Paul's dad Bob (AKA Burnt Finger Bob) Building a Lancaster started from a blank in March.



Sid (AKA to be determined by the end of the week) Building a German Silver mounted Lancaster style from and early pre-carved kit.



Bob No. 2 (AKA to be determined by the end of the week) building a Track of the Wolf Lancaster kit



Last but not the least is Mike (AKA Big Bore Mike) building a Kibler Colonial kit.



Tomorrow I will be posting some pictures of their projects.

Jim Parker

[KC]

Awesome. I sure would like to come up and take another class sometime. It's a week of long hours and a lot of work, but at the same time very relaxing. I'm anxious to see the results of this class, it looks like some nice longrifles are being built.
K.C.

[Mike Brooks]

Looks like Burnt Finger Bob is flashing some gang signs......


It's great you're offering this program, mothing like hands on instruction. I have considered doing this at my place, especially when there are plenty of weeds to pull.....

[Eric Krewson]

I have had a bunch of bow students pass through my shop, I teach for free and only had a couple out of a dozen actually finish a bow, the rest would quit and walk away. Perhaps if I charged them I would get dedicated students like you have.

I have found crafty, creative people are few and far between, fear of failure paralyzes most folk.

[oldtravler61]

    Jim one of these day's.... I would like to attend...Oldtravler

[bama]

Mike I would love to have you come down for a class, it would be an honor to have you. I have a guy here in the class that came from Tomahawk WI, you could have hitched a ride .

Here are a few pictures of today's class progress. All of these guys are working very hard and are doing great work.

[Mike Brooks]

I'm afraid you'd work me too hard.....

[bama]

Mike from what I have heard that's an impossibility. 

[Pukka Bundook]

Great pictures and thread!!

Mike,

Naaa,  that's just the "Keep both feet on the ground when you're inletting " sign.

[Huntschool]

Great looking shop work......  Just being funny, but, what is the average of your "students" ?

Keep up the good work.

[bama]

Here are a few pictures of the last day of the rifle class. Each student finished their project to the point of being able to fire their projects. It was a great class of students that really put in a hard long week. The last picture shows the proof of their hard work. Congratulations to each and everyone of them.

Here is a list of the students and their AKA Shop Names

Paul McDonald ( AKA Rabid Beaver) John Bull Copy started from a blank in the March class.


Bob McDonald (AKA Burnt Finger Bob) Lancaster rifle started from a blank in the March Class


Sid Collins (AKA Sid the Fast Drill Kid) Lancaster pre carved kit



Bob Sutton (AKA Dead Eye Bob) TOTW Lancaster pre carved kit


Mike Strong (AKA Big Bore Mike) Kibler Colonial Kit




A fine target shot by each student with his project from the class.

[pjmcdonald]

Hunt,

I’m 50. Pop is 73. Figure Jim’s average student is about 61 - 62 years young! Never too old to learn something new. Or in this case, something old. And very satisfying.

Paul

[Davemuzz]

Great post!!  Love the pics of those young men  learning a craft!!

What I really noticed is your gun building tables. Especially that folding one. How sturdy is that folding table?

Again.....very nice post!!

[bama]

Davemuzz I have built many rifles on that portable bench. I traveled with my work for many years and I took that bench with me on the jobs I was going to be at longer than a couple of months. I took the legs from a folding table and attached them to a cedar beam that came out of an old barn. The vise I bought at First Monday in Scottsboro Alabama in 1978. Since I retired and no longer traveling with the job, i added the angle iron braces to the legs to help steady the bench. I use it now when I have 5 or more students in a class. The bench is very sturdy but did wobble from side to side, thus the addition of the angle braces.

[n stephenson]

Jim, I always enjoy seeing your class posts. It looks like a lot of fun "and work"   . It is a great thing to see people proud of something that they built with their hands. I have got to come down sometime!    GREAT STUFF!!  Nate

[Huntschool]

Paul:

Thanks. It’s good to see us “older” guys building.

[pjmcdonald]

Nate,

You really should go down to Jim's! Jim is a very good teacher and a gracious host. We had another hard week in the shop but left very fulfilled. I had a great time and look forward to going again soon. Trying for March.

This week, I tried my hand at forging again. Figured out how to make a trigger guard. A bit crude but certainly functional. Took a lot of work with the files to dress it up. Got final shaping done on the stock. Made a patch box and got it inlet. Also figured out how old Mr. Bull built his spring catch. That was pretty cool - took about half a day to sort out how he did it. Draw file. Install sights. Sort out triggers and chase down problems with the sear not holding at full cock. Turned out to be a splinter of wood in the lock inlet.

By Friday morning I was applying stain and blueing the metal bits. Watched Jim fire-blue some bits for Mike so went a little nuts fire-bluing screw heads. I'll see about getting some better photos of my (nearly) finished rifle later this week.

The gun building was great. Even better was the camaraderie with a group of like minded men, fine people that love the art - no matter their experience level. It is a great experience to spend a week with Jim and the rest of the class. Something special I will treasure.

Paul