AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Gun Building => Topic started by: smart dog on February 25, 2018, 03:30:07 AM
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Hi,
It took me a while to get to this because of sickness. I am pretty much back to normal so I will get started. I am going to document building a 1740-1750 English fowler that might be considered first quality. It will have the bells and whistles of nice wood, ornate silver inlays, silver wire, carving, and ornate engraving. All of the designs will be my own but inspired by and historically correct for the time period. So let's get started.
The style and architecture of my fowler is inspired by the original London-made gun shown below.
(https://i.imgur.com/OpxZdk5.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/gHaEtRa.jpg)
To my mind, the style of this gun is as elegant as I have ever seen. It is second or export quality but the architecture is first class. I will essentially upgrade this gun to first quality and make a few other changes to accommodate a different barrel. The line drawing of the original shown below is essentially the plan for my gun.
(https://i.imgur.com/AZJ0OdP.jpg)
The barrel is a 42" long 20 gauge barrel by Colerain. It is their "Griffin" profile with a breech 1 1/8" wide and octagon to round (Spanish) shape. Most of the taper is in the first 6" of the barrel from the breech, which is pretty good and more historically correct than most other O/R barrels available today. It weighs 3lbs 9 ozs. I am going to turn it into a Spanish barrel by decorating it with maker and city stamps, and other markings that will be gilded. I will also use inlet barrel bands to attach the barrel lugs rather than soldering or dovetailing them. Often British gunmakers were asked to mount highly prized (and expensive) Spanish, Italian, Turkish, and Indonesian barrels purchased abroad by wealthy British sportsmen. They esteemed these thin walled barrels so highly that they were reluctant to expose them to the heat necessary for brazing or soldering lugs. One solution was to use small barrel bands inlet into the stock that hold lugs in place. That is the method I use here. The photos below show the barrel profile and the little barrels lug bands.
(https://i.imgur.com/t1WeE3k.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/s6rYS22.jpg)
The barrel will be attached with 3 barrel keys and will have a hook or "standing breech". From now on, I will refer to the tang portion of the hook breech as the standing breech. I am currently trying to find a proper standing breech. I have an order in to TRS but may have to weld up my own. None of the commercially available breeches are adequate. They are either too short, have incorrect hooks, no under lug, or don't have enough "hump" for this project. For example, no breeches sold by Track of the Wolf (on right below) are adequate for this project.
(https://i.imgur.com/GRFQqAL.jpg)
I will use Chambers round-faced English lock. It is a superb lock and a great performer. For a good or high quality English gun from 1740-1750, it is the only commercially available lock that is historically correct right out of the box. If you have any questions about lock choices please refer to my earlier tutorial on British fowler components (http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=47308.0). I am not going to repeat that discussion here. I considered turning Chambers early Ketland lock (with pan bridle) into a high quality flat-faced lock from the time period but I really like the round-faced lock and the way it looks (top below, original lock is second, the poor third is an L&R lock).
(https://i.imgur.com/dg9Sm5u.jpg)
The furniture on this gun will be fine silver and steel. Both metals were esteemed for high-end guns. Unfortunately, the selection of steel buttplates and trigger guards is really limited. None of the fowler buttplates available in steel are large enough heel to toe for my gun and none have the right slight crescent shape. I will use the steel "Dubbs" long rifle buttplate sold by TOW and show how I modify it to look the way I desire. The toe will be rounded after I add steel to the bottom to increase the length from heel to toe. It will eventually look like the one shown below but with a longer rounded bottom:
(https://i.imgur.com/Lo0IcKU.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/oKSKVVd.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/IcHEW3S.jpg)
The only correct steel trigger guard available is the urn or husk guard shown in the photo. I am so bored with the urn finial that I may cut it off and attach a different final of my own design. The bow needs to be reshaped from its even oval shape to a much more elegant and useful "egg" shape.
(https://i.imgur.com/oKSKVVd.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/DVuejXn.jpg)
The stock is an excellent English walnut blank from Goby Walnut in Portland, Oregon. I highly recommend them. I had Dave Keck inlet the barrel but it needed to go a little deeper to make sure the humped standing breech can be mounted properly. I simply used my barrel scrapers and chisels to sink it a little deeper and also inlet the barrel bands. That is where it stands for now. I will be adding more soon.
(https://i.imgur.com/RGCM3i2.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/0SJEOrU.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/vKEMemF.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/4r2ZhJp.jpg)
dave
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I am looking forward to following this thread. Will you be showing barrel band fabrication notes/ pics?
Kevin
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It's off to a great start! Do you plan on modifying the Chambers lock in any way?
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I showed my wife the picture of your gun, bench and minion ;D
She thinks you just might be an alright kinda guy!! ;)
Respect Always
Metalshaper\jonathan
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Looking good so far. I have the same vise. I love it!! I'll be taking notes along the way
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Thanks, Dave. Looking forward to more!
I see on your plan drawing that there appears to be no cast off. Was cast a feature on any fowlers of this period?
Gregg
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Greg,
Again not pretending to answer for Dave, but cast off was used but not always. It depends on drop at the comb, and maybe customer 's build.
The more drop the less cast -off required.
Best,
R.
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Greg,
Yes I have seen some cast on originals but many without. The wider the comb at cheek or the addition of a cheekpiece as seen on some Euro guns the more chance a little cast on or off is needed. As an aside I have a 1770s provincial English gun here now that has toe out and I believe it was made that way and not a warp.
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[ (https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi64.tinypic.com%2F2m6lk5l.jpg&hash=7d83bebb5e24cb8c7499085dfb16d262f49d532c) ][/url]glad one of us has a real place to work,real nice piece of walnut,going to make one fine looking Fowler.
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I'm looking forward to following this build. A 16 gage fowler is next on my list.
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I am looking forward to following this thread. Will you be showing barrel band fabrication notes/ pics?
Kevin
Hi Kevin,
I am glad you are looking forward to this series. The barrel bands are very simple. I use 0.005" thick spring steel, which can be cut with metal shears. At the place on the barrel where I want a lug, I wrap masking tape in the shape of a band and use that to measure the length. Then I cut that length with a width of 5/32" out of the sheet steel. I flatten and straighten it after cutting. Then I make 2 90o bends in the ends for the tab and bend the band around the barrel, pinching the tabs in a vise. It is just like making a ramrod thimble. The octagon band is made the same way except I hammer it to conform to the flats. Make 2 bands for each lug and then the loop is made from mild steel 3/16" thick. I cut a 1/8" wide rectangular piece from the steel plate 9/16" long. I slot the ends to pinch the barrel band tabs together, solder the tabs and loop together, and then drill the ends of the loop for 1/16" pins. Below is a simple drawing.
dave
(https://i.imgur.com/BaixeMZ.jpg)
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Hi Folks,
Thanks for looking. Wayne, I will not modify the Chambers round-faced lock. It is the the only lock that can be used as is for a second or first quality English fowler during 1740-1750. All of the other round-faced locks are only good for cheap trade guns or fantasy guns.
dave
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Hi,
I spent time today getting the butt plate into shape. I (actually Stuart) welded on some steel to the toe of the Dubbs plate to add length as well as on the sides of the bottom to add width there. I also formed the crescent shape better and closed the angle a little between the butt plate return and the butt plate. That was all done by heating with a welding torch and hammering. Tomorrow I will shape the return and finish the job. Stuart can weld a steel can in his sleep but sometimes the can is HUGE!
dave
(https://i.imgur.com/et15yKR.jpg)
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Joe S.,
Don't let Stuart see Kevin. That would be really bad. Are you trying to ruin this thread? ???
dave
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I am looking forward to following this thread. Will you be showing barrel band fabrication notes/ pics?
Kevin
Hi Kevin,
I am glad you are looking forward to this series. The barrel bands are very simple. I use 0.005" thick spring steel, which can be cut with metal shears. At the place on the barrel where I want a lug, I wrap masking tape in the shape of a band and use that to measure the length. Then I cut that length with a width of 5/32" out of the sheet steel. I flatten and straighten it after cutting. Then I make 2 90o bends in the ends for the tab and bend the band around the barrel, pinching the tabs in a vise. It is just like making a ramrod thimble. The octagon band is made the same way except I hammer it to conform to the flats. Make 2 bands for each lug and then the loop is made from mild steel 3/16" thick. I cut a 1/8" wide rectangular piece from the steel plate 9/16" long. I slot the ends to pinch the barrel band tabs together, solder the tabs and loop together, and then drill the ends of the loop for 1/16" pins. Below is a simple drawing.
dave
(https://i.imgur.com/BaixeMZ.jpg)
Perfect, Thank you!
Kevin (not the minion)
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Great subject for a building tutorial, Dave! I am excited to watch it unfold. Where can I get me a buddy like Stuart, I think he may even be more useful than Ed Wenger's three apprentices..... 8)
Curtis
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Ha, Curtis! That would be five apprentices now 😳.....
Excellent thread, Dave!
Ed
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I could use a couple minions to help with sanding a stock when the build is finished. My least favourite part.
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I love threads like this too, and this one is excellent so far. I was given a Minion - Kevin - by my Grandaughter Maddy. It never occurred to me to actually employ him - 'til now.
Dave, there was a gentleman looking for that standing breech from TOW, if you are interested in parting with it. I broke up the hook plug and standing breech to create the standing breech for my A. Verner build, and have the hooked plug available. between the two of us, we could set him up.
Keep this rolling...lots of fun!
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Joe S.,
Don't let Stuart see Kevin. That would be really bad. Are you trying to ruin this thread? ???
dave
Kevin already wants to know when I'm going get a real shop for him to work in,LOL.Kinda laughing to myself about breaking somebody's stones who use to post here about a cat helping him build his rifles.I'm enjoying this thread,always a treat seeing your work
Joe
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Hi,
I am mostly done making the butt plate from TOW's "Dubbs" long rifle cast steel butt plate. I choose that butt plate because none of the commercially available steel plates are sufficiently tall or have an elegant slight crescent shape for a gun of the architecture I am building. I could forge a plate from scratch but previous experience showed me that a pretty good one can be adapted from the Dubbs plate. I first draw out my pattern for the tang, cut it out and glue it to the buttplate. The fuzzy photo below shows the pattern on the plate.
(https://i.imgur.com/lSiM6rv.jpg)
I then cut, grind, and file to shape. The Dubbs plate has a narrower flat bottom. I need a round bottom on the plate but I also want it about 3/8" taller from heel to toe and it needs to be a little wider near the bottom to transition to a curved bottom. The photo below shows where I welded steel (with Stuart's help) to add raw material for shaping. I added a 1/2" wide piece of mild steel at the bottom. When I do that, I butt the plate and additional steel together and tack them in place with my gas welder. Then I file a deep "V" groove along the seam on both sides and fill the groove with fillets of weld. Then I grind it flush.
(https://i.imgur.com/FMUqt40.jpg)
Next, I heated the plate red hot and flattened the crescent just a little. Then I heated the heel bright red and hammered the wrap around so the angle between the tang and butt plate face was a little less than 90o. Finally, I welded on the lug under the tang. Photo below compares my plate (left) with a Miroku Bess plate (middle), and one of the better commercial plates by Barbie Chambers (right). Note how much larger and more elegant my plate is.
(https://i.imgur.com/A3SeDXl.jpg)
The next 2 photos show my plate and Chambers plate side by side. Mine is 1/8" narrower than ideal but I can live with that.
(https://i.imgur.com/lyNea89.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ZlwjKsF.jpg)
I make a big deal about the height of the butt plate because the architecture of my gun demands it but also because of the big lock. Chambers round-faced lock is 6" long and almost 1" wide. By default it creates a large lock and side plate panels that need to be matched with a tall butt stock otherwise the lock area will look disproportionately large. You cannot make the gun I am building with any unmodified commercial butt plate in steel. There may be more alternatives if you choose brass.
More to come soon,
dave
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So your BP is closer to 5 3/8" now?
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Hi Mike,
It is just over 5 1/4". The Chambers plate is just under 4 3/4". The Miroku plate is a joke with respect to historical dimensions for a short land pattern Bess considering actual pattern 1769 and 1779 butt plates measure 5 3/16" from top to bottom. Unfortunately, neither Pedersoli or Miroku got the dimensions right, which is why the repro Bess just don't look right.
dave
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I didn't realize the Chambers plate was so short. I generally use a casting from an original Nock gun I own when I do brass. Goehring has a nice brass casting off a British Wild fowling gun I like to use as well, 5" + and a little over 2" wide. Of course if you're going with steel you use a Chambers or modify an English plate from TOTW, never considered using a modified Dubbs plate, very clever.
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Thanks, Dave. Looking forward to more!
I see on your plan drawing that there appears to be no cast off. Was cast a feature on any fowlers of this period?
Gregg
Hi Gregg,
My gun will 1/4" of cast off. Both my original fowlers are straight with no cast off but British makers would add it if required for the customer.
dave
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I love threads like this too, and this one is excellent so far. I was given a Minion - Kevin - by my Grandaughter Maddy. It never occurred to me to actually employ him - 'til now.
Dave, there was a gentleman looking for that standing breech from TOW, if you are interested in parting with it. I broke up the hook plug and standing breech to create the standing breech for my A. Verner build, and have the hooked plug available. between the two of us, we could set him up.
Keep this rolling...lots of fun!
Hi Taylor,
Thanks for the note. Unfortunately, that standing breech is shaped and installed on a barrel for a late English sporting rifle I am working on concurrently. It would not work with your hook anyway because I thinned the vertical plate to 3/16" to reduce its unnecessary mass. I contacted the gentleman to whom you refer. It is frustrating right now because so many cast steel parts are unavailable including replacement lock parts.
dave
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My Grandson left one of those minions here on his last visit. I texted my daughter to let him know I have it, she did and replied that he said its okay, I can play with it if I want to, Hah! Can't wait to see your gun evolve Dave, thanks. Lots of great show and tell going on around here lately!!!!
Robby
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Hi,
I haven't been able to get back to work in the shop until yesterday. The right standing breech is not readily available for this gun. None sold by TOW or any other similar supplier are the right shape, have the right sighting grooves, or have sufficient "hump" in the shape. I ordered some correct ones from TRS but that will take a while. I decided not to wait and just made one. I simply welded a tang at right angle to a flat steel plate. Grinding, filing and drilling did the rest.
(https://i.imgur.com/jvr4ahX.jpg)
The breech is modeled after the one on the original fowler show at the beginning of this thread. It is a real privilege to recreate a part that is 250 years old and clearly shows the little sophisticated details that aid function, form, and inletting. For example, the hole in the plate for the hook is narrower at the top tapering evenly on both sides to a wider bottom. The hook is shaped the same way and as it is seated into the breech, it slides in easily then snugs up into the taper so that when fully positioned, there is absolutely no play up and down or side to side.
(https://i.imgur.com/iFfXQkF.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Z7CwwCw.jpg)
I always make my hooks from the fitted breech plugs that come with my barrels. I just cut the tangs off and file the hook. The shape of the hook is very simple (examples of originals shown below) and not very deep. That allows the rear lock bolt to clear the back of the hook unlike on the deep "Thompson Center" style hooks found on most modern made hooked breeches.
(https://i.imgur.com/OyD1xFS.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/mjnnAIl.jpg)
The shape of the tang is the standard "shouldered point".
(https://i.imgur.com/eeHz2s1.jpg)
Before inletting the breech, I file quite a bit of draft on the edges so the tang is snugging into the inlet and does not risk chipping out wood when it has the be removed for more fitting. Another detail you see on the originals is that the shoulders of the point have filed undercuts (shown in the photo below) also so it is easier to inlet them tight against the wood. Also note the lug on the bottom for the cross pin anchoring the bottom of the breech into the stock.
(https://i.imgur.com/xuCVqW0.jpg)
Next, I will inlet the hook into the stock, then solder the standing breech to the barrel (you could use glue too), clean up all the bottom and side flats so they are flush with the barrel, and then inlet the breech.
Well, that will do for now. More to come.
dave
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Dave,
Very neat, clean job, especially on the weld! No joint visible. Was this an oxy-acetylene weld? Did you file the angled cut to receive the upper hook in the standing breech before you welded on the tang? Seems like filing this cut would be pretty tough with the tang in the way.
Gregg
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Great job on the breech and the hook Dave. I am glad you showed us the details of the tapered hook and corresponding hole in the breech. It is little details like those that demonstrate the genius of the old builders an the thought that went into doing thing better.
Curtis
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do you think you could use a thick angle iron for the breech?
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Dave,
Very neat, clean job, especially on the weld! No joint visible. Was this an oxy-acetylene weld? Did you file the angled cut to receive the upper hook in the standing breech before you welded on the tang? Seems like filing this cut would be pretty tough with the tang in the way.
Gregg
Thanks Gregg,
Yes, I cut the opening for the hook and rounded off the top edge of the opening where the hook fits first before welding on the tang. I use an Oxy-Acetylene torch with a #0 tip and mild steel rod. The trick is to first tack the pieces together with the torch then file a deep "V" groove along the joint and fill that groove with weld. That way the joint remains hidden even if you file down into it a little ways.
dave
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Great job on the breech and the hook Dave. I am glad you showed us the details of the tapered hook and corresponding hole in the breech. It is little details like those that demonstrate the genius of the old builders an the thought that went into doing thing better.
Curtis
Hi Curtis,
Thanks. That is what this thread is all about, showing some of those details.
dave
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do you think you could use a thick angle iron for the breech?
Hi Justin,
Yes you could used angle iron but it would have to be very thick and it is much easier to cut and shape the hole for the hook if the tang is not attached.
dave
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Very nice, very tidy and very right work, Dave.
Lovely job.
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A photo of the back of the standing breech without the hook in place would help folks understand the filing that is required for the hook to seat properly. And how this is best done prior to welding on the tang.
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Hi Folks and thanks for looking.
Taylor the standing breech is soldered on the barrel for now but here is a picture showing 2 original breeches on the left and you can see how the top edge of the socket is simply rounded over to match the hook. Nothing fancy.
dave
(https://i.imgur.com/M6a4kGW.jpg)
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I’d hate to have to saw and file that after forging the right angle bend.
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This actually requires chiseling if working from a single non-fabricated piece. I fashioned a chisel the right width and the process went pretty well.
Jim
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Hi,
The standing breech is inlet. Some folks seem intimidated by inletting standing breeches but they are not really very difficult. I first inlet the hook.
(https://i.imgur.com/HOs7OcR.jpg)
Then I solder the standing breech to the barrel and inlet it. I first cut the space for the face plate including the little mortice on the bottom for the cross pin lug. Then I can insert the breech and barrel straight down onto the stock and trace the tang with a sharp pencil. I then stab in the outline just on the inside edge of the pencil line. With sharp tools and a little patience, it goes pretty easily.
(https://i.imgur.com/QPYLPfk.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/rNxx5Ke.jpg)
Next up is the ramrod groove and hole.
dave
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That's nice work, Dave. How much of the "hump" did you file off if the standing breech? It's hard to tell from the pic.
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Hi Wayne,
I won't file off very much because I want a prominent hump for this gun. When I blend the wood and hump together it will have a very graceful look.
dave
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smartdog; whats the correct proceedure for inlaying the butt plate? did em for rifles no problem but the fancy comb is a little tricky.
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Hi Yip,
I will get to that fairly soon. You might want to look at Davec's current thread on his blunderbus.
dave
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Nice looking figure in that piece of wood. Is that Goby's "Presentation Grade" or something else?
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Hi,
I am sorry this is going slowly but I am dealing with some health issues that really slow me down. I had some flu-like illness that lasted almost 2 weeks and then I came down with shingles. It attacked my face, right ear, and inside my mouth. I am healing fast but I fatigue easily, am uncomfortable most of the time, and I am at risk of making stupid mistakes because I am just not up to par. Anyway, I am doing better and spent some time working on the fowler. I cut the ramrod groove and drilled the hole. On this gun, that required some preparation and accurate measuring because the ramrod groove and hole are not parallel with the bore of the barrel, rather it is parallel (approximately) with the bottom of the barrel. Therefore the web of wood between the barrel channel and the ramrod groove and hole is 5/64" at the muzzle and about the same at the breech. I used my router table to cut the groove so the bottom of the stock, which contacted the router table surface, had to be planed so the surface was parallel to the ramrod rather than the bore of the barrel. That required good drawn plans transferred to the stock. The groove and hole are 5/16" and I drilled the hole in the usual way with a brace and bit and long 5/16" ramrod drill. Careful planning and going slowly, checking multiple times, resulted in success. The result will be a very slim forestock the bottom of which, tapers from the end of the trigger guard to the muzzle in a very elegant fashion and copies the original fowler I am using as a model.
Next is inletting the barrel keys. I think this is a task that gives a lot of folk's heartburn. With the right technique, it is not hard to do. The first step is to inlet the barrel lugs into the stock. This was easy, however the thin web of wood between the barrel and ramrod will result in the bottom of the lug showing in the ramrod channel. That is how my original gun is made so I am not concerned. Some folks object but I would rather have a very slim fowler than worry about lugs showing in the ramrod channel.
(https://i.imgur.com/4r2ZhJp.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ZYC6NAu.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/K2WUL17.jpg)
The key slots must be accurately positioned so it is important that they are precisely marked on the sides of the stock. Prior to doing this task I make sure the sides and top of the barrel channel are squared up. Then I measure the diameter of the barrel at the location of a key, measure that distance down on both sides of the stock. Next, using the barrel bands, I mark lines on both sides of the stock showing the width of the slot. In the photo below the slot is cut but is shows the marking lines.
(https://i.imgur.com/zuZkIrQ.jpg)
Once marked, and checked, and rechecked, I punch 3 horizontal lined up holes into both sides of the stock that are a little under sized for the barrel key. Using my drill press, I drill those holes from both sides of the stock. I then use a chisel made from a flat needle file to cut wood away between the 3 holes. The file tip is shaped and sharpened like a skew chisel. You have to be gentle because the file is brittle but with a sharp edge, it will cut through the wood quickly. Once I break into the inlet for the barrel lug, I switch sides and do the same from the other side. Then to widen the slot, which is undersized, I use a piece of fret saw blade that has been broken off to a short length and the end ground to a point. It is placed in a handle used for X-Acto blades and oriented so it cuts on the pull stroke. I then use the saw to cut the slot wider.
(https://i.imgur.com/D83RftG.jpg)
Once cut to the correct width, I use the flat needle file chisel to clean up the slot a bit before burning in the final fit. I shape the end of a barrel key into a chisel point, hold it with pliers, and heat it with a mini torch. When it is a bit beyond blue, I insert it into the slot and allow it to burn its way into the stock. Don't wiggle it, just let it burn in. On British guns, barrel keys are inserted from the side opposite the lock. Always. I don't care if on some Hawken or American guns they are inserted from the lock side. On British guns the heads are on the side plate side. Burn the key through the stock from the direction they will be inserted. That will assure the slot opening on the lock side does not get burned wider than the key and any slop on the side of insertion is hidden under the head of the key.
(https://i.imgur.com/xmJmsKX.jpg)
If you are careful, a perfect barrel key slot is the result.
(https://i.imgur.com/KbrE9QB.jpg)
More to come.
dave
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Dave,
So sorry you have had such a hard time. I've never had shingles but have loved ones who have had them and I know it's not a cake walk.
I know everyone is very appreciative all the effort you have put into sharing this information.
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Shingles suck. Everyone over 50 should talk to their Doctor about getting a vaccination.
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IIRC form when my Mom got her vaccination, it was over $200.00, but still - small price to pay to dodge the misery of the blight.
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I had shingles in my early 30s. I was quite miserable for some time.
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Glad to see you're back in the shop, Dave. Hopefully, you'll continue to improve.
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hope you feel better. Gun is coming along well
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Thanks everyone for the healing thoughts. I am getting better but I still get really tired out fast. I'll have a spurt of energy and then it is "rubber legs" and I have to rest. I hope that passes soon. There is a brand new 2-dose vaccine for shingles that is to be given after you are 50. The older vaccine was much less effective with only about a 60% success rate for people my age. Enough about health stuff. Today, I intend to trim and start rough shaping the stock and start the lock inlay. I should have more posted this evening.
dave
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Looking forward to the rest of the build. Get well.
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Dave, I'm enjoying this thread very much and glad to hear you are feeling better.
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Great work on those draws, Dave. They can be a pain.... Hope you’re back to 100% soon.
Ed
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Hi good friends,
I had a good day at last. Boy did I need it. I trimmed extra wood from the stock but I really wanted to do something fun today, so I made the ramrod thimbles. The ALR site has at least one tutorial about making thimbles but I will add a method that is specifically suited to British fowling guns. When working with steel mounts, our selection of appropriate parts is very limited. The best ramrod thimbles commercially available for British guns are the cast steel English fowler thimbles sold by TOW and others. However, they only come in 3/8" diameter, which is too big for a really slim fowler and not consistent with the originals on which I am basing my build. I decided to make my own in 5/16" diameter but I wanted nicely styled thimbles with raised borders on the ends, like many originals. I used a method I learned from Kit Ravenshear many years ago. I like making thimbles and I am pretty good at it after all these years.
For this gun, I want the forward thimble to be a bit larger than the others to accommodate a substantial swell in the ramrod. The other thimbles are to be slightly larger than 5/16" but the forward thimble is to be 23/64". I want a fairly robust ramrod so it can hold up to loading tight patched round ball as well as bird shot. The original fowlers I own were clearly set up for bird shot and have very wimpy tapered rods. I designed a slight compromise to include a bigger rod but not lose any slimness of the gun. I use a little 3" x 2" steel plate I made years ago to form raised edges on thimbles and bend the tabs.
(https://i.imgur.com/sWgVDui.jpg)
I used 0.03" thick sheet of mild steel. The first step is calculating the width and length. The thimbles are just under 1.5" long so I needed to add a little extra length for the raised borders. I calculated width figuring they needed to be 5/16" (a little larger actually) and 23/64" and multiplying those dimensions by 3 and then adding 1/2" for 2 1/4" high tabs. I cut the sheet with shears and then squared the piece up.
My little forming plate has a 1/16" wide slot for bending the tabs and a 1/16" wide and 1/32" deep groove for forming the raised edges. I place the flat sheet steel on the plate and line up one end of the thimble with the groove, then punch it in with a cold chisel that has the sharp edge thinned and rounded over. It forms a nice little raised border. I repeat the process for the other end of the thimble
(https://i.imgur.com/oJLkfdQ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Y3gKIp5.jpg)
Then I grind off any excess metal beyond the raised border and proceed to bend the tabs.
(https://i.imgur.com/GEqFkWq.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Jv5artU.jpg)
When those are formed, I take a proper diameter drill or rod and hammer it down along the middle of the thimble to start forming the pipe. I go as far as I can before compressing the tabs in my vise around the mandrel. After forming the tube, I solder the tab together and clean up the ends as well as the tab. A very clean and attractive thimble that duplicates those on many British fowlers of the period is the result.
(https://i.imgur.com/B3h78Gk.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/78WjlwH.jpg)
Now for the rear ramrod thimble. I really like the cast steel thimble sold by TOW. It is historically accurate and attractive, but the 3/8" pipe is too large. Rather than try to swedge a sheet steel version, I decided to simply cut off the tang from the TOW thimble, reduce the collar to fir my smaller rear thimble, and solder it on. I made a sheet steel thimble a little longer than the others and then soldered on the tang for the cast thimble.
(https://i.imgur.com/AAJX4GH.jpg)
The result is perfect. Below is a collection of nice steel thimbles.
(https://i.imgur.com/Vnlatx7.jpg)
More to come,
dave
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Huge Thanks Dave.
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Very nice! I like the simple tool you made from the 3x2 steel plate, I have to make one of those. Also I like the idea you had of using the cast skirt for the entry pipe. Well done Dave!
Curtis
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I agree with Curtis, that's a slick idea!
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Really nice Dave, Thanks. Glad to hear your coming around.
Tim
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Mega Thanks, That little tool is a great idea. I`ll be making one ! Nate
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Thanks for all this, Dave! Glad you're feeling better!
Gregg
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Necessity is the mother of invention, it is said, and here it is at work. Wonderful ideas and simple. Nice job.
I see evidence of heat on your forming plate...wudzat?
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Nice tutorial! Mind sharing what grade of steel you used and where you sourced it from?
Thanks!!
Brian
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Hi,
Taylor, the heat colors come from welding the tab bending slot closed on one end. That way it won't bend outward under pressure from bending the tab. Melsdad, the metal sheet is just 1018 mild steel 0.03" thick from a local Vermont supplier (Capital Metals in Montpelier). You can get similar sheet online. Forming is difficult with sheet steel >0.03" but silver and brass work well with thicknesses greater than that.
dave
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A little bit thinner steel might help. I made some pipes like that with 0.024" (24 gauge) steel, and found it reasonably easy to work with. I annealed the sheet after one run through the forming of the raised edge, as it took me two passes though the die to get them completely formed. Annealing certainly improved things.
The entry pipe is giving me fits though. I'm using 0.060 (16 gauge) sheet and that stuff is stiff. I may end up following Dave's suggestion and use TOW pipes, but I haven't given up yet.
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Hi Jose,
Using the cast tang on the sheet steel rear thimble has several advantages. It is easy to do and the TOW cast tang has a nice historically accurate shape. Second, the tang is of heavier material, which makes it less springy and liable to be dimpled during inletting. A tang made of the same sheet I used on the thimbles would be very flimsy. The thimbles are quite strong especially with the raised edges but a tang from the same sheet would not be so good. Finally, the rear thimbles on both of my original fowlers were made with thicker tangs soldered on. If I was using brass or silver mounts, I would cast the tang in any shape I choose and then solder it on a sheet metal thimble, which is how the rear thimble on my silver mounted gun was made. The result would look better than a thimble made from one piece of sheet metal.
dave
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I will follow your advice Dave. Thanks.
Joe
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Hi,
I inlet the ramrod pipes today. When I drew my plans I discovered that with my short forearm and 42" barrel, the middle pipe would hit the middle barrel band unless one or the other was positioned far forward or rearward of even spacing relative to the other bands or pipes. Therefore, I decided to overlap the barrel lug and pipe, something I saw once on an original military musket. It was very simple. I just file away the middle of the tab on the pipe to clear the barrel lug and used 2 pins to hold the pipe.
(https://i.imgur.com/xl3HrNG.jpg)
The rear thimble went in nicely as did the other thimbles.
(https://i.imgur.com/IHZZsLr.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/iu8tfDR.jpg)
Well, here is where I am at. The stock is trimmed down, barrel and breech are in, and ramrod and pipes done. You can start to see how slim the gun will be.
(https://i.imgur.com/ZsMdq99.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/vNT0Wdu.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/0GReNsQ.jpg)
Next up is the lock plate and then the butt plate.
dave
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That's really shaping up nicely.
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It's looking very elegant already Dave.
Lovely job!
BTW,
This may interest you. Just posted today;
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/britishmilitariaforums/is-this-a-griffin-musket-t23010.html
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Hi,
Thanks for looking folks. Richard, the fowling gun in the link was by John Brazier 2. Brazier was a gunmaker not a barrel maker. It is a nice take down sporting gun from the 1750s -1760s or so.
dave
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Dave, when I made my Long Land Pattern Brown Bess, I used a system for attaching pipes and barrel through the same lug with just one pin. The barrel lugs have two tabs with a space between for the pipe tab. Another method would have been to offset the barrel lug to allow the pipe tab to mate alongside.
But I have done as you show here too. Loving this thread.
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Dave,
What I should have said, was the barrel is" Marked" John Brazier 2, not "By". My careless way of putting it!
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Hi Richard,
I was responding to one of the posts on the thread you linked to that suggested the barrel was by Brazier, which it certainly could be but he did make complete guns.
dave
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Hi,
I lnlet the lock plate. I'll get to the lock guts later after I do some stock shaping but I wanted the plate in for now. I don't intend to discuss all aspects of building a gun because most of the basics are covered in other tutorials. I will describe feature specific to British fowling guns. One of those features is that the rear lock bolt is rarely drilled through the plate. It is almost always threaded into a blind hole. Drilling and tapping blind holes are tricky. My drill press has a depth gauge so I can set the drill depth to just less than the bolster thickness. The forward bolt is drilled through and hidden behind the frizzen spring. For tapping I use starting and bottoming taps. I had to carefully mark the holes before drilling because the spacing between the holes must be about 3 1/4" – 3 5/16" to fit my cast silver side plate. Once the plate was marked and drilled, I had to drill through the stock and make sure the spacing of the holes matched my side plate. The forward lock bolt is easy, just put the plate in the stock and drill through the hole. However, you must make sure the drill is perpendicular to the stock. The sides of the stock are still square with the top and bottom, so I put the stock in my drill press vise and check levelness with a round bubble level. Once everything is set up, I drill the hole.
(https://i.imgur.com/CdshdY2.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/W8Y5MmN.jpg)
To mark the rear hole location on the wood, I made a small point that fits into the rear bolt hole on the plate. I place the plate in the mortice and tap it. The little point marks the hole. Then I level up the stock in the drill press and drill the hole.
(https://i.imgur.com/fJkC5pX.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/14WsI8F.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/zYmgExj.jpg)
I enlarge the holes in the stock with a clearance drill and then use a long starter tap to thread the holes in the plate using the stock holes as guides. The spacing came out just right for my side plate.
(https://i.imgur.com/Lj91Ssb.jpg)
For the blind hole, I just cut threads until I fell resistance growing, remove the plate and finish the threads with a bottoming tap. I am using large dome headed 8-32 bolts from TOW. The heads had a lot of excess for shaping. Here is the lock plate inlet with bolts installed. I've sketched in the potential "outer" boundaries of the lock panel. They will only get narrower from there.
dave
(https://i.imgur.com/rdMUZH9.jpg)
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Do you inlet the lock with the stock already brought down all the way to the final level? Also, why would they not drill and tap the rear lock bolt all the way through, but they would the front? Aesthetics?
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Hi Justin,
Good questions. Yes, I don't start inletting locks until the surface of the wood is almost down to the finished level. That way I don't have a lot of extra wood to remove during inletting, I can see the fit of the plate better with no shoulder of wood obscuring my view, and there is less risk that a deep shoulder of wood catches the metal while lifting the plate out and chips away. With respect to the rear lock bolt, I am pretty sure it was aesthetics. The forward bolt is hidden behind the feather spring and I suspect 18th century British makers were reluctant to have the rear bolt showing. Consider, they also used long sear springs on locks of this period so the sear spring screw was hidden behind the flint cock. Regardless of the reason, you rarely find a lock on a better quality British gun from this period with the rear bolt drilled through and that includes flat-faced locks. Both bolts were drilled through on muskets but not sporting guns. When I see a purported English fowler with wide flats around a round-faced lock and the rear bolt hole drilled through, I can be almost certain that it is a modern creation.
dave
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thanks for the info
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Very Nice Smarte Hund!
Runar
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smart dog; whats your plan on a trigger? do you plan on buying or are you going to make one, if your planning on making one please show process......yip
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Hi,
Before installing the butt plate, I wanted to do some stock shaping. I notice that quite a few builders install all the hardware on their guns while the stock is still squared up. I did that on the first 2 or 3 guns I built before I learned how easy it was to screw up the architecture of a gun by doing that. That is particularly the case with butt plates and trigger guards. In my opinion, never inlet a guard until the gun is ready for final finishing and do not inlet a butt plate until you have shaped the butt stock close to its final profile. This is particularly true for butt plates with long inlet tangs like on British fowlers. It is very difficult to alter angles and profiles once those butt plates are fully inlet. It is much easier to make sure all of that is well established before inletting. Certainly, good drawings are a must but they are 2 dimensional. As you shape and curve surfaces, you often find that 2-D profiles need adjustment because of the shadows and 3-D depth created as the stock is rounded into the appropriate contours.
Installing butt plates with long ornate tangs or returns is a challenge. Dave Rase posted a super tutorial on inletting a French style butt plate. He had the challenge of a tang that thinned and swelled such that it has to be inlet straight down. However, Dave had the advantage of the butt plate that was very straight so he could cut the stock off straight down and then inlet the plate downward. In my case, the return thins monotonically meaning each progressively smaller section is a smaller version of the previous wider section. That allows you to inlet down and forward without creating gaps. However, I had the added challenge that my plate has a slight crescent so I had to simultaneously fit the tang and face plate down and in. In this process I made my first blunder on this gun. I usually like to carve the stock into a dome that fits into the dome on the heel of the butt plate. I forgot about that and cut it off when trimming the wood to the profile of the plate. As such there will be a slight gap between the wood and dome where the upper screw goes. The steel butt plate is very rigid and strong so it won't matter, but if I was making a plate from silver I think I would want the wood supporting the butt plate fully from behind. Anyway, if this is the only mistake I make, I'll be happy.
I rough shaped the butt stock to get rid of a lot of excess wood before doing the butt plate. I also placed the plate against the stock and traced the profile of the crescent on the stock. I then filed the wood down close to that line using my pattern maker's rasp. With that done, the first task is to inlet the lug on the tang. As I inlet the plate, that lug is going to move forward so the inlet will have some extra space behind.
(https://i.imgur.com/VmLVPU7.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/DalszVI.jpg)
Then I determine where the shoulder at the top of the radius should be and cut that and the radius into the wood.
(https://i.imgur.com/CamzR6L.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Imn3h62.jpg)
Once I get the shoulder and radius cut, I trace around the tang and inlet it in stages. I essentially work forward from the shoulder until the entire tang is inlet. By trimming wood off the crescent close to my traced line, I usually do not have much fitting to do to move the butt plate forward for complete contact with the wood. This is when I use inletting black and go slow. Trimming or scraping away the sides and shoulders of the tang inlet is tricky but with care the plate moves forward nicely for a perfect fit. When you are really close, if you are inletting a brass butt plate, you can hammer the metal into the wood to close up small gaps. That is not easily done with the steel plate so I have to keep inletting until I get a perfect fit. After fitting the plate, I drilled it for the 2 screws. I will counter sink and file them flush later. The butt plate came out very well.
(https://i.imgur.com/GAcXQ0t.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/HZhmLvL.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/AKuVmSt.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/iqUQbTs.jpg)
More to come.
dave
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It looks like you do all the buttplate fitting with a rasp? I am never that accurate. I get it close with rasps, and do the rest with gouges and chisels.
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Hi Justin,
I use everything in my arsenal of tools that work but yes, on this butt plate most of the fitting of the face plate was done with a #49 Nicholson pattern maker's rasp. Except for the heel, the plate has little doming, which makes using the rasp easy and fast. It is often easier to rasp and file end grain than carve it. If I had left more wood under the heel instead of mistakenly cutting it off when I trimmed the end of stock on my band saw, that area would be carved more with chisels. The radius and tang are inlet with chisels.
dave
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Lovely work as usual Dave.
Do I note a shade of cast off at the toe?
All very well done!
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Very helpful. What’s new to me is creating that radius and step in your initial sawing of the buttstock. I’m not sure how to describe it. But it’s the prep for the corner transition. I’ve never incorporated a step. Want to try that.
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Hi,
Richard, there is 3/16" of cast off.
I did some shaping of the butt stock and lock area. British fowling guns had well defined baluster wrists during most of the 18th century. The round wrist extends well into the butt. I shape them by using a Gunline round barrel bedding float after I've removed a lot of excess wood off the stock. The float scrapes a nice radius at the intersection of the comb and wrist. Then I use my pattern maker's rasp to blend in the groove.
(https://i.imgur.com/EeFEuv4.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/7cEEgTc.jpg)
I won't shape things to final dimensions yet. The wrist will eventually be thinner and more defined as will the rest of the butt. I prefer to work the stock in different areas simultaneously so I can see the final shape start to evolve slowly. That way I can make adjustments as I progress to improve the architecture and fit of the stock.
(https://i.imgur.com/A9TuRFk.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Yhf5SDK.jpg)
A feature of lock area of these guns is that they tend to have a high "crown" above the lock but not much wood below the lock such that the bottom is not domed very much.
(https://i.imgur.com/8wknzX7.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/LdFQzdN.jpg)
You can begin to see how graceful the stock will be.
More to come.
dave
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That sure is a nice stick of English walnut...continental or California? I used to have a source that was an arborist in the California walnut groves...he had some spectacular blanks nearly all the time (but mostly for shotguns and bolt rifles). I’ll have to ring him up and ask about something longer.
Greg
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Dave, I sure am enjoying this build. Thankks again for sharing your great talents with us.
Bob
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It's really taking shape well. A quick search on Brownell's site shows three sizes of the same tool you've pictured. Which one do you favor for this work?
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Really like watching the progress, you have a Great eye Dave.
Tim
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I sure enjoy seeing your shaping work. You make it look easy. That is going to be a lovely gun when done. God made some nice grain in that piece of wood too. Best wishes, Marc
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Dave, She`s shaping up nicely. Can`t wait to see finish on that figure!! Nice Work!!! Nate
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Can`t wait to see finish on that figure!! Nice Work!!! Nate
I can wait...I'm enjoying seeing the process and progress.
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Hi,
Thanks for looking folks. I am feeling better and getting back on a roll I should be posting topics in a more timely fashion.
Yip, I will use a cast trigger sold by TOW (TR-Fowl-MH-T). This is the best plain trigger sold commercially you can use for a British fowler. However, on 2 occasions, I forged exact copies of that trigger (the one on my English rifle for example) because the cast steel ones were back ordered for months. That seems to be a common occurrence these days for cast steel parts. When they were available I bought 5 to keep in stock. The trigger plate sold in association with the trigger is the right shape but too short. I make my own trigger plates.
Wayne, I have 5/8" and 3/4" diameter bedding floats. Either one will work for shaping the baluster wrist. Keep in mind, on sporting guns the crease was a radius but on Brown Besses it was a sharp corner.
Greg, the wood is from Goby Walnut in Portland Oregon. I am a fan of their company and if you look at their internet gallery of work, you will see a dueling pistol I made. I do not know the origin of the English walnut but it is dense and hard. It is the finest wood for stocks I have ever used.
Thanks again to everyone who commented and looked at this thread.
dave
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is there a big difference in the look of English and black walnut? English walnut if awfully spendy
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is there a big difference in the look of English and black walnut? English walnut if awfully spendy
The English walnut that I've seen on older guns has had a more red tent, while the American has usually been more of a chocolate color. I'm sure there are plenty of exceptions to this.
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Hi Justin,
There are huge differences between the two species of walnut; however, within a species, the growing conditions create a lot of variation such that you can find very dense hard black walnut blanks and English walnut blanks that are weaker and softer. Nonetheless, in general, English walnut (Juglans regia) is harder and denser than American black walnut (Juglans nigra), has warmer colors, and cuts more cleanly without as much tearing or chipping. English walnut is also called European, French, Bastogne, Circassian, Persian, and Turkish walnut all of which are just regional varieties. There is also California or Claro walnut (Juglans hindsii), the lumber from which may be J. hindsii or English walnut grafted to Claro root stock. It can be very beautiful and usually falls somewhere between English and black walnut for workability and strength. If you are making a British sporting or military gun, the most appropriate wood is English walnut. Yes, wood was imported from America, yes there was a short-lived fashion for using figured maple, yes there are rare examples of other woods but if you examined 100 original British guns from the 18th century probably >95 would be stocked in English walnut. Having written all of that, I understand completely the challenge of finding English walnut blanks long enough for full stocked fowling or military guns and their high cost. When I get to finishing this gun I will explain how to make black walnut look like English.
dave
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One option for good wood a little too short is make the stock divided at the fore-end. You know this Dave, but just throwing it out there.
More work, yes, but it Can work.
Lovely job Mr. Dave!
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thanks Dave. I always learn something here.
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Thanks for the note , Richard. A take-down stock like my silver mounted gun by Heylin is also an option.
dave
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Hi,
The lock is fully inlet. I really like Chambers round-faced and early Ketland locks (they have the same internals) because they are easy to inlet. There are not a lot of parts at different layers of depth. A good mortice with as little wood removed as necessary will show the bridle and screw heads in the bridle, the sear hole, and the mainspring outline. The mainspring is deepest at its bend and gets a little shallower toward the tumbler. The sear spring also is inlet deepest at the bend. If you tilt the lock to lower the tail a smidge as I did, you will just break into the barrel channel with the mainspring or have an onion skin thickness of wood left. You can grind the mainspring thinner (it has plenty of extra strength) or just not worry about it as many British makers did.
(https://i.imgur.com/MImptGS.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/WdP45te.jpg)
The photos below show lock mortices for two original 1760s London-made fowlers. I think I did OK.
(https://i.imgur.com/XHBcqbW.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/cVQdNMc.jpg)
Permit me to make a little plug here. The Chambers round-faced English and early Ketland locks are superb. They are equal to any original locks made during the period they represent. My little English rifle with a Chambers round-faced English lock has now fired more than 550 rounds without a hang fire or misfire, even when the flints were worn to nubs, shooting occurred during high humidity, and with normal routine maintenance while shooting (wiping the flint, pan, and frizzen, and picking the vent). I believe the key is they make a long hard scrape on the tall frizzen face, which grinds its way through fouling and dull flints. It then deposits those incendiary shards right into the pan.
Next up is the trigger. I am using a cast steel trigger from TOW (#TR-Fowl-MH-T). Forget the trigger plate associated with it because it is too short, but the trigger is a superb and historically accurate design. I forged a copy of that trigger for my English rifle because they were back ordered. When they became available again, I purchased a bunch to have in stock. Note it is pinned very high giving good leverage. I install it so it is angled backward in a graceful sweep within the trigger guard. Triggers on most British guns of the period were installed right of center. That moved the trigger bar closer to the lock plate, reducing any spongy feeling in the trigger pull and helped make sure the trigger finger cleared the stock. I marked the location of the trigger to the right of center and then drilled a series of holes the width and depth of the trigger bar. After the holes are drilled, I use my Dremel tool with a small router bit to cut the slot between the holes. It takes about 10 minutes. I won't pin the trigger until I have made and inlet the trigger plate. That comes tomorrow.
dave
(https://i.imgur.com/i1dGC3n.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/8klfgst.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/fMSC1ly.jpg)
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Dave,
Thank you very much for the plug on our locks. We try to build as much precision and quality into them as is possible while holding the price as low as possible. We have looked into reproducing some of the later really high quality English locks, but to build one of them up to the English standards, we'd have to charge at least four or five hundred per lock. There's just not enough of a market to pay for all the tooling.
You're doing a credible job on the English fowler. I have built a couple of them, and had I not had an original here to study, I would have missed the architecture by a mile. They are so much more sophisticated than American work. My original was made by William Bennett and is dated 1762.
Jim Chambers
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Hi Jim,
Thank you for the note and also thank you and Barbie for your locks and other products. I understand the tight economics of making traditional muzzleloading components. Your round-faced English and early Ketland locks really do match the originals of the period to the point where I can almost substitute your round-faced lock for the original lock on one of the fowlers that I own. The photos below show a comparison with your lock on top and the original in the middle.
(https://i.imgur.com/dg9Sm5u.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/4CXnXxh.jpg)
Thanks again for commenting.
dave
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Lovely lock inletting, Dave!
Compared to the original London inlets, I'd say you "did okay" too. It looks like the masters of the shops put their recently hired apprentice beavers to work on those inlets. Sort of amazing how meticulous the final visible shaping and finishing on these pieces is, and how crude the hidden work was allowed.
Gregg
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Lovely lock inletting, Dave!
Compared to the original London inlets, I'd say you "did okay" too. It looks like the masters of the shops put their recently hired apprentice beavers to work on those inlets. Sort of amazing how meticulous the final visible shaping and finishing on these pieces is, and how crude the hidden work was allowed.
Gregg
I was always curious at how much effort was put in inletting lock internals and the barrel channel where it isn't seen. I wouldn't expect frontier gun builders to spend much time on it, because it doesn't really matter as far as function. I would expect English guns to have nice lock inlets, especially on one of the late half stock fowlers that is stored in the case with the lock removed.
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Hi Justin and Gregg,
The British makers needed to make money too and time is money. Keep in mind, the upper photo of an original is the Heylin gun, which was top end in the 1760s. However, British fashions and practices changed over time just like in America, and when high-end guns were cased with the locks removed, perfect lock mortices became the fashion. That also became more important when fashion changed to one lock bolt. On a flint gun, to assure the pan is tight against the barrel with one lock bolt, the inletting has to be very good.
dave
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smart dog,
I have been watching this project from the beginning . I was going to wait until the gun was finished to make a comment, but I can't wait any longer. What a great project, and the craftsmanship is beyond words. To your credit, you are certainly not taking the easy way out on some of this. You certainly are getting a lot of compliments and you deserve every one of them. I am looking forward to handling this gun when it is finished.
DAVID PRICE
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Hi David P. and friends,
Thank you all. Your compliments, Dave, are really appreciated and I hope to deserve them all the way to the end of this project. I do want to say that I am not doing this for a pat on the back. I observe the kinds of questions, issues, and guns shared on this site and occasionally identify a topic that seems to need addressing. British style guns are very popular with our membership but I don't think anyone extensively discussed the details and nuances of those great firearms. Certainly, folks have posted and discussed great original and contemporary-made British guns but never as a comprehensive essay on some period of British gun making like we often have for long rifles. Clearly, British style is popular and considering the number of views of this thread, I think I am addressing a need. These are not easy guns to make and as Jim Chambers said, they are much more sophisticated than American production in the 18th century. I will muddle along and I am grateful for your interest and I do enjoy the challenge. Hopefully, I won't screw it up.
dave
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Hi,
The trigger plate is made and trigger installed. The plate is about 3 3/4" long, 13/32" wide at the front and just under 5/16" at the rear. It is made from 3/16" thick mild steel. Originals usually had a round boss at the front that the tang bolt screwed into but the steel plate is sufficiently thick to have plenty of threads for the bolt. Also, the tang bolt of a standing breech is rarely unscrewed so wear is not an issue.
(https://i.imgur.com/ONgS1wv.jpg)
The trigger I am using does not require a large slot in the plate so the trigger assembly looks very tidy and professional. The plate is inlet below the surface of the wood so the front of the trigger guard bow that rests on it can be inlet into the stock and so the rear extension of the guard can conceal the rear of the trigger plate. When the guard is fitted, the middle lug on the guard will fit into a slot in the trigger plate behind the trigger. It will either be pinned through the stock or the lug will be shaped into a hook that hooks on the trigger plate to hold the guard in place. There will be a counter sunk hole at rear of the trigger plate to catch the head of the bolt that goes through the wrist and screws into a boss on the back of the silver wrist escutcheon plate.
(https://i.imgur.com/spXN3nb.jpg)
I drilled the tang bolt through the standing breech, stock, and trigger plate. I am using an 8-32 tang oval head bolt from TOW. I counter bored the hole in the tang so there is a vertical shoulder in the hole that the screw fits down into rather just an angled depression created by a counter sink. I did that by drilling a hole partly through the tang using a drill the diameter of the bolt head, then inserted a smaller counter sink into the hole to cut the angle on the bottom to match the angle under the bolt head. The head of the bolt was slightly oversized so I turned it down on the lathe to the right size, which gave it a little shoulder matching the shoulder in the counter bored hole. The originals were done similar to this and it allows you a lot of flexibility to file and shape the head of the bolt to match the tang.
(https://i.imgur.com/YMHMiId.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/NT2NEIM.jpg)
Next after installing the bolt and tightening it down, I pinned the trigger. I used a 5/64" drill for the same diameter spring steel pin. The trigger is pinned very high and hangs gracefully below the stock. It is a really nice complement to the gracefulness of the stock. I included photos showing the state of the butt stock and with one side wet to show the figure.
(https://i.imgur.com/Uz8dqmH.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Pij049m.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/NdZ21dF.jpg)
Next up, trimming the fore stock to final dimensions, shaping the lock panels, and then making the silver side plate and wrist escutcheon.
dave
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Stunning piece of English
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It is going to be a very bonny gun, Dave!
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Nice. Very nice.
Bob
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What a gun!
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I second the stunning comment. Great thread to follow.
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Hi Friends,
Thanks for your interest and comments in this thread. Please do not hesitate to offer suggestions and information that may help my process and others, particularly if you are familiar with these British guns. If I miss something or you can shed light on period variations employed by British makers, please contribute to the discussion. I want this to be a learning opportunity for all of us. I had a good day getting wood off the fore stock. In my previous post I should have written "trimming the fore stock to almost the final dimensions". The stock will ultimately be very thin and I want to leave some excess on it until I am almost ready for finish so that I don't risk damaging the fragile wood in the process. Based on the original fowlers I own, I devised this procedure for shaping the forestock. First, I mark a line not quite half way down the stock from the edge of the barrel wall. That marks the thickest point of the fore stock.
(https://i.imgur.com/2MmWJ1m.jpg)
Then using an old Stanley low angle smoothing plane that was my great grandfather's, I plane a facet in the stock along the top of the barrel channel and down to that line. Then I do the same for the lower section down to the ramrod groove. Next, I plane off the peak of the angle.
(https://i.imgur.com/2PAkCWw.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/kuDn9QY.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/YCrbubK.jpg)
Then I use my pattern maker's rasp and a coarse file to round the fore stock. Finally, I use a flat scraper to smooth the surface. The walls of the ramrod channel taper toward the muzzle such that about 3/4s of the forward ramrod pipe is exposed, 2/3s of the middle pipe is exposed, and 1/2 of the rear pipe in exposed above the ramrod channel. This gives the fore stock an incredibly slim profile. I also shaved down the wood at the rear ramrod pipe, which require a bit more shaping, and I rounded the fore stock rear of the last pipe.
(https://i.imgur.com/quODQ2i.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/SpLjPP7.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/MohfKB6.jpg)
The photos below show how slim the fore stock is getting. It will be slimmer when finished.
(https://i.imgur.com/TOFSqR6.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/qTj6DYx.jpg)
Next up is shaping the lock panels but only partially. I have to make the side plate before I finalize the shape of the lock panels.
More to come,
dave
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Very clear instructions on shaping the forestock, Dave. Also I must mention I imagine your Great Grandfather would be proud to know you are taking care of and using his plane in the manner of a true craftsman!
Curtis
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Hi,
It is nice to finally get to the really fun stuff. I am copying the side plate I put on my English rifle. I cannot cast the intricate plate in one pour using my Delft clay casting system so I opted to cast my original in 3 parts (like I did the original) and solder the pieces together. The plate is heavily inspired by the work of James Freeman, a great London maker during the first half of the 18th century. You can see the plate that inspired me on plate 523 in Neal and Back's "Great British Gunmakers 1740-1790". It is my own design created to fit the spaces I required on my guns. I really wanted to incorporate a weeping heart motif and the first letter of my last name in the negative spaces surrounding the silver. The plate is cast in fine silver, not sterling, which means it will not tarnish as quickly because of the lower copper content. My purpose at this point is to construct the side plate and screw it to the stock so I can see the flat area that I must preserve when I am shaping the lock panels. The first photo shows the rough cast pieces on the stock. The second shows them assembled with the lock bolts in place.
(https://i.imgur.com/PkUbTBU.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/GDPyAOE.jpg)
Notice that as assembled, the main volute forward of the rear lock bolt and the leaves curling back from the forward lock bolt are very high up in the flat space. That makes shaping the lock panel along the barrel and around the standing breech somewhat awkward. To resolve that, I made a small silver insert that extended the connection between the forward and middle sections of the side plate allowing me to lower the volute and curled leaves. That gives me more options for shaping the lock panels. Once I had everything oriented as I wanted, I simply soldered the pieces together with low temperature Hi-Force 44 solder which is silver bearing. It came out well. I have blobs of solder to clean up and then I clean up and polish the plate using die sinker's chisels, gravers, and stones. That will come later and I will document my process. For now, I have the plate attached and can mark the borders of the flat panel for the side plate.
(https://i.imgur.com/ZluKFh6.jpg)
This is what it will look like when finished.
(https://i.imgur.com/DVuejXn.jpg)
I intend to copy the wrist plate from my Heylin gun. The sterling silver plate was made by Jonathan King, one of the greatest London silversmiths catering to the gun trade. I will cast it using the Delft clay system and then chisel the details and polish it. I will share that process with you for better or worse.
More to come,
dave
(https://i.imgur.com/2uYXUhF.jpg)
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David,
Magnificent work.....as usual. And I noted your comment about fine silver vs sterling and the fact that fine silver doesn't not tarnish as quickly. I thought I would mention that if you want to use a silver that never tarnishes at all, cast your parts out of beryllium silver. A nearly fine silver alloy of 99.1 to 99.6% silver alloyed with 0.9 to 0.4% beryllium will not be subject to any oxidation especially by the sulfur that results in the black silver sulfide tarnish that afflicts all other silver alloys.
Just one of the many tidbits of almost completely useless knowledge I have acquired along life's path... :o
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Lovely work Dave, and yes, the sideplate does look better with your alteration.
Are you using a fillet in the trigger-guard? (like on your other fine gun show)
Before you started this build, I had one I thought I'd get 'fairly' right. Now I need to hide it! LOL.
I started it in Ron Ehlert's class, in 2003. Put my effort into copying the (Griffin) buttstock, and never got at the fore-end, so I missed quite a lot.
Thanks again for this thread.
R.
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Hi,
Thanks for the notes Dave and Richard. Dave, that is great info on silver alloys. I've used Argentium silver, which strongly resists tarnishing but does eventually. Do you have a supplier of the beryllium alloy? You know, Dave, I always believed never trust anyone who has a clean desk or an uncluttered "black and white" mind.
dave
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Hi,
I did quite of bit of shaping around the lock panels and butt stock today. Everything is getting closer to the final dimensions. On most British guns of this period, the lock panels are usually parallel rather than flaring out toward the read following the taper of the barrel. Mine have a slight flare but almost unnoticeable. The stock at the breech should be tapered or rounded down to meet the standing breech and barrel with no abrupt step. On this gun, I wanted the side plate panel to swoop down along the barrel channel in a continuous line with no step. Notice that the bottom is very slightly domed. There is more shaping to come and a fair amount of wood to still remove. Next up is the trigger guard.
dave
(https://i.imgur.com/i3gwLX2.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/bQEJ5za.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Fkxl2Fp.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/j9yyIyR.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/4DMByyQ.jpg)
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Ooooooooweeee! I'm likin' this!
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Dave,
One word....AMAZING, as usual.
Ok that's 3 words.
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Hi,
Thanks for looking folks and taking interest. I appreciate the comments very much. Well, I started on the trigger guard. The only steel guard readily available that is appropriate for a British gun of this period is the "urn" guard sold by a suppliers like TOW and MBS as well as a version by Barbie Chambers. It has a small oval bow, which is a nice size when reworked. Honestly, I hate most steel cast hardware that we have available today. The castings from Chambers are routinely good quality but the others are hit or miss and they often seem to be slightly hard when you get them. I routinely anneal cast steel components in my heat treating oven before working on them. I purchased my guard from MBS and it was barely acceptable. That is not a reflection on MBS because the same guard can be bought from TOW with the same results. It had rounded edges, several kinks in the extensions and the rear extension was curved to the right. Fortunately, all of those problems can be fixed. A welder is almost a miracle tool. I originally thought about cutting off the urn finial and replacing it with something different but decided to keep it instead. The first step was to remove the sprue and clean up the lugs. The forward lug is too close to the bow for my trigger plate configuration so I cut off the lug and welded a replacement further forward. On the underside of the front extension of the guard is a triangular rib that is the result of a channel used to allow steel to flow into the mold. I use that rib to my advantage by cutting a dove tailed slot in it, like for a sight, and then cut matching dovetails in a tab of mild steel to be used as the lug. I tap the lug into the dove tail, which holds it tightly and then tack it with my welder. Then I add fillets of weld on either side at the base providing very strong attachment. Next, I have to change the shape of the bow. On the stock piece it is oval. This makes the clearance under the guard really small, the shape is not similar to many originals, and it is ugly on my gun. The bow needs to be given an egg shape with the wide end forward of the trigger. This gives a lot of clearance for the trigger finger and also looks more historically correct and much more elegant. It also makes the bow look bigger than it really is. To make the change, I heated the front of the bow bright orange with my welder and pulled the bow forward and up so the front stands taller. I let it cool completely so the intrinsic rigidness of the heated metal returns, and then heat the rear of the bow with the torch and pull it back and straighter. That creates the egg shape. The next step was to fit the guard to my trigger plate. I wanted to use a design based on my Heylin fowler in which the middle lug is hooked on the trigger plate rather than pinned. This creates a really neat and strong system in which the guard is anchored by the trigger plate, which in turn is anchored in front by the tang bolt and the bolt in the rear going through the wrist into the wrist escutcheon plate. However, with a modern cast steel trigger guard, accomplishing this objective was a pain. It would be much easier with brass or silver. Anyway, I cut a notch in the middle guard lug so it could hook on the trigger plate and cut a slot in that plate. I had to bend all of the components to each other and to the stock, which is why everything is colored blue from heating. It all worked out well and I will post photos of the completed inlet tomorrow.
dave
(https://i.imgur.com/Lo0IcKU.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/joL6Rc7.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/7EoNPba.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/NNoV3Jy.jpg)
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Hi Folks,
Thanks again for your interest. The trigger guard is in place. Cast steel fowler type guards are a pain because the steel is much springier than brass, even after annealing. This one required heating, bending, and then fitting at least 10 times beyond modifying the bow. One trick is to thin the rear extension a lot to make it more malleable. It has a high dome that does not blend well with the shape of baluster wrist so a lot of metal can be removed to flatten it somewhat. The front finial can be left alone but needs to be cleaned up and the edges trued. I filed draft on all the edges before inletting. The first step is making the slots for the lugs. I like my forward lug to be high so the cross pin is concealed within the lock mortice. I inlet the front lug first and allow some slop in the slot fore and aft to allow me to move the guard forward and backward to hook the middle lug in the trigger plate. Next I mark and inlet the middle lug with a little forward and aft movement, and then the rear lug with the same extra space. Next I inlet the forward finial and then the guard at the middle hook lug. I inlet the guard back toward the rear almost all the way but short of the shoulder and leave the end beyond the shoulder to be inlet later as I fit the guard into the mortice. I put the trigger plate in place and make sure the middle lug can hook on it with the front of the guard in place. Once the lug is hooked, I work back to inlet the rear of the guard. It is really important, whether you use a hook like I am or all pinned lugs to inlet backward as the guard is installed. Inevitably, as you push it down into the mortice, the rear extension moves forward. If you already outlined and inlet the end, you will have a gap created. Always work backward and save inletting the end of the guard for last. The photos below show the guard installed with the trigger and trigger plate. It is a nice tidy arrangement with the front extension and rear bow snugged down nicely against the trigger plate. The front finial inlet well and so did the rear extension, although my camera's auto focus concentrated on my great-great-grandfather's chisel rather than the gun. Tomorrow, I begin inletting the side plate.
dave
(https://i.imgur.com/9HdtfWu.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/LXhS4qd.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/WziFHJy.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/xAUr5Sy.jpg)
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Hey Dave. What do you use to inlet the tabs to depth? A really long, thin chisel? That sideplate looks like it will be quite the challenge. I would like to see what tools you use to inlet it. Thanks for sharing your project.
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smartdog; your project is great i enjoy watching the progress' i'm at the point of inletting the butt plate on mine, i've done butt plates on rifles with no problem but this butt plate got me a little stymed, just how difficult is it compared to the rifles?
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Hi Justin,
The slots for the lugs (tabs) are easy. I just use a drill the diameter of which is the same as the thickness of the lug. I mark the right depth on the drill with tape, then drill 3 or 4 holes in a line. I used to then just use a flat 1/4" chisel to cut down the sides of the slot breaking the webs of wood between the holes. Then I have 1/16" and 1/8" flat chisels that I would use to clean up the slots. Now, I drill the holes, insert a 1/16" router bit in my Dremel and cut away the wood between holes. The router cleans up the sides as well. Each slot only takes about 2-3 minutes that way. I have a set of very small chisels for the side plate but the main trick is that I employ tiny fairies to do the work.
dave
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Hi Yip,
Dave Rase had a nice thread on ALR showing him inletting a French butt plate. I also showed inletting mine earlier in this thread. The are harder than butt plates on most long rifles. You have to inlet down and in simultaneously as well as wrapping around a radius at the heel. Steel butt plates are the most difficult because they are much more difficult to peen against the wood to close small gaps as you get close to the final fit. The steel plates have to be inlet and fitted all the way to a perfect fit.
dave
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Dave,
First thank you for this build along, it's very educational. I'm thinking I want to build a Fowler like this, but I'm not a fancy gun guy. I'm thinking more common export type Fowler from the 1750s sent here during the F&I war. So although what I want to build might be different, is it safe to say the architecture of the stock would be similar? I'd do pins and lugs for the barrel, not the loops you created for this. Brass furniture, wood grade won't be as fancy. It would be a focus on architecture for me. Thanks again,
Greg
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Hi Greg,
Click on the link below. The first gun I show is a good example of an export grade fowler from the 1760s that likely spent most of its working life in America. Use a standing breech and barrel keys not pins if you want to be correct for that time period and a higher quality gun than some cheap trade gun.
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=47297.0
dave
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Not only is this a Great Thread it is also exciting. I find myself looking forward to the next installment like I used to with the Saturday Cinema Serial... To be continued.
Tim
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Dave,
I was thinking of the fowling gun on page 53 of
"All Sorts of Provincials". Made by Richard Wilson 's. 1750-1770. When I hear trade gun, I'm thinking type G. Is that fowler considered export grade, or a trade gun? Thanks for the help and understanding,
Greg
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Hi Greg,
There were all kinds of trade guns and export guns available. I don't pay much attention to "type" designations. American colonists imported all manner of guns from Britain. The fowler I show in that thread is a better grade than the cheaper grades of trade guns but it was likely well within the means of many American colonists. In many cases imported guns were cheaper than home-grown versions. The fowler you mention in Jim Mullins book is a relatively cheap grade of gun. The lock does not have a pan bridle and by that time most good-quality guns had bridled pans. Read my discussion of locks in this thread:
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=47308.0
The use of pins as well as lack of a standing breech also indicate an inexpensively made gun. Don't get me wrong, Greg, I am sure plenty of those grades of guns were imported and used by colonists but so were better quality guns.
dave
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I am also looking forward to the next installment. I am also selling off some of my longbows to fund a project like this.
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Hi,
Before inletting the side plate, I need to cut, sculpt, and clean it up a bit. I want to make sure the outline is what I want and that may be changed during the clean up, chiseling, and polishing process. So those tasks come first. I cleaned up the edges of the plate using files and my jeweler's saw. Then I glued the plate to a piece of pine with white wood glue and also 2 wood screws.
(https://i.imgur.com/G3KrFbe.jpg)
Next, I cut in details in the castings using my die sinker's chisels and a chasing hammer. That cuts away much excess metal quickly and sharpens up details.
(https://i.imgur.com/rUykZPc.jpg)
Then I use rifler files to smooth and shape the cast surface, and then grinding stones (stones and diamond bits) for Dremel tools but mounted in a needle file hand piece to file, smooth, and shape the silver.
(https://i.imgur.com/R5E8fGp.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/X9VA10Y.jpg)
Just a quick mention, I am doing the work on this gun that would employ at least 4 different trades during 18th century London. A gunmaker would engage the services of a gold or silversmith like John King or Jeremiah Ashley to make the side plate and wrist escutcheon. However, I am doing that and I flatter myself that my end product would be acceptable to those great artists.
More to come.
dave
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Nice work Dave. This is a great thread. I always have to go back for reminders!!
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I think it goes without saying, but they should save this to tutorials after the build.
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Dave,
Great idea on the dremel bits in the needle file handle! Never thought of that.
Gunmakers must have ordered buckets of sideplates and such from the men you mention. It would probably keep some employees going full time.
Richard.
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Plus one on the addition to the tutorial section!
Greg
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Does the side plate get a high polish as the final finish?
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Hi Wayne,
Yes, a high polish.
dave
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Hi,
A little more about sculpting and polishing the side plate. I am adding these details because I don't think we have posted much on this process on this site. Before gluing the plate to the wood, I trimmed the edges with my jeweler's saw and needle files. I will still do more of this after polishing because during that process, I can see where a little trimming on the edges will improve the final product. I use a Knew Concept jeweler's saw with Rio Grande gold series blades. The combination is the best I ever used. I also use a simple "bird's beak made of wood to brace the side plate against while cutting and filing. I usually just hold the work down with my fingers but occasionally use spring clamps or padded clamps to hold it in place.
(https://i.imgur.com/VeFnC3r.jpg)
If you have only worked with brass, you will find silver to be a dream. Its only disadvantage is that it will clog files and stones so they need to be carded periodically. Another group of tools I want to mention are scrapers. Scrapers and gravers (or die sinkers chisels) make it easy to create and preserve sharp, crisp edges. I make my scrapers from old dental tools and wax carving tools. My 2 favorites are the pointed scraper on which both edges are sharpened and the round scraper. I sharpen the tools on my diamond stones used for gravers. The pointed scraper gets into tight corners and details very well. The round scraper is great for the insides of leaves and volutes. I use the scrapers to smooth the textured surface caused by the casting process where I have not already done that with my die sinker's chisels and then after polishing, I use them to sharpen edges that may have gotten rounded over or blunted during polishing.
(https://i.imgur.com/gEbfawW.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/BrBcqZW.jpg)
With respect to polishing, my "go to" tools stones lubricated with mineral oil and then hardwood pencil sticks dipped in mineral oil and then pumice stone. The slurry of oil and pumice cuts brass, silver, and gold very fast. I have a range of flat, blunt rounded, and narrow sharp rounded sticks that work for wide flat and rounded surfaces and small details. After the pumice, I switch to rotten stone.
(https://i.imgur.com/Gwmz1pn.jpg)
I should be done with polishing tomorrow and then start inletting the plate.
dave
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Very informative post, Dave.
Thank you!
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Smart dog; you've done an excelent job on this fowler, it been a while since i 've got a minute to respond to your reply ,thanks for it,i'm gonna try your way to install the butt plate i'm a little intimadated though, wish me luck
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Hi,
Another short post. The side plate is polished but still needs to be engraved and some edges and lines smoothed and cleaned up. I can do all of that while finish is drying on the stock so there is no sense in wasting time now. The edges of the plate are trued and that is what is important right now. The first step in inletting is to turn the lock bolts down to their final diameter so they can anchor the side plate to the stock in its correct position. I simply mount them in a drill chuck fitted to my wood lathe and turn them down with a file. Then I mount the plate on the stock with the lock bolts.
(https://i.imgur.com/OvSMTFp.jpg)
Outlining a complex and intricate inlay is a challenge. I use a special inletting knife that I ground to shape from a good quality chip carving knife. I ground the blade to a very small skew tip. This point of the tip allows me to stab in a mark in the smallest and narrowest feature of the side plate. I can stab in a series of small marks to outline a small feature or angle the knife over onto the skew blade to cut a longer straight line. In addition, I can use the knife to slice the outline of a long straight or curved section. It gives me all those options. My requirement here is to just trace a light but clear outline. I will go back and stab that outline in deeper with a mini chisel (which I will show later) but I need an accurate traced incised line to guide the mini chisel. I use a firm but light touch to create the outline. The high quality steel of the reshaped carving knife holds a good edge and is rigid.
(https://i.imgur.com/3N3PZHs.jpg)
More to come.
dave
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Hi,
I use my special carving knife to outline the side plate and then go back and stab in the outline deeper with my mini chisels. The little chisels are the micro lathe tools sold by Woodcraft Supply and others. I inherited a full set from my dad and repurposed them for intricate inletting. I use hand pressure and light taps from my heavier chasing hammer. Then using palm and my mini chisels, I cut the wood out of the mortice. Note the pencil marks within the outline. That is to remind me what wood is supposed to be removed. With intricate designs, I found from hard experience, that it is easy to cut away in the wrong place. I have to employ such tricks to hide my incompetence.
(https://i.imgur.com/ZIPntqd.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/3rAIKRJ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/FfW9ds9.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/MGwqEbY.jpg)
You have to be careful removing wood around sharp, thin features. I always try to cut away from them rather than toward them. I needed super glue twice. There is a tiny wedge of wood just to the right of the forward lock bolt that always chips off (this is the third time I have inletted this plate design). It is just too tiny and I always have to glue it back. The other place was a fragile corner that did not chip off but was loosened. I squirted a little glue into the crack under it. Other than those instances, the mortice came out well. You may wonder how to cut the really tight areas that are too narrow for any chisel straight on. I don't know how the old timers did it but I take my smallest chisel, turn it edgewise to the cut and stab the bejesus out of the wood until it turns to pulp. Then I scrape it out. Works for me.
(https://i.imgur.com/i1jBO0v.jpg)
The side plate fits nicely, however, in the photo I did not push it fully home into the mortice. I don't want to risk damaging the delicate wood by pushing the plate in fully too many times until it is to be permanently attached.
(https://i.imgur.com/ZudjRWS.jpg)
Being tired of inletting and woodwork, I decided to cast the wrist plate. My model is the plate from my Heylin fowler and I used the Delft clay casting method. It is basically sand casting but using a fine clay containing a binder. The curvature of the plate caused a slight problem. During my first attempt, I had the sprue on the back side of the plate. Consequently, the molten silver has to climb up the curvature of the plate during the pour. The metal cooled too quickly to fill out the edges at the top of the curve so I made a second attempt with the sprue on the front. That way the metal flows down the curvature filling the mold more efficiently. It worked. I'll have a bit of chiseling and clean up to do but I think the plate will work.
(https://i.imgur.com/sgUqKti.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/zdiboGV.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/hr8Sewg.jpg)
Update: I decided to cast the wrist plate again to put the sprue on the back side and capture a little more detail of the original plate. I added more silver so the mass of hot metal would retain heat and allow the molten silver to fill the mold even with the upward curvature. It worked. The final casting is below. It even captured some of the engraved monogram.
(https://i.imgur.com/2znaZMD.jpg)
More to come,
dave
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Dave: I just have to say, that this is a level of gun building that only a few attempt. One of the wonders of this site is watching tutorials such as this, and being inspired to elevate ones own work. It's fascinating to watch the process.
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Dave,
I want to thank you again for taking the time to go the extra mile and producing this tutorial. Just showing build progress of this awesome fowler would have been cool, but a tutorial, you da man! Only better would be to see / handle this in person, good job my friend :)
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Dave,Taylor pretty much said what im thinking,a fine job indeed.Your attention to detail takes it to another level.Somebodys going to be a mighty lucky fellow to have such a fine fowler.
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Hi Friends,
Today I continued shaping the fore stock back to the lock. The fore stocks on British guns are egg shell thin. However, on the original fowlers I own and those in collections and museums that I examined, those thin fore stocks were often cracked and broken along the barrel channel. Slimness has a price over time. In addition, I cannot go that thin because of the inlet barrel bands. They demand a little extra thickness. Consequently, my stock will be very thin but a little thicker than the originals I own. For final shaping the fore stock, I use a large coarse file that I hold most of its length against the wood when filing to smooth out any irregularities. After the file I scrape the stock with razor sharp flat scraper. I will still leave extra wood along the top of the barrel channel. That will get rounded into the barrel as one of the last jobs to prevent damage to the edge as I work on the stock.
(https://i.imgur.com/jvFB0pX.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/cP9PoBL.jpg)
The muzzle shaping needs some comment. The Brits did not obsess much over this. They simply rounded the end of the stock over to meet the barrel. They did not usually install muzzle caps or bands unless the gun had a military application. They often did shape a subtle "schnabel" but I find many modern makers do that to excess when trying to make a purported English fowler. Some of those makers do it to extreme such that you can see daylight under the ramrod at the muzzle. On every British fowler I've examined that had the original ramrod or a good fitting replacement (mostly), you do not usually see daylight under the rod at the muzzle. In my case, my rod will swell near the muzzle and have a trumpet-shaped horn tip that will tuck precisely into the curve of the stock at the muzzle, much like that on my English rifle shown below.
(https://i.imgur.com/yAPnx8r.jpg)
The "schnable" at the muzzle is subtle. There were rarely moldings or incised lines along the ramrod channel and the step from the walls of the channel and the muzzle was gradual and the walls just faded away.
(https://i.imgur.com/0GqQkPr.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/3XU9cHE.jpg)
There was no special treatment at the rear ramrod pipe. The stock just tapered down to meet the edges of the thimble and it stood out like the prow of a ship in front of the wood.
(https://i.imgur.com/rI557wM.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/G6w9L0Q.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/A16ERBm.jpg)
On my gun the fore stock tapers fairly narrow on the bottom rather than being a wide round. Other fowlers had a wider round profile. As the fore stock meets the lock area, you have a distinct "knuckle" for the lock panels as the bottom flattens for the trigger guard and trigger. This is very easy to form with a large rat-tailed file and requires just a few strokes of the file to get right.
(https://i.imgur.com/lY1gTRT.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/gnluKrz.jpg)
More to come,
dave
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Dave, this is clear, concise, and well illustrated. I can see myself following this in the future for my own fowler.
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Hi,
I got a lot of work done on the fowler. As Jim Chambers commented on this thread, British guns are sophisticated compared to concurrent American-made guns. However, based on my research and experience, much of that sophistication actually made these guns easier to produce. British makers in the mid-18th century did not fuss overly about lock moldings, symmetry with respect to lock panels, moldings along ramrod grooves, or muzzles. The gun stockers seemed to have a basic formula that they adhered to and that formula was well developed, elegant, and easy to reproduce if you understand it. Those are a combination of features that should appeal to the heart of a private businessman seeking profit. They appealed to the fashions of men who were not living by the fruits of their guns unless they were soldiers. The maker had a general formula for a gun. If the client wanted something different or more ornate, the gun maker simply farmed out the decorative work to the silversmith, wire inlayer, and engraver. The maker was more of a general contractor than a working gunsmith. This is born out by a legal case brought by John Hirst in 1747 against proscriptions by the gunmaker's guild of London. Borrowing from Blackmore:
"Matters came to a head in 1747 when the Company brought John Hirst before the court of King's Bench for using the art, mystery, and manual occupation of a gun-maker contrary to the terms of the Elizabethan statute (defining a guild supported by 7-year apprenticeships and other restrictions in London). Hirst argued before the court saying, the Gun-Makers business in and about London was now divided into 21 different branches and looked upon as so many distinct trades; barrel forger, breech forger, barrel filer, barrel polisher, barrel loopmaker, lock forger, lock filer, lock polisher, lock hardener, trigger and nail forger, trigger and nail filer, stock maker, furniture forger or founder, furniture filer and cutter, tip and pipe maker, side piece and thumb piece repairer and polisher, engraver, bluer, stick maker, flint maker, and mounter or screwer together. John Hirst then asserted that the Master Gunmakers in London after they receive the several parts of the gun from the respective makers, only screw those parts together."
Hirst, who eventually was very successful in the business, then produced a fine gun which he forged, filed, stocked, and completed himself from beginning to end, proving his qualifications and challenging his London colleagues to do the same. Needless to say, he won his case.
Panels or moldings surrounding locks on British guns during the mid-18th century were narrow. They were almost vanishingly small if a large round-faced lock was used. The flats generally were a little larger if the lock was flat-faced but that was usually because the lock dimensions were a little smaller. The edges of the moldings outline the beaver tails and often most of the rest of the panels but they do not necessarily go all the way around the panels. In my case, I cut the moldings to encompass most of the panels but they fade out on the bottom before reaching the front curves of the panels. That is how my original brass mounted fowler was done. On my Heylin fowler, the edge of the molding only outlines the beaver tails and extend just a little forward before fading out. Occasionally, you will find a British fowler with carved moldings, perhaps even with some volutes or leaves incorporated in the design. On some there are also the aprons or shields surrounding the front of the panel like we find on many German and American rifles. However, in most cases, the moldings appear to be pretty simple and the gun stockers did not fuss a lot in carving them. Typically, the moldings are small and slightly concave, flat or slightly rounded over. On my gun I cut them a little larger than they will likely be when finished. There will eventually be almost no flats showing around the lock except at the front and rear. Another detail to understand is that that British makers were not fussy about making the side plate panel be the symmetric mirror image of the lock side panel. They shaped the panels to fit the object encompassed so that my side plate panel is shaped to fit the side plate, not to match the lock side, and the side plate really fills up the space. Even solid side plates tended to fill the space.
(https://i.imgur.com/c2XMxjG.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/IQYJ2xi.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/iMaZSpS.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/hF8y9sg.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ytgSdeI.jpg)
After shaping the lock panel moldings, my next job was to carve the rococo shell around the standing breech tang. If you viewed 100 British fowlers from this period, probably 75 would have some sort of shell carving around the tang. This was usually the only location on the gun with carving although there certainly are exceptions, and the British did not seem to be a very creative lot because the carvings generally follow a few formulas. The Griffins usually carved a weird folded shell, which I don't find particularly appealing. Some carved shells that looped or folded in from one side or the other, and then there was the classic symmetrical shell, that looked like a shell with flowing tendrils bordering the sides of the tang. This is the design I use and I am copying the tang carving on my English rifle. After drawing the design on the wood, I use my micro chisels to stab in the outline and then use my palm chisels to relieve the background. I won't carve the details yet until after I finish the final shaping and scraping of the rest of the stock. That final detail is one of the last tasks I will do before applying stain and finish.
(https://i.imgur.com/ewgeb5w.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/v0DtJgw.jpg)
I wet the wood again to see the figure. The gun is starting to look like something now.
(https://i.imgur.com/h8UHQlg.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/5RPKNMx.jpg)
More to come.
dave
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Another well done installment Dave, you make it look easy and the Hirst story is fascinating, Great research.
Tim
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Just a sweetie!
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That's a fantastic piece of wood!
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Lovely work Dave.
The shell and supporting pieces is one of the most attractive elements of guns of this age.
Richard.
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Dave, The history is a welcome addition to your already GREAT! tutorial. I really like how you are constantly referencing your originals on hand ,as well as your other sources. This English fowler tutorial is bound to become " the standard" for fowler building. For years I have viewed these guns , and admired the subtle features that you have painstakingly covered in detail! I can`t wait to see this thing finished!!!! Nate
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Hi,
Thanks everyone for the kind support. I hope this thread is filling a need. I finished cleaning up, chiseling, and engraving the wrist plate. I am pretty happy with it. The photos show the plate as it came out of the mold and then the finished product. Eventually, I will engrave my initials on the shield, which will cover over the old engraving shown. Tomorrow I inlet it.
dave
(https://i.imgur.com/2znaZMD.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/aK7VS9T.jpg)
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Hi Folks,
I back at it today. I cleaned, cut, and polished up the wrist plate. I am pretty darned pleased with it. I honestly did not think it would turn out as well as it did and it really is very close to the original. Chiseling and engraving it was pure fun.
(https://i.imgur.com/5f4ZWI5.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/OGEKSpf.jpg)
After preparing the plate, I inlet it. The plate is held in place by a screw that is anchored at the end of the trigger plate, securing the end of the plate, going through the wrist and screwing into the round boss on the bottom of the wrist plate.
(https://i.imgur.com/Jq194eR.jpg)
Obviously, the drilling has to be precise. I locate the plate where I want it on the wrist and drill a shallow hole for the boss. Then I drill the trigger plate where I want the bolt to go using a bit the diameter of the bolt. I install the trigger plate and put my locator point in my drill press vise jaws. I mount the same drill in the drill press and line up the drill with the point. Then I place the stock with the locator point inserted in the boss hole and the drill going into the hole on the trigger plate, and then drill the hole.
(https://i.imgur.com/XM9vqWd.jpg)
Next install the plate in the boss hole, and trace its outline with a sharp pencil. Then I use my micro chisels to stab in the outline just on the inside edge of the pencil line. Where there are tight corners where the pencil cannot reach, I use my outlining knife that I described when inletting the side plate. A word of warning. Once you start inletting a wrist plate, if you botch the job, you are screwed. That is particularly true when the plate is as large as the one I am using because you can't easily just make another plate that is larger. You will have a hard time fixing a bad inlet unless you fake a wrist repair type of thing. This task requires sharp tools and good sphincter control. Don't fret much about little gaps particularly along the sides of the inlet. A little secret, when you squeeze the plate into the inlet, the curvature will flatten and the plate will fill any gaps along the sides. There you go, a little tidbit probably known to Barbar, Griffin, Hadley, Heylin, Twigg, Bailes, Harman, Freeman, Pickfatt, etc., and now you.
(https://i.imgur.com/jaI9nip.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/QADVh0m.jpg)
The plate inlet but inletting black has not been cleaned off making it look a bit messy.
(https://i.imgur.com/Hqp6034.jpg)
Once the plate is inlet to the proper depth, I insert the plate and then drill up through the trigger plate hole to mark the boss on the wrist plate. I remove the plate and drill the marked hole in the boss for a 6-32 screw. Using starting and bottoming taps, I thread the hole. Another tip: I start with a 6-32 screw. In the process of mounting and remounting the wrist plate during construction of the gun and threading in the screw, the threads in silver, which is softer than steel, may wear and strip. By starting with a 6-32 screw, I can redrill and tap with an 8-32 thread if I need to. A little detail that I learned through experience. Well the plate is in and I am ready to finish the wood. After most of that finishing, I start the decorative inlays and silver wire. My inspiration for the wire is this gun but to a lesser level so the figured wood is not obscured.
(https://i.imgur.com/Byh9XyV.jpg)
dave
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Very good work and advise Dave!
Now, I must say I didn't know anyone else used the locater like that! (Thought it was my idea LOL!) But mine I clamp in position and don't use a vise.
That silver-work is perfectly executed!
W'm Bailes had a V good man for this job.
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Thanks Richard,
I love doing the silver inlay, sculpting, engraving, and wire work. However, on this gun, I have such a nice piece of wood, I want to make sure I don't obscure it. But I need to do something that ties all of the shiny bits together. Without that, I feel like the current silver bling looks like gaudy, overly upholstered Victorian chairs around a plain Shaker table. If you can imagine the fowler I show above with just the main tendrils and a few of the flower inlays, you get an idea of what I have in mind. The wire work on the baluster wrist will also be simpler and more restrained but tie in the shiny lock, wrist plate, and side plate with the butt stock and shiny butt plate.
dave
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Hi Dave,
That wrist escutcheon came out lovely! That was one of my favorite parts of the Heylin gun. Absolutely stunning.
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Hey Dave. Do you have the wrist area wood finished before you inlet the wrist piece? I imagine it would be hard to finish with the inlay in place. Also how deep does it go, flush with the surface or proud a bit?
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Hi Justin,
It goes in as deep as it must. My photo of the mortice shows that. Here is a side view.
dave
(https://i.imgur.com/nQvjYJS.jpg)
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Hi,
I finished the shell carving today. I am going to stain the stock with my own mix of colors to really bring out the figure in the wood. I use water soluble aniline dyes. I painted the stock with a dilute solution of the stain I intend to use as part of my whiskering and wood finishing process. As I do the final carving and scraping, I remove the stain, which shows me where I have scraped and where I missed. It also shows me dents, scratches and tool marks that are not easy to see. My shell carving is inspired by the carving on a turn-off pistol by William Turvey and a fowler by William Bailes. It is not a copy but definitely of similar style. Now to design the wire inlay and get that done so I can finish the fowler.
dave
(https://i.imgur.com/OajFy9g.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/dEKXo2L.jpg)
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Your idea of staining with dilute stain, whiskering, and sanding is great. I'll have to try it.
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Hi,
Based on some questions I've been asked about shell carving as well as posts on ALR, I thought I would add this little bit describing how I go about it. Rococo shells carved on British guns generally show 3 forms, (1) a shortened shell folded across its width and wrapped or folded under tendrils extending on either side along the breech tang. The Griffin family used this style. Then there are asymmetrically shaped shells that curl in over a tendril from one side or the other (2). I show rough sketches of these designs below.
(https://i.imgur.com/ktOk4la.jpg)
Then there are the symmetrically shaped shells shown below.
(https://i.imgur.com/LvysvPK.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/FCgf0U6.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/RYbbtd7.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/0C7MWtl.jpg)
In the last few years, I've carved and engraved so many of these shells, I think I could do them in my sleep. Below are all the tools I use to carve the designs.
(https://i.imgur.com/spiWfFJ.jpg)
The upper and lower knives are chip carving knives that I repurposed for scraping and cleaning up back grounds. The 3 edges on the upper knife are all razor sharp. Then I have several small palm gouges, a micro skew chisel, a micro "V" gouge, and a micro flat chisel, which I use to stab in the outline. I use a "pig's tail", a curved round, and a flat tapered riffler to shape and smooth details when needed. Finally, I have 3 round scrapers made from hack saw blades that are very valuable for shaping and smoothing concave surfaces of shells.
I first draw the design on the stock and then stab in the outline. I remove the back ground and clean up the back ground and edges.
(https://i.imgur.com/ewgeb5w.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/v0DtJgw.jpg)
Then I use the small shallow palm gouges to cut in the concave surfaces of the shells and refine the shapes with the scrapers. The little skew chisel is very useful for shaping and scraping the convex surfaces of the shell.
(https://i.imgur.com/OajFy9g.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/dEKXo2L.jpg)
It does help to know what a shell is supposed to look like and these rococo shells are supposed to be recognizable as shells unlike some shell-like carvings on some American guns that look like Brown Bess aprons with some radiating lines or divots. The edges of the shells can have a thickened border or not. After the shell is carved, I take a small shallow (almost flat) gouge and subtly undercut the edges of the shell at the ends of the raised or ridge-like parts. That will really give the carving "pop" when stained and finished.
dave
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Hi,
Well, the stock is pretty much finished and ready for silver wire. After the inlay work, I'll do a final clean up and then stain.
Then finish and while it is drying, I'll engrave the hardware.
(https://i.imgur.com/0w4rKuL.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/OQLI7BS.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/VQAGLKm.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/k3ZyaUh.jpg)
dave
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Very sharp, Dave!
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Hi,
It took me a few days to work out my designs for wire and inlay on the stock. I want to add the silver inlay wire to connect decorated portions of the gun but I don't want to obscure the fabulous figure in the wood. Most British sporting guns with wire inlay are extensively covered with some exceptions. I am going to use the main lines inspired by original work but restrain the coverage to use the figure in the wood to advantage. It is a balancing act. First, I work out the design on paper and then transfer the design to the wood using artist graphite transfer paper. With a simple design, I just draw it on the wood but as a design becomes more complex, I resort to drawing it on paper and transferring it to the wood.
(https://i.imgur.com/4fpRT6j.jpg)
With the basic design transferred to the stock and darkened using a pencil, I inlet the silver inlays first. Small inlays are hard to trace on the wood and I used to glue them in place with a dab of wood glue and then trace them when the glue dried. It worked OK, but after moving to Vermont I visited Dave Price. He showed me a much easier way. Following Dave's advice, I tape the inlay in place and then place a thin metal ruler on top. I tap the ruler with a small hammer and the inlay dents the wood, marking the outline.
(https://i.imgur.com/xB5Xn4j.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/vbYeKu6.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/bPXVj6Z.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/oRrnJlr.jpg)
Then I just use my micro chisels to cut the mortice for the inlay. Small inlays will just be glued but larger ones may be anchored by silver pins and glue. I like my inlays to be just proud of the wood when finished like many originals.
(https://i.imgur.com/f6YFSGs.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/WeRvf7D.jpg)
More coming,
dave
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nice Dave. What glue do you use for inlays?
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Dave, you are off to an awesome start, and I see your minions have some hard work ahead. Bless you for taking the time for the photos and posting them.
I am just starting on my first flintlock, a Herman Rupp from 1793. After building more modern hunting rifles, and AR's for coyote hunting, it is all an educational experience for me. Love learning new things, and doing my best to become fairly good at them.
One question, probably off topic, but I am inletting a Chambers lock, and filed the mold marks away, and provided a slight draft. Is it customary to smooth off the slightly rough texture on the face of the lock, and the other outer parts? I would eventually like to do a small amount of engraving on them.
Many thanks - Craig
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Very nice start, Dave!
Your devils head for some reason reminded me of the old relic below. Maybe the open mouth.....
(https://preview.ibb.co/kPkSDn/IMAG05351.jpg) (https://ibb.co/iT10Yn)
Not mine, but was watching it at auction a while ago.
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Learning a great deal Dave, you have a lot of great information here. Also a lot of skill and talent! I am enjoying this thread.
Curtis
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It is mesmerizing watching you work.
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Really can't wait to see the finished product,wow.All this detail going on one wonderful piece of wood too.
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Hi,
Working on silver wire inlay today. My tools, as shown below, are very primitive. I make my inlay chisels from old hacksaw blades. Word of warning, my chisel design is poor. I shaped them with prominent shoulders that indicated the depth of the incised cut. I thought I was being clever but being stupid (unlike Bella - Smart Dog) I forgot that as I sharpened the chisels, the cut depth gets shallower and I hit the wood with the shoulder making a mark. I file down the shoulders on all my chisels as the blade gets shorter but Taylor Sapergia showed photos in a post on ALR of a superior design. I hope he might show those again.
(https://i.imgur.com/g50UOOh.jpg)
I had the privilege of watching Dave Price and Ed Wenger do wire inlay. I hope folks realize they are two of the best wire inlayers alive. I also have the benefit of a precious home produced DVD of Frank Bartlett doing silver wire inlay. Frank used screw drivers ground to cut incised lines and Dave and Ed use full length chisels and gouges. For whatever reason, I cannot do the work with those tools. I have real trouble making sure a gouge fits a penciled curve and cuts to the desired depth. I also cannot see what I am doing really well stabbing in designs with a full length chisel. Dave, Frank, and Ed seem to have no trouble making precise cuts for wire but I have to huddle over short and small tools to make sure I hit the mark. It may just be that my fingers lack feeling and coordination after 3 bouts of serious frostbite during my mountain rescue and climbing days. I do struggle with dexterity. I am an embarrassment when I try to pull dollar bills out of my wallet or open plastic grocery bags because the nerves in fingers (and toes) are so damaged. Anyway, I use the chisels made from hack saw blades to cut incised lines and then lay in the wire.
British guns with wire inlay have wire that is very thin. All of the wire inlay available today from TOW or MBS is too thick for proper British work. I buy 34 gauge (0.006") sterling silver sheet from Rio Grande and cut 3/32" wide strips from it with shears. I use a ruler to mark a straight line across the silver sheet and then cut it out with shears. It curls as you cut, which is fine. Then hold an end with pliers and draw the curled wire through 2 coarse files pinched together with your hand. The files flatten the ribbon and score it with lines that will help lock it in place. I stab in the design with my hacksaw chisels and then lay in the flat ribbon. I tap it down lightly with a hammer and then tap it more forcefully by covering it with my thin metal ruler and tapping it with a hammer. Once tapped in place I wet the wood with water to swell it and lock in the wire, and then file the excess silver down. It is best to leave the edge of the wire proud of the wood so finish does not cover the wire and prevent you from polishing it. I find that a key tool in this process is the little screw driver pictured above. The end of the tiny flat screw driver is ground round so I can use it to smooth curves in the wire. I just lay the tool against the wire before filing off the excess silver and gently nudge it to smooth curves. The photo shows one side of the stock. On the other side silver wire will fill a similar space but a different design. Most British guns with wire inlay did not have identical designs on both sides. There will also be wire inlayed on either side of the wrist. My designs will be open so they do not obscure the figure in the wood. One little note: do you see the line connecting the bird with the rest of the design? It is a simple device but without it, the bird just hangs on the bottom without connection to the rest of the work. It adds a lot despite being so simple.
(https://i.imgur.com/O05ZDlt.jpg)
more to come.
dave
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It's fun watching you work Dave, and I know everyone is enjoying this thread.
I am about to repair the tutorial I did some years ago on "Wire Inlay"...very timely. Photobucket stole the images for ransom , but I am pretty sure I can rebuild the tutorial.
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Dave..., really nice work and design. I meant to comment earlier, but have just been crazy busy and haven’t visited ALR near enough lately. Your tools look fine to me, anything that works, works. I use gouges to start cuts, but enlarge the opening with tools similar to what your using. For European work, I’ve found I really like the Fine Silver Cloisonné wire sold by Rio Grande. Comes in dead soft, and recently Rio added half hard. Really like the inlays and how they work with the ribbon, good stuff!
Ed
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Hi Ed,
Thank you for that reply and info. I saw the Cloisonne strips and wondered if the ribbon was wide enough. They certainly are the right gauge. I try it, Ed. Thanks.
dave
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wonderful instruction on the materials and methods you are using.
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Hi,
Finished wire inlay in the butt stock. I created designs that were sophisticated but relatively open and simple so the figure in the wood was not obscured. They are consistent with designs found on British and other European guns of the time but they are my own creations and not copies of any originals. From an historical perspective, it seems most British guns with wire inlay were extensively covered. Even on a couple in which the wire inlay was restricted to a few locations on the stock, the density of wire at each location was very high. I find that interesting given the penchant for restraint shown by British gun makers for almost all other decoration (with exceptions of course). In addition to the usual volutes, scrolls, and leaves, religious and hunting scenes were sometimes lavishly created with silver wire. Another fashion was chinoiserie. With the rapid expansion of British maritime trade in the Far East including China, and events like Clive's victory at Plassey in India, the middle classes and elites in Britain went mad for things oriental. The fashion spilled into clothing, furniture, upholstery, wall paper, and firearms. Guns were decorated with silver sheet and wire inlays depicting imaginary Oriental scenes of bridges, trees, Chinese dragons, and pagodas. It is all fascinating and the craftsmanship is awesome but in my opinion, artistically not so good. It appeals to me about as much as a portrait of Elvis painted on velvet. Anyway, I am not going there on my fowler. I will be much more restrained and let the beautiful wood show through as it should.
I inlet a satyr's face, some flowers, a couple of birds, leaves, lots of volutes, some "ringy thingies", and some blobby things that look like portions of a knockwurst. It all came together though and I think keeps the bling to butt stock ratio in balance. With all the wrapping and overlapping I had to keep straight what goes over and what goes under. You have to plan these things out before laying in the wire. All of the inlays will be engraved and are not permanently locked in place yet so I can remove them for engraving. With the butt stock done, I still need to inlay wire on both sides of the wrist and that will be all. I don't think I'll inlay wire in the fore stock but I may change my mind if I can envision a good design.
More to come.
dave
(https://i.imgur.com/LhgQMJi.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/vXZX4Uc.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/z4vIZoL.jpg)
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Smart dog,
I am very happy with your topic. I see a lot of things that I can use.
I follow your Fowler!
Great job and I like your inlay. It is very beautiful.
Adrie
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Hi,
The wiring is done. I had to put my fowler aside for a while to work on other folks' guns. I've not done much wire inlay on the wrist area of guns and it is a real challenge both with respect to design and execution. The space is thin and linear, which confines scroll work and it is easy to cover it with monotonous little scrolls all horizontally lined up. I wanted more creativity but nothing too ornate that would detract from the beautiful wood. So I added a diamond with a little sun in it, some piggly wigglies, and some guitar string-like bridges. I started by doing the diamond and main scrolls first, and then moved forward and then backward. To accommodate bending the ribbon both into scolls but also around the wrist, I made sure the wire was dead soft and I cut the ribbons thin, about 1/16". I also bent one part of my thin, flexible metal ruler so I could hold it against the wrist and tap in wire. The bend kept it in contact with wire around the wrist preventing one end from popping up as I tapped the other end. I also frequently wet the wood to lock one portion of the wire in place before working on another section. It worked pretty well.
(https://i.imgur.com/VSQjzKM.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/kiuuURZ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/g6hRes6.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/iw1QcX6.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/lmZvQRy.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/O77isGp.jpg)
These last photos show the full effect of the wood and wire.
(https://i.imgur.com/8Uaxkdv.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/nEQMzdz.jpg)
I have to clean up a few little spots and then stain, and finish. Oh boy! I forgot, I have to engrave it too and do up the barrel and lock.
dave
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You never cease to amaze.
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Elegant wire work Dave, the scrolls, tapers, mating, etc...are Beautiful. Great Talent from Study and Practice.
Tim
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The wire work is amazing along with the rest of the gun! I am learning so much from this and I thank you for your efforts to explain things along the way as you have done!!
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Wow! Simply elegant, gorgeous work! Surely a piece to aspire to. Thanks for allowing us to follow along.
Greg
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Hi,
Well I finished smoothing, detailing, and cleaning up the stock. Throughout the process of final finish I was whiskering the wood so that task is done. Next was staining. I am sure some folks don't think English walnut should be stained but I believe many if not most British sporting guns were stained to impart a deeper reddish brown to the wood. I also believe the stain of choice was alkanet root. Staining or not may have varied regionally in Britain but both of my original fowlers and most British fowlers and military guns I've examined appear to have been stained or colored in some fashion. Of course on some the old finish darkened so much with age that it is hard to tell if the wood is stained or finish colored. The next question, was the wood stained and then finished or was the finishing oil/varnish tinted? On both of my originals it appears that the finish was tinted a reddish brown. It also seems that the pigment obscured the grain a little. On the fowler I am building, the wood is so beautiful that I do not want to obscure it. Therefore, I stained the wood first and then applied finish with no tint added. Powdered alkanet root produces a deep reddish brown color in walnut and can be dissolved in oil or alcohol. It cannot be dissolved in water. It is easy to get but I don't need it because I can produce exactly the effect I want using aniline dyes. After experimenting with various mixes dissolved in water I came up with a combination of Brownell's resorcin brown, black, and scarlet that worked very well on scraps of wood from the stock blank. I mopped the stain on with a brush, let it dry, and then burnished it back with a gray Scotch Bright pad dipped in water. Be very careful rubbing areas containing silver wire inlay with Scotch Bright pads because you may snag a wire end and pull it out. When dry from burnishing, I painted on finish. I believe the original finishes were some sort of linseed oil varnish or linseed oil with dryers added. Both of my originals have mellow sheens that are not brittle looking like some varnishes. I suspect they may be linseed oil with dryers added. I can match that or almost any look using Sutherland-Welles polymerized tung oil, which is my finish of choice. It is made in Vermont and I drive up to the factory and buy it directly from the owners. I thin the oil 50% with mineral spirits for the first 2 coats. This acts as a sealer, penetrating deeply into the wood. Once I see a build up on the surface, I wipe off the excess and then hand rub on very light coats of untinned oil. I let the finish dry 24 hours between coats. Eventually I will build up a sheen, which I can make as glossy or mellow as I desire. The photos below show the stock stained with the sealer coats dry. The last photo shows my fowler with the Heylin original. Allowing for 250 years of darkening, I think my stock color will be just about right.
More to come.
dave
(https://i.imgur.com/IGHwq0k.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/e2stLoO.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/STODX2K.jpg)
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Great color and clarity. Are there chain stores that sell the Sutherland Welles tung oil? I’ve been in Southerland. Beautiful country.
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Dave, you have an extremely good piece of wood there that really highlights your carving and wire inlay work.
You are indeed a master at gun building and smithing. I have learned so much watching you work. The pictures really show "how to do it" in all the multiple lessons.
Wood work, metal work, finishing work, and fantastic photography to illuminate all.
Many thanks from a muzzle loader novice.
Craigo
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Hi,
Thanks for looking and commenting folks. I am glad many of you find this thread useful. In my last post, I forgot to describe how to make American black walnut ( Juglans nigra) look like English walnut (Juglans regia ). I realize that it is difficult and expensive to find and purchase English walnut blanks that are sufficiently long for a fowler. On several projects, I've substituted black walnut and the results were good in my opinion. The guns shown below are stocked in black walnut made to look like English walnut. The trick I use I learned from Kit Ravenshear. The first step is to stain the stock with pure yellow aniline dye. It can be alcohol or water based. That gets you to ground zero by wiping out the cold purple-brown common in black walnut. Then you can simply finish the stock or stain it further. The guns in the photo were treated with yellow dye and then stained like my current fowler. It really works.
dave
(https://i.imgur.com/RYbbtd7.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/KScK60M.jpg)
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Hi,
Sorry this is taking so long but I am working on a late flint English rifle and a New England fowler at the same time so I am really busy. In addition, I have repair work and I also just finished some restoration work on a south India flintlock pistol from about 1800. I had to reproduce the ramrod thimbles and ramrod and engrave them appropriately. What a fun historical journey that was. Anyway, I worked on the barrel to make it look like a Spanish product from the 18th century. Spanish barrels had makers stamps often filled with gold, a counter mark stamp often indicating the location of manufacture, also gold filled, and other marks indicating the maker and religious symbols. To simulate that marking is a real challenge and I simply could not resist trying. The original Spanish marks appear to be stamped in deeply. I cannot do that with modern steel barrels. So, I decided to deeply cut the outlines of the makers and counter mark stamps into the barrel with gravers, fill the mortices with silver, and stamp the soft silver. Please appreciate the "pucker" factor here. I could ruin my barrel after all the work on this gun that I did. I made 2 stamps from a cold chisel bought at my local hardware store. I annealed the chisel, sawed it in half, and sawed off the chisel blade. I squared the ends and polished one end to be engraved. Then I engraved each stamp with my maker's name and the other with a mountain lion face, which is the symbol for Braintree, VT. I then case hardened the engraved stamps.
(https://i.imgur.com/H7un6Gk.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/gDGsC1G.jpg)
I traced their outlines on the appropriate locations on the barrel, and cut the borders with a square graver to permanently mark them. Then using thin and wider flat die sinkers's chisels, I cut the mortices. One of my flats is shaped so that the bottom cutting into the metal is wider than the top, so it undercuts the edges of the mortice. I then scored the bottom of the mortice with teeth cut using a square graver. Once they were cut and mortices cleaned up, I inserted a silver inlay sized just a little smaller than the mortice and tapped it in place using a small punch. That spread the silver into the mortice and locked it in place. Then I stamped the silver with my stamps to create the maker and city marks. For the other marks, which often were flowers, I love bluets, a little blue spring flower that grows in my fields. It looks like "forget me nots" but only has 4 petals. I chose to engrave bluets and fill them with silver. I have never done this kind of work before. I just jumped in and did it. It probably shows my inexperience but it does look authentic relative to what I want to achieve. I also engraved and filled a small "Catholic" cross on the top flat, a symbol often used on these great Spanish barrels.
(https://i.imgur.com/o8YjxLF.jpg)
dave
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Cool stuff, Dave!
Looks a lot like an original I picked up.
(https://preview.ibb.co/dUH3F8/200_C134_E_7_CBE_4_B88_9843_37985_A08_D050.jpg) (https://ibb.co/jtMVv8)
(https://preview.ibb.co/ccdoho/65_C8_EEDA_262_D_42_A2_AF5_D_B107_F8_DCC5_EF.jpg) (https://ibb.co/dXNENo)
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Dave,
Looks great.
I love your blending of the wire with the inlays.
Excellent color on the walnut.
Jeff
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"smart" dog? Genius dog is more like it. That sir, is a fine, fine piece of work, and very informative for a noob hack like me who aspires to build something worthy. Thank you for taking the time to detail your build :)
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nice work Dave. I would love to see your late English rifle too if you felt like sharing
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Hi,
I decided to mount a silver "spider" front sight that was often used on British guns. The first step is to mark the center of the barrel top just behind the muzzle. Most British fowlers have sights very near the muzzle rather than set further back. Borrowing a method described by BJ Habermehl, I lay the barrel on a flat surface with the top flat down. I slide a file under the muzzle where I want to position the sight and draw it back. That marks the exact center of the round barrel. Next I cut my spider from 0.016" dead soft fine silver sheet. I start with a 5/8" square of silver and scribe lines from each corner to find the center. I drill the center and square the hole (about 1/8" square hole) with a needle file. Then I take of lump of silver sprue from one of my casting jobs and file it into a rectangular shape to be the sight. I file the bottom to fit through the square hole in the spider. I eventually will peen over the excess on the underside to lock the sight in place. Either using files or a jeweler's saw, I shape the spider forming the legs around the scribed lines. However, as you bend the spider to the barrel, the legs will angle forward distorting the nice perpendicular cross so file the legs so that they appear to angle back a little before fitting the spider to the barrel. I place the spider on the barrel so that I can see my barrel center mark through the square hole.
(https://i.imgur.com/ynN9o1Y.jpg)
I fluxed the barrel and underside of the spider and solder it in place with TIX low temperature solder. That holds it in place so that I can get a good tracing of the spider with a scribe. That is critical because that tracing and eventual mortice will form the final shape of the spider. I heat the spider to take it off and begin cutting the mortice. I outline the spider first with a small square and then remove the metal within the outline with large, small, and tiny flats. Once the metal is removed, I clean up the edges with a tiny flat and then undercut the edge with a knife edged graver. When creating the mortice, it is easy to remove too much metal under the body of the spider, creating a flat spot under the sight. You want to preserve the curvature of the barrel and avoid a flat so cut carefully. The mortice is very shallow. At the location where the peened jug on the sight will protrude on the underside of the spider, I drill a shallow hole in the barrel to accommodate it.
(https://i.imgur.com/kTxVdkD.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/79RN9Da.jpg)
I fix the sight to the spider and peen it tight. I check that the spider fits into the mortice. Don't worry if it is a little smaller than the inlet because you are going to tap and expand it. I tin the mortice with small amount of TIX solder and then place the spider in the mortice. Starting with the body of the spider, I tap the silver with a small hammer to start driving into the undercut. I anchor the body first and then work down the legs. After tacking it with the hammer, I tap it with a punch to further expand it. When that is done, I heat the barrel from the inside with a mini torch to allow the solder to flow.
(https://i.imgur.com/vze17w5.jpg)
Then let cool, wash off excess flux, and file, sand, stone, the excess metal away leaving a nice spider sight.
(https://i.imgur.com/4AaPf4Z.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/jUt9Q5r.jpg)
I have to clean up a little solder and polish things. When the barrel is browned/blued the silver will show up very nicely. I'll leave the sight blade high and rough until I shoot the gun.
dave
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you are ammasing DAVE Bob
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Neatly done Dave, very clean. I always seem to end up with a mess when Soldering, combination Solder/Flux in all the Wrong Places. You mentioned; "I have to clean up a little solder", how do you do that?
Thanks, Tim
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Hi Tim,
Use an old skew chisel as a scraper.
dave
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That spider sight is slicker 'n a peeled snake.
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Thanks Dave! Now to build my nerve to start chiseling a barrel. I think this may be one of those jobs that might have been easier on a wrought barrel. Do you use a mandrel in the bore while chiseling?
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Dave,
that's really nice work.
Thanks for posting this build-along. I have been watching it all closely.
Cheers,
Norm
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Thanks for looking folks,
David R, no you do not need a mandrel in the bore. If you have to hit your chisel gravers sufficiently hard to damage the bore, something is very wrong. Keep them sharp and the inlet is very shallow, about the 0.016" thickness of the silver sheet.
dave
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Tim, you can eliminate SOME of the soldering mess by rubbing the area outside the solder spot with a pencil lead. The graphite will prohibit solder from sticking.
Craig
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The sight installation is interesting. How do you plan to finish the barrel? Browned, maybe?
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Hi,
Again, this is taking a while because I have other guns and repairs to work on. Well, I needed to decide what to do about a finish for the barrel. This was not an easy decision and historical guidance is unfortunately, largely speculative for the first 3 quarters of the 18th century. I believe most British fowling guns made during 1730-1760 had barrels that were simply polished bright and some likely were rust browned. John George wrote in his book "English Guns and Rifles" that rust browning began to be used in the early 18th century. However, it is not clear how British makers handled foreign-made barrels that might already be colored. The key books by Neal and Back show several guns with Indian, Turkish, and Spanish barrels that were either browned or blued. We know from writings by Isidro Soler and the 3 brothers who wrote "Espingarda Perfeyta" that Spanish and Portuguese barrels were "heat", "fire", or "charcoal" blued. I think our best modern approximation of the process is "charcoal" bluing. However, I have no idea if a Spanish barrel purchased by a Brit was already colored or bought in the white. The bright polished Spanish barrel examples shown in the same books I mentioned above are not necessarily historically accurate given the penchant for over polishing common in Britain. However, some of the browned and blued barrels shown in those same books could be done later in the life of the gun. So what to do? I suggest that many British makers and clients probably admired the gold and silver inlays on their Spanish barrels and would want to show them off by having the barrel browned or blued, if the barrel was not already blued by the Spanish maker. The Spanish barrel on my original Heylin fowler appears to be browned but that could have happened later. I decided that my barrel was going to emulate one that had been charcoal blued but I was not going to expose my barrel to that process. Indeed, I am not set up to do charcoal bluing. Instead, I polished the barrel highly and then applied LMF browning, which I carded aggressively until the brown color was polished in the metal, not on top. That gave me the chance to see how I liked the look of rust browning with the silver inlays and spider sight. I decided a dark blue would be much more stunning so I then boiled the barrel in water to turn the brown, a deep dark blue. Then I rubbed it back aggressively with coarse canvas such that the bluing became slightly translucent. Then I heated the barrel and painted it hot with boiled linseed oil, let cool, and then buffed hard with canvas. It came out pretty nice. I cleaned any oil out of the maker's stamps with acetone, and gilded them. Finally, I coated the stamps with a little lacquer to protect the gold leaf. I kind of like the effect and while it does not match charcoal bluing, it gets closer than typical rust bluing.
dave
(https://i.imgur.com/jexx2Gz.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Sdlu46X.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/os4iFVv.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/lM0fAP3.jpg)
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Stunning
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Unreal. But it is real, and Dave you have produced one of the finest tutorials ever posted here on ALR. Congratulations sir, extremely fine work. Thank you for all the effort that went into documenting and posting your build. Awesome!
dave
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Ditto ppatch’s comment
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The barrel finish is Very nicely done, Dave. Lovely work!
A simple nitric brown was sometimes or quite often done, but this looks far better, and without the risk of scaling the bore with charcoal bluing, where you must keep the temp. below 600F.
Fire-bluing is beautiful, but Very hard on the eyes!
Best barrel job I've seen in a long while!
Richard.
PS,
Was it Edward Newton, in GBG, who made the barrel of spring steel...and it is still in its original blue? It looks like glass.
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Thanks for looking folks and the kind comments. I do enjoy doing this but I have had to slow way down because of other obligations (I'll be posting progress on a late flint English rifle fairly soon). Richard, I went back to GBG to check and yes, it was Edward Newton who made the hardened and tempered steel barrel. I wish there was a color photo of that gun!
dave
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The barrel is stunning. I'm surprised that the barrel bands aren't finished to match the barrel.
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That turned out really nice, Dave. Love the contrast between blue & polished...
Ed
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Dave,
Looking forward to seeing your gun up close and personal. I am assuming you will have it at Dixon's.
David Price
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Is that a hand forged lock?
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I have made quite a few stocks with walnut from Goby - he has really nice wood.
Really admire the work you are doing, and the effort to make it historically correct.
Keep posting those wonderful photos, please.
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Hi Craig and thank you,
I will be posting more soon. I had to put the fowler aside to work on other folks' guns. If I was not so sick in Feb and March, I would definitely have finished the fowler long ago. Unfortunately, the lost time forced me to give it a lower priority with respect to work for clients. I am simultaneously building a late flint English rifle and a New England fowler. I'll post those guns too in a few weeks.
dave
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Dave, I can appreciate your health slowing you down. The dadgummed spinal arthritis really slows me, and now I am looking at triple bypass surgery and repairing an aneurysm by the left ventricle. Should be done in Cleveland on 7/16. Old body is really letting me down - thank Heaven for the VA here in Ohio.
Then I can get more done on this Rupp design I am working on.
You have given me a wonderful look at some of the things that make a rifle stand out, and showed me how to do those things.
Was tickled by your wire inlays on the wrist area - simply magnificant!
Craig
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Hi,
I finally got back to working on the fowler and finished it. I had to put it on the back burner for quite a while to get work done on other folks' guns. I am scrambling to get thing ready for Dixons so I won't offer much narrative at this point, just pictures. When I get back I will do a post on some of the details and some final thoughts on building a mid-18th century British fowler. I'll have the gun at Dixons so come visit us at the ALR tent. Enjoy.
dave
(https://i.imgur.com/NPoKvz1.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/KJxeFK5.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/LrJOkmP.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/rBwDyRz.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/sJ3ExgI.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/6KB59AS.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/p1GC9wV.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/dvAKO1a.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/BlCxhnm.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ddgH0IP.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/18pS7Et.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/1HPiYwv.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/rEnzDG7.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/hPIRFRn.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/8uCwHKg.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/vMLAxTd.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/QSFsKSR.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/QoShVUm.jpg)
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SUPER!!! ;D Simply SUPER!!!
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Dave, absolutely stunning fowler!!! Can't wait to see it up close at Dixon's this weekend.
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I'm well aware of the work you've put in and your skill. The result isn't a surprise, but the beauty of it leaves me speechless.
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That is drop dead gorgeous right there...
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That certainly turned out beautifully, Dave! It was worth all the antici.....pation! ;)
Curtis
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wow amazing ! hope to see it this wknd
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Hi,
Thanks folks. The gun actually looks better in the hand than in the photos. I'll have it at Dixons so stop by the ALR tent.
dave
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Hi,
This and the next will be my final posts on building the fowler. In this post I want to discuss my choices of decoration and engraving, and finishing the gun. Although ornate wire inlayed guns like those made by William Bailes, William Simpson, and others exist,
(https://i.imgur.com/JIlW3Un.jpg)
British fowlers during 1740-1770 mostly had simple shell carving around the breech tang, a cast or engraved side plate of steel, iron, brass, or silver, and a wrist plate of the same materials.
(https://i.imgur.com/Wy1r4db.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/OpxZdk5.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/cmv0Ooe.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/WGtQT3Q.jpg)
In most cases, the hardware was engraved. I chose to carve a rococo shell around the breech, and include a fine silver cast, chiseled, and engraved side plate, and wrist escutcheon that were appropriate for the time period.
(https://i.imgur.com/p1GC9wV.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/1HPiYwv.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/8uCwHKg.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/hPIRFRn.jpg)
I also restricted my engraving to line style rather than deep relief. I originally wanted to simulate the deep relief sculpting on the silver trigger guard and butt plate from an original fowler I own. However, in my research, it seems deep relief generally was reserved for silver hardware that was cast and I never examined a piece from my period mounted in iron or steel with anything but line engraving on the trigger guard and butt plate. I am sure exceptions can be found and there are examples of deeply sculpted iron and steel on earlier guns by makers such as James Paul Freeman and Andreas Dolep shown in Neal and Back's "Great British Gunmakers 1540-1740", but sculpted butt plates and trigger guards in steel or iron must have been rare during my period. Anyway, I chose to use line engraving and simulate relief by shading lines. I engraved a portrait of Adam Smith on my butt plate as a complement to the portrait of David Hume on my matching rifle. Adam Smith wrote "Wealth of Nations" which first described free markets and the use of individual self interest as a central motive upon which to build economies and structure society. He and Hume were the two leading lights of the "Scottish Enlightenment" during the 18th century. Basically, they took a lot of the abstract ideas expressed by the French "philosophes" and made them work in the real world. I also did extensive research on border styles thinking that there had to be a nice HC alternative to the "nick and dot". However, if the hardware was not cast in silver or brass and the border chiseled and sculpted, I could not find examples that did not have all main borders engraved with nicks and dots. I am sure there are examples but I found none in my collection of photos, books, or on guns I examined. Now please don't say I saw a Manton, Nock, Mortimer, etc gun with running leaves or scalloping on the borders. Those guns are not from the period I am considering. Consequently, I did so many nicks and dots that I saw them in my sleep. I suffer from "nick and dot" disease. I was so tired of N&D that I finally cut my favorite thick and thin borders around the frizzen and top jaw. There just had to be guns with thick and thin borders from the period other than Brown Bess muskets or at least that is the fantasy I tell myself to justify my decision.
(https://i.imgur.com/QSFsKSR.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/IcHEW3S.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/sJ3ExgI.jpg)
I was reluctant to engrave the lock plate extensively.As always, there are exceptions, but generally round-faced locks on good quality British guns appear not to have been heavily engraved. As flat-faced locks became the dominant fashion for better guns, extensively engraved plates seem to have become more common. I engraved my simple banner that was inspired by Benjamin and Joseph Griffin, and William Bailes.
(https://i.imgur.com/vMLAxTd.jpg)
The engraving on my fowler was inspired by the Griffins, Joseph Heylin, and William Bailes, and I also borrowed from John Schippers where his style was appropriate. I annealed the frizzen so I could engrave it and then case hardened and tempered it. I get sparkler sparks in the center of the pan every time I snap the lock.
In finishing the gun, I already described staining the stock with dyes. After the dye dried, I rubbed the stock back with a gray Scotch-Bright pad dipped in water. When dry, I painted the stock with a sealer made from a 50-50 mix of Sutherland-Welles Botanical polymerized tung oil and mineral spirits. I mopped it on and let the stock absorb it, then wiped off the excess. I let it dry in the sun for several hours and then overnight in the shop. Then I dabbed the stock with unthinned polymerized tung oil, rubbed it back with my palm, and wiped off any excess. It was so hot at times I had to add a little raw tung oil to slow down the drying so I could rub it in. It took about a week to build up the finish. I let it cure for a week and then rubbed it back with rottenstone dipped in raw linseed oil. Then a final coat of hand rubbed tung oil and I was done.
(https://i.imgur.com/18pS7Et.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ddgH0IP.jpg)
I assembled the gun, turned down all the wood screw heads and hardened, tempered, and heat blued them. Likewise, I hardened and tempered blued the trigger, barrel keys, lock bolts, tang bolt, top jaw screw, frizzen screw, and feather spring screw. I will eventually pin the keys to the stock after shooting the gun a bit to make sure no adjustment needs to be made in the fit of the keys. Finally, I made a tapered hickory ramrod and turned down horn for the muzzle end of the rod and drilled and turned a 1/4" diameter mild steel rod for the other end. I will eventually make another rod with a worm attached but I initially wanted one for use with a modern cleaning jag. Well that is it. I have not shot the gun yet so I will report on how that goes in a few days. I will post once more with some concluding thoughts about building these guns. Thanks for your patience and all of the comments. I enjoyed doing this.
dave
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Dave - Just a stunning piece. So nice to get an in person look at Dixon's. One more thing to do though - Put a grouse or two in the bag with it.
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That's my kinda gun. Great work. Carry on.
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Hi and thanks for looking,
I want to post some concluding thoughts that may help you when building a mid-18th century British fowling gun. My plan was to post information about original British guns including dissecting two originals that I own. That information is permanently available to you in our Tutorial Section under "Miscellaneous Tutorials". Then I wanted to use that information to build and document a period correct British fowler. I intended not only to talk the talk but walk the walk. The build would illuminate many of the features that characterize British guns of the time. Please consider this thread and the other tutorials as part of an integrated whole describing these wonderful guns. I hope that folks understand that British guns evolved over time just like long rifles. When I see a modern-made "English fowler" with a round-faced lock and flat lock moldings wider than 3/32", I know it is a modern-made gun. When I see the same thing and checkering at the wrist, I know it is a modern fantasy. When I see a French and Indian War period "English fowler" without a humped standing breech, I know it is a modern fantasy. When I see a fine highly engraved "English fowler" with 1760-1770s styling but using a round-faced lock, I know it is a modern fantasy. For example, John Schippers' book on engraving shows many modern-made English-style fantasies. In fact, not one English-style gun shown in his book is historically correct. So much of what I see would be like placing Melchior Fordney's carving on a 1760s Lancaster rifle. It is hard to build an HC mid-18th century British fowler because nobody makes all of the correct parts.
Let me list the basic components used in my gun:
1. Colerain Griffin 42" barrel 20 gauge with fitted plug filed to create the hook from TOW
2. Chambers round-faced English lock from Jim Chambers
3. "Dubbs" cast steel butt plate from TOW
4. Small "Urn" trigger guard from Chambers
5. English walnut stock blank from Goby walnut, Portland, OR
6. TR-Fowl-MH-T cast trigger from TOW
7. Tang from RP-EF-E-6-I iron entry thimble from TOW
8. Ramrod pipes from sheet steel
9. Trigger plate made from mild steel
10. Standing breech welded from mild steel
11. Cast steel barrel keys Key- 58-I and Key -58-SI from TOW
12. Mild steel sheet for barrel bands
13. Mild steel bar for barrel lugs
14. Fine silver sheet for small inlays, spider sight, and barrel inlays
15. Fine silver cast using Delft clay, chiseled and engraved side and wrist plate
16. Round fine silver wire for wire inlay pins and barrel inlays
17. Sterling silver sheet for wire ribbon inlay
18. 8-32 domed lock bolts from TOW
19. 8-32 Oval head tang bolt from TOW
20. Round spring steel wire for pins
21. 48" hickory rod for ramrod
22. Cow horn for turned ramrod tip.
23. 1/4" diameter mild steel rod to make threaded tip for ramrod
24. Oval headed wood screws
25. Brownell's Resorcin Brown, Scarlet, and Black water soluble aniline dyes
26. Sutherland-Welles Botanical polymerized tung oil medium sheen.
Every single component was either made or highly modified by me. Only the lock was ready to be installed mostly right out of the box.
I've built quite a number of 18th century British guns recently and discovered a few secrets. One is that if you know the formula, the stocks are easy to produce. Remember, each gun was made by perhaps 20 different craftsmen and the stockers had formulae for the architecture that they repeated over and over again. That architecture evolved to express good design but also facilitate efficient construction such that 75% of the stock shape can be quickly formed using just a pattern makers rasp. Once you understand the parameters, they can be shaped very quickly but without that knowledge, you will probably not get it right. I included drawings of originals in my tutorials on British guns. Please refer to them as they illuminate many of the stock details. I also included detailed dimensions. Please don't ignore them because they will help you a lot. Finally, British guns from this period were made very well, even the muskets. They require a high level of skill to pull off and are not a good choice for new makers. I urge you to get some guns under your belt before trying to build a British gun and please refer to my tutorials. They will help you a lot. Good luck to everyone and thanks for your interest in my tutorials.
dave
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A Beauty by a True Master.
Tim
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Dave,
Wonderful work and restraint in the above.
You have produced a fantastic tutorial for those who wish to learn.
I also admire your honesty, when you tell us what is not correct. We need to know these points, and can not produce anything correct unless we take these points to heart.. Cross-breeding of fashions is rather rampant these days, and that is where your restraint shows up!
Re. heavy sculpting of furniture;
I am sure you got it exactly right, and only silver or brass appears to be worked in this manner, not steel at this time. Why, I do not know, but it appears the case.
Outstanding work, Dave. My cap is off to you.
Best,
Richard.
PS;
Comp. been down near a month, just got it back, so late in this and replying to you on the "other channel".
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Thank you for the parts list - This helps significantly in ensuring inventory is correct -
Jon
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The epitome of fine workmanship. Gorgeous!
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Breathtaking work Sir!
One Eye
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This whole thread and the firearm that came out of it are true gems. I am not aware of another source anywhere on earth that can compare with what Dave has accomplished here. We are deeply in your debt, Dave, and are inspired and thrilled to have been on this ride.
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Hi Taylor,
That was an enormously generous post of yours and I deeply thank you for your support of the project. I apologize to you and everyone that it took so long but life intrudes on even our best intentioned plans. The positive responses from folks who read the thread and my earlier threads on the design and components of mid-18th century British fowling guns was very inspiring and repaid my efforts greatly. The response of folks who saw and handled the gun at Dixon's was also very energizing. That the information is valuable makes it all worth while. I intend a similar thread on building an historically correct New England fowler based on the Jonathan Hawks gun. In a week or so, I will move the English fowler build thread to the tutorial section. Eventually, I may figure out a way to merge the previous threads on British guns with the fowler build into single tutorial. I really hope that folks interested in building a mid-18th century British fowling gun wade through all the threads and not just the building thread. They are the compilation of information and data from a 20-year love affair with these guns with substantial help from students of British guns like you, Daryl, James Rogers, Mike Brooks, Richard (Pukka Bundook), Feltwad, and others.
Take care and thanks,
dave