AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Gun Building => Topic started by: flatsguide on January 28, 2021, 06:04:33 AM
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Hi guys,
Somehow I screwed up and deleted the complete thread. The deleted thread had a lot of photos of my build and a lot of photos from viewers too, along with valuable thoughts, suggestions, tips and how to’s from me and others. I would like to get some suggestions on how to continue this thread from the folks who followed it. I have the photos but the text that accompanied the photo is lost. So I’m open to ideas.
Cheers Richard #@*&d%
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Richard! I’m so sorry to hear about losing your great post. I have very much enjoyed following along. I can’t speak for anyone else but even without the text if you could re-post some of the pictures in chronological order I think that would be of value and would also help as a place to start from as your work progresses. Thank you so much for sharing this and your other projects with everyone. Have really been enjoying them again.
Zack
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Contact Dennis or one of the mods; Maybe they can recover the lost!
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Sorry but the only way would be to load an older backup and then you lose all the posts/topic posted since the. I think the last backup was over a week ago.
Maybe one of our guests/members may have saved the html page, if so I may be able to recreate it.
Dennis
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I’m at the point in my rifle build that the next step is some embellishments in the way of carving. The first bit of carving will be a shell motif behind the tang. The tang drawing was inspired by Mark Silver.. This practice piece has given me the confidence to carve on the real thing.
(https://i.ibb.co/w6GbHYS/4-A33-E8-F5-BDFA-45-E9-8-FCF-C12-B232-F3-EF1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/88vR3Xr)
(https://i.ibb.co/MN8xytR/07-C11-D24-0-B2-C-46-B6-A251-62-F488-F85-B0-F.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ThKxD7H)
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Just carry on like nothing happened. Your practice piece looks wonderful, to my eye.
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Yeah - that looks amazingly perfect.
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I'm with the Sapergia Bros. on this one.
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FramAble Art,
Looks great. :)
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Really nice! It makes me happy to look at it.
Jim
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Hi Richard,
Beautiful and as perfect as anyone could do! One nuance that I like to do is at the fold. I give the inside of the fold a concave surface and thin the upper edge so the lip is very thin.
(https://i.ibb.co/jRC6qMf/rococoshell2.jpg) (https://imgbb.com/)
(https://i.ibb.co/M9b6xfQ/OLYMPUS-DIGITAL-CAMERA.jpg) (https://ibb.co/6N2B78L)
To my eye, it gives the fold in the shell a very soft , flexible look. You have a really nice delicate feel to the shell, almost as if it is so thin it would be fragile. Beautifully done and far superior to most originals.
dave
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Absolutely, undercutting the back of the veil to a thin line - WOW - what an effective "lesson"! :o 8)
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Yeah, I’d say you’re ready to go. Very nice, in fact, one of, if not the nicest shells I’ve seen. Best,
Ed
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I dont know how close you came to copying the contemporary example you mentioned but you have done a fine job on a period English likeness ; )
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That's a very bonny shell Richard. Very attractive and beautifully folded.
Nice as could be.
Dave,
Top notch , just as we expect from you!
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Thank you very much fellows for the very kind words and advice.
Richard
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It's as good as I have ever seen! Great carving.
Curtis
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Flatsguide, you need to repurpose that nice carving practice block. That shell is just beautiful. Square up the piece of wood and drill a hole for a pen or pencil holder. Or another idea. Don't let that one go to waste.
God Bless, Marc
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I've never seen one better than that. But as you know another piece of wood will present a different challenge. Probably the hardest thing to learn about wood carving is selecting the correct piece of wood. I've always been a sucker for nice figure. looking at your's I think I need some more carving lessons.
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It's a shame that is on a practice piece ;), well done.
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I wish my practice piece looked that nice, I can see you have the gift of art
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Marc, that’s a good idea, I might turn it into a pendant. Carving out the areas under the folds sounds interesting too...I’ll give that a try.
As you guys know, folding up small pieces of sandpaper helps smooth out little imperfections like chatter marks from a scraper but I also took a small piece of new gray Scotchbright pad peeled it apart to get a thin layer of the material and sanded the shell with the Scotchbright backed up with the rubber eraser on a pencil, that worked very well.
Thanks again for all the nice words and the feeling is mutual about all of your work.
Cheers Richard
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Dave (smartdog) made a very good call to remove some of the wood under the end folds of the shell which I did; just that seemingly small detail really made a big change in the shells appearance...it is much more delicate looking. While I was at it I took Marc’s idea of turning the practice carving into something practical...well I scored brownie points with SWMBO, I turned it into a necklace pendant. I think I may inlay a silver heart into the upper middle space.
Thanks so much for the ideas fellows.
Cheers Richard
PS I just noticed that it appears that this discarded piece of English walnut was laminated, look close and you can see a color and grain difference.
(https://i.ibb.co/mHYS1N6/5-A59-C4-AD-193-B-4-E80-AFF0-711-C58-FEE6-C3.jpg) (https://ibb.co/hKnChYD)
(https://i.ibb.co/VHNSgRT/801-EE6-BE-04-DA-46-C9-A381-43-B5-E503-E92-E.jpg) (https://ibb.co/xmsj1W6)
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It is incredible at how different that looks after that tiny adjustment. That is very pretty as a pendant.
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You have done a wonderful shell for sure, Richard. Thanks for sharing.
Bob
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Bob, Donel, thank you for the compliments. I must that I surprised myself on how the shell turned out. I’m in the process now to design an Acanthus leaf pattern that will be carved on each side of the tang and either side of the comb.
Cheers Richard
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I cannot recollect seeing acanthus leaves carved on the comb of an English sporting rifle or fowler.
Henry.
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Hi Henry,
The famous Turvey rifle shown in Shumway's RCA vol. 1 has "acanthus-like" carving around the front of the comb and volute and leaf design trailing back toward the patch box. I agree, any carving like that is very rare on English sporting guns.
dave
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Yes, although not common on all English pieces it is seen on quite a few nice fowling pieces from the 1690-1740 period. The design on RCA 14 follows that style as it is within that period. There are even multiple examples of English arms from the 1740s that still incorporated the older acanthus carving at the tang in lieu of the more popular shell designs.
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Well done Richard. Very well done indeed.
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As I’m not building a specific rifle I’m allowing myself a bit of “artistic license” within reason. Still up in the air is whether or not to do a subtle moulding just above the ramrod groove.
Thanks for looking in and thanks again for your critique and support.
Cheers Richard
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Hi Dave,
Many thanks for the Turvey information--I had missed that in 65 years of study. We never stop learning!
Best regards, Henry.
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The shell is one of the main reasons I fell in love with 18th C arms. Nothing more elegant than a nice shell!
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I’ll post some of the older photos that were lost from my old thread...here come a few...
Some of the file work to clean up the really good castings from the Jim Chambers Kit. There was enough metal on the trigger guard bow to file in the beads on the bow edges...don’t want those English gents to cut their fingers on sharp edges.
(https://i.ibb.co/dMtp3qz/0-FC73788-676-F-42-A9-80-E6-49-AD5-E895-FFF.jpg) (https://ibb.co/LRrgqW2)
(https://i.ibb.co/DzQ3DC1/133-C1-C39-13-EC-4-C8-E-8-F51-FAE71-B516-E1-B.jpg) (https://ibb.co/PFgBZhr)
(https://i.ibb.co/18ZkP7W/3-A933488-5918-4-E00-B02-D-1292-F9-D785-B4.jpg) (https://ibb.co/6gYkTrC)
(https://i.ibb.co/qYZ1k7n/1-B0-ACD1-E-8964-4128-9-C37-0-C2-FEAFE6-B2-C.jpg) (https://ibb.co/LdGpnYP)
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I’m back to work on Jim Chamber’s English Sporting Rifle Kit.
The buffalo horn tip is installed and the forestock molding done. I have started on the wrist carving and will post some pics soon.
Cheers Richard
(https://i.ibb.co/wMsMMNL/DC2-F1320-FE2-B-4-D3-A-9-FEF-7-B3859-BD50-EC.jpg) (https://ibb.co/bzJzzg3)
(https://i.ibb.co/y8m1nzj/A6-B96284-9903-4848-ADD2-CEDA2-EC3-F8-F8.jpg) (https://ibb.co/sFpGvTY)
(https://i.ibb.co/fCjgzBS/DDB1494-A-0-CD2-40-E1-B2-C9-33-E595840-BE7.jpg) (https://ibb.co/qRTS3Xn)
(https://i.ibb.co/F7kvGjX/3-CA39227-6-B75-4-E80-BC3-A-539-A4-E1-D5884.jpg) (https://ibb.co/6sch6f8)
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Just beautiful!!! Love everything you’re doing.
As to your practice carving- such fine, delicate but bold carving! Aside from your gun building work you can make a killing in the custom jewelry field!
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Beautiful. I like the horn tip.
What method did you use for the forestock molding? A scratchstock, chisels and sandpaper wrapped dowels?
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That’s some clean careful work!
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Thanks guys! Much appreciated.
Beautiful. I like the horn tip.
What method did you use for the forestock molding? A scratchstock, chisels and sandpaper wrapped dowels?
I used all of the above. Here’s a photo of the scratch/scraper tool I made
(https://i.ibb.co/10JmdbP/CC38-F9-EA-13-E5-42-A5-86-A7-694-E53-EC950-C.jpg) (https://ibb.co/p1rLRnM)
(https://i.ibb.co/LvLSpsh/3-BB9331-D-8-A84-49-DA-9-A09-9-BD2-D567-D5-E6.jpg) (https://ibb.co/52NTcJx)
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I made a number of sketches and sent them out to friends for some opinions, most all came back with the pattern that I used for the wrist carving...
(https://i.ibb.co/TqWvzqs/6-D00-C8-C6-C600-4145-B4-D7-01-DEA5-E9-C641.jpg) (https://ibb.co/prh0CrS)
(https://i.ibb.co/TgkVwbx/190639-BA-AD1-E-4-F4-F-BA97-02-A2-B47-D0-C31.jpg) (https://ibb.co/fx2hXnz)
I transferred the sketch to the wood and started carving away wood that did not look like a shell...
(https://i.ibb.co/Hd9Rt3W/64-EF6317-A061-41-A5-B6-D2-68-FF5604-A1-CF.jpg) (https://ibb.co/8cQGrtW)
(https://i.ibb.co/c6QbPk1/C014-FD38-99-AF-4988-8-FE3-EFD4-F14-E0020.jpg) (https://ibb.co/y6qhDdX)
(https://i.ibb.co/NYB9gX4/E0-FEE3-BF-FEF0-4-C63-94-D0-7-B4082-F57-ED1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/GPSWfXh)
(https://i.ibb.co/4K36krQ/9208-FC19-FE4-B-4-DC1-969-F-DD4063-C737-BB.jpg) (https://ibb.co/gmh5YKn)
(https://i.ibb.co/ZTRxP2f/213-B2-E38-FB9-A-442-F-9-F3-E-39-D68351-C8-FA.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Qm7MRDJ)
Thanks for looking...cheers Richard
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Finishing up the background removal for the shell carving, next I’ll draw and carve in the the pattern around the nose of the comb, finish the background removal and carve the shell.
(https://i.ibb.co/HHKZ1Fj/6-B92647-B-9057-4-F1-C-B9-D9-DB09217-D38-C4.jpg) (https://ibb.co/RDg8Zvq)
(https://i.ibb.co/SmjMxM1/D31-B60-D4-5-AAE-41-A1-82-D8-410628603-AF5.jpg) (https://ibb.co/s1fNPND)
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What paint are you using? Just a standard latex paint?
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Clever with the paint!
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Richard: This is a wonderful thread and some beautiful work. Can I ask how you transferred the design to the wrist? Cheers, Alex
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It’s just a latex house paint, not thinned at all-nighter it was a small sample container from a Lowe’s.
After finishing the artwork I printed the image on cooking parchment paper using an laser printer. Tape does not stick well to the parchment paper but it stick well enough to locate and hold the paper to the stock with the printed side down then I rub it onto the white paint with a burnished. To “fix” the image I spray a couple of light dust coats of lacquer. The image is the quite durables this point.
Cheers Richard
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Thing about this pattern but wanted to run it by you guys for criticism both good and bad and any alternative patterns
Thank Richard
(https://i.ibb.co/nfrnbdY/EB57-F88-D-D079-4-A63-B933-CC99558-A6-C0-F.jpg) (https://ibb.co/vm1QHyT)
(https://i.ibb.co/42qWjG0/D0-BEF2-D2-DB75-4-C95-826-C-8-E1-EC3842-A46.jpg) (https://ibb.co/1MgZ954)
(https://i.ibb.co/dB9ntMK/A66503-C5-7432-4624-8-C95-7-C836-D4-ED192.jpg) (https://ibb.co/31Xtvdh)
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Most English guns are severely plain, and very few of this time period with exhibit such decoration, Richard.
All best,
Pukka.
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Hi Pukka,
I think Richard is basing this rifle somewhat on the Turvey gun in RCA 1. It has similar carving around the nose of the comb but you are right that most English guns have little carved decoration or even molding along the ramrod channel. Unfortunately, for so many of us on this side of the pond, we have little exposure to English rifles from the mid-18th century. The Turvey rifle may be the only one many have seen and most have no idea how big that gun is. The wrist dimensions make me think of the Edward Marshall rifle and I saw both side by side.
dave
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Pukka, thank you! While it’s true that most guns around the period of the Turvey gun that Dave pointed out in RCA 1, you can find quite a few or most devoid of ornate carving they were around nevertheless. I have a few other books that help a lot were you will find this carving; Great English Gunmakers, Griffin & Tow and Bailes and The Manton’s Gunmakers.
I used all these books plus others as reference to design the shell behind the breech. After designing and practice carving the shell it was quite some time before I designed the forward carving of the stylized “leaf” that joined the shell. I did many sketch variations without referring to any of the books just to see if I could come up with a pleasing idea of my own. Later after looking at a lot of different photos all five or six of my different sketches have all been done and carved before, so the old saying of” nothing new under the Sun” held true.
The rifle I’m building is not a copy of any particular rifle but a “fantasy” rifle incorporating a lot of features that I like...the horn cap as an example.
Another thing I found as very interesting is the way that ornate features waxed and wained over the years. Take the buttplate as an example at first there was none and as it evolved it became very fancy and the long tang was almost half the length of the comb. At its peak it was long and ornate with a lot of detail that took quite a bit of time to inlet. As time past the length of the buttplate tang became shorter , shorter and less ornate and easier to inlet. Look at the Niedner and Winchester buttplate, they had a very short tang and then there was no tang at all.
I appreciate your thoughts and comments.
Cheers Richard
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You're doing a great job on this rifle, but I would re-visit the comb drawing you have for carving. Look at the flow, it can really be improved. The only reason I'm mentioning this is that the rest of the rifle is so nice that this would detract in my opinion. I would do some more sketches and concentrate on your curves and shapes. Look closely at the original and compare.
Jim
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Hi Richard,
I think I may have an idea what Jim is referring to. Jim, please correct me if I have this wrong. The carving on the Turvey closely follows the crease of the baluster wrist. It stays in the crease or on top of the the round handle and does not drop down the side very much at all. In that way, it complements the shape of the baluster wrist but does not compete or obscure it.
dave
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This is somewhat based on the Turvey gun. This isn't the only possible good looking design that has the Turvey feel, but it works pretty well.
Jim
(https://i.ibb.co/mFnXQGH/9665298-orig.jpg) (https://ibb.co/yBzYLX8)
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Anybody interested in seeing the Turvy rifle in the round, it is presently in the Rockford Museum in Lancaster Pa till October. It’s a rather hard to see gun, in Shumways book.
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Thanks guys all good info. Jim I agree with you, this morning I “erased” the drawing on the stock and spent the day sketching new ideas trying to get it to flow better. I had no idea what a Chaka get this area would be. I also had your photo in my file I’ll revisit it. My brother in law lives in Lancaster, maybe a time for a visit.
Thanks guys I really appreciate the help and I’ll post some of the sketches soon.
Cheers,
Richard
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I came across some more photos of the build that I thought you may enjoy..
Following Tom Curran’s tutorial on installing a. Horn tip...
(https://i.ibb.co/TckvFRY/D241-E742-F842-4-E42-B277-FD5720-CB522-C.jpg) (https://ibb.co/gy3jBwm)
(https://i.ibb.co/0m6y2F6/52976513-26-B3-4880-95-B8-87-FE16997-EC4.jpg) (https://ibb.co/BcQ23rQ)
(https://i.ibb.co/GChTtWD/E514-E04-E-1-CB8-4953-A1-A5-C1-FB666-F16-CF.jpg) (https://ibb.co/p4myRfT)
Shaping the tang....
(https://i.ibb.co/Y7Zbnpx/9-E3-D8-CEE-781-C-4-ABE-B95-D-8-BB804-E3-A36-C.jpg) (https://ibb.co/0jtQ4hx)
(https://i.ibb.co/4p0jzkJ/E3-F4354-B-2-C29-4-B78-AAF6-A2-B18-E1446-AE.jpg) (https://ibb.co/BBYgbkw)
Inletting the side plate...
(https://i.ibb.co/rc86C5M/D2472000-7-FFB-47-AA-AF75-447-AC2-EBE659.jpg) (https://ibb.co/fn6phrt)
(https://i.ibb.co/xq9K8G4/45861879-7-AD6-497-D-94-FA-781-E5-FC972-FF.jpg) (https://ibb.co/GQYf3kh)
(https://i.ibb.co/McH59Kc/58191-AC5-B388-45-C1-BAAB-05027-FDF247-A.jpg) (https://ibb.co/tq6P3nq)
(https://i.ibb.co/vD2ngbF/D1-C9-DB38-187-C-4-D9-F-A095-903-A95-CCE048.jpg) (https://ibb.co/CWxGNqc)
Thanks for looking...Cheers Richard
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You are doing lovely work, Richard.
The exception of course to the "severely plain" I mentioned on the previous page, is the all imprtant shell with supporting pieces behing the breech! This is most important and you have copied this very well!
It sounds like you have the best books for English work.
Must admit that although I have copied Griffin's shells, they do seem a little odd to me!
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flatsguide,
Great job on this rifle! Regarding your carving, did you glue your pattern on the wood with some type of water soluble glue. Looks like it stayed put while you carved away. Look forward to more of your posts and photos.
elkhorne
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Pukka , Richard?...Thank you! I agree Griffins shell are pretty strange aren’t they.
Elkhorn, the pattern is transferred onto white latex paint.
A couple of shots of the buttplate...I nearly had to go to the doctor to get my eyes uncrossed after inletting the tang...
(https://i.ibb.co/PtfZz6Z/22889-EEF-BFB8-4763-A11-B-E4-D5-B0-A5844-F.jpg) (https://ibb.co/52fWxRW)
(https://i.ibb.co/4d73KfW/00-A9-E693-0-AE3-4-B7-C-BC21-956-B2025-E8-F5.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Ry9dYS2)
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Hi,
Fabulous work on that butt plate. That is not an easy task!
dave
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An all together, a fabulous job! Superb inletting. You hit that screw head dead on to the surface of the butt plate.
J.B.
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Fabulous work for sure!
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Impossible to improve on the inletting Richard!
I see your stock has a flat at the toe. Is this a bit of Germanic influence?
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Pukka, from what little I know, I believe the German influence on 18th century British rifles was very strong. I believe you and others are much more knowledgeable than me and could add to this....
Thanks Richard
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Hi Richard,
Yes, you are correct. The German influence was such that German barrels were sometimes sought and mounted on English rifles. Some makers copied the wooden trigger guards found on some German guns. English makers installed sliding wood patch box covers, and some rifles had flat toes and others did not. However, none I've ever seen had horn muzzle caps or muzzle caps of any sort until half stocks became popular, extensive carving was rare, and they usually mounted fowler like trigger guards with no hand rails except if they copied wooden ones. Unlike many German rifles, the English versions usually had hook breeches and tangs unless they were breech loaders. The problem is there are not many English rifles from early to mid 18th century to examine and a large proportion of those few are breech loading. British styles changed over time. The Chambers kit is for a rifle made between 1730 and 1760 at the latest. Starting in the 1760s, the rifle would have a flat lock, and by 1770 probably very little carving except at the barrel tang, acorn trigger guard, and more common use of metal scroll trigger guards. Some would have single set triggers. There would be no checkering on the wrist until the 1770s. Toward the end of the 18th century, half stocked rifles became popular often with horn nose caps. Locks were smaller so the flats around them on the lock panels got larger. On older guns with round-faced locks, the flats were very narrow.
Richard, were you able to make a trip to see the Turvey rifle at Rock Ford? It really is more impressive in the flesh. None of the published photos do it justice. In Virginia planter Phillip Lee's correspondence during the 1750s, he writes how much he prefers English made rifles particularly by Turvey, to the locally made rifles. He laments that he cannot find a good one made locally.
dave
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Richard
Please bring this rifle to Oakridge next year. I would love to see it in person.
Fleener
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Dave, thanks for the condensed version of English rifle building. I find it difficult to remember all of what you stated as my memory is not what it was just a few years ago. There is something that is undefinable to me about English or British rifles and shotguns or fowlers, it is a combination of design and execution that gives an understated elegance that is difficult to achieve. In the latter half of the 18th century and the first half of the 19th century there was so much development in Britain it boggles the mind. I’m 84 but I hope to have the time and health to finish up the projects I have. After finishing my Turvey like rifle I have a 1887 Winchester Winder action that I will build for .22 rf competition. Next is a Rod England Kit of an Alexander Henry .451 muzzle loading target rifle, the same one that Curtis Allison built here. Next is a English sporting rifle around the turn of the 18th- 19th century. It will be a flint half stock. I have the barrel and wood the barrels is twist steel lined with a .62 caliber liner, the wood is a fine piece of English walnut from Turkey. Will leave the end of this month to see the Turvey rifle, unfortunately it is under glass and I won’t be able to handle it.
Hi Art, nice to hear from you! Yes, I’ll bring it along. For those of you that may not know, the mention of Oakridge has to do with the long range matches put on by Rick Weber. The matches are the “Creedmoor 150” long range rifle matches that honor the Creedmoor matches of 150 years ago. They are shot at 300, 600 and 1,000 yards. Two classes muzzle loaders and breechloaders of that time period. By the way, Art Fleener walked away with 2nd place in the muzzle loader class with his original Alexander Henry target rifle...good shooting Art. I won’t have my A.Henry replica target rifle ready by the next Creedmoor match that is on March 25,26. So I’ll be shooting my breechloader .45-70.
For information about the Creedmoor 150 match you can find info on Facebook
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About 2/3 of the way done on this side of the carving. My 84 year old eyes are taking a beating, I need to wear optivisors but they don’t help as my eyes lose focus and I have to concentrate to get them back to focus, it is very frustrating. Balsa wood can be found it different degrees of hardness, I use somewhat soft 1/4 inch thick balsa and make different size and grit sanding sticks. You can get right up to the edge of your detail and not worry about denting it as the balsa is so much softer than walnut or maple. I attach the paper with Scotch double sided tape and belt sand them to the desired shape..trying to copy JK’s carving! PS I just looked at the photo a that bulb looking detail looks like $#@*… It may be the camera angle as I don’t recall it looking that bad.
Thanks for looking, Richard
(https://i.ibb.co/ngxJw3q/DE854106-5-F0-B-4593-8-F85-E90272-BB138-E.jpg) (https://ibb.co/YRHsND4)
(https://i.ibb.co/Mk6cGhz/EBBDBA0-D-3-AD0-4-D01-B269-0-A455-D85-DD61.jpg) (https://ibb.co/60BH1ZK)
(https://i.ibb.co/GHZ2sr7/7709-F028-1-E5-D-49-D0-9-BD3-5-AF88-B65-CACD.jpg) (https://ibb.co/PD2hTVx)
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I had the bright idea to paint the wood white so I would have good contrast with the ink from the transfer. I found the white in to be somewhat of a pain to remove. I removed it with acetone and it came out of the pores of the wood pretty easy with acetone and a wire brush with .003 inch diameter wire. I re-did the transfer on the opposite side and is is very visible, much more so than I thought it would be. Belay the white paint.
Cheers Richard
(https://i.ibb.co/yPFMhj4/53-B79796-A8-E8-48-A2-B14-E-4679-CD971-E8-A.jpg) (https://ibb.co/JtjbxJ3)
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Hi Richard,
That is really nice! Well done.
dave
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Thanks Dave and thanks too for the help and suggestions. I’m really enjoying carving, more so than I thought I would...especially when it goes right, lol.
Cheers Richard
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Looking forward to seeing this in person.
Unfortunately, I do not have an original Alex Henry long range rifle. The rifle I was shooting at Oakridge was an original Rigby rifle.
Fleener
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Nice job with the carving!
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Thanks Dave and thanks too for the help and suggestions. I’m really enjoying carving, more so than I thought I would...especially when it goes right, lol.
Cheers Richard
Hi Richard,
It is obvious that you enjoy it because you are really good at it. Your carving is as good as any I've ever seen.
dave
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Thanks guys! Dave , you are too kind.
Cheers Richard
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Beautifully executed, Flatsguide.
Bob
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Thank you Bob! I hope everything is ok with you and yours when Ian passes by. I lived in the Florida Keys and rode out a lot of hurricanes so I hope you stay safe.
Richard
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Thanks. Looks like we are going to get a blow.
Bob
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Bob, I hope you weathered the storm with no damage.
This is the carving on the left side so far. It’s getting difficult to do the fine detail work even with 10x lenses in my optivisor. Getting old sux but beats the alternative.
Thanks for looking! Cheers Richard
(https://i.ibb.co/NYHc8WF/1979384-E-32-FA-4-BA1-BCF6-245-D3-CC7-BD3-E.jpg) (https://ibb.co/w6x59pd)
(https://i.ibb.co/bK6vQHg/CFF5-F3-FB-031-C-4828-A569-CF4-A429-A970-B.jpg) (https://ibb.co/0Gn9mBj)
(https://i.ibb.co/dpGNZcX/A3905-AAA-736-C-470-B-AE13-4-E13050-D7-CAC.jpg) (https://ibb.co/rp4B9tq)
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I’ve finished the carving on both sides and no it’s onto the clam shell carving just behind the tang
Richard
(https://i.ibb.co/HNZNV1v/0-EF06-F8-A-A26-A-4117-A857-5-BA9-DAEDD1-EC.jpg) (https://ibb.co/4sks79y)
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Looking GREAT to me.
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Thanks Daryl,
Started to carve the shell today. I dished the shell to give it more form, first the gouge and the scraper to remove what little bulk was there then 360 wet or dry on a convex shaped balsa block, the paper was stuck on with double sided tape. Did the final shaping with the 360. The side view shows the contour but I put a little bit more “dish” in it after I took the photo. I’m in the process of laying out the ribs in the shell, I had to redo it as the first lines were in the wrong place....
Thank for looking
(https://i.ibb.co/1JrD05M/52-C0-F32-D-FBA3-4-ECE-A2-FD-9-A1-BAADC5366.jpg) (https://ibb.co/6JH3yx8)
(https://i.ibb.co/JKhvv3k/E0-A20-AEB-E1-F8-44-BB-B1-CC-97-B50-E08824-A.jpg) (https://ibb.co/CzrbbP0)
(https://i.ibb.co/SJ2XxtC/A957-CB69-AFE7-431-B-9-D25-7435-B6-EE1121.jpg) (https://ibb.co/zN1h5Xv)
(https://i.ibb.co/XW1wHD3/EDC74-AAE-3575-44-AF-9007-232-E6-EBCBC3-C.jpg) (https://ibb.co/L0mGKrJ)
(https://i.ibb.co/V3t8G3z/2-CE1-D6-A9-80-EA-475-F-A881-3767-F0-CFB0-A7.jpg) (https://ibb.co/t34563v)
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SLO going..
(https://i.ibb.co/XW1wHD3/EDC74-AAE-3575-44-AF-9007-232-E6-EBCBC3-C.jpg) (https://ibb.co/L0mGKrJ)
(https://i.ibb.co/vxNk1fk/91284-B42-8-A04-4934-A547-1-AF57-BB7-A62-C.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ccWQJRQ)
(https://i.ibb.co/xzG2f9K/25-D346-A4-5676-4363-90-A8-0-C327-A622-AC2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ZcKfY4R)
(https://i.ibb.co/0JBwJqn/449-E0833-E391-4-E40-8731-95589-EEE6-ADF.jpg) (https://ibb.co/vzstz1c)
(https://i.ibb.co/1zyxPcH/552-C0-BCD-E7-C7-4-EB5-B07-E-8-AC996-E4-C24-D.jpg) (https://ibb.co/wcG1PtD)
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Well that’s about it for the wrist carving…A little bit of fiddling and I’ll call it done. I learned a lot, especially about layout, in this case it was somewhat lacking. I need carve the patch box lid but at present I’m lost for a firm idea…time for research and sketching.
Cheers Richard
(https://i.ibb.co/5TK6Fdt/E3-CB29-B8-5136-48-BF-B776-67-C7-E4-D99601.jpg) (https://ibb.co/G7H0TXB)
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Lots of really nice carving going on there, Richard!
Curtis
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Oh yes - that is very nicely flowing lines. Love it.
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Thanks for the kind words guys, very much appreciated. I have learned a lol, both what to and not to do. One thing I’ve found is when shaping the area around and on top of the wrist is not to take that area to its final dimension but to leave a bit more wood so one does not get that “sunken” look that you can see on the stock adjacent to the leaf on the finial of the clam. That, and laying out your. Design very accurately, especially when you have a bunch of parallel lines coming together as there are in the clamshell close to the tang, plus don’t drive your gouge in too deep when
Thanks for looking and commenting.
Cheers Richard
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Curtis, thanks for the kind words. After the stock is finished(including the finish) I’ll make the sights, after that I’ll start to engrave it at my leisure. I sure hope the engraving turns out as nice as yours did on the beautiful Alexander Henry target rifle you built. Re the Alexander Henry target rifle, I have Rods kit and that build will be on my list for this coming springs build. Rod is coming over to my shop next week and we are going to play amateur engraver for the day.
Cheers Richard
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So nice!
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Thanks Jim!
Well the carving is finished and I spent the best part of the day candling the stock from the breech to the buttplate, along with detail sanding. In a few days I’ll finish the sanding and stain the English walnut that is too light for my taste. In preparation for staining I ordered some ground Alkenet root about a year ago and added some to a jar with artist grade linseed oil and another jar with alcohol.Today I tried the two mixes on another piece of English walnut and got two, very different results. The oil based Alkenet was a very dark brown, with a muted appearance the alcohol based Alkenet was a bright brown that had a rich vibrant lighter brown ,not muted at all. This was on a fresh planed piece of light hued English walnut. I was quite surprised at the difference. I guess the alcohol extracts different compounds from the root and as the alcohol evaporates it leaves just the extract???
Stay tooned!
Cheers Richard
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Great work Richard. Do you have a photo comparison of the two results you got with alcohol and oil?
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Thanks James! Photo to come..That got me to thinking about the color temperature of the light that I was using when I commented on the difference in color. I also used a 3rd dye, Fiebings brown dye. It’s heavy overcast outside now which tends to give a cool blue hue to photos, I’ll wait till it’s sunny out and get some photos for you James. Meanwhile here are a couple of snaps of the finish wrist carving.
(https://i.ibb.co/NWGXcjp/25-A40282-320-B-4015-A15-B-F5-EBDCADDC33.jpg) (https://ibb.co/HG905zY)
(https://i.ibb.co/Brg4ZqK/D41-E8-F15-9-C42-4988-BE4-E-513-CF1-AC0-F98.jpg) (https://ibb.co/pR3WzJr)
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That just looks superb!
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Excellent work!
Jeff
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That's a very bonny shell, Richard. Nice as I have seen!
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Thanks for the kind words fellows! Slowly getting the finish on and the pores filled...slow going as it takes quite awhile for the finish to get really hard enough to sand this time of year. In the summer I can put the wood out in the sunshine and in thre or four days it’s hard enough to sand and not gum up the paper. Most all wet or dry paper around here uses the European P designation for paper and it is far different from the USA grades. Here’s a shot of the comb with the pores pretty well filled..
Cheers Richard
(https://i.ibb.co/hHXpDhg/1-EE3092-F-5313-4-DE4-86-CD-8-D0516-CDE5-B0.jpg) (https://ibb.co/1KsH8h0)