I have not posted any class pictures for quite some time and thought you all might like to see what we have been up to. Jim Kibler and I teach a flintlock gunsmithing class at the Log Cabin Shop in Lodi, Ohio. The class is a little different than most, more like a workshop I suppose. We meet for a full day once a month and the guys do the bulk of the work on their own at home. This time around they have been building some iron mounted rifles based on the work of several builders or regional styles.
These shots are from the last two month's classes. Here is Jim demonstrating some finer points of inletting underlugs and sights. Most of the guys in the class are making the small parts for their rifles, that same morning we had demonstrated how to make sheet metal underlugs and also how to solder them in place on a thin walled barrel.
Here's a picture of one of the rooms we use for the class, we also use the "museum" room next to it.
Greg Biebelhausen working on his rifle. Dave Williamsen's Elsiha Bull style rifle on the bench in the foreground.
Walt Shifkoski working on the forend of his SW Virginia / Honaker inspired rifle. Walt is the guy in class who supplies tools to those who show up with not much but a screwdriver in their shirt pocket. I think the Pfeil trucks must have a map with his house marked on it.
A pair of rifles and a pair of boots. The top rifle is Walt's, below it is Marc Tornichio's rifle, inspired by Jacob Young's work. Both of them have made the set triggers for these guns, and Marc forged out the very nice buttplate and guard for his rifle.
Brian Patterson at work. Brian may win the prize for the slimmest longrifle in the class, also the longest with a 48 inch swamped .32 cal barrel from Ed Rayl.
Here's a picture of Brian's hardware and triggers which he made. The tang goes clear back to the buttplate on this one. The rifle is based partly on a great old East Tennessee rifle made by William McBee.
They all seem to be learning plenty and of course we always have a good time. Pretty low key if you know what I mean.
Jim and I will be teaching a couple 3 day classes this summer / fall, one will be a repeat of last year's relief carving class, the other a new stock shaping class that will focus on shaping a stock from a practice blank, from buttplate up through the lock panels, using hand tools and band aids. There should be more info on these and other classes on the Log Cabin's web site, or call the store at (330) 948-1082. Our next couple of gun building class dates are June 19th and July 17th. We welcome anybody to stop by and visit, or stop by at Dixon's - we will be throwing the table aside and setting up a beam type bench to demonstrate gun stocking during hail storms.
Thank you, that is all
