gun case liner

[Woodbutcher]

 Gentlemen, may I have your advice? If a fella was to make a wooden gun case, what would be a suitable material to line it with, where the gun would make contact? Felt, leather and velvet come to mind. What would be a good padding, is it needed?
 If an outline or a series of cutouts and/or blocks are used, something should cushion the nice finish on the gun! Such a container would be used for transportation, and short term storing at the camp, not long term storage. Examples that I have seen include accessories, and different supplies, a great way to keep things organized, when away from home.
 Thank you for your thoughts, Woodbutcher

[WKevinD]

Leather would be the least favorable, it would get damp at camp and you would probably rust. If your trying to make it "period correct"  a fitted wood interior with felt trim could be nice.
I used to mfg. "Firelocker" gun cases and used foam exclusively for it's ability to protect and it's inability to retain water but nowhere near camp correct.
Kevin   

[JoeG]

Would it be HC to flock the inside of compartments?

[Monty59]

I think green or red felt would be a good choice you will see that in antique pistol gun cases

Monty

[hammer]

If it is to be a period one then NO FELT!   It should be baize, as per billiard and pool tables, though the material for these is far too thin.   Felt is made by matting together and pressing wool fibres.  It is thick, goes fuzzy, catches and 'pills'.   Baize is a woven woollen  textile with a trimmed pile.  The terms are too often confused.  So no felt.

English cases were mostly lined with a green baize, though other colours do appear.  The cloth was frequently of lesser quality, i.e. coarser and with a less tight weave, than today's machine made.  And a variety of paler shades.   I have used the modern in my newly built cases.  An emerald green.
 Peter Dyson over here in the UK sells lengths of baize for gun case lining/restoration that are very close to the originals if that is what you will be looking for.

I remember there was a tutorial on making a traditional pistol case.   Step by step.  Very good.

Good luck.

Peter.

[Monty59]

you right Peter I don't know the name in english of the green and red stuff that ist use in the antique gun cases

Monty

[smart dog]

Hi,
This link will get you going.  It is the 5th part of a tutorial my wife and I did on historically correct case building:
 
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=6417.0

dave

[Woodbutcher]

 Wow! Thank you all. Woodbutcher

[hammer]

Yes, that tutorial is perfection!  I must admit I took a shortcut with mine.  Not to that standard and not PC but .......
For lining I cut out patterns of thin card.  Cereal box, etc.  Then trimmed them just a fraction undersize to allow for the baize wrap over.  Glued them to the baize with white wood adhesive on the card and pressed down till set.  Trimmed the baize with a border, folded over and glued to the underside of the card.  Except where one edge of the vertical pieces would meet another baize section, this I left with just a tiny border to disguise the junction.  Pressed down till set. 
Then each piece can be glued into the box starting with the lid and base.  Where a shoulder is need to support the lid of a closed box I used a thin ply rather than card.   It a quick and neat method and looks good if you are not trying to exactly duplicate an original English box.
I have seen the worn interiors of some original boxes and it surprised me the poor quality wood that was often used for the partitions.  Rough sawn with gouges and splits, knots.  It gave the impression they were using up the worst left-overs in the shop where it wouldn't show under the lining

[Kermit]

Now that the focus has turned to the proper fabric, the next consideration might be to use archival adhesives and acid free board. You can decide whether your intention is to make something your grandchildren might cherish or if it only needs to last until you grow tired of the box's contents and move it on to another owner.