Documentation of original rifle details using impression foam

[Dave B]

I work in the orthopedics industry as a clinician where I have to take impressions of peoples feet. We use blocks of impression foam that when compressed retain the shape of what ever is impressed into it. Once the foam is compressed you fill the impression with molding plaster. Once solidified after 30 min or so the form can be removed from the foam by use of a tooth brush or scrub brush.  There is a comperable mold foam called Oaises live flower foam that can be put to use in the same capasity. they cary it at Hobby Lobby or Michaels. It must be the soft foam not the artificial flower arrangement foam that is rigid. This does require the use of a bread knife to slice it in to 2" slabs as this stuff comes in a brick form.


the series of impressions are of an original. I use as much of the foam to capture as many details as possible for future refferrence.  The bottom two forms are copies taken from the Late John Bivins quaker butt stock he was using for teaching our 1997 carving  class at UofK gunsmithing courses. I have several others some where. They were made using Oaises foam i picked up from a craft shop in Bowling green.

I found Ebay has it per set bio foam box. BIO-FOAM Foot Impression Pair Boxed Mailer Kit Smithers-Oasis Forensic PodiatryOpens in a new window or tab
Pre-Owned
$7.99

[rich pierce]

Super cool.

[whetrock]

This is really cool. Thanks for sharing this.

[Angus]

Those would be outstanding study pieces for folks to understand architecture, proportions and carvings.

Could you make multiples and market them in the for sale section?

[Hatchet-Jack]

That is a very interesting process. What are you planning to use them for?

[Dave B]

Angus, I dont think there would be any intrest figuring the cost in time and materials in order to produce them. Look at the excellent carving Kit Jim Kibler put together. It is exactly what is needed to understand proper technique in three dimension. It I belive is essential for understanding a proper lay out for the cheak piece carving yet how many avail them selves of it? I know I am a little weird in how excited I get about finding an original that has not been messed with and in untouched condition. They are rare. The molds of the original you see here are from an untouched "mostly" smooth rifle. When at the Gunmakers fair and showing the molds I see folks glance and make the comment about being cool an their off to another table to look for that special brass casting...

Hatchet Jack, I like to teach. Its a tool for me to use in talking about building rifles of a particular school. This set is from Dauphin school of gun making.  when I come across worthy subjects to add to my cast library. Mike DeAmbre let me take a mold from his Fredrick Sell rifle for my refference collection. Pictures are help full but you cant beat 3 D.

[JTR]

Dave, Thanks for the look at that great idea!
I wish I had some guns left worth modeling... 

The F. Sell Mike had was no doubt one of the best!!!

John

[Sam B]

I’m an O&P technician and this is genius. I always have a ton of foam impression boxes laying around. Thanks for the idea!

[Hatchet-Jack]

Thanks for the answer Dave. Those will be excellent teaching tools.

[helwood]

Greetings Dave,
Hank Elwood here, Just wanted to thank you for showing us in John's Class.       Back in '04 I  was working on the "Double Neck Hammer" Lukens Air Rifle that was then thought to be the Air Rifle that was on the Voyage of Discovery,  Col. Gibson of VMI gave permission  to photograph and make impressions and since your living flower foam doesn't leave any residue  it was perfect.   It's a great technique.    Hank

[davec2]

Back in 2014 I built a copy of one of Jim Kibler's hand made rifles.....here is the original thread.......https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=32193.msg308643#msg308643

When I started the project Jim used this same technique to make plaster casts of his rifle which he then loaned to me.  Here are the casts he sent.......










This is a great technique for quickly duplicating the anatomy of an original (or a contemporary) rifle.