Shaping Cones

[Berks Liberty]

Can anyone point me in a direction where to pick up a couple of Wooden Shaping Cones to form powderhorns.  I've attempted to make some with out the use of a lathe but I can't get a perfect cone.  Is there anywhere I can purchase some in different sizes? 

[Tim Crosby]

Try Michaels or Hobby Lobby they sell cones that people paint up as Christmas trees. I have also seen a cone shaped utensil at a kitchen supply. Where are you?

Tim C.   

[James Rogers]

Scott Sibley used to sell some he had turned on the lathe.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I went to Windsor Plywood - our local wood store, and bought a hardwood furniture leg.  It is 5" long, 3 3/4" at the big end, and 2" at the small end.  The threaded rod is 5/16" x 24 TPI.

[Scott Brush]

Good idea Taylor, I imagine that was fairly inexpensive?

Jason,

Gary Ellsenbeck (sic), a member of the horn guild, makes and sells cones of different sizes on ebay pretty regularly (search "powder horn").  I'd guess they'll cost more than Taylor's furniture leg. 

Scott

[Scott Brush]

Jason,

I sent you Gary's email address on a PM.

Scott

[Randy Hedden]

On Ebay now:

http://cgi.ebay.com/LOOK-Large-Horn-Sizers-for-Powder-Horns-Set-of-5_W0QQitemZ260276057927QQihZ016QQcategoryZ73979QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Randy Hedden

www.harddogrifles.com

[D. Bowman]

I cut up an old baseball bat in 4 inch sections, makes a nice set of cones from large to very small. I think the bat cost me a whole 25 cents at a yard sale.     D. Bowman

[Berks Liberty]

Thanks for the info, just bought some off ebay.   

[Pete G.]

Now here I go and glue two pieces of 2x4 together, plane it down, put the rasp on it, attack it with the belt sander, and finally find a friend with a lathe to true it up and Taylor goes out and buys a $2 furniture leg ....DOH.............

[smshea]

Im with Mr. Bowman! The baseball bat works great!

[Randy Hedden]

Jason,

I really hate to ask this question, but if you don't have the facility to make a round tapered sizer plug then how are you going to make a round tapered butt plug?

Randy Hedden

www.harddogrifles.com

[longcruise]

I saw it recommended on another site, but have never tried it myself, so it's second hand info;  this person used various sizes of clay flower pots.

[Berks Liberty]

Jason,

I really hate to ask this question, but if you don't have the facility to make a round tapered sizer plug then how are you going to make a round tapered butt plug?

Randy Hedden

www.harddogrifles.com

My last two powderhorns I made I cut a sizer plug with my bandsaw.  The plug was made from a piece of walnut I had in my garage for a couple of years.  The 10 degree taper I put on it wasn't smooth like you would get from a lathe but it did the job.  The horns really didn't form right to the plug because of the little gaps so I figured do what they would have done back in the day.  I traced the end of the oval horn to a piece of pine and cut the end plug out with a 10 degree taper to it and used a file and little by little filed it to fit the horn.  I rounded it with a file and antiqued the end.  They actually came out looking real nice.  Now that I have time to build a couple more I wanted to get ahold of some nice sizer plugs.  A couple of years ago I seen some for sale on TOW but I figured why not make some myself.  Well, I don't have a lathe yet but have it on my wish list I just need to sell a couple of horns to fund it.  I think I just confused myself, I hope I answered your question?  Basically size the horn to round and then trace the end of the round horn.  Basically do it like in Ron Ehlert's video Making Powder horns.  No lathe needed for that part. 

[Randy Hedden]

Jason,

I asked the question because most horners will tell you that it is more difficult to make a buttplug than it is to make a sizer. Looks like you have it worked out.

Be sure to show us some pictures when you finish the horn.

Randy Hedden

www.harddogrifles.com

[Top Jaw]

I don't have a lathe, so I'm always on the lookout for sizers.
Here are some I have used:
Flower pots, tapered juice glasses, a specialty salad dressing bottle, a glass bottle of Clearly Canadian sparkling water.  I like to rough up the glass bottles with my belt sander to give a better grip, as I use hot oil to size.

Top Jaw

[Habu]

Well, I do have a lathe.  I do stuff like this out of scrap for practice and warm-up exercises, and as a training exercise while teaching.  If anyone needs one drop me a line and I'll see what I can find in the firewood pile. 

Same for wood for endplugs: if we don't use it for something else, "scrap" is just another term for "firewood." 

[Leanin Chair]

Already have a couple made on a lathe, but need some more sizes.  I'll give the baseball bat a try. I use a heat gun to soften the horn. Works great.

[mdtnhunter]

Old furniture legs can easily be scavenged . Just keep your eye out for where people have set it by the curb to be hauled off.

[WRDSMTH]

Maybe this is a little crude, but I make my shaping cones out of concrete!
I get several sizes of Styrofoam cups,fill them with "Quikrete",or something equivalent, and put a stick( with a rough end so the concrete will hold it) in the center for a handle. After hardening, remove the cup and you have a perfectly round and tapered cone.
The concrete cone seems to take a good hold on the horn to allow one to work on it yet it is easily removed.
I have made a only a few horns, but this method worked for me.