Author Topic: Need advice regarding a bison horn, part 3, Pictures added today.  (Read 3494 times)

Offline Rolf

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Need advice regarding a bison horn, part 3, Pictures added today.
« on: September 26, 2008, 10:34:08 PM »
Today I drilled the hole the spout and did an acceptable job. But when I tried to round the base it cracked  :-[ where the horn was thinnest. I used olive oil heated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (185 degrees Celsius). I kept in the oil for 15 seconds. The horn was not burned.The shaping cone had an 80 degree taper and was 2.5 inches thick. There are no cracks in the thickest part of the horn base, in spite of that this part had the greatest change of curve. I think 2 things went wrong.

1. Part of the base wall was to thin.
2. I used to much force pushing the cone into the horn. I tried to get a tight fit between base wall and the cone all the way around the base.

The horn is 13.4" long. I have to cut off 1.5" -2.0" to get rid of the cracks. I'll post pictures tomorrow.  Hopefully I can salvage something.

Best regards

Rolfkt
« Last Edit: September 27, 2008, 08:58:57 PM by Rolfkt »

Offline G. Elsenbeck

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Re: Need advice regarding a bison horn, part 3.
« Reply #1 on: September 27, 2008, 03:21:06 AM »
Arrrrgggghhh, I hate when that happens.  Oil may be quicker, but boiling water I feel I have a tad more control.  However, if the horn is too thin in this area and the horn is really pliable forcing in a sizer can, and usually does, result in splitting regardless of what method of heat is used.  I know, been there, done that and I share your disappointment.  Welcome to hornmaking 101.
Gary
Journeyman in the Honourable Company of Horners (HCH) and a member in the Contemporary Longrifle Association (CLA)

There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."

Offline Beaverman

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Re: Need advice regarding a bison horn, part 3.
« Reply #2 on: September 27, 2008, 09:06:23 AM »
Rolfkt, your not the first guy thats happened to, when you worked the horn in the oil, did you squeeze the end to see if it was getting pliable?, Ive found with working buff horns that sometimes you have to do the rounding process with a sizer a couple 3 times, sneaking up on it pushing the sizer in a little at a time, letting it cool with the sizer in then repeat the process a little deeper each time, and them sometimes it just cracks anyway! Happened to me last week with a flat horn, had the thing pressed real nice everything was looking good, left it in the press, walked away for a couple hours, when I came back, the horn split as it cooled along the bottom curve, luckily it only cracked on the outer half of the thickness so it can be filled and fixed, still its just another step that agravates yea! sounds like you still have plenty of horn to work with yet, especially if you turn a beehive plug for the base, that will help balance the horn.
« Last Edit: September 27, 2008, 09:07:48 AM by Beaverman »

Offline Rolf

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Re: Need advice regarding a bison horn, part 3.
« Reply #3 on: September 27, 2008, 08:57:55 PM »
Here's the pictures of the horn and the crack after rounding. It looks worse than it actually was. I think I've been able to salvage most of the horn.




After cutting off 1/2" of the base and sanding, I got rid of most of the cracks. Then I boiled the horn in 6" of water for two hours and slipped it gently on to the cone. All I'm left with is a small hole about 1/4" long and 1/16" wide. The horn is now 13" long and perfectly round.


I plan to strengthen this part of the horn with glassfiber/epoxy on the inside and cover the hole on the
outside with a tack.

Best regards

Rolfkt
« Last Edit: September 27, 2008, 09:06:17 PM by Rolfkt »