.....And Bullet Boards to Match

[davec2]

A while back I made up a pick and brush set with ebony handles that I had posted here.  I was asked to make a set for a friend of mine and, at the same time, he asked about a bullet board.  I had made one up for one of my .50 cal rifles a while back.  It was nothing fancy, but I made it out of Kauri wood which is 50,000 + years old.  Fairly plain wood, but very interesting to work with because it is that old - not petrified, but somewhat irredescent from the minerals that it has absorbed over 500 centuries!  At any rate, I showed him the Kauri bullet board and he asked about doing one in ebony to match the pick and brush set.  I did one for him in ebony and then one for myself for a .32 rifle I have.  I really liked the miniature bullet board and discovered that it is much more useful than the one sized for a .490 ball.  I can find and handle a .490 ball fairly easily, even in moderately cold weather, but trying to catch and patch a .310 ball out of a pouch is a bit more challenging.  OK...not that big a deal to load a .310 ball, but it gave me an excuse to make a miniature bullet board out of ebony !

[Dave B]

Dave,
These are fantastic. Now you need to make a felt lined box for these and your piece. How are you putting your touch mark on to the wood? burning it in with  a Hot iron touch mark brand maybe. Really high class stuff. Thanks for sharing.

[Tim Crosby]

 Really nice lookn' Dave.

Tim C.

[Mike R]

Those are too pretty to use.

[ottawa]

never thought of a bullet board as something to be a work of art till now :)great work

[Ken G]

Beautiful work Dave.  Thanks for sharing the pics.  I have seen Kauri wood up close and it is really something.  Comes from Australia doesn't it?  Really inspirational work and shows even the simplest things can be turned into something unique. 
Ken

[G. Elsenbeck]

I believe the wood comes from New Zealand and if you can get some it will be a tad bit expensive.  Beautiful wood though and great job on the accouterments Dave. 

[davec2]

Dave B,

The touch mark is pressed in soft brass and then inlaid into the wood.  I do the same thing on horns.  (The press and tools are the ones I posted in the "tools" section.

The Kauri wood does indeed come from New Zealand.  The trees were buried in a bog 50,000 years ago and are now being "mined" for their timber.  Too soft for gunstocks, but it is good for horn plugs, bullet boards, and I have done some light wood inlay with it.

[lew wetzel]

dave,the stuff you make is fantastic...would be great in a cased set.its all in the little details...

[hawknknife]

  I second all the above remarks cause I know first hand the quality of Dave's work!

[Ephraim]

Them are great may I ask where did you get the rings that look like small drawer pulls thanks for sharing things like that is what I love about this sight.
Ephraim

[davec2]

Ephraim,

I turn all the brass fittings I use on a small lathe.  Usually, when I make several of the same kind, I grind a form tool so they all come out the same.  In this case, I didn't intend to make that many so I shaped them by hand with very small wood carving tools.  The brass turns just like wood except that you need to push a little harder and re-sharpen more often.  The rings themselves I roll out of heavy brass wire and solder closed.... the same techniques and materials I use to make all of my horn fittings.

Dave C

[Ephraim]

Tank you that is what I had in mind was to use for powder horns.
Ephraim

[Brian]

Beautiful work!  The things that show up on this site never cease to amaze me!  Talk about a collection of talented people!