Started on the the big bore dragoons

[Rolf]

Got a great piece of curly English walnut from Dunlap and cut out two matching stock blanks. Finished inleting the first barrel. First attempt at a round barrel. Must say I found these a lot harder to do than octagonal. I'll probably have to do some repair work on the inletting. But My biggest head ache is what do with the second blank.  When cutting it out, I found a spot of dry rot which is smack in the side of the barrel channel. Should I fix this before inleting the barrel or after? Any suggestions on how to get a invisible fix?

Best regards
Rolf

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Rolf:  it looks like the lock is going to hide it, so go ahead and inlet the barrel.  If after doing so, and the lock you can still see some evidence of the blemish, mix up some AccraGlas (from Brownell's) add some dark stain, blow out all of the dust, apply drops of the epoxy until it is filled to overflowing, and then apply gently, a piece of 2" wide packing tape over the filler.  The tape will hold the liquid epoxy in the pit and when it cures, and you dress if off down to the wood, you'll have a dark beauty mark, which in English walnut, is appropriate.  A lot of original European guns, when made of highly figured wood, have plugs and filler.

[flinchrocket]

Will vinegar and iron work on english walnut or will it make it to dark?

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

In my opinion, English walnut should be left in it's natural state:  the only darkening from the finish.  It often has smokey purple streaks in a creamy sand ground...lovely to look at and to work with.



This is a double flint 12 bored pelter  I finished with oil alone.

[Kermit]

Before filling or shaping, you might consider "stabilizing" the void with cyanoacrylate--superglue. We used to keep a large bottle in the shop refrigerator. It may darken it somewhat, but shucks, it looks pretty dark already.

[smart dog]

Hi Rolf,
Taylor's fix is bang on.  I've had to do exactly the same thing on knots and hidden insect damage.  You can color Acra-Glas as well with almost anything including water-based dyes.

Good luck,

dave

[kaintuck]

Ditto on the acraglass......tint with the dye supplied......

Marc n tomtom

[Jim Kibler]

I find it best to shape the stock completely before fixing any holes etc.  This way, you can be sure to get a tight fit on the finished surface that will show.  Lots will end up going away in the shaping process anyway.  As others have said, nothing wrong with a wood patch if the defect is of substantial size.

Jim

[T*O*F]

When filling knotholes with Acraglas, I always dye it black.  The brown looks cheesy and tends to stand out like a sore thumb.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I agree Dave.  If you make it black, it looks a lot more natural...like a mineral deposit.  I think it adds character too.

[Acer Saccharum]

Patches? This buttstock has a number of pieces fitted, then shaped and carved.

[Rolf]

I'd like to thank everyone for their advice. I'll innlet the barrel and fill with acru-glass.

Best regards
Rolf

[snidervolley]

Rolf
yours will turn out so nice ! wished i had mine to do over but is what it is .they are so fun to shoot.
i used curly english walnut on a couple of my guns (lemat carbine and 8 bore double ) there aint nuthin prettier !

[snidervolley]

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[snidervolley]

when I run into the open flaws I use sanded wood from project mixed with clear epoxy well stuffed in to fill and stop the crack , this will come out dark but not much darker than the spot (sand the light area and try it on a spot elsewhere)

[snidervolley]

More Rolf, show us more!i must see more..........

[Rolf]

Not much to show jet. Both barrels are inlet. ramrod channel and hole done on one.  My woodworking shop in the cellar is packed away at the moment.
We had problems with high humidity and water seepage in the the cellar ,the past 10 years. This fall, I've torn down all the walls and flooring. Heck of job.
The house was built in 1965 and every surface in the cellar was covered in asbestos sheeting. Had to wear full protective gear. I've contracted a building firm for the rest of the work.  In January they will tear up the concrete floor and pour a new one on top of a membrane. Then new walls, plumbing, electric wiring , fusebox, etc.  Hope to be finished in February and have it up and running march/April.

Do to low ceiling height, (I'm 6ft2" and can touch the ceiling), my wife lets me use most of it for workshops.  In the "new" cellar will have 260ft² wood shop, 183ft² metal shop and 160ft²gun room/vault. Hope to buy a Siege super 3 mill for the metal shop, if I can figure how to get it down the stairs. It weighs 160kg (320 lb).

I do have a small room(80ft²) for silver,brass and leather work on the ground floor (Our house is one level, 1930ft²). At the moment, Im using it for practicing carving for the Beck rifle I've built. Trying to learn to do incised volutes for the forestock. It's going to be awhile before I dare attempt to carve them on the stock.

Best regards
ROlf

[snidervolley]

woa ! you have a lot on your plate

[Rolf]

Slowly progressing. Cleaned up the locks and finished inleting one of the lock plates. Looks reasonably tight.



I filed a flat on the barrel for lock bolster. Kept it as short as possible. As you can see there is still a piece of the dry rot left.  I'll try filling it with black accruglass as suggested


Started tearing up the floor in the room that's going to be the wood workshop. Boy, do I look forward to finish this job. I miss my workshop!


Best regards
Rolf

[blackdave]

Rolf,

To get your 320lb mill down the stairs, I would recommend building a 2X4 reinforced plywood box around the mill.  Round the edges a bit with a file or router.  Then, find a couple of friends and station two below the box on the stairs and one up top on a rope around the box.  Slide the box down the stairs.  That is how I got a 400+ pound gun safe in my basement.  Getting the mill out some day is another story, but for me, the gun safe will sell with the house.  Just my humble opinion....

I remain your humble servant,

Just Dave