Jim Chamber's Pennsylvania Fowler Build-- MORE Pic's+ Form Pic's

[canadianml1]

Just finishing up my JC Penn fowler 20 ga. It has taken me along time to do but it looks like it will turn out very nice. I have not done any relief carving  and only have put in one silver inlay ,an oval thumb piece. I did spend a lot of time shaping the fore end and added a silver nose cap. The nose cap is a single piece of silver shaped around a brass form that matches the dimensions of the required nose mortise. It was tricky but it turned out better than I thought it would........first time employing the technique. Done several other two/three-piece nose caps employing a similar brass form and soldering on an end closure. I'll post some pics of the gun when I'm done.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

By all means post pics of your build.  The PA fowler is a really nice gun to build, and especially, to shoot.  I've built several of them now, and even used the profile as the basis for a fowling piece for the late Leatherbelly, and it turned out really nicely.
Where in Southern Ontario do you call home?  Daryl and I were raised in Middlesex Co., SW Ontario.

[Bob McBride]

Glad to hear the NC turned out. Can't wait to see it. 

[Mick C]

Please do post pictures.  I have a JC New England fowling piece and absolutely love it.  Would really like to see yours.....Mick

[flatsguide]

Outstanding craftsmanship on the silver fore end cap. Could you go into some detail on crafting it please?
Cheers Richard

[canadianml1]

It is a long drawn out process. I'll give you the "dog bones" of it as best I can without pic's. I'll post pics of the finished form later:

1. Finish size the fore end of the stock profile in area of cap. Leave ends sharp 90 degree. A Radius will be applied later.

2. Reduce the end by 1/16 inches with Dremel 1/8 inch ball. ie half the ball depth (multiple plunges 1/16 deep). Clean up with a course file and sandpaper. This produces the space on the stock that the nose cap will occupy.

3. Trace the profile of the stock onto a piece of brass bar stock to make the forming tool.

4. On vertical milling machine end mill steps into the brass to this line. (series of steps).

5. File down brass to remove steps. This is the form that will be used to bend the .058 inch thick silver sheet. (dead soft silver)

6. File radii on stock end to remove sharp 90 deg corner. This should be of generous size.

7. File same or smaller radii on brass form.

8. Form silver around form annealing often. Use wooden hammer.

9. Fit and trim formed sliver cap to fit stock and barrel.

10. Glue and screw to stock.

11. Bring down stock flush with end cap.

If any questions please do not hesitate to ask. I hope the above is reasonably clear. There are many details missing, but I hope this gives the main ideas.

[flatsguide]

Thanks so much for the explanation. I can’t remember the name of the stepping down process with the milling, I think it’s called Kelliring but my 82 year old brain is starting to $#@* out. It looked like the silver cap I’d flared out somewhat in the photos.
Cheers Richard

[canadianml1]

Hi Richard:

The sides on the muzzle cap are parallel, no flaring at all. The photo is a bit difficult for the eye to interpret I think because of the shine.

Grant

[alacran]

Tom Curran has a tutorial on this . I have been making mine following his tutorial. it is not as complicated as what you described. You did a very nice job though. Going to have to make one in silver all of mine have been brass or steel.

[canadianml1]

The extra complications are because this is a one-piece cap and the procedure provides a flush assembly on a stock which is already at finished dimensions as-received. ie leaves the cap as wide as the pre-shaped stock and flush top and bottom. I wanted to avoid  having the stock step down to the cap's size. This does make the process somewhat more difficult.

One thing that I learned from the three other two/three-piece caps  I made is that the form should also include the top of the cap where the sheet bends around the form to meet the barrel. This provides a cap that does not require filing to make it flush with the top of the stock.

By way of clarification, what makes my method a bit more complicated is the fact that the wood  is left with the dimensions of the pre-shaped stock so once the cap is fitted in place there is no step from stock to cap.  After the cap is attached only a very small amount of wood and silver needs to be removed to finish the cap/stock flush. That is, my method allows me to leave the fore end  the same dimensions as the pre-shaped stock(minus the mortise for the silver) in order to make the assembly look right/flush without any step. This required greater precision than would otherwise be necessary.

I hope this is of some help.

[Craig Wilcox]

Grant, what thickness/gauge silver did you use?  I have a pistol build coming up, and would like it to have a silver muzzle cap.

[canadianml1]

The silver I used is 'fine silver' 0.058 inches thick fully annealed.

Have fun making your cap. It is doable with patience.

[canadianml1]

bump up. Method of making a one piece muzzle cap that is flush from the start.

[Tim Crosby]

 A bit confusing; what are you referring to?

  Tim C.

 

[canadianml1]

Hi Tim:

I re-posted this thread because someone else wanted to see muzzle caps and others chimed in with their method of making such. This thread also gives some detail as to how I make a one piece cap that is flush from the start and so is a little "different". Thought it was worth showing again.