Leatherbelly's 28 gauge fowling piece

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I just finished this one for Leatherbelly...it features a 50" 28 gauge John Getz barrel inlet into a piece of PA red maple by and from Mark Wheland (great inlet Mark).  The wood is stained with Ferric Nitrate crystals and water, and finished with Circa 1850 tung oil.  Leatherbelly intends ( I believe) to mostly shoot ball out of her, so for a pattern, I used Chamber's PA fowler profile with some modifications...length of pull 14 1/2", changed the wrist, but used all of the hardware from Chambers' PA fowler.  Those of you who have purchased John Schipper's new book on engraving, will recognize that I too have a copy.  Wonderful book!!  I browned the barrel, case hardened the screws, and polished the lock bright.   Leatherbelly hasn't even seen her finished...maybe tonight!

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Well Taylor that is a very elegant gun!....You may have outclassed LB  The engraving is very nice!

The fit and finish is very nice and I like the architecture.  I do have to say that I am not wild about the squared off edges of the lock panel. I would prefer to see the lock panel more emergent and organic to the stock.... Don't know if that is characteristic of the PA fowling piece or not.... anyway its just my taste... A beautiful gun that I am sure LB will use to great advantage..... he will be a lot closer to the targets than anyone else with the 50" barrel

[smallpatch]

Taylor,

Nicely done.  The engraving is impeccable!! A real beauty for sure.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Thanks Tim and Dane.  Tim, I'm guessing that you're referring to the last 1 1/8" of the panel where I've created a concave area next to the panel at the tail end of the lock.  It's likely just the way things turn out for me, but I always cut a concave area there, rather than have the panel blend in flatishly.  Leatherbelly will add his own patina over the next few years, so aging the gun wasn't necessary.  With a lock polished to 600 grit, he'll have to work at getting it to rust.
With the 50" barrel, I had to make the ramrod from scratch.  But I had a piece of perfectly straight hickory, and Lee Valley's dowelling cutters, so I first made a 1/2" + rod, then reduced it for most of it's length to 3/8" + a few thou...It turned into a great rod, but I hope I don't have to make a replacement. 

[Acer Saccharum]

Very elegant, Taylor. I think Tim Boone has only seen old guns, he's not used to new ones. I see the concavity between tang and sidepanel, but I would expect that. I think Dr Tim is talking about the hard edges of the panels themselves. Leatherbelly will take care of those edges.

Fine workmanship and artistry.

Tom

[smylee grouch]

Very lucky fellow, that Leatherbelly. You have created another artistic wonder Taylor. Everything, lines,engraving,finnish. All great.   Smylee

[HardBall]

I'm waiting on a pictorial coffee table book of your work Taylor.  I hope you have plans to publish one?

[Eric Smith]

Nice piece, Taylor. I like the engraving. Leatherbelly will really be pleased.

[Vomitus]

Ohh my o my! First I've seen!

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Taylor. i was referring to the edges of the lock panels as Tom explained better than I did.... They are not a big deal, just something i am concentrating on, especially in fowling pieces. I actually like the concavity you mentioned.... it seems natural to me.  You definitely do beautiful and inspiring work!!

I love the high polish on the lock... LB & many of the rest of us will probably be gone before it rusts!!!

[rich pierce]

Engraving is great, really like it.

[Tom Currie]

Taylor, Superb work again as we have come to expect from you. A recent Chambers PA fowler I built has a much simpler sideplate. Yours appears to be an upgrade. A much more refined and pleasing choice.

Wonderful engraving.

[bob in the woods]

That is a beautiful gun, and superb workmanship !   Is the barrel a 20 bore dimension with a 28 bore, or is it a true scaled 28bore ?    I ask because I had a 28 bore made for me and it was light and truly scaled for the bore. Usually, the ones you see, are20 bore outer dimensions which make for a heavier barrel .
I hope I'm explaining this correctly. In other words, my 28 has the same barrel wall thickness as my 20 .

[Mike Brooks]

Sure looks like Schippers' engraving. You're a quick study!

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I appreciate all of your comments and kind words.  I especially appreciate Tim's comments about the treatment of the lock panels...thoughts like those pry me out of the rut I've been comfortable in, and make me look harder at study pieces.  I invite you all to critique this fowling piece, if you will.  It can only benefit all builders.
The barrel on Leatherbelly's gun was made my John Getz.  The barrel on my Chambers' PA fowler is a Long Hammock 46" .  The octagonal breeches on both are within .015" - almost 1 1/16".  The muzzle wall of the Long Hammock barrel is .100" while the Getz barrel is .140".  but the Getz barrel has a little more of a flare.  So, I'd say John did not contour the barrel to 20 gauge specs, but rather created a true 28 gauge fowling piece barrel.  There is enough steel in the muzzle of the barrel to accommodate rifling, and I think Leatherbelly will mostly shoot ball out of this gun, so the heavier barrel will be a blessing.
Regarding John Schipper's engraving book, and I don't mind giving him a plug here....indispensable!!  His easy way of writing is most welcome, and his detailed instruction will set up anyone with the desire to give it a try, to success.  I think the thing that most impressed me about his style, is the fine-ness of the detail.  The overall impression is great coverage, but the details are very small.  The book has hundreds of examples to study, and reminds me in part of the European engraving books of the 18th and19th Centuries.  The book encompasses a man's entire lifetime of study and presents it in easy to see and understand format.  It is one of the best book purchases I've been able to make.  Leatherbelly's gun just happened to be the one on the bench when my copy arrived, so it was my Frankinstein experiment.
He's coming over after lunch today to pick it up.

[TMerkley]

I love it,

I am curious how the inletting is done without over cutting and leaving small gaps.  I have inletted a lock this week and ended up leaving a few small gaps. Not near like the first one.  I had a similar situation when I inletted the barrel on Friday.  I did that by hand as well.  I only had one spot about an inch long near the breech where I took almost an extra 1/16th out.  I dont have much other than hand tools.  Drill press and electric drill.  the rest is chisels, box plane, and rasps. How can inletteing work look "clean" with only hand tools?  Great work Taylor!

[runastav]

Very nice Taylor
Runar

[rich pierce]

I love it,

I am curious how the inletting is done without over cutting and leaving small gaps.  I have inletted a lock this week and ended up leaving a few small gaps. Not near like the first one.  I had a similar situation when I inletted the barrel on Friday.  I did that by hand as well.  I only had one spot about an inch long near the breech where I took almost an extra 1/16th out.  I dont have much other than hand tools.  Drill press and electric drill.  the rest is chisels, box plane, and rasps. How can inletteing work look "clean" with only hand tools?  Great work Taylor!

Sharp tools, good light from several directions, slight draft on the parts being inletted, and care in placing and removing the piece when looking for transfer of inletting black are the main areas that will get you better inletting.

[Roger Fisher]

Ol Leatherbelly better do that piece justice or they'l tie him to a tree next winter.....He'll love a 28 shootin r ball.  I do wonder how tall and long in the arms he is to fit that 14 1/2 inch pull?

[sydney]

Hi Taylor--very nice --i do like the engraving
           Thanks for the pictures
               Sydney

[LynnC]

Taylor - I just plain like it!  A beautiful gun.  LB ought to be grinnin from ear to ear.

If I may ask, What's the weight and how does she balance?

LB - Looking forward to hearing how she shoots

[Habu]

How can inletteing work look "clean" with only hand tools?

Aside from the tips given by Rich, practice.  Pick up a piece of maple at the lumber yard, and practice inletting the lock plate or other components.  I don't build enough guns to maintain the skills, so before a build I practice inletting each component.  (I still have trouble with entry pipes, but I think that is as much psychological as anything else.)

[Daryl]

What can I add? Superb- Love the engraving pattern and execution - I've come to expect all the rest form him.  Of course Taylor is my second most favourite builter (oh yeah- cut the grass and 4 beer+ Clamato later) - Naaaa - second thought, Taylor is my most favourite builder (brother) of course.

Such a waste. thouugh,  LB will be selling her inside a year - best get your offers in now!  hahahahahahahahaha

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

It just went out the door, and I didn't think to weigh it.  It holds like a long barreled rifle rather than a shotgun/fowler.  But is certainly not heavy.  I know that's not very explicit but the best I can tell you right now.
thanks again, for your comments, guys.

[Daryl]

Any pictures of the build? I'm going to have another beer. (boy - should have seen this first time I typed it.) Yikes!