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Author Topic: First Fowler  (Read 10090 times)

Little Brother

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First Fowler
« on: February 12, 2013, 04:31:50 AM »
Evening Gents,

First of all, I must thank everyone who has contributed here.  What an invaluable resource!
It's been a long time coming, but it's all done, mostly.
Now that the building is done, I'll focus on practicing engraving until I'm ready to do this gun.  I was trying to do a little of both over the last 6 months, but finally decided to finish up the gun and wait until I could dedicate more time to engraving.
Before I get any further, I'll just say that I do have a decent camera, I just don't know how to use it yet!!  I know there is a good post in the tutorial section on photographing long guns, so I'll give that a read and try it again.  Until then, here's some quick shots.
Dunlop walnut stock (grain through wrist is great), Colerain 44" 16 ga smoothbore.  Chambers Round face English lock and steel furniture.  Wrist inlay and barrel key escutcheons are silver, front sight is brass.









I didn't do a ton of research before building this.  I got parts that I liked and made a gun out of them, so it may not be historically accurate.  I had a vague idea of a New England fowler built from salvaged parts in my mind.  However, let me know your thoughts and critiques, I'm here to learn.

Thanks,
Ben
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Offline wattlebuster

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Re: First Fowler
« Reply #1 on: February 12, 2013, 04:56:48 AM »
Ben I think you did a knockout job. You have got skills and I like everything about the gun. Im sure she will shoot as good as she looks.
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Offline Randall Steffy

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Re: First Fowler
« Reply #2 on: February 12, 2013, 05:26:21 AM »
This wasn't your first dance! Beautiful job, excellent fit and finish, you should be justifiably proud. That is impressive workmanship, and as you noted, laid out nicely to benefit from the grain of the wood.
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Offline smylee grouch

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Re: First Fowler
« Reply #3 on: February 12, 2013, 05:31:09 AM »
Wow,  this is another great looking gun. Clean,sleek and in my eye very well done.
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Offline B Shipman

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Re: First Fowler
« Reply #4 on: February 12, 2013, 05:34:07 AM »
Just outstanding. Good choice of wood grain. Really good architecture, workmanship. Two very picky things. Thin the edge of the buttplate to about a third of what it is. The rolls above the fan are a little heavy  and stretch the the whole design a bit top to bottom next time and it'll be perfect.
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Offline Curtis

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Re: First Fowler
« Reply #5 on: February 12, 2013, 06:32:59 AM »
Very good looking fowler, Little Brother.  Very fine workmanship.  When you get your engraving skills honed I think you will enhance it even more.  I have to echo Bill's thought on stretching the fan carving.

Nice job.

Curtis
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Curtis Allinson
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Sometimes, late at night when I am alone in the inner sanctum of my workshop and no one else can see, I sand things using only my fingers for backing

Offline cmac

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Re: First Fowler
« Reply #6 on: February 12, 2013, 07:25:51 AM »
Dang! First fowler....How many other guns have you done? Nice work!
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Offline KLMoors

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Re: First Fowler
« Reply #7 on: February 12, 2013, 02:19:52 PM »
Very pretty work. That thing has great lines.
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Offline Tom Currie

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Re: First Fowler
« Reply #8 on: February 12, 2013, 03:16:02 PM »
Beautifully done
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Little Brother

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Re: First Fowler
« Reply #9 on: February 12, 2013, 03:17:49 PM »
Thanks guys.  Overall, I'm really happy with how it came out.
This was my first time doing any carving in walnut.  The tang carving didn't come out exactly as I planned due to some chip outs that I removed. I do understand what you're saying about stretching the carving though, Bill.  Appreciate your comments.
cmac - This is number 3 for me.  I did a Bucks County rifle kit quite a while ago that you will likely never see pictures of (!), then a couple years ago I did a pistol.  I believe I posted the pistol pictures to the forum.  So this was my first long gun from a plank.  I really like these fowlers, something about the lines that jumps out at me.
I'm excited to get on to the engraving.  I've done just enough to know how to make and sharpen the tools (lindsey templates) which I found was a huge improvement.  Now I just have to put my time in and get a feel for things.
Anyway, glad you like it and thanks for looking.
Ben
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Offline tallbear

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Re: First Fowler
« Reply #10 on: February 12, 2013, 04:02:36 PM »
Very Nice Ben!!Look forward to seeing more of your work in the future!!

Mitch Yates
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Offline Dr. Tim-Boone

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Re: First Fowler
« Reply #11 on: February 12, 2013, 11:31:53 PM »
Ben. That is a beaut. Architecture is great!!  I think you have captured it. Bill's feedback is bound to help make the next one even better!!
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Jeff Peters

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Re: First Fowler
« Reply #12 on: February 13, 2013, 03:21:51 AM »
Nice work
Thanks for sharing the pictures
Jeff
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Offline pathfinder

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Re: First Fowler
« Reply #13 on: February 13, 2013, 03:30:16 AM »
If not too personal,what is it that you do for a living? For a 3rd gun,there HAS to be some type of developed skill set that allows you to so "easily" capture what a good Fowler is supposed to be!

The metal finishing on the lock photo is some of the best I've seen. I agree on the tang comment's but you already knew and did what was needed to salvage the work,flawlessly!

Again,GREAT JOB!
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Meteorman

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Re: First Fowler
« Reply #14 on: February 13, 2013, 04:07:29 AM »
very nice.  graceful.
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Offline Acer Saccharum

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Re: First Fowler
« Reply #15 on: February 13, 2013, 04:31:24 AM »
Very, very nice. I'd be proud to have made this one.

Tom
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Offline Jim Kibler

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Re: First Fowler
« Reply #16 on: February 13, 2013, 05:05:05 AM »
Real nice.  A couple of suggestions...  I think the trigger would look a little better if not slanted back as much as it is.  Also, I'm not wild about the sideplate and sideplate panel.  I love the shape of the butstock when viewed from the side.  The grain flow in the butstock accentuates the architecture as well.  Great job!

Jim
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Offline Ed Wenger

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Re: First Fowler
« Reply #17 on: February 13, 2013, 06:17:31 AM »
Ben,

Congratulations on a very nice piece!  I love the architecture and lines, very nice.  My only comment, and this is just me, I think the beavertail wrists could be just a tad more robust (wider)...  Really like the metal finish.  Again, great job and thanks for posting the photos!

      Ed
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Ed Wenger

Offline B Shipman

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Re: First Fowler
« Reply #18 on: February 13, 2013, 07:45:37 AM »
3rd. @!*%. It's 10 times better than my 10th.
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Little Brother

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Re: First Fowler
« Reply #19 on: February 13, 2013, 04:12:32 PM »
Thanks again guys.
pathfinder - I'm a manufacturing engineer, spend about half of my day at a desk.  I'm fortunate to have a very talented father who has many woodworking tools and equipment, so I was exposed to this stuff throughout my life.  I've moved away from home for work and I'm slowly building up my tool box.  Missed having the bandsaw available on this build, did all of the rough cutting with a hand saw, which wasn't bad with a walnut stock, but hard maple may have been a different story!
Jim - I appreciate your suggestions.  I really didn't give the trigger much thought. That's the way it came out when I fitted it up and I figured it would leave a little more room for a gloved finger to get in there.  I get what you're saying about the sideplate.  I made it out of sheet and just sketched the pattern of a readily available casting.  Definitely could've spent a little more time on the design.  As for the sideplate panel, could you elaborate a bit more?  After inletting the lock and shaping the lock panel, I just copied that over to the sideplate side.  What should I be looking for here?
Ed - I agree, the beavertails are a matter of personal taste.  I prefer a more slender, stretched teardrop shape. Personal preferences are one of the reasons I like these guns so much!
Bill - Thanks for the compliment, but I wouldn't want anyone to think this gun is anywhere near flawless.  Visually, there are a few inletting gaps that bug me.  A couple gaps opened up around the back end of the tang that are an eye sore when looking at the carving.  And believe me, there are plenty of other mistakes that I was able to hide!  I'll just keep those to myself...

Ben
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Offline PPatch

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Re: First Fowler
« Reply #20 on: February 13, 2013, 04:41:52 PM »
Crisp! Good eye and great wood working, fine metal finish and fit. Be proud of your accomplishment with this gun Ben. I like it!

dave
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Offline pathfinder

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Re: First Fowler
« Reply #21 on: February 14, 2013, 12:22:00 AM »
Better to have a "loose" fit at the tang anyway. I personaly am more of a shooter that likes to build,and the trigger slant is really comfortable to shoo with at that angle,for me anyway,I build mine this way and I think Schroyer(sp) did too. I'll have to check RCA 1&2 and "Thought's". Dang,have to look through those book's....AGAIN!
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Bennypapa

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Re: First Fowler
« Reply #22 on: February 14, 2013, 03:24:09 AM »
THAT
IS
AWESOME
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Danny H.

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Re: First Fowler
« Reply #23 on: February 17, 2013, 06:28:10 AM »
Very nice. Clean, crisp lines.
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Offline dogcreek

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Re: First Fowler
« Reply #24 on: February 24, 2013, 01:46:26 AM »
That's a beautiful fowler! Congratulations on a job well done!
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