Author Topic: Andy Thomas- Martins Station Gunsmith (Read 12241 times)

PINYONE · « **on:** March 11, 2009, 09:00:22 PM »

Really good pictures on Andy Thomas on the TOW posting on here- pull that up then click the link - very impressive. Nice rifle job and great location- Pinyone

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #1 on:** March 11, 2009, 09:18:30 PM »

Can you give us a link?

David Rase · « **Reply #2 on:** March 11, 2009, 10:16:24 PM »

Taylor, Try this,
info on Martin's Station: www.martinsstation.com

Martin's Station gunshop: http://s498.photobucket.com/albums/rr347/FlintlockAndy/MartinsStationRifle/
DMR

Gary Tucker · « **Reply #3 on:** March 12, 2009, 01:28:20 AM »

I worked with Andy at the CLA booth in Louisville at the NRA convention. What a great guy.

Cory Joe Stewart · « **Reply #4 on:** March 12, 2009, 01:36:46 AM »

Those are some great pictures, I ran across them before searching something else and could not find them again. Thanks for the link. What an amazing craftsman.

Coryjoe

Brian Jordan · « **Reply #5 on:** March 12, 2009, 04:39:05 AM »

That is a great set of pictures! Very informative!

Does anyone use a vise like that in there shop?

What is that drilling device called, that is powered with the bow?

Steve Bookout · « **Reply #6 on:** March 12, 2009, 04:46:37 AM »

Great photos. I made and use a wooden vice like that in my shop. It is made from native walnut. Also have a wooden two screw bench vice as well and it is made from rock maple. The bow in the photo powers a drill bit. Just sent Andy a worm blank for a rifling bench last week. Cheers, Bookie

AndyThomas · « **Reply #7 on:** March 12, 2009, 05:44:41 AM »

Thanks, guys!

The MS gunshop will be open in April (through the end of Oct) and I hope to finish the rifle this year. Beginning the second week of May, Martin's Station will be open Wednesday thru Sunday. As a volunteer, I work my own schedule, so I'm not always there. The Park employees can do some of the show-and-tell stuff I do for visitors, but if you want to see me personally, you will need to email me to see when I'll be there.

Actually, you are all invited to visit this summer. If you are passing through Cumberland Gap, and need a place to stay for the night (after 2 nights we set your bags on the porch and lock the doors) let me know.

As I've told others, I'm really an Apprentice without a Master! But I'm having a lot of fun.

The second weekend each month is a Muster Weekend and a small group of people spend the whole weekend at MS, sleeping in the various cabins. Last summer, we decided that the gunshop should do something special on the Sunday mornings of the Muster weekends. Last year, we sand cast some gun parts. This year we hope to also rifle some barrels.

Anyway, thanks for the encouragement.
Andy

AndyThomas · « **Reply #8 on:** March 12, 2009, 06:10:19 AM »

Oh! The vise.

I got the idea from the video, Gunsmith of Williamsburg, which was filmed 40 years ago. I must have viewed that video 30-40 times to prepare for the gunshop. Wallace Gusler used a vise like that in the video. The screw device is from an old woodworking bench I inherited and is cast steel. A wood screw, like Bookie mentioned, would probably be more PC. It works great. Since the jaws pivot, they conform the the taper of the stock. Also, you can raise and lower the stock in the vise to a more comfortable position. I used it at home to build the "pattern rifle" seen in some of the photos. I can highly recommend that style.

Andy

FG1 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 12, 2009, 07:29:46 AM »

Awesome pictoral Andy ! You are tougher than I workin in bare feet

Brian Jordan · « **Reply #10 on:** March 12, 2009, 01:27:57 PM »

Thank you Andy, for the information on the vise. That looks like a very simple, yet versatile vise to have in the shop. Beautiful work by the way!!!

J.D. · « **Reply #11 on:** March 12, 2009, 07:52:57 PM »

It is interesting that the vise was mentioned. I have a very similar vise on an old dilapidated workbench in one of my out buildings. I have thought of using this vise for stocking, but didn't know how well it would work. It apparently works very well.

I like the various diameters on the spindle of the bow drill. I assume for various "surface speeds" when drilling different materials and different sized and types of bits? All in all a very informative thread, and good photos of the shop and building process.

Thanks, and God bless,
J.D.

Brian Jordan · « **Reply #12 on:** March 12, 2009, 09:44:14 PM »

If I could ask a few more questions about the vise?

How long are the boards?
is there a hinge on the boards near the floor?
How far down from the top of the vise is the screw from the old vise?

Thanks
Brian

Steve Bookout · « **Reply #13 on:** March 12, 2009, 10:43:42 PM »

Andy, I can loan you a wood tap for cutting threads that I used on mine should you wish you replace the screw that you have. I used an oak dowel from the hardware store for cutting my screw.
Brian, if I may butt in here and not to speak for Andy or steal his thunder, the board for my vice was made long enough to reach the top edge of the bench. The hinge is of wood and not like you may assume a hinge to be. I can provide photos if anyone wishes--AFTER Andy makes his reply. Cheers, Bookie

Brian Jordan · « **Reply #14 on:** March 12, 2009, 11:03:34 PM »

I would surely appreciate it Bookie! I am very interested in making a vise like this.

TPH · « **Reply #15 on:** March 13, 2009, 01:01:05 AM »

Bookie, I'd like to see that as well....

AndyThomas · « **Reply #16 on:** March 13, 2009, 03:39:18 AM »

About the vise.

I guess I need to take some pictures of it. The "jaw" on the bench side is attached to the bench and the floor. I made the length to put the work at a comfortable height for me, which may be too low for others, since I'm only 5'5" tall. The outside board is loose at both ends. The bottom has (boy, I need a pic for this) a slot into which a small board, with a series of holes in it, resides. The small board is pinned to the outside jaw. The small board runs through a slot in the stationary jaw. I can put a pin into one of the holes in the small board so that the two jaws are spaced such that they are parallel (sorta) over their length. I just copied the design from the vise I robbed the screw from.

I have the screw an inch or so above the bench, which puts it in the way sometimes. I place a block of wood beside the screw which is higher than the screw, so I can lay the barrel, for instance, on the bench without it laying on the screw.

The jaws are 2x6 pine boards. An advantage to pine is that it is softer than the maple stock, so it will dent first. After the stock gets thinned down I'll use some heavy leather between the stock and the vise.

I'm not sure that all makes sense. I'll go over and take some pictures tomorrow.

Brian Jordan · « **Reply #17 on:** March 13, 2009, 04:27:34 AM »

I think I understand what you described at the base of the vise. I thought there would have to be some type of adjustment to keep the boards parallel in different clamping positions. I'm sure the pictures will clear everything up.

Thanks
Brian

J.D. · « **Reply #18 on:** March 13, 2009, 06:58:36 AM »

Andy's description of the vise is nearly identical to the one I have, except the guide/spacer is missing. I wondered how the guide would be adjusted to keep the jaws parallel. I assumed that spacers would have been used, instead of a pin, to adjust the depth of the bottom of the outside jaw. Just hadn't thought about holes in the guide, to insert a pin.

Thanks, and God bless,
J.D.

AndyThomas · « **Reply #19 on:** March 14, 2009, 01:26:09 AM »

OK, some pics of the vise can be found at the Photobucket album below:

http://s498.photobucket.com/albums/rr347/FlintlockAndy/GunshopVise/

Andy

Brian Jordan · « **Reply #20 on:** March 14, 2009, 01:37:14 AM »

Thank you very much Andy, The pictures are very helpful!!

RobertS · « **Reply #21 on:** March 14, 2009, 03:50:01 AM »

Great thread and wonderful pictures. Would it be possible to locate the screw just underneath the top of the bench, or would that compromise the effectiveness of the vise? Thanks so much!

TPH · « **Reply #22 on:** March 14, 2009, 11:10:08 PM »

Andy, that's great, thanks for posting the pictures. And the last picture is a HOOT!

Steve Bookout · « **Reply #23 on:** March 15, 2009, 02:22:58 AM »

Andy,....I got this extension cord..........

Love that picture!Bookie

AndyThomas · « **Reply #24 on:** March 15, 2009, 03:19:04 AM »

Robert - I may have copied the vise in the Gusler video on that. I don't remember. Lowering it would get it out of the way. You would lose some leverage by lowering it, but that shouldn't hurt anything.

Andy

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Author Topic: Andy Thomas- Martins Station Gunsmith (Read 12241 times)

PINYONE

FG1

J.D.

J.D.