starting a New England fowler Updated Again

[Bill Ladd]

Wow. That's mighty fine.

[smart dog]

Thanks for looking Mike and Bill,
Mike, if there wasn't someone waiting for it, I would send it to you.  The guard is on and I am drawing up the design for the sideplate.  It will be something simple.  The gun balances and handles very well.  I suspect it will be <7 lbs when finished.  Mike, were most of the front sights soldered in place on these fowlers or was there another method of attachment?  That is a detail I rarely get to see closely in photos or museum pieces.  I've never handled an original NE fowler from the mid 18th century, so I am basing my work on photos and notes from museum specimens that I examined on display.  In truth, their architecture was all over the map with nothing that I could point to that was distinctly "NE" except perhaps for the mix of recycled parts.  I like the stock on the famous "Cookson" doglock and used photos of that gun as my inspiration.

dave

[Mike Brooks]

I would assume soldered. Depends on the barrel thickness at the muzzle I suppose. If thicker it's possible they may have been clenched.

[oldtravler61]

Smartdog very nice shop. Really like how your Fowler is shaping up. Thanks for showing us your progress. Mike thanks for the BP tips. Much appreciated.

[Tom Currie]

Cool project Dave. Thanks for sharing. I've got a long term idea about building a gun with a similar butt stock and story.   

[James Rogers]

Can't believe I missed this build posting. I really like that earlier lock!

[Arcturus]

Coming along nicely.  Looks like it's gonna be a real beauty!

[smart dog]

Hi Folks,
Almost to the finish line.  I just have to clean up the whiskers, carving and moldings, and then final scrape the stock.  I need to countersink all screws, permanently attach the sheet brass buttplate, and clean up the brass and lock.  The buttplate return will have a simple single line engraved border.  The sideplate represents a rural Yankee gunsmith’s sheet brass copy of a sideplate from a 1730’s French fusil.  It will have simple engraving of a dragon head, volutes, and medallion.  The engraving will be a bit cartoon-like without a great deal of shading.  Most engraving from mid-18th century NE fowlers that I examined seems to be like that.  The barrel tang carving is simple and looks like a potted plant growing from the molding surrounding the tang.  No transition linking that molding to the leaves, just plunked there.  Again, that seems to be the way many of the early NE fowlers were carved.  The cherry stock will be tinted a little before finish.  I won’t use any lye compounds because I don’t really care for the appearance. 

dave

[conquerordie]

Looks fantastic. There is just something different about a build that uses castings from original locks.  There are great locks today, but to me none of them get it right. You can just tell locks made from castings, the lines are better, and to me they have a 18th century feel (as they should).  That being said, I hate building locks, but have done it. Those builds that I used them on just seem more correct.
Greg

[Lucky R A]

     Hi Dave,  Looking good!   I have a student who is about to finish a nice New England fowler.  His is based on an original that Norm Vandal photographed.  It more follows French style with one upper and two lower mold lines on the forearm.  We did a lye treatment on the wood, so when he gets done I will post some photos.  I am anxious to see how you stain and finish your project.  It will be a nice comparison.  I think the fowlers and some of the New England rifles are far underrated.   I always enjoy seeing your attention to detail.  Some day I want my shop to look like yours---it will stay that way one day--
Best wishes
Ron

[greybeard]

Wow! some serious positive pitch on that stock. Should be a treat to shoot Dave.
       Bob