Author Topic: Blunderbuss #4, ...DONE !!! (Read 45083 times)

smylee grouch · « **Reply #200 on:** January 09, 2020, 11:34:50 PM »

Hi Dave. Great looking stuff. If you use mostly square gravers, how many different sizes do you use if more than one and what sizes are they. Smylee

davec2 · « **Reply #201 on:** January 10, 2020, 06:12:12 AM »

Smylee - All of the engraving I have done on this gun has been done with four gravers. The three primary ones are all ground from 1/8" square Glenn Steel blanks. One of them is a flat (about 0.050" wide) that I use for all the pick and dot work. Two others are simple 90 degree square gravers. One has the end ground to about 0.050" wide and the other, for shading and finer lines, has the tip ground to about 0.025" wide. The fourth graver is a multiple liner I use for shading things like the cannon barrel on the butt plate. Of course, I have dozens of other gravers that I have made up for one thing or another, but the four I mention here are the only ones I needed for this job.

However.....come to think of it.....I did make a new beading punch to make the little round beads at the breech. I didn't have one the right size, so I made up a new one. Not really a graver, per se, but one of the tools I used on this gun just for the border beading.

smokepole45cal · « **Reply #202 on:** January 10, 2020, 08:01:53 AM »

What is that tool your guiding with your index finger as you polish the top barrel flat?

davec2 · « **Reply #203 on:** January 10, 2020, 08:25:39 AM »

Smokepole- I am polishing the barrel flat with these sanding sticks:

They are plastic and spring loaded to hold 1/4" wide sanding belts of various grits. I have a half a dozen of the sticks and keep one for each of the grits I use. I use them for polishing lock parts, brass parts, barrels, and stock details. When polishing metal I usually use them with a light oil (as in the picture you refer to). The belts don't load up as much with the oil. Here is a link to some available on Amazon but the sticks and belts are available from many sources including jewelry supply houses:

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B079GHS13V?aaxitk=BjhPW.OfNRwSAJO2fZcH6w&pd_rd_i=B079GHS13V&pf_rd_p=591760d1-6468-480f-9b10-0ee9c85706fd&hsa_cr_id=9367417650701&sb-ci-n=productDescription&sb-ci-v=5%20Piece%20Sanding%20Detailer%20Stick%20Set%20with%202%20Extra%20Replacement%20Belts%20Per%20Stick%2C%205%20Grits%20120%2C%20240%2C%20320%2C%20400%20%26%20500%20Grit%20Made%20in%20The%20USA%20for%20Sanding%20Wood%2C%20Metal%20%26%20Plastics%2C%20Long%20Life%20Sanding%20Belts

And here is a set from Rio Grande. They also have better belts.....more expensive but better.

https://www.riogrande.com/product/sanding-stick-assortment-set-of-6/337286

smokepole45cal · « **Reply #204 on:** January 10, 2020, 10:09:07 PM »

I really appreciate that information. Schippers always emphasized making sure metal was polished well before engraving. This will help.

davec2 · « **Reply #205 on:** January 13, 2020, 08:41:56 AM »

Working away on the barrel breech engraving. This part is fairly delicate and complicated, so I go fairly slowly. The first picture is a paper drawing glued onto the barrel with rubber cement. I put Dykem on the surface first and then glue the drawing in place. Then I trace through the drawing with a fine pointed scalpel to mark the blueing. The second photo shows the resulting tracing and the start of the outline engraving. The third photo is some of today's progress and shading........It will look a lot better when I get all the details cleaned up...

davec2 · « **Reply #206 on:** January 13, 2020, 08:46:01 AM »

P.S. I posted this photo of another blunderbuss I built for a fellow over in the "Black Powder Shooting" section, but in case you missed it, this is what a 10 gage version looks like.....the one I'm building in this thread is a 4 gage ........

These things aren't much good for long range target shooting, but you can't beat them as an "area denial" weapon !!!

Craig Wilcox · « **Reply #207 on:** January 13, 2020, 06:30:04 PM »

Dave, you just need some 40 mm grenades to be launched via your 4-gauge. Or make do with a handful of rusty nuts and bolts..

I truly like the globe and anchor design you are scratching in on the rear of the barrel. About how long does the engraving part take?

Sure appreciate you showing us progress photos - please continue as best you can.

davec2 · « **Reply #208 on:** January 14, 2020, 10:04:18 AM »

More progress on the barrel engraving....the hardest parts completed.....

Some lettering on the barrel and then the final finish on the wood. It's been a long time coming on this one. Just too many other things going on ...

Daryl · « **Reply #209 on:** January 14, 2020, 09:10:24 PM »

Super work, Dave. I am in awe.

Dave Marsh · « **Reply #210 on:** January 14, 2020, 09:18:51 PM »

I am in awe as well. Not even sure if awe is even the right word to describe your fantastic talents.

Dave

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #211 on:** January 15, 2020, 03:32:08 AM »

Dave, I envy you and your signature style. That's very nice work, and it adds so much to the already superlative gun.
Question: do you chase with chisel and hammer, or do you use a pneumatic engraver, or both?

davec2 · « **Reply #212 on:** January 15, 2020, 05:23:53 AM »

Thanks for the kind comments.....not sure I deserve them, but thank you.

Taylor.....mostly I use my nearly 40 year old Gravermeister but I also use hand gravers (not very much but some) and a hammer with other longer gravers and punches. I'm not too sure about whatever "style" I may have since I seem to jump from one thing to the next......but I am expecting a style to develop out of all this.....if I can hang in there for another decade or so...

Dan Fruth · « **Reply #213 on:** January 15, 2020, 06:10:38 AM »

The incredible talent displayed on this website amazes me. What a great group of "man art" producers!

davec2 · « **Reply #214 on:** January 15, 2020, 06:04:00 PM »

Craig.....I missed your question about how long this engraving took me. I have had to do it in bits and pieces but, all told, all of the barrel engraving (muzzle to breech and tang) has taken me about 4 evenings to complete......probably about 18 to 20 hours total.

Craig Wilcox · « **Reply #215 on:** January 15, 2020, 06:17:26 PM »

Thanks, Dave. I am totally in awe of your abilities.

davec2 · « **Reply #216 on:** January 16, 2020, 07:49:16 AM »

It was a long time coming, but all the engraving on the gun is complete with the final bit on the barrel......"VICTORIAM".......Victory !

The last step in the whole process is finishing the stock wood. Andrei found a superlative piece of walnut for this gun. Here the stock has the first application of Sutherland & Wells polymerized Tung oil. It is turning in the sun on my "stock rotisserie"....

I hardened the heads of all the screws and started the finish on the ram rod today as well.

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #217 on:** January 16, 2020, 08:03:20 PM »

Dave: I bought an old Gravermeister too, about twenty years ago, but I've never hooked it up to try it. I should probably drag it out and plug it in...

Kingsburyarms · « **Reply #218 on:** January 16, 2020, 08:36:15 PM »

Excellent job!!!!!!- Proud FEGA Member!!!!!!!-- - - love the nautical theme and the shading -

Jon

Bob McBride · « **Reply #219 on:** January 16, 2020, 08:46:40 PM »

Stunning work Dave.

davec2 · « **Reply #220 on:** January 17, 2020, 12:50:36 AM »

Taylor,

You should try out the Gravermeister. GRS makes upgraded hand pieces and also has at least one modification kit for older models to increase the stroke speed. I have installed both types of upgrades. I also have a Graver Max and a Graver Mach. They all have slightly different features, but I don't need an air compressor running for the Gravermeister. I plugged it into a momentary "ON-OFF" foot switch so I don't have to leave the Gravermeister running. I turn it on with the foot switch under my left foot and then operate the throttle with my right foot. If your unit has one of the older hand pieces, I would heartily recommend looking at the more modern versions. The 901 hand piece I am using now is far easier to use than the older versions.

Craig Wilcox · « **Reply #221 on:** January 17, 2020, 02:02:31 AM »

And Taylor, should you not want to hook it up and try it out, just send it to me and I will take very good care of it.

aaronc · « **Reply #222 on:** January 17, 2020, 03:02:13 AM »

Wow what a thread. Pretty much speaks for itself Dave. Talented work,.....and the dental work

Ed Wenger · « **Reply #223 on:** January 18, 2020, 03:55:11 AM »

Dave..., I think your “style” would be described as “superb”! Your knack for shading brings a whole ‘nother element to the engraving. Beautiful work!

Taylor..., do yourself a favor and get to know your Gravermeister, I think you’ll be in for a pleasant surprise. Although I have to say, you’re hand engraving is to level where I would have guessed you already used a Gravermeister.

Ed

smokepole45cal · « **Reply #224 on:** January 18, 2020, 04:54:34 AM »

I nearly choked when I checked the price of Gravermeisters on Brownells!....looks like I'm sticking with my hammer and hand gravers.

News:

Author Topic: Blunderbuss #4, ...DONE !!! (Read 45083 times)

smokepole45cal

smokepole45cal

smokepole45cal