Building Blind

[rick/pa]

I can't even begin to imagine the challenges this young man faces to enjoy his hobby. You and he are to be commended for attempting this endeavor. Best wishes to Josh in his pursuit of a dream.  You're a good man Dave.

[mony]

Smart dog, you are walking the walk and it is something special to see. Thanks.

[Tim Crosby]

 Good Man Dave.

  Tim

[Clint]

Dave
Your selflessness and commitment to a difficult project helps the rest of us put our lives into context. Thank You.
Clint

[thecapgunkid]

God bless both of you

[smart dog]

Hi Guys,
I am overwhelmed by your support and comments.  Thank you all.  The story is about Josh, not me. I am just the facilitator helping the project along and seeing how far he can go at a task before I step in to guide him or take over. I have to be honest in that I was originally very skeptical about the whole thing but was convinced by Josh's determination.  He is tenacious.  I am backed up with gun work so I had to figure out how to fit his project in with my regular gun shop work. I've always been comfortable around people with disabilities. For years, I coached X-country skiiing for Special Olympics.  As a result, I am very candid with him about his limitations but also very supportive of him pushing the envelope of those limitations.  I'll give you an example.  We needed to fit the breech plug and shape the tang.  I wanted to square up the bolster first.  This was a good opportunity to get Josh filing. I told him what needed to be done and why, and gave him the proper file.  I got him started filing and then stepped back and just watched for a while.  He had a tendency tip the nose of the file down from level.  The bolster was the perfect trial balloon because we had a lot of excess metal to work with.  It became apparent to me that Josh needed to find his natural stance relative to the object he was filing.  I mean that in the same way an offhand shooter needs to find his natural stance in which his body has the right tensions to remain neutral such that he doesn't tend to twist left or right.  We needed to find Josh's natural position relative to the work so he did not angle the file up or down and kept it level.  That meant moving Josh and the breech plug around until we found that sweet spot and then determine a rule or metric for him to always find it.  It worked! He can file a perfectly level surface as long as he finds his natural position.  This is the kind of thing that should help all of us.

dave   

[lumpy33]

That is the coolest I am benefiting just from knowing

[msellers]

Dave,
I greatly appreciate the process if this build, and you working with him to find things that all of us can benefit from.
Mike

[BOB HILL]

This is a wonderful project both of you have ventured on. My hat’s off to the both of you. You’re a very kind man, Dave and surely have a very determined partner. Nothing can stop a combo like that!
Bob

[oldtravler61]

  Dave I'm late as always. But I commend you highly on helping the young man out. Truly a selfless jester on your part. To Josh it is amazing he would attemp this. But most people who have or been dealt difficulties in life. Take all this in stride an not afraid of the challenges ahead of them.
  Thanks for helping him out.
Oldtravler

[G_T]

It is only in great challanges that we find out who we really are. People like the two of you give me hope in humanity. Thank you, both of you!

Gerald

[WKevinD]

Dave,
 Please let Josh know that I look forward to his completion of this project and will be pleased to shake his hand at Dixons next year.
I appreciate your humility and applaud his tenacity. I am humbled by both.

Kevin

[J. Talbert]

I salute the both of you.

Best of luck,

Jeff

[Eric Smith]

My hat is off to you, sir. You are to be commended. If everyone in this world could do a similar kindness for a fellow human being, this world would be a better place. Best of luck to you both.

[Percy]

God bless both of you.

Percy

[okawbow]

Years ago, I made a set of measuring gauges for John Rook, a blind Bowhunter, who wanted to make wooden bows. I marked the gauge in Braille for the gap size, so he could use them to feel the width and thickness of the bow as he shaved it down. He made several bows and shot several deer with them before he passed away. He was an amazing person who never gave up because he lost his sight.

Similar tools might help your young man keep the stock width and depth even as he works the wood down. I wish him good luck and congratulate him on his courage and will to tackle this project.

[Tony N]

Wow! Hats off to you both! Awesome job!

[David Price]

Dave,

I am at a loss for words.  I look forward to meeting this young man.

I am  proud to know you.

David Price

[smart dog]

Hi Folks,
Josh was able to get a ride over the mountains today and work in my shop.  As planned, I picked him up halfway.  I wanted Josh to disassemble and reassemble a flintlock by himself.  Yesterday, I blindfolded myself and attempted the task and it went very smoothly.  In the process, I figured out some tricks that should help him.  I originally donated an old Siler lock to the project but that lock really needed some work and I just did not feel like working it over right now.  I had a Dale Johnson lock lying around and it fit so nicely in my drawings of Josh's rifle, that I decided to donate it to the project. I had Josh take it apart, however in the process, I realized he has never seen a flintlock. My blindfolded practice was easy because I could envision every component of the lock.  He cannot. So I had to teach him to feel every part  and understand its function.  It took time, but Josh mastered it, even the fly.  He works low over a tray so any dropped parts don't get lost.  A big shout out to Tom Curran's (Acer) spring vise.  It was a huge benefit to Josh.




I taught Josh how to use files. I had an idea that his body position relative to the work would affect his ability to file level or at a consistent angle.  I was right in this and we worked on him finding the right body position to do the job at hand.  This is a major break through because it means he can file confidently. I had him file the draft on the edges of the lock plate. 


Next, I had him practice inletting a lock plate.  We tried several methods. First I cut a deep tracing of the lock on wood and he used the cut as a guide to stab in the outline.  We also tried outlining the shape with tape the edge of which he can feel.  Both methods worked up to a point but it was still hard for Josh to keep the chisel blade in the cut or flat against the edge of the tape. We will work on this but for now I opted for another method.  I started the actual lock plate inlet, established the shoulder indicating the borders and he used that shoulder as a guide. He then deepened the inlet, back cut the borders and relieved the bottom of the mortice.  I cleaned up and evened the bottom and the lock plate was in.  I checked it with inletting black. 







Josh and I joke a lot.  At first I kept asking him if he had enough light. He woulds always say "no", could I adjust it better.


dave   

[SingleMalt]

So, he's got a sense of humor!  Both of you are doing a great job, Dave!  I'm looking forward to the finished rifle.

[bama]

This goes to show us we are only limited by the limitations we impose upon ourselves. If we allow ourselves to try without the fear of failure then we can accomplish the impossible. Easier said than done, but this effort is a shinning example. Congrats to you both.
 

[B.Habermehl]

Wow, so amazing! I always enjoyed having students in my shop, you have taken that completely to another level. Looking forward to the next installment. BJH

[Bob McBride]

Great story to start the new year. What you’re doing is the sort of thing that can change a life beyond what you might imagine. Well done.

[smart dog]

Hi Folks,
It has been hard for Josh to get over to my shop because of his wife's schedule and it stormed on the last 2 dates we were able to set, preventing travel.  Anyway, he made it today and we installed the barrel lugs.  The barrel, barrel tang, ramrod groove and hole, and lock are now all inlet.  Before starting shaping the stock, I wanted to get the barrel lugs installed.  We are going to use captured barrel keys not pins.  That will aid Josh taking out the barrel without risking losing small pins and figuring which pins go where.  Josh used his Braille rulers to measure and mark where the lugs were to be installed.  We discussed the issue of spacing and avoiding interfering with the ramrod thimbles.  Josh worked out his solution and away we went. I had barrel lugs that I previously made but they needed the ends filed to 60 degrees. This is when we really tested our idea of finding the bodies "sweet spot" for filing straight or level.  I showed him how to hold a lug in the vise and use a triangular file to set it at the proper angle to the vise to file a 60 degree dovetail.  To do that he had to file level with the vice jaws and I watched as he set up to file and then had him shift one leg back (open his stance) which automatically set him up to file level.  Remember, he cannot adjust his actions by sight so relies entirely on feel and body position.  We proved the concept and I would urge everyone to think about it.  When working for precision in shop work or shooting, don't fight your body.  Make it work for you. 


I cut the slots with a hacksaw but had Josh file the slots flat and the dovetails.  He used the depth gauge on my calipers to make sure the slot was to the proper depth, however, I set the depth. I also cleaned up the slots and dovetails but only a little. After tapping in the lugs, he filed the excess metal on the bases flush with the barrel flats. 






Next up was inletting the lugs in the stock.  I had Josh use his Braille ruler to mark the lug base locations on the stock.
 Then I used inletting black to mark the locations of the actual lugs in the barrel channel. There is no way he can see those marks so I cut the slots in the wood for the lugs.  However, he could measure the borders of the lug bases, which were raised a little above the barrel flats and had to be inlet. I helped him mark those borders with a chisel and he cut out the mortices.  It worked out very well. 


Before cutting the slots for the barrel key, I wanted to trim the sides of the stock.  I cut off the excess wood and then showed Josh how to use my jack plane to even and square up the sides of the stock . 


That is where we are and more to come but be patient.

dave
   

[ed lundquist]

Brilliant! Bless you Both!