Author Topic: John Davidson build (updated 3/25/2020) (Read 8377 times)

bama · « **on:** January 21, 2020, 06:00:08 PM »

Here is the next project on the bench. The stock Blank is a piece of Freddy Harrison’s stump Maple. The barrel is FCI Charley Burton, 54 cal 48” long custom profile. Chamber’s Golden Age lock. The triggers are made up from castings that I got from Jack Garner. They are very similar to the small Davis triggers. I have a enough of these castings to make up a 100 triggers. I should have them assembled hopefully by the CLA show in October if anyone is interested.

KC · « **Reply #1 on:** January 21, 2020, 06:10:20 PM »

I can't wait to see how this one turns out, I'm sure it will be a beauty. Hopefully you'll post updated pictures as you work on it.
K.C.

bama · « **Reply #2 on:** January 21, 2020, 06:30:42 PM »

I will post pictures as I go KC. I hope all is well with you and your family. This build will not be an exact copy but a rifle in the “style” so to speak. I will use his patch box design and base the carving on the Davidson rifle on Mark Elliott’s web site.

Craig Wilcox · « **Reply #3 on:** January 21, 2020, 06:59:41 PM »

Jim, that wood has writing all over it, and those silly zebra stripes! I think you need to send it to me and find a nice white piece of maple wood for that rifle.
You sure do a fine job of inletting. I keep getting my Prussian blue all over the sides of the inlet, then I remove too much wood.. I got to stop doing that!
Going to make a work of fine art there.

bama · « **Reply #4 on:** January 21, 2020, 07:23:54 PM »

Craig, my stocks used to be black from the inletting process. Over time (it only took 40 years) I have learned to use less transfer color and to keep my hands cleaner while inletting. The biggest help was when I started using candle soot for a transfer color. I seem to not get the soot all over everything.

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #5 on:** January 21, 2020, 07:40:09 PM »

Craig: the idea of the transfer colour is to show where there is too much wood for the part to go down into the inlet. When you are done, there should be inletting colour over the entire edges of the inlet. Inletting something like a patchbox requires several things: a super sharp fine short bladed knife, close attention to the direction of the grain, and infinite patience.

Craig Wilcox · « **Reply #6 on:** January 21, 2020, 08:41:18 PM »

Well, Taylor, I do manage to put a pretty fine edge on cutting implements, and I got me some new 3X magnifiers that focus about 15", giving me some elbow room. I found it hard to work with the more customary Optivisors.
Now - patience! Old Rhyme -

Patience is a virtue, possess it if you can,
Seldom in a woman, never in a man!!

Sometimes I have a lot, other times, none at all. But all y'all really help a lot, either in relating "how I did it". or showing us in pictures what we should be doing. You and Bama, a few others, really help a lot.

bama · « **Reply #7 on:** January 24, 2020, 02:16:25 AM »

I got a little more work in on the project today. I got the butt plate installed and did a little rough shaping on the butt stock. There is still a ton of wood to remove.

pjmcdonald · « **Reply #8 on:** January 24, 2020, 03:05:05 AM »

Jim,
I’ll be right over with my heavy rasps. Bet I can have that stock down to toothpicks and a pile of sawdust in no time!

Paul

Stoner creek · « **Reply #9 on:** January 24, 2020, 03:05:18 AM »

By golly there's no waisting time in your shop!

Marcruger · « **Reply #10 on:** January 25, 2020, 01:06:15 AM »

It already has nice lines in the buttstock. Beautiful work as usual Jim. God Bless, Marc

bama · « **Reply #11 on:** January 25, 2020, 03:01:32 AM »

Got the trigger guard filed and inlet. Hopefully I will finish rough shaping the butt stock and get a few holes drilled and tapped tomorrow.

bama · « **Reply #12 on:** January 26, 2020, 02:00:45 AM »

Today’s update. I took all of the excess wood off the butt stock and shaped up the lock panel. I rough shaped the side plate panel but need to make the side plate before going much farther.

Greg Pennell · « **Reply #13 on:** January 26, 2020, 05:50:43 PM »

No moss growing in Warrior Alabama! Jim, you’ll be sighting that one in by the middle of the week! Wish I had your work ethic...I get distracted too easily.

Greg

bama · « **Reply #14 on:** January 26, 2020, 07:55:44 PM »

Thanks Greg, I have been blessed with work so I have to stay busy. I am enjoying this build which also helps. This rifle has been on my want to build list for awhile. I finally got a customer that has family from over in the area an a ancester who fought in the in one the battles there. He wanted a rifle that his ancester could have used. My customer's initials are also JD so this rifle was a no brainer.

bama · « **Reply #15 on:** March 25, 2020, 11:09:20 PM »

I had to pull off of this project for a few weeks and just getting started back up on it. I just made and installed the patch box and release so I thought I would post a little progress. I also made and installed the nose cap and pipes since my last post. I should be starting the carving tomorrow or Friday and will post a few pictures as I go along. Oh and I got the star made and inlet in the cheek piece.

This is a loose copy of the John Davidson rifle that Mark Elliott has posted on his web site if anybody wants to take a look at the original rifle.

David Rase · « **Reply #16 on:** March 25, 2020, 11:15:10 PM »

Jim,
I have always liked the original John Davidson rifle. I am enjoying watching you put together your rendition of this famous rifle. Your build is taking shape and looking good. I look forward to viewing your final product.
David

bama · « **Reply #17 on:** March 25, 2020, 11:21:08 PM »

Thanks David, if all goes well I should have the carving and engraving done next week. If so I will post some more pictures.

Mike Brooks · « **Reply #18 on:** March 26, 2020, 12:03:01 AM »

Nice woik. Looks like you took more than "a couple weeks" off. Time flys by doesn't it?

Marcruger · « **Reply #19 on:** March 26, 2020, 12:49:10 AM »

Looking super Jim.

helwood · « **Reply #20 on:** March 26, 2020, 04:31:29 AM »

This may sound crazy but my favorite Pic is in the second photo of the muzzle. It is dead on. When I look at a build I look at the lines and this is great. Look forward to future pics. Hank

bama · « **Reply #21 on:** March 26, 2020, 05:29:25 PM »

Mike - 7 weeks & 3 days is a little more than a couple of weeks but then who's counting. Time do fly by when you are working for yourself and trying to keep up with the orders and show schedules. Never thought that I would consider being quarantined a blessing, it has made me slow down and get things done. I hope all is well down your way.

Thanks Marc for the kind words.

Hank, I was trying to show that I managed to get the end cap of the muzzle cap fairly consistent on both sides of the ram rod groove which is a problem for me sometimes. I never paid any attention to the stock profile past that point but now that you have mentioned it I did manage to get a nice slime fore stock.

Working from pictures and a few dimensions that Mark Elliot has on his web site this rifle may or may not be that close to the original. It will be a very nice, light and well balanced rifle. I used one of my Charley Burton custom profile barrels, 48" long 54 cal. for this build. I can't wait to shoot it in a few weeks.

bama · « **Reply #22 on:** March 28, 2020, 03:11:57 AM »

Added the carving layout for the butt stock.

bama · « **Reply #23 on:** April 02, 2020, 09:04:22 AM »

I have started the carving on this project. Here is a picture of the carving behind the cheek piece.

WestBranchSusquehanna · « **Reply #24 on:** April 02, 2020, 01:46:24 PM »

Jim, Wonderful carvings and what a gorgeous piece of wood. Love the figure in it. Can't wait to see the final finish. Thanks for the posts!

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Author Topic: John Davidson build (updated 3/25/2020) (Read 8377 times)