Author Topic: Brooks Gunmakers Class at Friendship (Read 5158 times)

Stoner creek · « **on:** October 25, 2021, 04:41:08 PM »

Day one:
Mike demonstrates stock layout on the blank.

Next step is sawing out the stock pattern after it has been transferred to the blank. The bandsaw gave up the ghost so we had to go to the backup saw.

Today we’re going to complete inlet of the breech plug and tang then on to lock inlets!

Gary Tucker · « **Reply #1 on:** October 25, 2021, 05:19:35 PM »

I know that will be a great class with you helping Mike. Great minds don’t always think alike so there will be a good chance to get two perspectives on doing some of the steps. Good luck with the class.

Stoner creek · « **Reply #2 on:** October 26, 2021, 03:22:57 AM »

Day 2 is in the bag. Students are busy learning lock inlet work and putting it into practice on their projects. Tomorrow we’re going to hav all 7 locks in and start in on buttplates.
A very long but satisfying day.

Yazel.xring · « **Reply #3 on:** October 26, 2021, 01:42:36 PM »

Great updates Wayne, happy to see them.

Stoner creek · « **Reply #4 on:** October 26, 2021, 11:50:20 PM »

Day 3 most of the students have their locks installed. Half have their buttplates in. We’re installing triggers tomorrow. All of the students are happy with their work. The instructors are trashed. Onward!

tallbear · « **Reply #5 on:** October 27, 2021, 12:27:52 AM »

You're a busy guy there Stoner....you're gonna need some time off after this!!!! Great to see you this weekend!!!

Mitch

Austin · « **Reply #6 on:** October 27, 2021, 02:43:53 AM »

Enjoying the daily update!

Stoner creek · « **Reply #7 on:** October 27, 2021, 06:15:42 PM »

Day 4. All of the locks are in. It’s trigger time.

Hopefully by the end of day 4 we’re going to have lock bolts and tang bolts installed. About a half day to work tomorrow.

Ky-Flinter · « **Reply #8 on:** October 27, 2021, 09:10:05 PM »

I see you put Jeff to work. Good man.

-Ron

Arcturus · « **Reply #9 on:** October 28, 2021, 08:53:05 PM »

I've been following along too, Stoner... Looks like a productive week following the Fall Frolic show!

Stoner creek · « **Reply #10 on:** October 29, 2021, 02:47:32 AM »

Day 5. All of our fine students have managed to get their projects very near the stock shaping stage. Barrel, lock, buttplate,& triggers are in. We’re planning on getting together in the spring and making some chips fly. The next phase should get the rifles close to the “in the white” phase. I don’t know if you can tell by the pictures but this group was tired and ready to hit the road.
I need to give out a huge Thanks to Jeff Talbert who drove an hour each way every day to volunteer his expertise. Without Jeff our Ox would have been in the ditch! Thank you old friend!

Austin · « **Reply #11 on:** October 29, 2021, 02:53:36 AM »

Students look great, Brooks needs a drink…. Send us a selfie

P.Bigham · « **Reply #12 on:** October 29, 2021, 03:05:30 AM »

Thanks for doing this and posting pictures.

flinchrocket · « **Reply #13 on:** October 29, 2021, 03:20:49 AM »

That’s a lot to accomplish for everyone involved, my hat is off to you all.

Stoner creek · « **Reply #14 on:** October 29, 2021, 04:40:09 AM »

I got home before 3:00 pm today. I don’t want to see another muzzle loading gun for the next few days. I’ve got a weeks worth of catching up to do with my patient wife and trusty border collie.

Curtis · « **Reply #15 on:** October 29, 2021, 07:44:03 AM »

Great progress, looks like it was a successful class for sure!!

Curtis

Frozen Run · « **Reply #16 on:** October 29, 2021, 08:30:03 AM »

A big thank you to my two good friends Mike Brooks and Wayne Estes for doing this class, and to the new friends I made along the way. All a great bunch of fellas. I had a great time with them and learned a lot. I was impressed with everyone's ability to achieve what we did in that relatively short amount of time, but even more impressive is how much my confidence in building has improved.

Jeff was amazing and I don't think I would have been able to walk away as enriched as I did without his guidance. Several of my eureka moments are solely attributed to him so I can't express enough my gratitude for what he did for our class.

And finally, I was the one who suggested Mike sit down for our class photo. I've always wanted to be in one of those old-timey photos where the master is sitting down while everyone else is standing up. I was absolutely tickled when he obliged, I still am writing this out.

I hope you guys are ready when April comes around, I'll be packing an extra suitcase next time...

rich pierce · « **Reply #17 on:** October 29, 2021, 03:48:36 PM »

Learning to build from a blank is no small undertaking. Classes like this will move these builders up quite a few notches and open up so many options for them.

Tim Crosby · « **Reply #18 on:** October 29, 2021, 04:30:08 PM »

Lot of work there for four days. Gotta be "Dog tired".

Tim

Ats5331 · « **Reply #19 on:** October 29, 2021, 05:45:23 PM »

What an awesome class and group of builders this was; it was a privilege and an honor to spend the week with these gentlemen! Thank you Wayne, Mike, and Jeff for putting up with a youthful student who asked many questions!

I cannot wait to continue work on this build and bring home the tricks and wisdom that I accumulated during class.

Wow, this last week went by too fast! Most enjoyable experience that I have had in a long time!

Thanks again!

Allen "Guy"

t.caster · « **Reply #20 on:** October 29, 2021, 05:52:42 PM »

Allen, are you the tall young feller there? I'm posting your Oerter rifle here today.

snapper · « **Reply #21 on:** October 29, 2021, 07:00:02 PM »

I thought Brooks was sitting down because he was tired.

Thanks all that helped make this class a success and also to the students, I hope you enjoyed it.

Fleener

Scott Bumpus · « **Reply #22 on:** October 29, 2021, 08:12:30 PM »

This was the hardest I ever work d on a vacation. It was worth every minute of it. Met some good guys and learned a lot about building. Great class. Thanks to all the instructors for their time and efforts

Ats5331 · « **Reply #23 on:** October 29, 2021, 10:48:35 PM »

Quote from: Frozen Run on October 29, 2021, 08:30:03 AM

A big thank you to my two good friends Mike Brooks and Wayne Estes for doing this class, and to the new friends I made along the way. All a great bunch of fellas. I had a great time with them and learned a lot. I was impressed with everyone's ability to achieve what we did in that relatively short amount of time, but even more impressive is how much my confidence in building has improved.

Jeff was amazing and I don't think I would have been able to walk away as enriched as I did without his guidance. Several of my eureka moments are solely attributed to him so I can't express enough my gratitude for what he did for our class.

And finally, I was the one who suggested Mike sit down for our class photo. I've always wanted to be in one of those old-timey photos where the master is sitting down while everyone else is standing up. I was absolutely tickled when he obliged, I still am writing this out.

I hope you guys are ready when April comes around, I'll be packing an extra suitcase next time...

Don, it's after 3pm, you can make your jokes now!

Roger B · « **Reply #24 on:** October 30, 2021, 12:43:30 AM »

Finally made it to Tulsa at 0500 this morning. Needed a nap at about 0200 at a rest stop in MO. Just another 500 miles or so to Santa Fe tomorrow. It was worth all the travel. Learned a great deal & met some great people. Looking forward to the April class. Mike & Wayne are great teachers & good folks. Mike isn't half as bad as people make him out to be.
Roger B.

News:

Author Topic: Brooks Gunmakers Class at Friendship (Read 5158 times)