Author Topic: A Tale of Two Little Rifles - New link to the Case and the Accoutrements  (Read 37878 times)

Offline DavidC

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Re: A Tale of Two Little Rifles - The Beginning of the End
« Reply #150 on: June 06, 2022, 03:14:45 AM »
Dave, great explanation of your engraving techniques; I can picture exactly what you described and your results look great, those tiny deviations under magnification are a part of the soul of bespoke work.

I only regret how busy you'll be since we're all planning on finding some relative of yours to adopt us.
« Last Edit: June 08, 2022, 01:52:55 AM by DavidC »

Offline davec2

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Re: A Tale of Two Little Rifles - The Beginning of the End
« Reply #151 on: June 06, 2022, 04:15:57 AM »
Craig & DavidC,

Thank you for the kind words.  I have built and given away several rifles to family and friends over the past decade (many posted here on ALR ...but others not)....and I have been commissioned to build a few for others.  None fall into the category of what I would consider the quality of the guns built by the builders I most admire.  Many of those builders have posted on ALR and it has been through their talent and generosity with their time that I can do as much as I do.  Sadly, some have "shuffled off this mortal coil", as Shakespeare might put it.  Others have never posted here (or anywhere that I know of) but I have seen their work and strive to emulate their mechanical skills and design artistry.  I owe them all, and many others here on ALR, a huge debt of gratitude for suggestions, instruction, and encouragement.

The guns that I have built and given away, or done for pay, have been the very best I knew how to do at the time I did them.  I know my skills are better than some, but I also know that they are no where near as good as many others.  And I also know my knowledge level is severely lacking.  Here, with this little rifle for my grandson, I have again done my best. But most importantly to me, I hope that along with the little rifle will go a sense of history......particularly American history.....how this nation came to be.....how important and miraculous it is that the men and women who established and preserved this nation founded a Republic that has allowed so many for so long to live in a state of freedom unknown through almost all of human history.  My life has been but a link in a chain.  My father taught me most of what I know from working with my hands to the patriotism that led me to serve the nation in a Navy uniform for a quarter century.  My daughters, and now my grandson, are the next links in that chain.  More important than the carving and engraving or the barrel or the lock or the wood that went into building this little rifle is my hope and prayer for my grandson's part in preserving our true history and this Republic......
"No man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get himself into a jail; for being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned... a man in a jail has more room, better food, and commonly better company."
Dr. Samuel Johnson, 1780

Offline James Rogers

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Re: A Tale of Two Little Rifles - The Beginning of the End
« Reply #152 on: June 06, 2022, 02:07:59 PM »
Craig & DavidC,

Thank you for the kind words.  I have built and given away several rifles to family and friends over the past decade (many posted here on ALR ...but others not)....and I have been commissioned to build a few for others.  None fall into the category of what I would consider the quality of the guns built by the builders I most admire.  Many of those builders have posted on ALR and it has been through their talent and generosity with their time that I can do as much as I do.  Sadly, some have "shuffled off this mortal coil", as Shakespeare might put it.  Others have never posted here (or anywhere that I know of) but I have seen their work and strive to emulate their mechanical skills and design artistry.  I owe them all, and many others here on ALR, a huge debt of gratitude for suggestions, instruction, and encouragement.

The guns that I have built and given away, or done for pay, have been the very best I knew how to do at the time I did them.  I know my skills are better than some, but I also know that they are no where near as good as many others.  And I also know my knowledge level is severely lacking.  Here, with this little rifle for my grandson, I have again done my best. But most importantly to me, I hope that along with the little rifle will go a sense of history......particularly American history.....how this nation came to be.....how important and miraculous it is that the men and women who established and preserved this nation founded a Republic that has allowed so many for so long to live in a state of freedom unknown through almost all of human history.  My life has been but a link in a chain.  My father taught me most of what I know from working with my hands to the patriotism that led me to serve the nation in a Navy uniform for a quarter century.  My daughters, and now my grandson, are the next links in that chain.  More important than the carving and engraving or the barrel or the lock or the wood that went into building this little rifle is my hope and prayer for my grandson's part in preserving our true history and this Republic......
Amen! Well said!
« Last Edit: June 06, 2022, 02:18:26 PM by James Rogers »

Offline Marcruger

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Re: A Tale of Two Little Rifles - The Beginning of the End
« Reply #153 on: June 06, 2022, 04:57:28 PM »
"The guns that I have built and given away, or done for pay, have been the very best I knew how to do at the time I did them.  I know my skills are better than some, but I also know that they are no where near as good as many others.  "

David, everything I see from you looks top-flight to my eye.  It shows a lot of talent, patience, practice and skills. 

God Bless,   Marc

Offline davec2

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Re: A Tale of Two Little Rifles - Wood finishing progress
« Reply #154 on: June 07, 2022, 06:28:36 AM »
Wood finishing progress to date.......





"No man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get himself into a jail; for being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned... a man in a jail has more room, better food, and commonly better company."
Dr. Samuel Johnson, 1780

Offline Preacher Dave

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Re: A Tale of Two Little Rifles - Wood finishing progress
« Reply #155 on: June 07, 2022, 08:13:57 PM »
Curl of the stock, inlay, and carving showing very well.

Offline JTR

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Re: A Tale of Two Little Rifles - Wood finishing progress
« Reply #156 on: June 08, 2022, 05:23:44 AM »
Those are certainly looking great!
Lucky Grand Kids!
John
John Robbins

Offline davec2

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Re: A Tale of Two Little Rifles - Finally Finished !!!!
« Reply #157 on: June 11, 2022, 11:30:16 PM »
Finally finished......a long road on this one.....but finally done....well....except for the case and the accoutrements.... :)

To show scale again....one of my full size rifles and this little one......



This also gives a sense of how slender the wrist is........



More photos....sorry for the quality.  Photography is not in my "wheelhouse" as they say....
































"No man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get himself into a jail; for being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned... a man in a jail has more room, better food, and commonly better company."
Dr. Samuel Johnson, 1780

Offline smylee grouch

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Re: A Tale of Two Little Rifles - Finally Finished !!!!
« Reply #158 on: June 11, 2022, 11:55:27 PM »
Truly top tier work. Thanks for letting us ride along on this build.  :)

Offline Daryl

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Re: A Tale of Two Little Rifles - Finally Finished !!!!
« Reply #159 on: June 12, 2022, 01:36:23 AM »
Now that is a masterpiece!  ;D
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a spaniel without ears" King George V

Offline Bob Gerard

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Re: A Tale of Two Little Rifles - Finally Finished !!!!
« Reply #160 on: June 12, 2022, 03:19:47 AM »
Dazzling. Your work is something we would see in a world renowned fine art museum.
« Last Edit: June 12, 2022, 03:36:20 AM by Bob Gerard »

Offline Rolf

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Re: A Tale of Two Little Rifles - Finally Finished !!!!
« Reply #161 on: June 12, 2022, 11:16:18 AM »
Beautiful work as allways. Thank you for posting.

Best regards
Rolf


Offline DavidC

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Re: A Tale of Two Little Rifles - Finally Finished !!!!
« Reply #162 on: June 12, 2022, 07:03:59 PM »
I'd really love to see a photo of an adult shouldering one of these, just for the fun of the comparison. Really fine work.

Offline davec2

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Re: A Tale of Two Little Rifles - Finally Finished (OK....I Lied !!!)
« Reply #163 on: June 20, 2022, 09:08:41 PM »
The more I looked at the "finished" little rifle the less I liked the browned barrel.....don't know why.  It just didn't look that good on this one.  So I removed almost all of the brown with 320 paper and then blued the barrel.  Since I had not antiqued the brass very much (it will acquire its own natural patina over the next several decades) the barrel looked to "rustic".  I like it much better now.







« Last Edit: June 20, 2022, 09:24:08 PM by davec2 »
"No man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get himself into a jail; for being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned... a man in a jail has more room, better food, and commonly better company."
Dr. Samuel Johnson, 1780

Offline davec2

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Re: A Tale of Two Little Rifles - Finally Finished (OK....I Lied !!!)
« Reply #164 on: June 20, 2022, 09:22:41 PM »
Oh by the way....DavidC....here is a picture of me shouldering the little rifle.  To get my head down to the sight plane I need to get my "snot locker" almost jammed into the trigger guard....and I will probably loose some eyebrow hair when the pan ignites.  The pull is only 10 5/8 inches.  Nonetheless, it will be 'doable" for me to shoot it.   ;)


« Last Edit: June 20, 2022, 09:26:42 PM by davec2 »
"No man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get himself into a jail; for being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned... a man in a jail has more room, better food, and commonly better company."
Dr. Samuel Johnson, 1780

Offline HighUintas

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Re: A Tale of Two Little Rifles - Finally Finished (OK....I Lied !!!)
« Reply #165 on: June 20, 2022, 09:42:36 PM »
Very nice work. And it is unbelievably tiny! It looks as if you've photoshopped it into the picture of you shouldering it.

Congratulations. I'm eager to see the case you build for it.

Offline centerfireman

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Re: A Tale of Two Little Rifles - Finally Finished (OK....I Lied !!!)
« Reply #166 on: June 20, 2022, 11:27:38 PM »
That is a beautiful rifle; I envy your skills.

Offline davec2

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All the other stuff I need to make for this rifle.....

https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=72134.0
"No man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get himself into a jail; for being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned... a man in a jail has more room, better food, and commonly better company."
Dr. Samuel Johnson, 1780