Are you comfortable or reluctant to post your builds?

[Pukka Bundook]

Rich,
If I posted a half made gun here and wanted advice, I would be only too pleased to be told I needed to alter it if it looked wrong to expert eyes.
I only ever got to WKU  to the gunmaking course once, (With Ron Ehlert in 2003)
I was hacking away at this Griffin sporting gun copy and had the lock panels cut down close I thought.

Ron was out of the room, but Gary Brumfield came for a look around;
I asked him about my lock panels and he said "Way too wide!"

What was my reply?
"Thank You!"

That's what I was there for.
Same here on the forum,   No room for pride if I want to learn. 

That's how I see it Rich.

On a finished gun the replies can be a bit academic, but not always so.
I had finished a Jaeger rifle before I went to WKU.
Ron indicated from pictures the lock panels were a bit wide.  I thought on that, and when home I cut them back and re-finished it.
Ron was a Gentleman, and didn't  say outright what was wrong.
I after thought just asked him if he reckoned I could re-do those panels, and he said for sure, so I did!
Can't learn without correction!!

Pukka.

[Oil Derek]

Rich, not judging but offering one perspective and one opinion concerning a potential barrier that might influence new guys that visit this forum for help.

You ARE absolutely right about one data point.  I am not stating a hypothesis with statistical significance based on sample size here. 

[Bob Roller]

My claims as a gun builder are almost non existent.The closest copy was a long range .451 and it had a precarved stock from Don Brown's stalking rifle.The barrel started as a 451 GM 1 and 1/8 across the flats.I had one of Don's finished breeches and CW rifle maker Tom Nixon turned almost all the octagon off.I made a 4 screw lock with Henry hammer and the adjustable folding tang sight and a Lyman 17A that was mounted on a custom base that had a level vial and windage adjustment.It was a good looking gun in spite of the builder.
  Getting to the "Are you comfortable or reluctant"part,my idea is that if you made it,can shoot it don't worry about the fact that it's not perfect and that an inlay and barrel wedge is 1/2"off from the relic you may try to copy.My favorite muzzle loaders are the Northeastern caplock target rifles and the Whitmore rifle once owned by General Grant sets the standard to be achieved.Second on the list are the English half stock flint and caplock hunting and target rifles.Number 3 are the SMR's that have the ornamentation found on a shovel handle and a barrel 4 feet long.These rifles show the capabilities of a man that has $7 worth of tools and a bit of "know How"and proved it to one and all.
  These are only one man's opinions and I am now almost retired and offer little beyond a trigger every now and then to gun makers
Bob Roller

[StevenV]

Well Rich I think you hit a cord, over 2000 reads and 77 replies in less then 4 days. Somebody is interested out of the more then 5000 members. Great question and great site!!!If you look over past post the post with the most views(2000+) and replies (75+) are all those that follow the build of a rifle, John Hills rifle71/6968, Build Flintlock Pocket Pistol 81/10769, My Apprentice & Our English Fowler Project154/12850, Building Maryland Rifle 117/18349. I have a saying with my children " If  you want company, you got to give company". Basically the views show that lots of members are " gathering , ideas, style, techniques etc. from others but they are not holding up their part to the equation. This site is a share ideas sight, if you post and don't want critiques fine, just mention that when you post your build pics, but by all means post. Maybe your ideas my not have been executed the best , no problem most of us don't build looking for repeat customers, we just build. But with 5000 + members there has got to be lots of ideas ( more then one way to skin a cat). I post when I build but I don't build often , a gun every year to year and a half. I have built around 18 guns all from planks and the later builds are more involved carving / engraving /patchbox. For me when this goes on the stars have to align and everything else has to be right to start carving and engraving. I have to be in the proper frame of mind, I don't want to screw up the gun with some shoddy carving and engraving. I don't come by these days often the reason for long completion times for a gun.   Life gets in the way of living and when farming kicks in , farming (mother nature) rules. I have trouble trying to find time to keep shooting. I look most every day , I like the input by everyone even Brooks. I like to post pics of what I have done when I can to help . Thank you to the moderators and Dennis even if he won't let me explain how to find the proper powder charge/ shoot a barrel in with pics. Still an outstanding site, thank you for doing this!!!!!!!!         Steve

[rick/pa]

Reluctant.  I build for myself, a grand total of 10 guns since 1975.  I would rather benefit from other's experience than post my own projects.  Add to the fact that I'm the quiet type anyway.  I admire several builders here, I won't mention names but they all contribute freely of their experience for which I'm grateful.  The last 3 rifles I've built have drawn upon things I've learned here. One I was especially proud of was an English Sporting rifle I finished in 2018. I paid attention to others who had built and documented similar rifles and was careful to accurately copy the details that aren't noticeable such as a blind rear lock bolt hole, lug underneath the standing breech, etc. It was not a kit but a careful selection of parts. I made a couple mistakes, using a round faced lock for one, and the wrong trigger guard finial for another, according to the era.  Then I tried my hand at silver wire inlay and mucked it up. The inlay itself went OK but my design was amateurish.  My friends think it's great but they don't know what it should look like. Screwing up my courage I will post pictures now. The stock came from Dunlap and was cut by Dave Keck, lock is Chambers, barrel is Rice.

[HighUintas]

Reluctant.  I build for myself, a grand total of 10 guns since 1975.  I would rather benefit from other's experience than post my own projects.  Add to the fact that I'm the quiet type anyway.  I admire several builders here, I won't mention names but they all contribute freely of their experience for which I'm grateful.  The last 3 rifles I've built have drawn upon things I've learned here. One I was especially proud of was an English Sporting rifle I finished in 2018. I paid attention to others who had built and documented similar rifles and was careful to accurately copy the details that aren't noticeable such as a blind rear lock bolt hole, lug underneath the standing breech, etc. It was not a kit but a careful selection of parts. I made a couple mistakes, using a round faced lock for one, and the wrong trigger guard finial for another, according to the era.  Then I tried my hand at silver wire inlay and mucked it up. The inlay itself went OK but my design was amateurish.  My friends think it's great but they don't know what it should look like. Screwing up my courage I will post pictures now. The stock came from Dunlap and was cut by Dave Keck, lock is Chambers, barrel is Rice.

I'd like to build one of that style someday and I hope mine turns out as well as yours. Great work

[JH Ehlers]

Although my interest is not with American longrifles at this time but more European. I will try to post some pictures of what I am working on. I like the earlier stuff.

[JH Ehlers]

Obviously I don't know anything about posting pictures. 

[Wiley1]

I just posted my first build and I will say I thought about it a little before I did. I made mistakes along the way which I am sure most of us do. I don't even mind others pointing them out so I can learn a better way. The thing is that there are so many beautiful and well built guns on here. Pieces that are as much a work of art as any famous painting. It makes you think "who wants to see my first build with all of its mistakes and simpleness?".  On the other hand I am happy with what I did for the skills I have. I plan to improve those skills so here I am posting my builds for better or worse. You have to begin somewhere and mistakes are one of the most useful tools in learning.

[Bill Raby]

"who wants to see my first build with all of its mistakes and simpleness?"

Someone that is about to start their first build.

[rich pierce]

"who wants to see my first build with all of its mistakes and simpleness?"

Someone that is about to start their first build.

BINGO!

[Dwshotwell]

"who wants to see my first build with all of its mistakes and simpleness?"

Someone that is about to start their first build.

Very true. Especially if there’s a little explanation about what might have gone wrong, like what caused an errant hole or a pin to get out of place.

[galudwig]

"who wants to see my first build with all of its mistakes and simpleness?"

Someone that is about to start their first build.

“What does someone that has posted their first build want to see here?”

Critiques and comments that they can learn from.

Thick skins may be needed to properly interpret and apply critiques and comments to our work, but they shouldn’t be required as a defense from rude people. Empathy is something that a lot of people need to learn and display in their comments.

[Marcruger]

I am very late to this discussion, but I felt like writing.  I read other forums, mostly modern things, and almost all of those are downright nasty at times.  I believe our forum members to be gentlemen and ladies in the main.  Very civil, and our moderators keep it so.  Thank you folks. 

That said, if someone asks for critique and comments, then our members are free to give those.  Some folks are direct, and that beats vague.  That is the way to learn.  That said, I do not think that our experts' comments are being harsh or destructive.  I've made 52 shooting/hunting bags thus far, and have posted each.  I have received positive and negative comments, and I have learned. 

My opinion is that if someone simply posts/shows off their work, by and large they get encouragement.  Compliment the good parts, and tactfully point out areas for change or growth. 

There is another forum where very expensive guns by a certain maker are collected and shown online.  Pretty much anything shown is brutally criticized.  I can only imagine the newcomers that have been run off!  The posting members (to me) hide their brutal comments behind "We are just sharing knowledge" when in truth they are trying to tear others down.  Very much an "I am better than you because I have a better gun" website. 

ALR is a wonderfully civil place to make friends.  Keep it friendly, share the knowledge, encourage and make new friends.   God Bless,   Marc

[Dwshotwell]

Well said, Marc. By and large this is one of the best places on the internet for calm and well - intentioned commentary.

[gusd]

I Don't post  ( Can't take photos)
One of my rifles in for sale section. Built in 1984 from a blank from U.P. Mich.
Was the 9 th rifle I built & engraved.
Gus D.

[rich pierce]

I Don't post  ( Can't take photos)
One of my rifles in for sale section. Built in 1984 from a blank from U.P. Mich.
Was the 9 th rifle I built & engraved.
Gus D.

Some very fine work!

[Wingshot]

"who wants to see my first build with all of its mistakes and simpleness?"

Someone that is about to start their first build.

Yep, when the mistakes are shown during the course of producing a lesson/video and solutions provided, it goes a long way to instilling confidence. I’ve watched Bill’s Tennessee rifle build series more times than I can count, so much so that I have created an episode catalog that helps steer me to specific areas of the build. He made errors along the way and clearly explained the how and why as well as guiding the viewer as to how to correct it.

I’ve made many mistakes along the way and I’ve not even got to shaping the stock yet but because I’ve gone slowly and methodically (so far) I’ve managed to overcome and fix those problem areas. I’ve even started a “don’t do this” list. Lol.

[Marcruger]

"I Don't post  ( Can't take photos)
One of my rifles in for sale section. Built in 1984 from a blank from U.P. Mich.
Was the 9 th rifle I built & engraved.
Gus D."

I have seen Gus' work at CLA.   Very beautiful, accomplished work. 

Gus, if you can send me photos, I can adjust them and post them for you if you like. 

God Bless, and best wishes,   Marc

[gusd]

Thanks for kind remarks Rich & Marc.
Will talk to you at one of the shows Marc.
Gus