Author Topic: Long time project  (Read 6750 times)

Offline JH Ehlers

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Long time project
« on: March 16, 2023, 07:49:12 PM »
I have been a long time member here but have not contributed much as American long rifles are not my main line of interest, but I still enjoy looking at them. I have only built one kit gun that is not finished yet, it was started about 2007. I have been collecting parts for years and started this latest fowling piece a year or so ago. I am better at making stuff than posting stuff on the internet, so have patience with me, I am figuring it out. Hope you like it.






Offline Daryl

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Re: Long time project
« Reply #1 on: March 16, 2023, 07:54:45 PM »
Looks pretty good so far. The seemingly slightly heavy butt section will help make it swing very well on flying or running game.
Daryl

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

Offline JH Ehlers

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Re: Long time project
« Reply #2 on: March 16, 2023, 08:26:04 PM »
Hey Daryl, some guys like a big butt, this one is still a bit chunky and needs to lose wood everywhere. Its a slow process for me studying pictures as much as I can as I dont own original pieces and I live way north in BC Canada, not possible to get to a show or museum etc. Critics are welcome, any help too.

Offline Jim Kibler

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Re: Long time project
« Reply #3 on: March 16, 2023, 08:28:26 PM »
Johan,

That is looking fabulous!  I love it.  Beautiful work.

Jim

Offline J. Talbert

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Re: Long time project
« Reply #4 on: March 16, 2023, 08:51:37 PM »
Not a style that I have any particular knowledge of, but I looks pretty nice to me.
Hope you are able to finish it sometime soon.

Good luck
Jeff
There are no solutions.  There are only trade-offs.”
Thomas Sowell

Offline BOB HILL

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Re: Long time project
« Reply #5 on: March 17, 2023, 02:28:27 PM »
Looking good.
Bob
South Carolina Lowcountry

Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: Long time project
« Reply #6 on: March 17, 2023, 03:50:05 PM »
Nifty.
NEW WEBSITE! www.mikebrooksflintlocks.com
Say, any of you boys smithies? Or, if not smithies per se, were you otherwise trained in the metallurgic arts before straitened circumstances forced you into a life of aimless wanderin'?

Offline Bob Roller

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Re: Long time project
« Reply #7 on: March 17, 2023, 04:49:35 PM »
If YOU like it and it feels right when you put it to your shoulder that's all that counts.It is a good looking gun and something to be proud of.
Bob Roller

Offline t.caster

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Re: Long time project
« Reply #8 on: March 17, 2023, 04:56:04 PM »
It's very attractive!
Tom C.

Offline James Rogers

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Re: Long time project
« Reply #9 on: March 17, 2023, 05:46:20 PM »
Very nice. My kind of early styling. Tell me about that trigger guard.
Any pics of your buttplate?
I like what I can see of your lock moldings.

Offline JH Ehlers

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Re: Long time project
« Reply #10 on: March 17, 2023, 08:37:34 PM »
Thanks for the comments everyone, I am glad that you like it. Thank you Jim, your input is probably the most important to me as i dont know of anybody else who has made something similar, if only it could turn out as good as your fowling piece.
James I got the trigger guard at Home Depot it looked pretty rough but after some mortice and tennon, peening, welding, silver soldering and filing i think it looks ok. The butt plate was from Track of the wolf, with some modifications, I cant remember the name. My inspiration comes mostly from Dutch and french makers of late 16th and early 17th century. I like doing the research and study very much. I will post some more pictures a bit later today.

Offline JH Ehlers

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Re: Long time project
« Reply #11 on: March 17, 2023, 08:40:44 PM »
Oh, and thank you Rich, It was your post that brought me out into the open, this is interesting. I have never shared anything that I have ever done.

Offline JH Ehlers

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Re: Long time project
« Reply #12 on: March 17, 2023, 09:36:45 PM »
The trigger guard is going to be surface mounted, the forward slotted tab will hold the thumb plate as well. Still some deeper inletting and fiddling with all parts need to be done. I still have to do some sculpting on the finials and finish the trigger guard, hope I dont mess it up, or else I will have to start over.
















Offline J. Talbert

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Re: Long time project
« Reply #13 on: March 18, 2023, 07:21:41 AM »
Dang!
What a shame to hide all that pretty inletting.   ;)

Nice…
Jeff
There are no solutions.  There are only trade-offs.”
Thomas Sowell

Offline JH Ehlers

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Re: Long time project
« Reply #14 on: March 21, 2023, 12:18:03 AM »
Thank you Jeff.
James, I had a look, and the butt plate was the french type c.
Did some experimenting with frizzen and barrel decoration today.
Hope I live long enough to finish this!




Offline James Rogers

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Re: Long time project
« Reply #15 on: March 21, 2023, 01:24:13 AM »
Looking good. I see at the corner of one of those photos some nice barrel work  ; )

Offline Daryl

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Re: Long time project
« Reply #16 on: March 21, 2023, 01:32:55 AM »
Butt plate and lock inlets are sure nice. Intriguing t-guard work.
Daryl

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

Offline JH Ehlers

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Re: Long time project
« Reply #17 on: May 02, 2023, 01:34:34 AM »
Sorry to dig this old cow up and bring it to the top! Spent a day working on the trigger guard forward finial. Anyone have some methods they use for this kind of work they want to share? I still need to do more work on it.


Offline Hank01

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Re: Long time project
« Reply #18 on: May 02, 2023, 09:30:04 AM »
I have no methods to share but must say the workmanship on that finial is outstanding. How long did it take to do that? Other details of your project display the same quality of workmanship. Hope to see more of it.

Hank
Yes, I did write a book. It's called The Classic English Double Barrel Click the little globe between my profile and e-mail link to check it out.

Offline alacran

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Re: Long time project
« Reply #19 on: May 02, 2023, 01:30:37 PM »
Wow I really like what you are doing. I have been more and more interested in European guns over the last few years. There is a lot to like in what I see. Really like your lock moldings. That looks to be Chambers L-20 lock. Like the chiseling on the cock very much. You are doing a great job hiding screws.
I looked at 5 or 6 of those locks, had Ryan Roberts look at the ones he had in stock, they all had a gap between the pan skirt and the lock plate. I enlarged yours and it also appears to have that gap. It really drove me up the wall. I ended up using solder paste to fill it and since I left the lock bright, it disappeared.
 I know what you mean about living long enough to finish projects. Looking forward to seeing this gun finished.
A man's rights rest in three boxes: the ballot box, the jury box, and the cartridge box.  Frederick Douglass

Offline Jim Kibler

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Re: Long time project
« Reply #20 on: May 02, 2023, 04:38:08 PM »
That is some absolutely splendid work, Johan!  I love it.  The 17th century work is hard to beat and so underappreciated!

Makes me want to do more work in this period.

Here is a link to a blog post showing some work I did years ago...

https://www.jimkibler.net/blog/previous/5

Offline James Rogers

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Re: Long time project
« Reply #21 on: May 02, 2023, 04:50:52 PM »
Most enjoyable.  Keep posting! This is in my wheelhouse of interest.

Offline HSmithTX

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Re: Long time project
« Reply #22 on: May 02, 2023, 05:24:08 PM »
That triggerguard finial is amazing!!!  It looks to have been shaped hot with a chisel, and if so I would say master class work.  Johan, would you mind sharing how you did the shaping to it?  Absolutely beautiful.

Offline D. Taylor Sapergia

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Re: Long time project
« Reply #23 on: May 02, 2023, 07:57:53 PM »
Mr. Ehlers:  where in BC are you?  I'm in Prince George.  By the way, I concur with others assessments...your work is excellent.  Going to be a splendid piece.
D. Taylor Sapergia
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Art is not an object.  It is the excitement inspired by the object.

Offline JH Ehlers

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Re: Long time project
« Reply #24 on: May 02, 2023, 08:32:14 PM »
Thank you all, Hank, theres about 8 hours of work into it now that includes looking and thinking and coffee, I seem to do a lot of these.
Jim, I remember that post from years ago, thanks for taking me back to it, your tips are very helpfull. I really think you should do more of this kind of work, we are not getting younger. We need more people doing it so we can share ideas. It is underappreciated like you said.
Alacran, I am very happy that Mr Chambers are making these locks, but yes there are some problems with them, like the pan that doesnt bottom out on the plate and its only the screw that holds it in place. It can be fixed by peening the pan and welding some material to the plate and refitting. Also the screws on the innards cant be tightend or the tumbler gets pinched. I have 2 of these locks and they are the same, lots of work to get them right. You just cant compare them with Jim's CNC locks wich are perfect. I think in the future I will just buy Jim's locks and alter the plate, cock and frizzen.
HSmith, follow the link to Jim's blog, its very interesting. I dont think they hot forged these finials in the 17th century, unless they wanted to mass produce them with die forging, but I doubt it. Actually I dont know much about it, I do know that there were some very good engravers back then.
I did it cold (its mild steel) with gravers, chisels, punches and files. I am a begginner when it comes to engraving and I find the sculpting easier than engraving lines, I use hand push and hammer and chisel. I find hand push easier than hammering. I am seriously considering getting a Lindsay palm control. I also have a selection of stones from congress tools like Jim uses and some die sinkers rifflers. Working with steel in this way is much the same as working with clay, you can push it around with a punch, cut it etc, its just harder.
I have to go off to work for a week tommorow so I dont have to be a starving artist, thans for looking!