Plug sizer?

[Urban_Redneck]

Aside from making fitting much (much) easier, are there other downsides to not using a sizer plug?

The horn in question is my first, it has an oval cross section with a pronounced flair that I find attractive.

Thanks

[Tim Crosby]

 No, you can fit the plug to the natural shape or the hole. A PIC of the horn may help get more ideas.

   Tim C.

[Frozen Run]

It won't be that much more difficult to use the natural shape of the horn. You use the base plug you cut out and put a draft on to shape it just like you would a round shaping cone.

A couple tips, make sure you put a pencil mark on the top of the plug when you start to fit it that lines up with a pencil mark on the side of the horn so that you index the plug to the same spot every time as you're fitting it. If the plug is being difficult, you can coat the inside rim of the horn with carpenters pencil lead and it will create a transfer mark on the plug so you know where to dress the plug down. Just be sure to clean off the lead before installing the plug because the lead will show on more translucent horns.

[tooguns]

I've often wondered if an old wood baseball bat cut in sections would be helpful.

[Frozen Run]

I've often wondered if an old wood baseball bat cut in sections would be helpful.

I have tried with a number of wood bats I've picked up at flea markets and found that it really doesn't work that well. It looks like they will until you get to cutting and find out they are either too narrow or have hardly any taper to them. If you don't own a lathe then powder horns and more sells a set that work great for 20 bucks.

https://www.powderhornsandmore.com/product/shaping-cone-set/

I own a lathe, have made my own, and still go back to these all the time.

[Urban_Redneck]

Thanks for the replies. I'll try to post a photo of the horn this evening.

As a funny, albeit creepy aside, when I turned on YouTube last night, front and center was a video from Horn and Fiber about the why's and how's of sizing/shaping horn bases.

[davec2]

I use antique ricer pestles for horn sizers.....like this one

https://www.ebay.com/itm/376406671750?_skw=antique+ricer&itmmeta=01K0NFR60SC7SJYXCNC7XB35QE&hash=item57a3960186:g:I~wAAeSwxXlodmgK&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAA0FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1dzH%2FsJkUEaaF1f8FQqTFYGhyzBu2mXC0aLEROVHzWTi6EOxs0jGY9y%2FZ8DO1I2AJcUzaeaAnkWxLeUEpGr5E3Fnv61%2FOlOV8iQunG91dKdeDO%2BmsMYL0RUAsRcYYwGXhX1SdWITdI67jVrZOe8jGhfMSZZ0XXCNJHlEzaXxwPN09P3SQMCrSG%2BqCee2dsyT60a7MxPDjA%2FC0U581ihcPMaYLbNYD7de25tcolTIpuyudXtbuPDobQunhX6vmqUph0%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR8jg4K-FZg

Here are the ones I use......

[whetrock]

My kids are grown now, but for horn sizer I'm still using one of the sippy cups we had when they were toddlers. (If we ever get grandkids my wife might make me give it back.  )  Has a good taper that has worked well on medium to large horns.
Search for "spill proof sippy cup". Very cheap, plastic.

For really small horns I have just whittled out sizers specific to the need.

As Tim said, you can fit an oval plug. But I find it is easier for me to size the horn and fit a round plug than it is to carve an oval plug that fits well. This is especially true if I'm using a temporary sizer that I can just cut down to make an end-grain plug.

[Top Jaw]

From an aesthetics and ease of carry point of view, naturally oval horns tend to look better and carry better if the oval is naturally oriented in a vertical position when hanging against your body.  A horn that is more of a horizontal oval horn when held against the body (which is most of the really oval ones in my experience) tend to look clunky and won’t ride as well against your side when completed as powder horns. 

If they are not a naturally noticeable vertical oval horn - I personally do not consider using them in their natural shape, and would either round the base, or pick another horn.  My two cents FWIW.