Loading Block

So,

I am involved in the assembling of the necessary acutrements to form a complete kit to acompany a cherry stocked Chambers "Pennsylvania Fowler" that our guild is building and going to raffle off.

Every thing that I am doing for this project is handmade by my hands and tools wielded by same, I am getting close to completion of this aspect of my involvement in this project and just had to give a peek at one of the pieces of the kit.

This is a cherry loading block with two .62 follow up shots, I scoured the web looking for ideas for this project and found one example of a beaver loading block, I didn't care for the design and continued to search, finally I just drew what I felt looked ok and went with it.

Hope you enjoy the pics....

Nice

Looks really good. May have to try and make one myself.

That's terrific. I really like the sculpting/contouring. It will make it lots easier to handle with gloves or cold and wet hands. The fact that it's flat on the other will let a guy orient it by "feel" too. Great looks and practical. How can you beat that?

Looks great :thumbsup:

I like that, you are a craftsman.

Cool! :thumbsup:

great looking gadget!

really nice work!

Formerly from Madras, I used to make stuff using Juniper.
nice figure and tough...if you can get a good enough chunk to mill down to dimension when dry.

Love that beaver loading block!

skunkskinner said:

Nice

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stan said:

Looks really good. May have to try and make one myself.

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wattlebuster said:

Looks great :thumbsup:

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bull3540 said:

I like that, you are a craftsman.

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lonehunter said:

Cool! :thumbsup:

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MSW said:

great looking gadget!

really nice work!

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Thanks for the compliments, really appreciate the positive input.

..Cool Block!

BrownBear said:

That's terrific. I really like the sculpting/contouring. It will make it lots easier to handle with gloves or cold and wet hands. The fact that it's flat on the other will let a guy orient it by "feel" too. Great looks and practical. How can you beat that?

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Thank you,

After I drew the design I cut it out with a scroll saw, the rest was all hand work with rasps, and sand paper backed with various blocks and free hand.

Then to the drill press for the .625 bored holes.

Its finished down to 220 grit and 4 hand rubbed coats of Formby's Tung oil.

Bout 5 hours overall.

brett sr said:

Formerly from Madras, I used to make stuff using Juniper.
nice figure and tough...if you can get a good enough chunk to mill down to dimension when dry.

Love that beaver loading block!

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Thanks Brett,

I have a wood box full of Juniper, it makes a great firewood.

I turned a chisel mallet from Juniper and found it to be relativly soft for the task, I have not gotten around to trying much else with it yet, but I am sure I'll get back to it.

It is challenging to find a piece that has not split and checked to the point of uselessness.

jeffdrown said:

..Cool Block!

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Thanks Jeff

Really neat. Makin' yer own stuff is a lot of fun.

nice :hatsoff:

hawk 2 said:

nice :hatsoff:

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Thanks Again

Rifleman1776 said:

Really neat. Makin' yer own stuff is a lot of fun.

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Agreed

Beautiful work. Very nicely done, but seems awfully big for just two extra shots.

Wick Ellerbe said:

Beautiful work. Very nicely done, but seems awfully big for just two extra shots.

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Thanks Wick

Ummm,

It doubles as a life preserver if you stumble into the river/lake while hunting. :wink:

It is a bit on the bulky side of things at 6 3/4" long and 1 3/4" wide, but it is the prototype and there is a better than average chance that this fowler and kit will never be fired by the winner of it, probably just hang on the wall.

Speaking as a guy with fumbley hands in cold, wet weather or gloves, the larger size with projecting legs and such are a plus rather than a minus. Get a little grease on a block, and you'll be chasing it if its' too small or smooth. Kinda like a bar of soap in the shower.