Almost finished with a NE fowler

[dave_person]

Hi Folks,
Almost to the finish line. I just have to clean up the whiskers, carving and moldings, and then final scrape the stock. I need to countersink all screws, permanently attach the sheet brass buttplate, and clean up the brass and lock. The buttplate return will have a simple single line engraved border. The sideplate represents a rural Yankee gunsmith’s sheet brass copy of a sideplate from a 1730’s French fusil. It will have simple engraving of a dragon head, volutes, and medallion. The engraving will be a bit cartoon-like without a great deal of shading. Most engraving from mid-18th century NE fowlers that I examined seems to be like that. The barrel tang carving is simple and looks like a potted plant growing from the molding surrounding the tang. No transition linking that molding to the leaves, just plunked there. Again, that seems to be the way many of the early NE fowlers were carved. The cherry stock will be tinted a little before finish. I won’t use any lye compounds because I don’t really care for the appearance.

dave

 

[rich pierce]

Love the carving.

 

[Artificer]

WOW.....!! Very much agree with Rich, LOVE the carving.

Who made the lock and which one is it?

Gus

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

Simple and elegant. Beautiful! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[dave_person]

Hi Rich, Gus, and DoubleD,
Thanks for looking. I made the lock from castings of an original early 18th century Benjamin Griffin lock sold by Blackley's in England. I fitted the frizzen spring from Chamber's small round-faced lock but made all the other springs and screws from scratch. It is a very nice lock and the first photo shows it in comparison with Chamber's large round-faced lock. The barrel is a 46" and 20 gauge made by Getz at least a decade ago. The guard is from an early French trade gun. I made all the other hardware including the buttplate. That is sheet brass beaten and shaped to fit the stock. The stock is from a log of cherry that I logged and milled 30 years ago. Unfortunately, it has run out at the wrist but I inserted a big bubba wood screw under the guard that should provide insurance against breakage.

dave

 

[MSW]

looks great!! love the carving :thumbsup: :hatsoff:

 

[Vaino]

The stock design is beautiful and I take it from a blank? Not easy to do. Your work always has precision and on this one it's really needed for the lock building.

Have one question....and it's not at all a criticism...would that combline slap the cheek? Am totally unfamiliar w/ smoothbores of all kinds so my question might be "stupid"......Fred

 

[jackley]

Very nice! That will be a very handsome gun when finished.

Jerry

 

[Artificer]

Dave,

GREAT pictures of your lock!

I am impressed you made a Looonnnngggg Sear Spring for this lock that is period correct. That is a fine example of your attention to period detail.

Is there a reason you chose to forge/file that half moon cut in the forward part of the mainspring? It looks very nice, but I was wondering if there was any advantage in making the mainspring that way?

I am very impressed by those who can make their own springs for locks.

Gus

 

[dave_person]

Hi Fred,
The stock is from a plank of wood that I milled from a log I cut 30 years ago. The stock fits very comfortably but I don't know if it will be a cheek slapper. I'll find out and let you know. I've never built an NE fowler before but many of them use that French-inspired stock design. Also, smoothbores tend to have less recoil. The gun is for a historian, author, and re-enactor who wanted it to represent a gun made in New England during the 1750s. I modeled it on the famous Cookson doglock fowler and on the work of several of the Pomeroy family of gunsmiths from western Mass. Oh and I just finished painting it black :wink:

dave

 

[dave_person]

Hi Gus,
The mainspring is really a good one. It has all the right feel and whippiness. I filed the half moon on the front because that was a common way the English shaped springs during the early 1700s. In fact, it seems most mainsprings from that time period that I examined were shaped that way. It is just fashion.

dave

 

[dave_person]

Hi Fred,
I forgot to say that I hope you never worry about questioning or critiquing work that I post. If there is something you don't like, please don't hesitate to mention it. I am simply pleased that you take an interest in my work.

dave

 

[rushlake1]

Proud member of the "Dave Person Fan Club!"

2 questions..ok 3

1..second picture down..did you solider on the lug to barrel?? discoloration.

2..Does the half moon filing on the main spring create a weak point??

3..while forming the sheet brass but plate...... did you need to anneal or did you just go for broke..

"Thank you" for sharing on this site..
I appreciate others builds....Always learning..
Most of the builders seem to vanish...
Cant wait to see this "Black Fowler"
Thank you....Dan

 

[dave_person]

Hi Dan!
Fan club wow! I don't know what to say. Answers:
1. discoloration is from soldering, however the lug under the octagon portion is a barrel stake. I added some soft solder just for insurance. The lugs on the round section are all just soldered (Brownell's Hi- Force 44).
2. the half moon filing does not compromise the spring at all. The spring is wide and is quite thick so there is plenty of meat to work with. I cannot emphasize to much how well it works. This is a really good lock given its early date and technology.
3. I annealed the brass 4-5 times while beating the manure out of it. The key was shaping the buttstock to work as the form.

Take care and thanks for looking,

dave

 

[rushlake1]

Thanks Dave!...
Saved to my "favorites" this topic goes!

 

[Mickc01]

Wow, very impressive!! :hatsoff: :hatsoff: