Powder horn spout question

[Sunkmanitu Tanka]

I like the southern banded horns with turned spouts. If you want to get into powder horn building, then it makes sence to invest in a lathe to make that spout and a base plug. But what if you just want to make just one horn, just the one you want to use? I do not think that in the old days everyone had a lathe installed at home, just in case you wanted to make one horn? Is it feasable to make a reasonable spout by hand? What do you need for materials? Any info on this would be appreciated!

 

[longshot47]

If you're ingenious you might be able to turn a spout, perhaps a plug as well, with an electric drill or drill press. Failing that, get thee -with horn in hand, to the nearest settlement and seek the man with the lathe.

 

[ohio ramrod]

To make only one all you would need is a compass (or even a nail ,string, and pencil ) to mark the round and sharp knives to cut out the Outside and drills to drill the inside. Plus a lot of patience and time. I carved out a "replacement" horn tip at a rendezvous for a friend in about four hours. We pined it on with some toothpicks and sealed any fine gaps with hot beeswax. He liked the job so well he never replaced it. :idunno:

 

[hawkthrower]

+1 for what Longshot said.

I made the first 3 or 4 on a drill mounted in a vise. Don't try to go to fast. Take your time and go easy or you will bend whatever you are using for a mandrel.
Ron

 

[Sperit de bois]

Try this site, The Hornersbench.com, nothing but horn building.If you cant find it there, it isnt to be found.

 

[Sunkmanitu Tanka]

Many thanks for the replies ... I will try out the drill and go to that website...

 

[hawkthrower]

One thing I just remembered that worked for me was holding a piece of wood under the tip while I was filing. Gives it some support :thumbsup:

Ron

 

[Palepainter]

I made a cool jig for the drill press. It allows for a piece of all thread to go completely through the piece I am turning and bolt down on the top and bottom. I get it pretty close to round cutting it, then I drop it down through the table of the drill press and use a vice to hold the tooling if it gets rough. I predrill the spout as well for turning in this fashion. It is not as great as having a lathe, but works about 95% on most woods.

 

[omarick1948]

One thing that you might want to take in consideration, is that most turned round base plugs and turned spout horns were not made by the average person!

Common folks didn't make or have a fancy turned constructed powder horn and the people who did, obtained them from Hornsmiths, Gunmakers, Carpenter's, Furniture makers and Trade Industry. ___ Many of these horns were made in shops and factories!

On THE HORNER BENCH website, in TUTORIALS, take a look at the topic, MAKING A TWO PIECE BASE I put together, and you will learn how to make a nice base plug that is round and similar to a turned plug with a little of your own imagination!

Rick

 

[Rifleman1776]

Try this site, The Hornersbench.com, nothing but horn building.If you cant find it there, it isnt to be found.

I had trouble finding at first.
Go here: http://thehornersbench.proboards.com/

 

[Sunkmanitu Tanka]

Very informative reactions ...it makes sence that the average horn builder did not achieve a top quality ... :hmm: I like the tips with the drill... I will certainly try this out... Also the two piece tip is interesting! Thank you all for helping out... :hatsoff: