Want for Kibler Colonial in Curly Maple?

[B1gthndr]

So... I am just beginning to get good at building flintlock MLs. Here is my problem... I got no cash and am wanting to build to sell. Is there a demand for flintlocks? I'll be videoing the whole process, building it how it would have been built back in the late 18th century, and when it's finished... I will be asking roughly 2k for it. Considering that the whole kit cost me 1400... and the process of building and videoing will be... well... an interesting one. Is 600 dollars, in y'alls opinion, a good deal for my labor? Also, I'm a wood carver and should I carve a design in it? Give me thoughts, please...

 

[Pete G]

If you are going to carve, study original patterns. Nothing devalues a rifle more than bad carvings.

 

[#blackpowderbill]

Lost me
You want to build like they did late 18th century & video putting a kit together??!!
A kit

 

[64Springer]

Put up some pictures of the flintlocks you built and pics of your carvings too.

 

[SDSmlf]

I'll be videoing the whole process, building it how it would have been built back in the late 18th century, and when it's finished...

If you are planning on assembling a Kibler kit and videoing the process, it will NOT be how it would have been built in the late 18th century, as they didn’t start with a CNC inlet stock…. You may want to check out Kibler’s videos on finishing his kits. If you looking to assemble and sell, check out the sold guns in the the ‘Classified’ sub forum for an idea on price.

And as far as back in the day, watch this Gunsmith of Williamsburg video.

 

[Hermit Tim]

If you're talking kit building I'm sure there is a market for someone who will build the kit for the person who bought it. Lots if folks, I'm sure, buy the kit and, for whatever reason, can't complete. Figure out a fair hourly charge for the labor, and a reasonable bonus built in for the skills, and then you don't have to front the money for the kit out of pocket. Just a thought. Ardmore huh? You're about twenty minutes-ish down the road from me. Good luck with your quest.

 

[BillyC]

There have been members on here looking for someone to finish their kits for them so I bet you could go that route but probably few and far between.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

I never thought about hanging out my shingle as a gunbuilder before I knew how to build a gun. Very interesting concept.

 

[64Springer]

And you'd need to get some cash to buy the shingle.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

I didn't hang my shingle out professionally until I had about 70 guns built. Of course, there were no Kibler kits 35 years ago either.

 

[le125verne]

If you are planning on assembling a Kibler kit and videoing the process, it will NOT be how it would have been built in the late 18th century, as they didn’t start with a CNC inlet stock…. You may want to check out Kibler’s videos on finishing his kits. If you looking to assemble and sell, check out the sold guns in the the ‘Classified’ sub forum for an idea on price.

And as far as back in the day, watch this Gunsmith of Williamsburg video.

I watched the video of the Williamsburg video. I left me emotionally drained that I do not have the facilities to perform the remarkable task of MAKING an entire GUN. Oh for the abilities demonstrated by the GUN SMITH and aids!

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

I watched the video of the Williamsburg video. I left me emotionally drained that I do not have the facilities to perform the remarkable task of MAKING an entire GUN. Oh for the abilities demonstrated by the GUN SMITH and aids!

I learned those skills, no reason why you can't.

 

[Flintandsteel]

Theres no way to make profit on $600 to build a rifle.
As was said before, let’s see some of your work.
ANYONE can build a Kibler kit, anybody.

There are lots of folks here that can tell you what it would sell for.

 

[Hermit Tim]

I watched the video of the Williamsburg video. I left me emotionally drained that I do not have the facilities to perform the remarkable task of MAKING an entire GUN. Oh for the abilities demonstrated by the GUN SMITH and aids!

Practice.

 

[Secesh]

Most gunsmiths of the 19th and 20th centuries did a little bit of everything and they were good at everything they did. H L Leonard built rifles, musical instruments, fishing reels and bamboo fly rods. He was an engineering genius.

 

[Scota@4570]

I put some thought into this when I retired. In the end, I would never build for sale to strangers. The LLC or DBA costs are significant. Insurance is expensive. Skip those steps and some putz blows up your gun with smokeless powder, you will loose the civil lawsuit.. Even if win the expenses are huge. I like my house and do not want to sell it to pay lawyers. So, you will want to use an insured 3rd party to make the deal. Great, they take a cut, about 30% of the gross. And, you need decades of experience turning out quality work to be halfway efficient.

That is why a reasonable price for a nicely done Kibler would cost about $3000+ . That is roughly $1500 in labor. @ $40 an hour you are about right if you work fast. About half of the $1500 profit goes to overhead. If a guy wants to build kits for friends as a hobby, that is different. You can trust them and profit does not matter.

If a guy tried to charge me $3K for a rifle and it was not perfect, we would have a huge problem. Also guns can attract people who are "special". They are often impossible to do business with.

And that is why is choose not to be a professional gunsmith!

 

[Hermit Tim]

I watched the video of the Williamsburg video. I left me emotionally drained that I do not have the facilities to perform the remarkable task of MAKING an entire GUN. Oh for the abilities demonstrated by the GUN SMITH and aids!

No reason to be emotionally drained. In your first comment I was under the assumption you had a handle on this and knew what you were doing. If gun building is something you want to do, well, take the time and learn it. A line from an Anthony Hopkins movie has always stuck with me. "What one man can do another man can do". There is no reason you can't at least try. But get some experience and practice carving a barrel channel or lock mortise.

I've "customized" lots of mass produced guns but have never built one from scratch. There is a brand spanking new .32 barrel laying on my desk now so I plan to do this on my own. Will probably pester several of the real builders on here, but I will get it done. Also planning on building a matchlock this winter from scratch. If they can do it, I can do it, and you can do it. I don't plan to be a gun builder professionally. Just want to build my own. And I know, as late in the game as I am, I'll never build as well as Brooks, Miller, or these other great artisans we have here. But dammit I'm gonna do it. The first step to doing anything is making your mind up you're gonna do it. I'm guessing you're a young guy. If so, it will serve you well to learn to leave emotions out of stuff. Will get ya every time. Good luck.

 

[Secesh]

There is nothing else like taking a block of beautifully figured wood and shaping it into what you have visualized in your head.

 

[SDSmlf]

No reason to be emotionally drained. In your first comment I was under the assumption you had a handle on this and knew what you were doing. If gun building is something you want to do, well, take the time and learn it. A line from an Anthony Hopkins movie has always stuck with me. "What one man can do another man can do". There is no reason you can't at least try. But get some experience and practice carving a barrel channel or lock mortise.

I've "customized" lots of mass produced guns but have never built one from scratch. There is a brand spanking new .32 barrel laying on my desk now so I plan to do this on my own. Will probably pester several of the real builders on here, but I will get it done. Also planning on building a matchlock this winter from scratch. If they can do it, I can do it, and you can do it. I don't plan to be a gun builder professionally. Just want to build my own. And I know, as late in the game as I am, I'll never build as well as Brooks, Miller, or these other great artisans we have here. But dammit I'm gonna do it. The first step to doing anything is making your mind up you're gonna do it. I'm guessing you're a young guy. If so, it will serve you well to learn to leave emotions out of stuff. Will get ya every time. Good luck.

You know that’s not the OP you’re responding to. Le125verne was just commenting on the video.

 

[Hermit Tim]

You know that’s not the OP you’re responding to. Le125verne was just commenting on the video.

Oops, sorry about that and thanks for pointing that out. That's what happens when I'm in a hurry. My apologies.