Ball butt wheellock dag

[ChrisPer]

A question: how do you think the old builders fitted the ball on the butt? I think a tapered mortice would potentially split the ball, unless the ball was some amazing wood that doesn't split (or ringed around with a steel ferrule). Would it be a cylindrical dowel joint with a shoulder, glued wiht animal glue?

And to retain from coming off - maybe a screw up into the stock, with a butt cap disk; or a cross dowel?

I should think the joint would be made, then separated for stock finishing and inlay work, then the final fitting and inlays over the dowel ends or whatever.

Has anyone seen a damaged one that gives a clue to construction?

 

[Leonredbeard]

ChrisPer,
Perhaps it was just carved onto the end of the wood?
volatpluvia

 

[ChrisPer]

An excellent thought. I can easily see it for the lemon-butt styles and this just goes further.

It doesn't look right for that to my eye, used to not having tree-based chunks of wood; mostly the shapes on a thing reflect making from merchant sizings.

On the other hand, maybe earlier generations had less compunction about whittling away a tree to leave a complex shape. Eg a knobkerrie:[url] http://oriental-arms.com/photos.php?id=1543[/url]

 

[Light Dragoon]

In the one's I'm familiar with, the stock is fitted into the ball with glue and a wooden peg. The end of the stock is carved into a tapered square, and a tapered square hole is cut into the ball. Then with sufficient glue in it, the ball is shoved onto the stock and pegged into place. A horn or ivory plug is the fitted into the top of the peg hole at the bottom of the ball. Pretty simple. Somewhere I've seen photo's posted of wheellocks minus the ball butt, and they all show this sort of construction.

There are a very few English wheellocks and early snaphaunces that are in fact carved from a single piece of wood, but they're pretty rare outside of England.

Cheers!

Gordon

 

[robinghewitt]

Puffer should know, because that is a puffer :thumbsup:

 

[PedroB]

Some were screwed on, some were glued with hide or horn glue. That stuff is STRONG!

 

[wulf]

The last one I made has a dowel up through the butt and cross pined under the tail of the lock.
The other ones I made I just glued in place. I can't imagine anyone carving it all in one piece..

 

[ChrisPer]

Sounds great, looks like I could dummy something up for it...