Chambers New England Fowler Finished!

[Birddog1911]

Hunt down every source you can find, videos, books etc. I bought some maple board at home depot with some curl in it and shaped them like the wrist of the stock. There are kind of two approaches to relief carving, some stab in an outline with various straight and curved chisels and gouges, then relieve away the cuts. I think this suits folks that already have a nice big collection of chisels and gouges.
Others use a V parting tool to do the outline work, this is the method I used. Usually a 60 degree V chisel or a number 12 pfeilI I believe as an all purpose outlining tool. You can chase it with a small mallet ot engraving hammer. Then you model your carving with whatever you have- gouges, scrapers, riffler files, sandpaper etc. Oh, and you need to learn how to keep your chisels crazy razor sharp or you will have a bad time with extra curly maple.

Oh, I do know that about chisels, since I'm fighti...er working with a black walnut pistol stock right now. Thanks for the tips.

 

[rich pierce]

Outstanding build. It shows a lot of English styling in the carving; not unknown on New England guns but rarely executed this well on originals.

 

[Snake Pleskin]

Wonderful work! I only wish I could do that well!

 

[Noeyebrows]

Outstanding build. It shows a lot of English styling in the carving; not unknown on New England guns but rarely executed this well on originals.

Thanks for the kind remarks Rich, I’ve admired your work for some time when I see it on the forum. I’m not a very active member here, but I don’t think this build would have been so successful if this forum did not exist. Thank you to all the generous teachers that contribute here.

 

[Ferret Master]

Well done!

 

[Compressorguy]

Absolutely beautiful

 

[Loja man]

What grade of maple did you go with? I am ordering a PA Fowler tomorrow and I am on the fence about what grade. I plan on making a simple American style Fowler with all metal fittings. It helps to be able to picture what a particular gun might look like in each grade.
Thanks

 

[CuNosecap]

Beautiful work. Jim puts together some nice components. My next will be one of Chamber’s smoothbores, just haven’t decided which one.
Curious, did the octagon to round transition give any challenges? I only have experience with the swamped York and Lancaster.

 

[2 shots]

way nice lovin it.

 

[Tennessee]

Beautiful piece!

 

[TScottW99]

Absolutely beautiful! Wow!

 

[Buckskinn]

Excellent! The panels borders could have been thinned a bit, but I'm nitpicking now.... The carvings are very nice indeed. Most I would recommend not going to that extent on carving for their first attempt, but you either have carved before or have a gift, well done. I've seen several here that make me cringe, which is why I never attempted much carving on mine.

 

[S.Kenton]

Very nice!!

 

[BillKilgore]

That is stunning. Outstanding job - especially for your first build. It will be quite a family heirloom. Noe let us know if she shoots as well as she looks.

 

[Noeyebrows]

What grade of maple did you go with? I am ordering a PA Fowler tomorrow and I am on the fence about what grade. I plan on making a simple American style Fowler with all metal fittings. It helps to be able to picture what a particular gun might look like in each grade.
Thanks

I think it was a lower grade from chambers. Maybe not the lowest, but maybe one up. I just took the one they happened to have in stock.