fixing mistakes

[George F.]

The one thing I hate about fixing my mistakes is that it takes so long to get over the feeling of disgust and dispair. I should know better, what's the matter with me, is what usually goes through my head. I'm almost done repairing a muzzlecap that I had filed through on the side. First I tried to replace it. Which had already been epoxied and riveted But because I was filing the wood to meet the cap, there wasn't much to work with. .. so I cut 1/2" off the end and fitted a piece of 10 guage brass shaped to the match the orignal cap. then silver soldered together, I'll hide the joint with a wedding band. Doesn't really need it because the joint is vitually unnoticable, but because the cap is bronze( investment cast) and the other piece is brass, that you might see the difference in color

George F.

 

[Mike Brooks]

Well, some days that's just the way it goes.... :cry: Speaking from experience of course. :winking:

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

Hey George,
There isn't anyone out here that is perfect, and besides that you are too hard on yourself. If you make a mistake, the best thing to do is to analyze why the mistake was made, and make a mental note, so you don't repeat it. Some of us make more than our share, cus we are human. Learning from mistakes is how a craftsman grows in his/her abilities. Anyone that don't make mistakes is full of bull, or just not doing anything.
:imo:
Flintlocks Forever,
Lar

 

[reddogge]

Yes, ask me about a ramrod hole I drilled in a trade gun stock and when I dressed the stock down it had wandered up and come out the forestock. Only thing to do was plug it with a walnut dowel, redrill it, and cover the mess with rawhide.

 

[BLAHMAN]

Actually, George, the trick isn't making a mistake here and there, but how you go about fixing it that makes the differnce.

Making a mistake is ok, it's part of learning.

And that other post, about nobody is perfect, well, PHOOEY! I'm perfect!

I can perfectly mess up some really nifty things! :haha:

So there! :haha:

 

[Old Salt]

George,

It finally becomes art when you can plan your mistakes to fall where they don't show.

Old Salt

 

[davy]

Mistakes? Thats how ya larn! :thumbsup:

Davy

 

[Black Hand]

The mark of a great builder is how well they cover their mistakes, 'cause we all make them. Call it a learning lesson and move on. No sense dwelling on it, it will drive you crazy. And we are our own worst critics.
Black Hand

 

[Scott Evans]

The real trick is fixing the mistake in such a way that later you can convince yourself that ... this is exactly what you had planed to do all along.

 

[Zonie]

One of the reasons I am hesitant to build guns for other folks is the prime subject of this post.
When I screw up on my own gun, I just sit back and study the situation. I have always been able to alter my plans to either fix the problem, or to celebrate it.
Celebrate it means changing things so it looks like the error was planned to exist.
A simple example of this is to add a "Pommel Plate" to the belly of the forestock if the ramrod hole breaks out while drilling it. There are a number of examples where the old builders did exactly that. (So far, I haven't).

As I say, I am very understanding of my mistakes and will accept them, but if I were making a gun for someone else, I don't know how understanding he/she would be. ::

One other thing to keep in mind.
The Artist sees all of his mistakes on his paintings. A gun builder sees all of his mistakes on his gun.
Most (if not all) of the other people looking at the painting/gun rarely suspect there is a mistake if the "fix" is well done.

 

[Birddog6]

IMHO, If you don't make any mistakes you are not doing nothing............. Mistakes is what carving & inlays are for ! ha ha ! No, not really, but it is sure nice when you can cover up a boo-boo that way & it look like you intended it to be that way.

As someone else stated, the main thing of a mistake is to remember how NOT to do it again....... Problem for me is I remember them AFTER I did them again !! :crackup: ARGH !!

You would think after a while you would run out of mistakes, but I think they are like fire ants in the south, the lil bast////s just keep popping up someplace else ! ha ha ! :curse:

 

[benvenuto]

I learnt a long time ago with my blacksmithing that a teacher isn't worth a damn unless he teaches you how to fix your mistakes. Mistake DO happen, and if you can't get past them you won't learn your craft properly.
:m2c:

 

It's not the mistakes that are the problem, you learn to fix them and move on. The problem is when you haven't learned from them and repeat them. Kinda like that addage about history. On the Builders site it seems there a number of us that have made Ah Sh#t's and shared our fixes or asked for guidance. The solution is generally from someone who has been there, done that. And more often than not, it's more than one of us contributing advice. Thus the reason for this great Forum. :m2c: Bill