inlay practice

[Rod Man]

You can make a peep pretty easily but don't do as I did and use what ever metal you have around. I struggled with getting the bends right with 1/8" think metal, 1/16" would be just about right. This peep work exceptionally well but took me two days to make because I messed up the first one.
View attachment 64849

Understood.

 

[Eric Krewson]

A little more on the advice thing;

As many of you may know I am a bowmaker more than a gun builder, been at it for 27 years, it was a 27 year learning process but I pretty much have it down now.

I teach bow making online and in my shop (never charged anyone a penny), people today are making the best bows that I have seen since I started, true works of art. Twenty years ago people didn't have the available reference material we have now and made some monstrosities then posted them online for an attaboy.

I would give their bows an honest critique, gently of course, and offer suggestions on what they could do to salvage what they had hacked out.

People jumped on me in droves for my honesty, nasty name calling and treating me like I was a wart on the butt of bowmaking. Fortunately the other good bowmakers recognized that I knew my stuff.

One day I had enough of the abuse and made a post to the effect of "what do you want", sound bow making advice to advance your craft or guys telling you how great your bow is even if it is a disaster. I told them if it is the latter I wouldn't say another word.

The overwhelming response was "sound advice", the guys who were sending me scathing PMs and jumping on me quit. I have helped hundreds fledgling bowmakers since, I spend 3 or 4 hours a day doing just that.

 

[Feltwad]

Any images of silver wire work
Feltwad

 

[Ames]

Baloney I say, tell it like it is, but be respectful!

I respectfully point out that its Bologna.

 

[SDSmlf]

A little more on the advice thing;

As many of you may know I am a bowmaker more than a gun builder, been at it for 27 years, it was a 27 year learning process but I pretty much have it down now.

I teach bow making online and in my shop (never charged anyone a penny), people today are making the best bows that I have seen since I started, true works of art. Twenty years ago people didn't have the available reference material we have now and made some monstrosities then posted them online for an attaboy.

I would give their bows an honest critique, gently of course, and offer suggestions on what they could do to salvage what they had hacked out.

People jumped on me in droves for my honesty, nasty name calling and treating me like I was a wart on the butt of bowmaking. Fortunately the other good bowmakers recognized that I knew my stuff.

One day I had enough of the abuse and made a post to the effect of "what do you want", sound bow making advice to advance your craft or guys telling you how great your bow is even if it is a disaster. I told them if it is the latter I wouldn't say another word.

The overwhelming response was "sound advice", the guys who were sending me scathing PMs and jumping on me quit. I have helped hundreds fledgling bowmakers since, I spend 3 or 4 hours a day doing just that.

I believe it was George Carlin that said ‘Everyone appreciates your honesty, until you're honest with them. Then you're an a—hole’.

 

[FishDFly]

Most folks only post their best work to be seen, wonder what the rest of it looks like?

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

A little more on the advice thing;

As many of you may know I am a bowmaker more than a gun builder, been at it for 27 years, it was a 27 year learning process but I pretty much have it down now.

I teach bow making online and in my shop (never charged anyone a penny), people today are making the best bows that I have seen since I started, true works of art. Twenty years ago people didn't have the available reference material we have now and made some monstrosities then posted them online for an attaboy.

I would give their bows an honest critique, gently of course, and offer suggestions on what they could do to salvage what they had hacked out.

People jumped on me in droves for my honesty, nasty name calling and treating me like I was a wart on the butt of bowmaking. Fortunately the other good bowmakers recognized that I knew my stuff.

One day I had enough of the abuse and made a post to the effect of "what do you want", sound bow making advice to advance your craft or guys telling you how great your bow is even if it is a disaster. I told them if it is the latter I wouldn't say another word.

The overwhelming response was "sound advice", the guys who were sending me scathing PMs and jumping on me quit. I have helped hundreds fledgling bowmakers since, I spend 3 or 4 hours a day doing just that.

Eric I dont think anyone disputes your expertise or advise...IMHO

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

I respectfully point out that its Bologna.

I always hated English and spelling was only a tad better. I WAS gonna spell it your way, but I actually looked it up for my reply.
So Sorry Charley:
What does baloney mean?
nonsense

Baloney is nonsense. When someone says something completely ridiculous, call it a bunch of baloney. ... The word baloney comes from the sandwich meat called bologna, which is typically made of leftover scraps of meat. Around 1920, baloney came to mean "nonsense,"

We are still buds though!

 

[Ames]

Now THATS a bunch of baloney!

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

Most folks only post their best work to be seen, wonder what the rest of it looks like?

Most will never see the light of day, it was explained to me thusly.
As a business model, it's very difficult to overcome a reputation for poor quality, only publish your best work until established.

 

[SDSmlf]

Baloney? It has a name and a song.

 

[Col. Batguano]

I respectfully point out that its Bologna.

Have you ever tried doing an inlay in bologna?

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

Have you ever tried doing an inlay in bologna?

you gotta be quick or it'll shrivel up and get all funky as it dries out.

 

[Col. Batguano]

No reply too my query does that mean that silver wire inlay was not practiced
Feltwad

If it practiced more it would be in Carnagie Hall.

 

[FishDFly]

you gotta be quick or it'll shrivel up and get all funky as it dries out.

Fry it first to stiffen it up.

Problem is keeping the roaches off of it while in storage.

 

[Feltwad]

Looks has though silver wire inlay was not done in early rifles but considering what the rifle would have to endure a hard life in the west then the basics would be all that was needed.
Feltwad

 

[Ames]

Never needed to try wire. Instructions sound easy enough. Is it hard to do?

 

[Feltwad]

Never needed to try wire. Instructions sound easy enough. Is it hard to do?

With suitable small chisels I made mine out of double sided hacksaw blades it is a slow job but not too hard I did mine in the late 1960s and early 1970s then my eyes were at lot better than they are today . A good wire inlay is only has good has image drawn on the wood I remember the last one I did had 30 foot of silver wire inlaid but today that would cost a fortune .
Feltwad

 

[Eric Krewson]

On the bad stuff; my posted rifle pictures start with my second gun, I only show random close-up pictures f my first rifle when I want to emphasize what NOT to do while building a gun. It took me two years to complete my first, a plank build, when I really messed up I would l put it aside for months until I lost the desire to scrap the whole thing and would forge ahead.

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

Looks has though silver wire inlay was not done in early rifles but considering what the rifle would have to endure a hard life in the west then the basics would be all that was needed.
Feltwad

Wire was more prevalent in Europe, not a lot (if any) of examples of it in the colonies, even as we got away from the golden age era of nice carving and engraving and transitioned into the cap locks, the inlay work was bulk coin silver pieces or brass and no or not a lot of wire work, wire is time consuming and difficult to get to look right without a bunch of elbows etc in the finished product.