Plugging and reboring a horn?

[Oldbear63]

I have a small and inexpensive powder horn that came with a badly drilled plug hole that I want to re-center.

I tried plugging the hole with a hardwood dowell and redrilling, but the dowell is softer than the horn and the drill drifts back to the original hole with little correction.

I could try ebony (I have a bunch somewhere) but is there a better material that is closer to the hardness of horn that would allow me to plug and drill the hole?

Does anyone have a batch of horn that would work?

 

[deerstalkert]

JB weld epoxy is your friend.
and if you want to sell some ebony let me know.

 

[Oldbear63]

JB Weld is not very HC...

 

[deerstalkert]

JB weld epoxy is your friend.

wasn't thinking historic. my bad. i fixed one by carving threads on a new spout and twisting it into the old hole that got wallowed out.
just had a bowl of chicken soup. use some of that! it welded my bowl to the plate!

 

[appalichian hunter]

Find a bit of deer tine work it down to the dia. of the hole, then epoxy the deer horn plug in the hole let dry a day or so and re-drill, the only part that's not PC is the epoxy but no one will know but you, and if you make the plug stopper also it would cover the little you see where the spout hole was re-worked. I have never been a JB weld type, just do not like it. If I am not mistaken you can buy dowel size deer horn pieces I believe at crazy crow or maybe a knife makers site.

 

[Oldbear63]

Good idea! I have lots of animal glue if I really want to go PC.

 

[LME]

I have a small and inexpensive powder horn that came with a badly drilled plug hole that I want to re-center.

I tried plugging the hole with a hardwood dowell and redrilling, but the dowell is softer than the horn and the drill drifts back to the original hole with little correction.

I could try ebony (I have a bunch somewhere) but is there a better material that is closer to the hardness of horn that would allow me to plug and drill the hole?

Does anyone have a batch of horn that would work?

You could drill the existing hole large enough to put a big dowel plug in it and then drill throught the dowel plug? Also there are bits that are available that wouldn't drift on you.but the size you want could be lacking?

 

[toot]

I guess that there are still STITCH POLICE out there. remember we are living in the 21st. century. remember that history is just that.

 

[Jake2454]

I have a small and inexpensive powder horn that came with a badly drilled plug hole that I want to re-center.

I tried plugging the hole with a hardwood dowell and redrilling, but the dowell is softer than the horn and the drill drifts back to the original hole with little correction.

I could try ebony (I have a bunch somewhere) but is there a better material that is closer to the hardness of horn that would allow me to plug and drill the hole?

Does anyone have a batch of horn that would work?

I use smooth on its an aluminun filled military grade 2 part epoxy can be drilled tapped machined and sanded. I would suggest starting with a smaller drill and increase its diameter incrementally

 

[Jake2454]

And the particular flavor I use is metalset a4

 

[Ames]

If you could post a pic it would help. It seems you are happy with the horn, happy with the hole, not happy with the hole off center.
Not knowing how fancy the spout end is I'll suggest this. Leave the hole alone. Re shape the outside of the spout end so the hole is centered. Then re polish the horn.
Been there, done this.

 

[Jake2454]

Another thought might be to drill under sized hole and even it out with a dremel and small sanding drum

 

[OhioHawkeye]

I'm with Ames.

You don't say how small this horn is. Would an artillery closure work on it? It's a brass tip with a spring lever to close with a leather pad to seal from rain. I've got them on a few horns. Never lost a horn plug with those.

 

[Ames]

I could always apply an antler tip onto the horn with its hole centered for you. Covers up the buggered tip and looks hot!

 

[Oldbear63]

Crazy Crow had a cylinder of horn that my lathe will happily turn down to fit the hole. Then I will re-drill to center and done.

Now I need to find real brass estucion pins to replace the plated ones that were filed off.

I am not into presentation quality equipment. My persona is a wandering, poor school teacher and craftsman (at meets and for real).

 

[Jay Templin]

I guess that there are still STITCH POLICE out there. remember we are living in the 21st. century. remember that history is just that.

For some folks, doing it right is half the fun. If that’s not your thing, well - the hobby is big enough for all of us.
Jay

 

[toot]

Jay, what you say is so true. toot.

 

[Oldbear63]

For some folks, doing it right is half the fun. If that’s not your thing, well - the hobby is big enough for all of us.
Jay

I can appreciate "Doing it right" and someday I hope to be able to!

 

[Oldbear63]

I now wish I had done pictures of my process:

I lathe-turned a piece of horn to a cylinder a bit over 1/4 inch diameter. Using a violin peg reamer I reamed the original hole to a taper and I used violin peg shapers to taper the horn cylinder to fit. You can see the offset of the original hole vs the new hole. The horn was much easier to drill out as it is the same material as the original. I must confess to using epoxy for glue as I had gaps that I needed to fill.

 

[Ames]

Nice results. Now file the tip to round, sand and buff it out again.