What wood for Chambers PA Fowler stock?

[Onojutta]

What are your thoughts on walnut vs. cherry vs. maple for Chambers' PA Fowler stock? Is one particularly more PC for this type of gun?

I always associate walnut with English and New England style fowlers, curly maple for rifles. Don't know what to think about cherry...

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
I build lots of historically correct fowlers and rifles. My advice is hard curly sugar maple for a PA fowler.

dave

 

[Cruzatte]

For a Pennsylvania built fowling piece, I second the use of hard curly maple.

 

[tenngun]

Historic guns on cherry were rare until after the WBTS. I’ve only seen one historic gun in the flesh on cherry that was flintlock and federal period

 

[Onojutta]

Sounds like maple it will be. Any advice on the appropriate stain/finish?

 

[FlinterNick]

Id say maple is most common.

 

[Rató:rats]

I don’t have my lumber chart handy but I think walnut is 30% heavier than maple which might be a consideration.

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
Cherry was used frequently by New England gun makers well before the Rev War. The famous "Cookson" fowler for example.

dave

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
On average, American black walnut is less dense and heavy than sugar and black maple but heavier than red maple, the other maple commonly used to stock American rifles. English or European walnut is heavier than black walnut. All wood varies within species so you can find dense walnut blanks and lighter maple ones and visa versa. I am no fan of black walnut. I use it because I have to for my objectives or when a suitable English walnut blank is not available. You can find good hard dense black walnut blanks with nice color but much that is available is light, chips and tears easily, and has the cold purple-brown color that I do not like. I usually have to stain it yellow to bring out the warmth and good color, as shown below.

 

[rich pierce]

Anyone interested in building guns that are patterned closely after existing originals NEEDS BOOKS not just what some guys say in an Internet forum. Fortunately we have some great students of historic arms here, but why not have books and actually learn about individual original guns? For $45 one can have a terrific book on colonial to Federal period American fowling pieces. Colonial Fowlers by Tom Grinslade. Great book that will inspire cool, non-cookie cutter builds.
George Fainot of Lancaster often, if not exclusively, used walnut for his fowling pieces. But simply using walnut will not get you a Fainot.
My walnut stocked Fainot tribute fowling piece built a couple years ago is here: Finished Fainot inspired Lancaster fowler

 

[FlinterNick]

Anyone interested in building guns that are patterned closely after existing originals NEEDS BOOKS not just what some guys say in an Internet forum. Fortunately we have some great students of historic arms here, but why not have books and actually learn about individual original guns? For $45 one can have a terrific book on colonial to Federal period American fowling pieces. Colonial Fowlers by Tom Grinslade. Great book that will inspire cool, non-cookie cutter builds.
George Fainot of Lancaster often, if not exclusively, used walnut for his fowling pieces. But simply using walnut will not get you a Fainot.
My walnut stocked Fainot tribute fowling piece built a couple years ago is here: Finished Fainot inspired Lancaster fowler

Being historically accurate with wood is always complicated And a conundrum with historical arms enthusiasts. While we strive to stay accurate, (and make up our own excuses for not being accurate ), some things have to managed reasonably today like quality cuts of wood... which are very expensive on premium cuts.

For example French Musket Stocks were considerably lighter than English Walnut stocks of the same species, this was mostly because the European Walnut was left out to dry for a very long time before being cut. The British Brown Bess’s were somewhat considerably heavier because of when the stocks were cut and the age of the wood.

I tend to stay with the basic three woods for rifle stocks, Maple, Cherry and Walnut for jaeger or European Rifles.

For muskets I almost exclusive request or use walnut of any kind, first considering affordability.

For me Teak and Rosewood stocks by Indian Gun makers are out of consideration. These tight grained woods are fussy and do a lot of harm to quality tools.

 

[Onojutta]

Anyone interested in building guns that are patterned closely after existing originals NEEDS BOOKS not just what some guys say in an Internet forum. Fortunately we have some great students of historic arms here, but why not have books and actually learn about individual original guns? For $45 one can have a terrific book on colonial to Federal period American fowling pieces. Colonial Fowlers by Tom Grinslade. Great book that will inspire cool, non-cookie cutter builds.
George Fainot of Lancaster often, if not exclusively, used walnut for his fowling pieces. But simply using walnut will not get you a Fainot.
My walnut stocked Fainot tribute fowling piece built a couple years ago is here: Finished Fainot inspired Lancaster fowler

The right reference materials are a must have for sure, but there is no substitute for the advice and perspective from some of the guys on this forum, like dave_person.

 

[tenngun]

Makes me wonder.
The first rifles in Europe were set often on walnut and was inlaid with all sorts of decoration. Ivory, mother of Pearl and silver were common. So much so that the wood was almost all covered up.
Was walnut chosen for its naturally dark color to highlight the inlays?
In early American rifles well striped maple was common. Decorations were mostly carving and that made the stripes stand out.
During the federal period we see guns go crazy with inlays. Patch boxes cover up much of the right side of the butt. Often a plate covers up much of the cheek plate. Large side plates, wrist plates and plates around the pinholes are often very large.
Yet the wood is 4p+ with almost no blank spots. But the large amount of brass often covers up the best part of the wood. A feature we think is so beautiful we’re largely covered up.
I wonder why.

 

[FlinterNick]

I think it depends on the work plan.

Walnut is a great wood for durability, presentation, and finishing.

Maple is widely available in North America, which is why it was so common.