T. Miller: 2nd model Brown Bess which was used in the F&I war and the American Revolution!!

JWFilips

Well-Known Member
Thanks guys....I guess it is a bit of a curse, "a stickler for doing things to the best I can" Now that I'm pretty much retired I'm home far too much for my wife's enjoyment...I'm sure! ...I rather stop everything I'm doing to make her a meal or a snack then let her into the kitchen to change the way I'm now set it up to work! Yes it is a sickness I'm sure
 

JWFilips

Well-Known Member
I started building flintlock rifles in 1983, at that time I had no Idea that Chuck Dixon that summer was stating the "Dixon Gun Makers Fair" to highlight Pennsylvania Longrifle building! That was it's first year : by the Summer of 1984 I was there a day early to help set up! And learned as much as I could! That year I met Kit Ravenshear; an English Armorer! He is whom I learned Restoration / Conservation of English Firelocks over the years. I also met a rather strange gentleman by the name of William Knight... Guess he must have liked me straight off so he handed me a bound version of his research paper into 18th century Pennsylvania stock finishes and stains! ....Yes it became my holy grail! This was research by a chemist in to the ways 18th century finishes and stains worked! To these days I am very thankful! Over the years I have used this info to get to where I was at the peak of my building career! Sometimes you are at the right place at the right time!

Also I would like to mention the only power tools in my shop most were added as of 2000!
I do have a bandsaw which I did cut out stock profiles I would be working on from stock blanks! "Very scary" tool for me but it works!
I have 2 Drill presses! I need them for drilling on "centers" to drill cross pin holes and lock bolt & Tang bolt holes...But I use them more as a poor man's lathe
I have a combo belt sander...I'm not too afraid of this tool...most it has done is mess up my manicure! I also have a 2 wheel grinder if I'm in a hurry but I don't like it and I have a Whet stone powered wheel for shaping tools!
As I always say I like to know when I'm cutting my finger off!
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
I was 16 the year of the US Bicentennial. I really miss that era of fascination with all things 1740-1800 and beyond. We had a couple guys in our area that turned out some gorgeous reproductions. I didn't appreciate them at the time and was more into the Hawkens and Plains rifles. Of course my tastes changed, as they always do, and now a graceful Longrifle looks sooooooo good to me! I can't even imagine having the guts to work on an original of that era. Well done Jim!
 

Rockydoc

Well-Known Member
I started building flintlock rifles in 1983, at that time I had no Idea that Chuck Dixon that summer was stating the "Dixon Gun Makers Fair" to highlight Pennsylvania Longrifle building!
I attended that fair for a couple of days somewhere about 2004 I think. I bought many of the parts for my flintlock build there. I bought enough parts for another flintlock rifle but never built it. I still have a lock and a 54 cal Getz barrel and some brass furniture castings. If anyone is interested in those parts PM and I will see what I have.
Rocky
 

JWFilips

Well-Known Member
Getz barrels are top notch! All the firelocks I built from scratch have Getz barrels in them!
When Donny Getz was alive I would send my Barrel Ideas drawings for a custom build to him! He and his son John worked with them to create those custom barrels for me and I was only charged the list prices!
Figured if I was building a custom Firelock from scratch The barrel should be one of a kind! I do believe he called me to ask if I wouldn't mind sharing my pattern with someone he knew...YES was the reply! Kind of feel honored he would share one of my designs!
 

Snakeoil

Well-Known Member
I am thoroughly impressed. With you skills and ingenuity.

May I ask how you repaired the muzzle. Did you move the metal back or simply weld in new.

Boiling Chlorox...pass the respirator, please.
 

JWFilips

Well-Known Member
I am thoroughly impressed. With you skills and ingenuity.

May I ask how you repaired the muzzle. Did you move the metal back or simply weld in new.
OK I do not do welding on Any weapon! Cleaned the area and silver soldered a new piece of similar steel from and old barrel! Then rounded it off and color blended it....After reliving this build, I should have put a Bayonet lug back on in that area! ...Shit...Oh well!
 
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fiver

Well-Known Member
JW.
when you do the wood.
do you cut the old wood off square and match the new in, or do you try to keep as much of the old as possible and kinda 'wiggle' the lines into place?
 

JWFilips

Well-Known Member
Well fiver, Kit always told me to cut the old wood back on " a diagonal" to form a dovetail of sorts. This makes for a strong bond & a diagonal mark where the to pieces come together are easier to "disguise" than a straight cut ! Many times when I make this cut across the old break I will clamp a piece of the replacement wood ( I selected for that area) over lapping a bit of the existing breaks, and cut the 2 pieces at once to make sure the new wood is a tight fit!

Wiggling the lines into place sounds good, however you can never match the two pieces accurately enough and in those tiny gaps there will different sized areas of pure Acra-glass! It is a good idea for that not to happen. A glob of epoxy Is a hard thing to make look like wood grain.

By cutting the old and new piece in the same cut...The joint hardly shows any epoxy lines... and the little that shows can be blended with stain and a super fine veiner chisels to look like existing wood.
I hope I explained this well
Jim
 
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JWFilips

Well-Known Member
I probably should address the repair ( actually conservation) of a stock with a crack down the barrel channel. The proper way to repair this is to use acid free linen cloth ( Like the kind they conserve old book bindings with)
The Agra-Glass ( Not the Gel) is mixed without any coloring agents! The barrel channel is brushed with it over the cracked areas and then linen cloth pressed in to it and flattened.....When dry, the stock is completely stabilized against new cracks!
In most cases if the gun is old, the Barrel will refit automatically and no re-inletting is necessary. This technique also is great for a crack or split in the sides of a barrel channel where there is no missing wood! It totally stabilizes the split!
 

Joshua

Taco Aficionado/Salish Sea Pirate/Part-Time Dragon
JW,
This is a really wonderful thread! Thank you for taking the time to write it and to share your great photos.
 

JWFilips

Well-Known Member
You guys are very welcome! I have learned a lot about this stuff since my first build in 1983. I guess I was lucky enough to meet the right people and for them to think; I'm worthy enough to take me under their wing! I am forever grateful!
If I can share a little bit of what I was thought, I feel it was a time in my life well worth it!

I'm trying to get back to; trying to build the 5 started long guns I still have in my shop...However I'm hampered, by the arthritis in my hands, back problems and eyesight..... but I'm trying to over come all this! They may not be the prettiest guns I have done but if I can clear out my shop of all the ideas I have entertained, well that would be a life's achievement for me!
 

JWFilips

Well-Known Member
Here is a great tip: If you want to repair a bad gouge or an over sized pin hole, etc: Tint your acra-glass slightly lighter then the stock color...you have to use your judgement here; Experience helps...... Put the glass mix in the gouge or hole making sure it is a bit fuller then needed.....
Put a strip or 2 of black electrical tape over it and press it smooth to the surrounding surfaces! after 12 hours remove the tape! Most times you have to do nothing more! Or you may have to sand it back lightly! When I did this for the first time I was blown away with the results
 

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
Are you working on any fowlers? That will be my next, and at my age, probably last firearm.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
you did.
i've never been any good with any sort of wood working beyond rough in or framing type stuff.
i can draw up what i want and give all the details, heck i can even write step by step instructions for many things.
i just can't make a store bought board look like a board.
 

462

California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
Right there with 'ya. I can't take four identical pieces of wood, and make a box, if I have to do any cutting or shaping whatsoever...
:rofl: You ought to see the 4' planter I made using a 2"X12"X16'.
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Are you working on any fowlers? That will be my next, and at my age, probably last firearm.
I happen to have a very nice 20 ga Fowler that you could look at.

My father owns it and he is no longer in physical condition to do any shooting. I can attest to the fact it shoots a .600 round ball very well. I won a few medals at the state ML shoot with it.
 

JWFilips

Well-Known Member
Are you working on any fowlers? That will be my next, and at my age, probably last firearm.
Ric,
I'm ashamed to say, yes! The same one that has been on the table since 2003. One of a kind 43" Getz barrel I designed in 14 gauge!
Right about 2004 I got inundated with Jaeger rifle orders from a B.A.R. Jaeger re-enacting unit.....Kept me busy right up to this Restoration! So All my personal builds went on hold for far too many years!
Also have a 42" 12 gauge Colrain barrel waiting on a stock blank As far as smoothbores go!

One of my favorite pleasures in my life was hunting upland game with a 18th Century style Flintlock Fowler. Just beautiful peaceful walk in the Fall woods! I got pretty good at harvesting Woodcock and Dove with the long barreled gun......also hunted whitetail in our Antique season with round ball.....got a few shots but never harvested one. But my Flintlock rifles took a number with patched round ball. My farthest shot was 80 yards ( a heart shot)....biggest deer I ever took! 190 lbs dressed!
 
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