Just somethin I been working on ~ Yes, I am still alive!!

Thanks all!


yea - the fore end was really bugging me.... it wasn't really that much time involved - the ballard has a very simple fore end that can be done mostly with a router(well the barrel/rod inlet anyway)

Though it is THIN!! almost no room for the schnauble.... I think it's going to get some epoxy bedding just to shore it up a little... super paranoid about it cracking!

the brass keys would have just stuck out too much.

hope to get the barrel off this week, cleaned up and ready for bluing - ran a "test" on a not so spare barrel last weekend


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Setup needs a little tweaking and some more room to work, but that camp stove works just perfect.... burned nearly half a tank of propane!


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Pretty easy to tell which is the dirty tank and which is the clean. That aluminum held up WAY better than I assumed it would.


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Need more room and a little jig to hold the barrel while wiping & carding - wrangling it around by hand was for the birds (not to mention super damn hot!)


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Super impressed with the results! I did different finishes on the different flats to see how the solution behaved & was pretty much bang on as expected.
The flat by the touch hole was the only one I actually polished - the rest are between 600 grit & 1500 .... completely polished is really the only way to go. (even here you can still see a couple tool marks that I thought "would be ok" - not so much!)



Got a couple of real spectacular projects coming down the pipe. Think birdseye maple & Indian rosewood :)
 
Getting close to the end here, proper screws for the escutcheon ordered & on the way, wiping rod is made, stock is sanded and last coat of oil just some barrel work and bluing!

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home made barrel vise - works like a champ. Got several barrels done that are up for bluing, but one Winchester 94 barrel absolutely refuses to budge!! Will let that one deep soak in some penetrating oil for a few days.

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Action came off nice & easy, threads are in real good condition too :)

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some assembly required!

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cleaning up the barrel ready for bluing, a couple of dings in there that won't come out, but are for the most part hidden.

If the screws show up this week, it should be blued and out the door early next week, been a fun project but time for something new :)
 
Doing the bluing today and out the door this week!! (well if the screws for the escutcheons show up)

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Couldn't resist a mock up at this point.


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did not trust the soldering on the thimbles, just not enough contact to hold the solder, so I added a mechanical attachment


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Really liking the polished look ... not sure if I'm gonna blue them or not.




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final thimbles & a new wiping rod tip


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fkkn typical! Guess I am rebluing the butt plate & repairing the finish :(


 
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fkkn typical! Guess I am rebluing the butt plate & repairing the finish :(
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Sum##### !
Thats a lotta work and quality too and it never fails something adds to extra work, grr.
Thanks for sharing this project with the trials and tribulations as well.
Look forward to the next project when you find the time.
Would a gun sock have prevented that scratch?
Rob
 
Sum##### !
Thats a lotta work and quality too and it never fails something adds to extra work, grr.
Thanks for sharing this project with the trials and tribulations as well.
Look forward to the next project when you find the time.
Would a gun sock have prevented that scratch?
Rob

No problem - sharing is fun :)

I have a Sharps Borchardt up next in tandem with a 1920's Ithica SxS up next .... no end in sight really :)

nope on the sock, that was a slipped screwdriver - I even have correctly sized screwdrivers for this stuff.

Not a huge problem, the plate can go in with the small parts and the scratch, well it's work, but it's also a French polish - so it can be repaired quite easily.
 
ALL DONE!

New wood, freshly blued parts, scratch made wiping rod, tip, thimbles, escutcheons and key.

Won't be making escutcheons again, too much work for such an easily bought part!

She's getting packed up and sent back home today. The owner will be selling so look for her on the EE soon!

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