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Hi all from cent. Ab.

historicalarms

Ultra Member
I've been around for a couple of weeks and I guess its time to introduce myself. I have a smattering of hobby machining equip. including a 13-36 Chinese origin lathe that I've owned for close to 20 yrs now and a # 45 mill-drill (the heavy post model that House of tools used to sell) and a couple of welders (stick 235 amp-130 amp wire), Before my eyes started giving me troubles I was somewhat proficient with the stick but that wire-feed has been the bane of me, as well a oxy-acetalene torch, 20 ton hyd press...and a box full of files & hammers to make things fit "better" after the lathe treatment.

As my forum name would suggest I have an interest in all sorts of early gun stuff from building civil war replica BP canons from tabletop models to tabletop mortars to 1/2 scale ( 1.65" cal repica of a 1861 10 lb. Parrot Rifle, used by both sides) to a full sized replica 1863 Wiard Union Army canon that shoots pop can sized projectiles to a bunch of small arms replicas or rebuilds of 140 yr. old BP stuff. Currently working on a home-built "Canadian legal" rotating rifle similar in looks but not in actual mechanical construction of an 1875 Gatling. I say "Canadian legal" because it has been legislated that peons cannot own a working gun that fires more than one round per trigger pull and the original Gatlings fired just by turning the crank , they didn't have a trigger so the crank will not fire my design in any way shape or form and I incorporated a trigger mechanism into the design that cannot be manipulated to fire more than one round per pull... it is basically a 4 ft long single action revolver.

I bought my equipment with the idea that when I got "proficient with it" I would quit the construction rat race and start a gunsmith business but health reasons have kept me at a strictly hobby speed and I'm enjoying it .
 

PeterT

Ultra Member
Premium Member
Welcome. Your interests sound very cool. It may take a few posts before you are able to post pictures. I'm not actually sure about that, maybe one of the admins can verify. Anyway at some point it would be great to see some of your projects & treasures.

I've seen some examples like from Internet Craftsmanship Museum
http://www.craftsmanshipmuseum.com/Miniarms.htm
 

DPittman

Ultra Member
Premium Member
Nice to have you and I look forward to seeing/hearing of your projects! I think gunsmithing/machining will be GOOD for your health as long as you keep it as a hobby!
 

historicalarms

Ultra Member
Welcome. Your interests sound very cool. It may take a few posts before you are able to post pictures. I'm not actually sure about that, maybe one of the admins can verify. Anyway at some point it would be great to see some of your projects & treasures.

I've seen some examples like from Internet Craftsmanship Museum
http://www.craftsmanshipmuseum.com/Miniarms.htm
I saw some of those miniatures at the Cal. spring gunshow a couple of yrs ago...The attention to detail is astounding and a credit to their skill & patience.
 

historicalarms

Ultra Member
Morning David. If I darkened your new shop door you might recognize me, I visited you a bit when you were still on main street and I think the last time we talked we were going down Antler hill side-by-side yacking on the CB's...I think I read on another forum that you did get your rifling machine done...mine is still in pieces in a storage shed. LOL. When I got interested in the artillery thing I toyed with the idea of building a sort of ancient model of a rifle'r to cut some rudimentary grooves in a I.D. 2.65" tube to make a breech loading BP canon but some health issues showed up to slow that notion down. A friend of mine (now dead) built one using a surplus Leopard tank barrel for the tube, with it being rifled he could hit a Datsun truck at 600 yrds and group on the door at 400. Hoping to get over to see your new shop this summer.
 

David Henry

Member
Oh Heck I remember you, love to see you drop in next time you are in the area. I will give you a tour of my new shop, well not new any more as I finished the shop build 6 years ago. My how time flies bye. David.
 

historicalarms

Ultra Member
One of the disappointment in my life is that that I didn't get to join him for a "live fire" demonstration. He passed a week after we discussed getting together to burn some powder. He had a 4 power weaver scope mounted on his gun & fired it with 1 full lb. of single F.
 
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