doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Working with Mr. T

Speaking of Gibbs Double Rifles, this is a shot of Hands' hands working on the scroll border at the breech end of a set of .450 nitro bbls. Not an easy item to swing, but with a little help from my aluminum bbl holding jig, it is manageable. Besides the scroll there were one hundred and nine letters.

The pipes were calling as the Gibbs address was reapplied.

Barry and Xchisels, thanks for bringing us into the shop for a visit. Good stuff all around!

I understand bowling balls can make great vise mounts when set into something (like a sandbag of lead or sand). About the time I read that I happened to find a bowling ball in my alley right outside my gate. This was surprising as I can't imagine Puerto Ricans bowling. I said to myself that I could always use something like that for the mass and material. I left it there and latere realized I should have taken it in. Even for non-engraving work it's a good vise mount. I'll have to find one at a resale shop somewhere.

If you find such a ball , after mounting vice, remove same. Drill large oles into ball & fill with lead bird shot --- seal over holes with accra glass. This will give you a ball that won't easily tip or tilt over when working with it. FWIW, Ken

Barry,

Thanks for the photos. Fabulous, simply fabulous!

Curl

Hey Curly is that the Gibbs I think it is?

One and the same.

Curl

Hi Barry....great pics, thanks.
I tried Mike Dow the pipers site .. wouldn't work for me...Anyone else???
I've been playing irish fiddle for 30 years, apperenticed in Co Clare .
Does he live up our way?...always looking for a fellow musician....I'm just over the bridge abit in NHcheers
franc

Franc,

You may have to 'parse' the URL, if you just click on it, depending on y'r ISP.

So..'highlight, copy, and paste' the following into the browser window, and you should have joy:

http://www.archcarving.com

BTW, I am increasingly appreciative and humbled by the great skill and craft that has been posted here. Such opportunitiies for viewing just didn't exist for the most of us, prior to thse keyboardy-machines.

Mike Dow is a one-man factory there, of really superior execution. I'd like to see him tackle a reproduction of some Grinling Gibbon's festooned, beribboned, and abundantly fruitful wooden confections.

The muzzle-loading soot-builders have been doing VCR and now CD's of their craft execution for some time, now. Would it be a possibility for some current masters to have some step by step recordings of methods and material documented?

At any rate, pictures do indeed,speak many words.

Thanks.