Show you my drawings and discuss the features. For some time, I've run across very fine parts, that don't belong to any particular gun. Do you recall the "Cranked Frame" I used on a few butt reservoir lighter weight guns. I made a Renegade and a Maverick. A Scout. I used differing techniques to join the reservoir and hammer tubes on these guns.

The most involved method was where I welded the hammer tube and Reservoir tubes together, at a swept angle ... Then ground, blended, and polished the joint so that it appeared as though it were one bent Tube. (The welded section was not pressurized). When I made these, I made a couple of extra ones. At different times I've tried the theory of getting ahead by making "extra copies" of parts while working. The reality has been proven countless times. My shop is a "Prototyping Shop". The tools are Manual. I don't use CNC. Don't have it. So; the reality is that if it takes an hour to machine a part - I can make a total of five of them .... in FIVE HOURS. hummm

The second reality is that the result is only good if the part duplicated is a part common to several designs. If not, then the extra parts will remain in inventory year after year - waiting for a purpose. They are hours invested, and nothing to spend. HOWEVER; one thing is quite helpful. That is working for a while, while wearing one given HAT. Rather then going from lathe turning steel, to inletting wood, to carving steel, to shop maintenance. Sticking to a given set of operations does help your mind relax. But, I can't ever stay there long. That is THE BIGGEST TASK in running my shops. "Maintaining the ability to stay sharp, while moving through all of the skill sets required to ship a completed product." Just moving from one machine to another means all of the tool cutters which apply to that machine, must be: 1). At Hand. 2). Sharp. 3). Charts, Memory, Drawings at hand. 4). Tool holders at hand. 5). Machine lubricated and clean-ish. 6). Lights, glasses, neck, back, legs, head - ready to engage the task at hand. If you get all of that stuff lined up, then it's real nice to remain there - and "lounge in the work", for as long as you can. Because, when you complete that cycle, you have to reset to engage the next cycle.

Back to the resulting Parts ....

Then there are the parts in inventory, which resulted from a change in an order - after parts already existed. That is a biggie. Caliber changes. Barrel length changes. Model changes. Power range changes.

And so my sneaky little brain's back room, has remembered seeing this and that .... and assembling various combinations of items .... into complete sets (or nearly so). For some time now, I've seen the vision of a Maverick type rifle. I have a great 25 Magnum barrel, which proved itself with very tight groups approx. eight years ago. Final customer preferred a more tame power range and a barrel suited to pellets. This barrel goes into inventory.

Then; when machining "Hubs" for the Orion Series, I recalled that great barrel. I made a mounting hub for it, so that it could be mounted on Renegade type guns. Mounting hub was blued along with the next session. Hub went into Inventory.

When making the "Cranked Frame" for a gun, probably ten years back .... I made three. One remains - In Inventory.

When changing out a major power range alteration request, I had to make up an entire new valve body for a gun. I didn't even recall having this original valve body assembly. It fits certain models. Not all. Found it in inventory while referencing another S# number.

I came across a couple 1" schedule intake/fill/reservoir caps. What????? Bonus!!!! Hey ....you mean I have a blued reservoir/frame/hammer tube .... WITH .... a complete Valve Body ...... WITH an Intake/Cap .... WITH a blued barrel ..... WITH a mounting Hub????? Ohhh ..... THIS is getting serious.

I then realized I had a copy of the Renegade Billet tower and trigger block. OK ..... FINE!! I'll try it!!! And ..... EeeeHHHHuuuuhhh. Nope. Wrong drop angle to the bent frame. Bummer. Close.

So; point of the entire story. Last night - after most good little boys and girls were brushing their teeth for bed .... I got out a piece of card stock. Pencil, straight edge, compass, pink eraser, block square, caliper .... and sketched out the parts needed to take the parts at hand, and make them into a great 25 slide breech, cranked frame, butt reservoir .... Bodecious Barnes!!! And, I wish I could show you the super creative trigger block that I watched myself draw out!! I really wonder if this technique has ever been used. To my eye, it will work. We shall see. As time permits.

So; I'll use some of my "extra knife" bill paying time to pick at this 25. Make it an "extra bill paying 25 - Magnum".

Gary

Gary,
It sounds like a bit of frustration, victory, elation and disappointment all at one time. At least, with your skill set, you can turn all of those parts into something useful and beautiful. Most of us would just be at a loss. I hope the new plan works out and your produce a masterpiece. Good on ya!
Later,
Jeff