Lots of things moving forward thru the shop. Here are a few snap shots ....



Penciled in ...



Nearly complete now. A few more passes to refine and create the proper contrast. It will take on more richness when correctly finished.



The back ...



Parts for several rifles prepared for hard color anodizing.



Bolster - relief carved ...


Gary (I was just kidding about the Aliens)

Hi Gary:

All those carved parts are looking awesome.

And a bunch of parts in the anodizing line up. Great!

Just to know; What happens to a part that you anodize it and it doesn't show the expected color or finish?

Its there a chance to reanodize it or you have to start all over and redo the part from scratch?

Julio

Hi Julio,

It's very difficult to do a part over. Depends upon the part - as to how close tolerances are. The anodizing can be removed ... but it takes a layer of aluminum with it. Therefore; you can't redo threaded parts or closely fit parts. Generally, if it goes poorly, I consider it ruined. It's a process that you want to pay close attention to. It's not really universally understood. However; it makes the parts very durable ... and the finishes are extremely colorful and durable.

Gary

And four tanks of bluing ...



And some stock work ...

Neat compilation of the skill sets you have perfected over the years! Always a treat to see some of the intervening steps.

Thanks for sharing,

Kent

Gary,

That is an amazing amount of work, I don't know how you keep it all moving in a co-ordinated fashion.

Now that I'm fooling around with the lathe I have even more admiration for the work you do. Each part, even the simple ones like my spacer require so many operations. You can describe it, show pictures of the work in progress but you really won't understand it as a spectator.

The knife is spectacular! It's a real pleasure to be associated with you and get invited into your shop.

P.S. Hey! Where is the alien?

Lon



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/06/2010 06:18PM by Bigbore.

Thank you Lon,

That's very kind of you to say.

Guess what I've been doing? One of the thorns in my side. Hunting supplies. By the time I find what I need, I cherish the supplier. And then, next time I need to order ... they are gone. I just did a net search ... yes ... the whole thing. I think I talked to most of the net too. Finally found "Arthur" ... who saved my bacon.

I'm up to my eyebrows in anodizing (that's the highest hair on my head anymore). It became time to seal the first batch of dyed parts ... and ... and, I open my pot of sealer ... it's all evaporated, moldy, gloppy, totally disgusting. And ... to take the cake ... my supply to mix up another batch was found to be degraded and dryed up this morning too. It's like a conspiracy ... ....never fails ... it will be THE one part of the equation that I don't control that will bite me in the buttstock every time.

So; I've called several places on the net. Been switched to a bunch of people who don't exist. Even got one place that asked if you knew your party .... and said, for example ... "Ruth Jones - formerly Jenny Brown" ... or "Sally Smith - formerly Barry Nixon" ... and I wonder just what in the heck is going on at that place!!!

Got one place where it seemed someone wondering by had just answered the phone. They knew nothing at all. Next place everybody was already gone at about 3:15pm. It's amazing. How do any of these places survive??? Heck, I worry that I don't get enough done. You call anyplace else, you get the cleaning lady or voice mail. Amazing.

So; I have some product in the mail ... hopefully ... if Arthur is on the ball. He seemed to be. He even told me to save my overnight postage money - that it was coming from Baltimore - an hour from me.

Gary