I have an apprentice -- update!

[mongrel]

This rifle is a .58 Hawken -- fullstock, obviously -- that Hawkchucker Joe is building under my supervision. The final detailing and any delicate work (lock inletting) I'm doing, but the basic shaping from the blank he's accomplishing -- slowly, but carefully. He bandsawed the stock from the plank, inletted the barrel, routed and drilled the ramrod hole, and inletted the triggerplate, guard, and thimbles -- now he's hogging off wood with chisels. The biggest concern we have is him wanting to get it all done NOW -- I've had to explain, the 'smiths back in the day didn't think in terms of deadlines based on hours, but on days, weeks, or even whole seasons.

This is his first effort and based on his attention to detail and how much he wants to do it right -- plus having someone to actually show him what to do, a benefit I had to do my learning without -- I suspect in time he will surpass me in skill. God willing.





Progress has been made!

[RoaringBull]

Gonna send Wild Bull up there so he can learn from ya too............

Good looking work,kids gonna be good.........

[mongrel]

Uh, maybe not.

I already can hardly afford to feed one fourteen-year-old....

[RoaringBull]

WB is 15 on Oct 10

[karwelis]

[Mr Woodchuck]

Someday  maybe but not today Mongrel ... Joe's got years of lurnin'.
that equals alot of groceries...
keep up the good work.

[fd-ems-emt]

Glad to here the young man is following your steps..

As for feeding teenagers,,
I went thru that x 5 ,,  Could not figure where they stored all the food they were eating...

[mongrel]

I've never outgrown the appetite I had as a teenager. Reality has forced me to keep it somewhat in check -- I can still have several helpings of leftover spaghetti in the fridge, cook up a family pack of ribs or drumsticks and a big fat 'tater, and come lunchtime at work the next day be hungry and unpleasant to be around because there was nothing left in the fridge to bring to work. Trick has been to learn that, one, food costs money (called home long ago to apologize for not having understood that thirty-odd years earlier), and, two, just because I'm done with supper and can still comfortably cram enough food in to feed a third-world country for a couple days does not actually mean I'm hungry.

My biggest downfall, food-wise (but also an advantage, since it saves having to buy a wide variety of food items), is that I'm 99.9% carnivorous. I eat veggies and such when my body is craving them and I find myself drooling at the sight of a carrot -- otherwise I essentially live on meat.

Well, on Hostess products, too. Man has to have one unhealthy addiction. Thankfully mine's not overly bad and certainly isn't illegal. Yet. As predicted, those who saved us all from smoking and smokers are now aiming to save us from our own food.

One day the "Twinkie Defense" may refer to how the third American Revolution (the Civil War being the second ) began when early one morning a skinny guy at the Shell station in Aurora, IN was hit with a five-day waiting period on a pack of Zingers.

[hawkchucker]

hmm that gun looks nice
wonder whos building it

[Ranger]

That's a great looking build guys. I am working on a couple guns right now too. I need to get some pics taken... Chucker looks like he's listening well Mongrel.

[hawkchucker]

i thank him for teaching me everything he knows about gunsmithing

[mongrel]

i thank him for teaching me everything he knows about gunsmithing

:D :D :D

I've taught you everything you know about gunsmithing. Everything I know will take a little more time.

Just messin' witcha.

[hawkchucker]

wen i build my first rifle just by myself im ging to give it to you

[Mr Woodchuck]

nice progress ... Take ya time Joe    lookin good for sure

[trapperj]

He allready has a lot more skill than I ever will Trapperj