Posts by Wood Guy

Toledo970.

For the tapering I did of the blank in general, I used my jointer since I was only taking 1/4" off the bottom, and 1/8" off each side. The further along I get with a blank (or any furniture related project, for that matter), the more careful I get. Using my long bed jointer I'm less likely to screw up than the table saw, but there is no reason the table saw won't work for tapering. I marked lines on the blank where the taper would be, then I just planed off the material until I got to the line. I got the taper by lifting the butt end of the gun off the table while I was planing. By taking small cuts I could tell where I needed to take more off, and where I didn't need to remove as much.

If you're using a table saw, the best way is to use an angle gauge.

For the little recess I used a small drum on the drill press. I cut a hole in a piece of plywood the size of the drum so the bottom of the drum could project a little ways below the blank. I also used this to shape the rubber butt pad Ill show in a later post. I'll show a picture of it then.

Toledo 970,

Do you mean where the handle is recessed up into the stock a little?

After talking to Alvin, I made a few minor modifications, then I talked to him again, and I made a few more.

I started with removing the excess wood under the handle flange. After our second conversation I removed an additional 1/2" from the forward and rear of the recess.

I had originally used a 3/8" beading bit on the top, and a 1/4 roundover on the bottom. Alvin was looking to make it look more streamlined, so I went back and used a full 1/2" roundover along the entire top. Then I used the 1/2" roundover along the bottom, starting just behind the band slot. After blending it with the muzzle it's hard to tell the muzzle is a little bit more square. The 1/2" rounding really helped streamline the gun and give Alvin the look he was after.

Then I tapered the muzzle.

The hunk of teak is becoming a weapon!

Tomorrow I'll cut the butt off at length and ballast the gun so that it will barely sink with the 9/32" flopper, and be slightly muzzle heavy. Then I'll cut the slot for loading the bands and make the spacer, and the gun will be ready for more sanding. After that all that will be left will be the butt pad, making the auto line release, and finish sanding and oiling. We're getting close, now, Alvin!

After talking to Alvin, I made a few minor modifications, then I talked to him again, and I made a few more.

I started with removing the excess wood under the handle flange.

After our second conversation I removed an additional 1/2" from the forward and rear of the recess.

I had originally used a 3/8" beading bit on the top, and a 1/4 roundover on the bottom. Alvin was looking to make it look more streamlined, so I went back and used a full 1/2" roundover along the entire top. Then I used the 1/2" roundover along the bottom, starting just behind the band slot. After blending it with the muzzle it's hard to tell the muzzle is a little bit more square. The 1/2" rounding really helped streamline the gun and give Alvin the look he was after.

Then I tapered the muzzle.

The hunk of teak is becoming a weapon!

Tomorrow I'll cut the butt off at length and ballast the gun so that it will barely sink with the 9/32" flopper, and be slightly muzzle heavy. Then I'll cut the slot for loading the bands and make the spacer, and the gun will be ready for more sanding. After that all that will be left will be the butt pad, making the auto line release, and finish sanding and oiling. We're getting close, now, Alvin!

I thought about that but forgot to mention it. It's the tang thingy versus the threaded drawbar that the milling machines have.

I wouldn't try to slide it around on the table without restraints. You could clamp some guides on the table to restrain it, but without something to hold the work securely it's really not much different from a straight bit in a router table, except you can see what you're doing.

Monster Slayer,

2.0" W x 1.75"H at butt. 1.625" W x 1.5" H at muzzle. 56" long overall. Will shoot a 5/16" and 9/32" shaft. Powered by 3- 5/8" bands. Don't know projected weight yet.

Pargo,

The neptonics mech I received does NOT have the little tab for the auto resetting feature.

The end mill is a cutter for a milling machine. If I'm cutting wood I often just use a chuck rather than a collet. You could use one in a drill press for wood, no problem. Just be sure you get the one that can cut on tha bottom and the side (some leave a little core in the middle and aren't designed to drill, only cut laterally). With the mill you move the table. I know you can get small indexing vices for drill press tables, but they are pretty cheezy unless you pay a good bit for them. They would probably be ok for wood, though. It's really an indexing vice that just clamps to the table on the drill press.

My concern with the 1/2" roundover is the wood around the band slot. Maybe I could use a 1/4" until it got past the band slot then feather into a 1/2".

Once the blank is tapered, the shooting line anchor can be installed. I used a 1/2" end mill to route the pocket for the Neptonics line anchor.

Now comes the part that, in my opinion, starts making the blank looking like a gun- the round over of the edges. I went with a 1/2" roundover on top and, because of the band slot location, a 1/4" round over on the bottom.

In the next posts I'll finish shaping the muzzle nose, cut the butt to length, and remove the excess wood from below the handle flange. Then I'll cut the wishbone slot and make a piece to go in the slot, and install support screws to reinforce the band slot. Then all that will be left will be to ballast the gun out at the dock, and finish sand it and apply oil.

Looking more and more like a real shooting stick, Alvin.

Once the blank is tapered, the shooting line anchor can be installed. I used a 1/2" end mill to route the pocket for the Neptonics line anchor.

Now comes the part that, in my opinion, starts making the blank looking like a gun- the round over of the edges. I went with a 1/2" roundover on top and, because of the band slot location, a 1/4" round over on the bottom.

In the next posts I'll finish shaping the muzzle nose, cut the butt to length, and remove the excess wood from below the handle flange. Then I'll cut the wishbone slot and make a piece to go in the slot, and install support screws to reinforce the band slot. Then all that will be left will be to ballast the gun out at the dock, and finish sand it and apply oil.

Looking more and more like a real shooting stick, Alvin.

Ok Alvin, the long awaited Tin Man Handle!

I wanted the handle as high in the blank as possible, so I measured down from the top and allowed 1/4" of wood between the bottom of the trigger mech and the top of the handle. Then I cut the pocket for the handle frame with the 1/4" downcut router bit. It looks deep but that's because I haven't removed the excess wood yet. I'll do that when I shape the blank.

That is definitely a "one-of-a-kind-handle", Alvin!!

Next, I'll taper the blank. The blank is 2" wide x 1.75" high. Alvin wanted the muzzle to be 1.75 wide x 1.5 high. I ended up with the muzzle being 1-5/8 wide x 1.5" high after tapering. Since we weren't taking too much off I used my joiner rather than the table saw. More control that way and the further along you get the more you have at risk if you screw things up.

Next post will show the shooting line anchor pocket and the round over of the edges.

Ok Alvin, the long awaited Tin Man Handle!

I wanted the handle as high in the blank as possible, so I measured down from the top and allowed 1/4" of wood between the bottom of the trigger mech and the top of the handle. Then I cut the pocket for the handle frame with the 1/4" downcut router bit. It looks deep but that's because I haven't removed the excess wood yet. I'll do that when I shape the blank.

That is definitely a "one-of-a-kind-handle", Alvin!!

Next, I'll taper the blank. The blank is 2" wide x 1.75" high. Alvin wanted the muzzle to be 1.75 wide x 1.5 high. I ended up with the muzzle being 1-5/8 wide x 1.5" high after tapering. Since we weren't taking too much off I used my joiner rather than the table saw. More control that way and the further along you get the more you have at risk if you screw things up.

Next post will show the shooting line anchor pocket and the round over of the edges.

Hey Alvin,

I got a good bit more done this weekend.

First, I finished the line release. I measured where in the blank the slot needed to be, then how thick the release lever was. Then, I cut the slot.

The mechanisn Josh sent was not the automatic line reset one, so I'll install the manual version and use Tin Man's design for a resetting feature on the pin that goes through the lever. I'll have to get a little tension spring so I'll do that later.

While I had the blank in the mill, I drilled the float line hole and relieved the edges with a 1/4" roundover router bit. Then, I moved to the muzzle end of the blank and cut the band slot. I like to use my spiral down cut router bit (1/4", then finish the ends with a 1/2" end mill.

Next post, the long awaited handle!!

Hey Alvin,

I got a good bit more done this weekend.

First, I finished the line release. I measured where in the blank the slot needed to be, then how thick the release lever was. Then, I cut the slot.

The mechanisn Josh sent was not the automatic line reset one, so I'll install the manual version and use Tin Man's design for a resetting feature on the pin that goes through the lever. I'll have to get a little tension spring so I'll do that later.

While I had the blank in the mill, I drilled the float line hole and relieved the edges with a 1/4" roundover router bit. Then, I moved to the muzzle end of the blank and cut the band slot. I like to use my spiral down cut router bit (1/4", then finish the ends with a 1/2" end mill.

Next post, the long awaited handle!!

Hey Dan, I just saw the other post--- very nice!! You got some serious skills, man!

Hey Dan,
The plan is to use the auto setting feature. To me that's one of the things that make this mech preferable to some of the others- but then I don't shoot the howitzers either.

I got the line release slot cut and the tab pinned, but I need to tweak the slot a little, just like you said. Hopefully I'll have some more to post tomorrow. I need to mount that funky handle before Alvin wets himself!!! Just kidding, Amigo!!

Bill

Hey Alvin,

I got back from Tin Man's and finally got a chance to do some work on the gun.

I got the trigger pocket cut before I went to Jeff's but the track was a little deep for the sharkfins, so I planed the blank a little until the mech was flush with the top. That gave a little more reveal on the fins, which I think is better.

Next, I pinned the mech. There are lots of ways to do this, most probably a lot faster than mine. But to me this is the most crucial step in the whole build, so I go slow. As Tin Man says, "measure twice, cut once. Or in this case, measure twice, drill once.

First, I laid out the mech on the marks I made from the pocket location, then clamped it even with the top of the gun.

Then I drilled the two pin holes through the trigger mech and into the mech cavithy but not into the wood on the other side. I drilled one hole, then pinned it to hold the mech in place while I drilled the other.

Then I put the mech in the pocket, inserted the pins, and tested the fit with a shaft- perfect!

Then, after clamping a backup piece of wood on the bottom, I pulled the pins one at a time and drilled through the existing hole, through the mech. hole and out the other side.

Next post- The line release.

Hey Alvin,

I got back from Tin Man's and finally got a chance to do some work on the gun.

I got the trigger pocket cut before I went to Jeff's but the track was a little deep for the sharkfins, so I planed the blank a little until the mech was flush with the top. That gave a little more reveal on the fins, which I think is better.

Next, I pinned the mech. There are lots of ways to do this, most probably a lot faster than mine. But to me this is the most crucial step in the whole build, so I go slow. As Tin Man says, "measure twice, cut once. Or in this case, measure twice, drill once.

First, I laid out the mech on the marks I made from the pocket location, then clamped it even with the top of the gun.

Then I drilled the two pin holes through the trigger mech and into the mech cavithy but not into the wood on the other side. I drilled one hole, then pinned it to hold the mech in place while I drilled the other.

Then I put the mech in the pocket, inserted the pins, and tested the fit with a shaft- perfect!

Then, after clamping a backup piece of wood on the bottom, I pulled the pins one at a time and drilled through the existing hole, through the mech. hole and out the other side.

Next post- The line release.

Hey Amigo!

Tin Man got the handle done. I can tell you one thing- nobody will have one like it! It actually isn't quite as bright as the photos show, and the colors look blended together a little more after he did some more shaping.

Hope you like it. I got the trigger pocket cut before I left for Jeff's, but I didn't get a chance to pin it or do the line release. I'll do that when I get back, then I'll route the recess for the handle and install it, then cut the band slot and drill the hole for your float line.

Bill

Hey Amigo!

Tin Man got the handle done. I can tell you one thing- nobody will have one like it! It actually isn't quite as bright as the photos show, and the colors look blended together a little more after he did some more shaping.

Hope you like it. I got the trigger pocket cut before I left for Jeff's, but I didn't get a chance to pin it or do the line release. I'll do that when I get back, then I'll route the recess for the handle and install it, then cut the band slot and drill the hole for your float line.

Bill