Much respect for anyone who does scrimshaw... That's one thing I've never attempted.

I've got a small horn with an applied tip (horn and antler) in the works. Maple base. Waiting on some more stuff to show up before I finish it. I also finished a mandrel for making bands for banded horns but haven't set to making any yet.

Mike

Very nice work, saw a pair on antiques roadshow last night from late 1700s Massuchusetts that appraised for about 10 grand each.

That's my goal, Mike. I really admire those horns with applied, turned tips. Plus I have another Lehigh rifle in the works, and would like a PA style horn to go with it.
I just need to get the motor rewired on my lathe and get turning.

Nice scrimshaw work!

Is that MDF you used for the bench top? It makes a nice working surface but needs to be sealed. I made my large workbench and my reloading bench with MDF tops and sealed them with a few coats of poly. If you don't seal, any drop of liquid will absorb and raise a bump.

Yes, it is MDF. Thanks for the tip, I'll put a couple coats of sealer on it. Shaping the horn bases involves boiling water or hot oil, so liquids will be an issue.

Holler if you need help... I can help you let the magic smoke out of that motor... over the phone.

This little horn has given me fits. I've almost thrown it away about 9 times. I haven't permanently attached the tip yet... Still need to do some fit & finish there around the narrow part of the horn. I also have something different in mind for the base plug, but like I said, still waiting on some tools and materials to arrive.



Mike

That horn is looking great Mike. Do you make a 1 piece or two piece base plug?

I am hoping the motor is still salvageable. Its old and hasn't been run in decades. I am fairly proficient in letting out the magic smoke myself.

Thanks for the help offer. I may very well take you up on that.

That tip is a piece of horn cylinder and a piece of axis deer antler... I'm liking the axis antler it turns pretty well and doesn't seem to have as much pith as whitetail.

The horn cylinder was already round so I drilled a 1/2" hole in the end with a forstner bit... I drilled a 1/4" hole through the antler and turned it round on a pen mandrel. Then I turned a 1/2" tenon on one end and glued it into the horn cylinder. After that my recollection gets a bit fuzzy.

I do remember that I tried drilling the 1/4" hole all the way through at one point... The drill walked a little and the hole is off center a bit in the end of the horn cylinder. But it's still close enough to align with the hole I drilled in the main horn body.

You're better off drilling your 1/4" hole through each separate piece at the beginning. Then using that as your centerline, you turn on a pen mandrel and then fit them together.

Mike

Sorry, you asked about the base plug, not the tip. If things work right, the base plug will be "2 piece" with the plug body being tapped and the strap finial being threaded... for removal and ease of filling the horn.

I've made a screw tip horn where the tip threads off... I put a 1/2-13 male thread on the tip and tapped the horn body. It worked pretty good the first time, but subsequent attempts at cutting male threads on horn have not been as successful. I'll have to dig up that horn and send you pics if you want.

Mike

Thanks for the replies, Mike. By a 2 piece base I was asking if yo made the "inside portion" then glued on a block for the exposed part. I have seen originals that way.

Lehigh valley horns actually had a groove in the base plug that the end of the horn fit into.

Threaded tips are my goal. I have read that the threading process can be tricky, I'll give it my best shot.

When I first started I only had 1x pine on hand so I would pull the pilot drill out of 3" hole saw and chuck it in my drill press... Clamp the 1x to the press table and cut out out 2 or 3 rounds. Then I would glue them together and turn them. Works pretty good and the cross grain looks nice when you're done.

Now I order 4x4 turning blanks of cherry, walnut, maple, etc... and turn them down. But there are folks on eBay selling 3" maple dowels... Pricey, but already round. Cut off a round, chuck it up and turn it to final shape. Beats spending 30 minutes knocking corners off with the roughing gouge.

Mike

Sounds like something I would do. We all have to make do with what we have. Hence my workbench of repurposed and recycled material.

I have done very, very little lathe work, so I am sure I will have questions.

I'm fairly new to both the lathe and powder horns. I've only been at it in little snatches when I find the time over the past few years. I'm far from an expert... Most of my experience has been trial and terror or what others have passed on to me.

Both the Sibley books helped. And I have another by Jim Stevens too. It's pretty good too.

I'll help in any way I can.

Mike

Awesome talent to have!

I have a neighbor, been neighbors since I was crapping yellow and he builds custom muzzleloaders. I've made long drill bits for him to drill our the ramrod channel and such.
Anyhow, come Christmas time he comes over and gives me a powder horn he made. This thread reminded me of it.

I like that, hippie.

Mike

Thanks, he surprised me with it and I thought he did nice work. Now I gotta get to a leather shop and get a strap.

That's a real nice horn hippie.