Franks patching board

[Frank Savage]

OK, I promised to photograph the wood flaws, so here they are:

Dimples from retaining pins on the back:


About 1/25" wide, about 1/32 or less deep. They will be probably always present on the back side, as well as undersides of the sliders. Nothing to do about them, as my pieces of wood has curls and waves-probably the reason it ended up as a veneer, not as slabs. Planing impossible, sanding it down way beyond tooling.

Somehow uneven thickness, but I must say that this was probably the worst piece of what I currently have. Even if present, will be used in such a way as in no way compromise the functionality of the tool:


Mentioned less than perfect slots from my point of view, so here you see what you can expect-at worst, since I´ve found again the usual truth that proper tooling makes woders. Changing from tool steel cutting saw blade to proper hardwood one is the ticket here. No overlaps of fixed parts will be present. Also, don´t mind about the marred screw head-you won´t find any even somehow resembling to that mess, but this one was first, so proper dia drill for this wood was in question (a bit oversize needed) so had it out about 4 times, as not having a spare:


You can see some dings from being carried in case along with bunch of other tools, ammobox from the same wood, having fallen onto frozen snow and 8 pounds of stuff falled onto it when the case hooks failed. Traces from the cutter are from cutting equal of about 3/8" stack of #8 paper. For measure, the strip cutting board slider is 1" wide.
Metric screws will be used (M5, M4), no way how to get UNF in brass here for anything distantly resembling a sane price.
The rulers shown are 1" wide, will make them 30 mm or 6/5" as to make more comfortable room for fingers when using shaving blade or beefier cutters than slim Exacto knife.


Will have oportunity to check if I manage to get a bit more of this wood monday or tuesday. Now have for 10 sets for sure, will check the other micro-pile during the weekend. It´s Ovangol, wood somehow similar to indian rosewood. These are from trunks of the biggest dimensions and oldest age, maybe that´s why is it so strange under tools. For some picture-when you want veneer from hardest, curliest beech or oak, you steam the quarters 4 days max during prep for slicing. You steam the hardest mahagony max. about 7 days. And you have to steam this wood 14+ days to get onto basic machineability...

So, if you wrote me here or PM you want one and find the flaws unacceptable, say it here or via PM. If you find them as to be able to get along with them and want one, say it also

[Lumpy Grits]

Don't see a dang thing to be concerned about.
It's obvious, that you put time and thought into this.
Gary

[Trapper]

Looks Great, I will buy one!

Trapper

[Tombstone 71]

Will buy one too Frank.

Tim

[Frank Savage]

OK, still checking how to get more wood as well as some decent powertool accesibility. Regardless of this, will start on small entry batch by feb 13 or 14, pure handwork only. All of you who wrote you want one here or via PM have your scratch on the jamb and will get your set.
Several more will be made, so if some of you decide later, the wait time will be short.
Will make a report about progress next sunday and expected finish time. Have some work, as well as I need go to the range and test some surprise for boars-or to find I have to fiddle once again a bit more to be willing to use the last bullet shape for hunting. Full moon few days ahead, then 3 1/2 weeks of unuseable conditions without the snow.

[Frank Savage]

BTW, checked most of the wood I have-and it seems I used for myself the ugliest piece I had. The others will be also thicker, but can make 2 or three extra light from a bit more than 1/5" thickness-let me know if You want so. The rest will be something like 5/16".

Custom features-came to my mind with you Kenny, so will use you as an example. You shoot chase patched in your slug guns sometimes, if I remember correctly some of your posts over the years, so I suppose it would come handy for you to have the strip cutter sliders capable to cut about 1/4" strips for 38 cal chase patch-or if you have smaller cal rifle also?
So, if anyone have some possible use and specific strip width (min-max), please specify them.

[Kenny Wasserburger]

Frank,

The Slug guns get a Cross patch, I do have a patch cutter that came with both Guns but is is a slow hammer hammer process. Those tools of yours are almost more of Art then a tool but sure do a fine job in both areas. I have and will continue to try Chase Patch in the Slug guns as it is easier and faster in my opinion.

Kenny W.

[Frank Savage]

Almost forgot and had in mind more the crosspatch. I´ve seen somehow close and personal only two slug guns of original european mfg, both of them with most of the accesory missing. So I totaly forgot about the cross-punch and went with the idea of two strips layed across each other. Tried it, it worked-but a bear to load in a non-dedicated rifle and iddly-fidly to execute properly, probably even in dedicated one.
No mind, the part about specifiing the width range needed for your rifles still applies, if differs from 1/2" to 1 1/2".

[Kenny Wasserburger]

Most of my patches run .920 wide these days.

KW

[Kurt]

Kenny what is the naked and finished diameter of your slug gun bullet?