Author Topic: Morko in all his glory!...can you dig it? (Read 7074 times)

gulfcoastblackpowder · « **on:** July 11, 2010, 06:15:33 PM »

They say this cat Shaft is a bad mother...
Shut your mouth!
...I'm just talk'n 'bout Shaft!

I know...it's been more than a week since I said the shaft was almost done, and he did get some action on the 4th as you can probably see (I've got to clean his mouth out with soap tomorrow (he kept say'in..."ya d-n right!")), but he's finally been photographed in his full splendor. I must say, there's an ugly mug holding him who may detract from his magnificence, and I'm not referring to my brother...

Can ya dig it?

If my ugly mug doesn't scare you off, at least I've got Morko!

My brother is just as menacing as me!

Even Kitty tried to get in on the fun, but alas...no opposable thumbs! Poor Kitty!

Double D · « **Reply #1 on:** July 11, 2010, 06:20:23 PM »

First picture, calendar shot!!!!!

RocklockI · « **Reply #2 on:** July 11, 2010, 06:28:07 PM »

OH MY ! I am smiling ear to ear !

That is just plain sweet ! I think I may copy YOUR tail stock !!!

Gary

gulfcoastblackpowder · « **Reply #3 on:** July 11, 2010, 06:38:39 PM »

Quote from: RocklockI on July 11, 2010, 06:28:07 PM

OH MY ! I am smiling ear to ear !

That is just plain sweet ! I think I may copy YOUR tail stock !!!

Gary

Dare I say it...that's a better compliment than getting my first Kewpie!!!

Double D · « **Reply #4 on:** July 11, 2010, 07:31:02 PM »

Changed my mind like the color one better!

Victor3 · « **Reply #5 on:** July 12, 2010, 12:44:44 AM »

Lookin' good! Don't know how I'm gonna match that stick. What type of wood did you end up going with? I get ~38" overall length by rough scaling. That about right?

Please wrap some foil around his head before firing next time. I can't bear to see him suffer the powder burns.

By the way, is your kitty "...the cat that won't cop out when there's danger all about" or is she like mine, who hides under the bed when the mailman opens the gate?

gulfcoastblackpowder · « **Reply #6 on:** July 12, 2010, 01:01:23 AM »

She's a curious one, but a scaredy cat nonetheless.

Yep, about exactly 38". My buddies lathe accomodates about 38.5 if it's stretched a bit, and I wanted it to be a reasonable length, but still be one piece. We actually tried putting together a few pieces of ash he had sitting around, but couldn't get a good fit, so I ended up getting a piece that wasn't near as nice, but was long enough. I'd really like a denser wood, though as it is, it's got pretty good balance as a club. If I added a bronze butt cap, it would be about perfect.

No foil for me - I do most of my shooting for the entertainment of others at various types of shows (mostly pirate). This is way too old for most of the shows I do, but having foil wrapped around his head would just lose the effect. If' I'm just at a range shooting for myself, then I might, though I rarely get the opportunity to do that, since the closest place I can shoot it with live rounds is about a 2 hour drive away. I was shooting and priming with 2f, which will probably remain the usual charge, but I may try 4f or a bit of quick fuse for ignition.

It handles a fairly good blank load, and held it's own firing amongst cannon.

Victor3 · « **Reply #7 on:** July 12, 2010, 01:46:17 AM »

Your setup looks fit for a king.

I doubt the original was carried by a common man, being as fancy as it is.

Hopefully I'll find time to finish mine up this week. I was looking at a nice walnut dowel with some figure in it but it turned out to be a bit warped. Wish I could find a straight one that looked as good. Might go with oak to balance out the weight better. I'd really like to have a piece of tiger maple, but that's hard to find and expensive. I may go with a plain maple dowel and fake some stripes on it with a torch.

carronader · « **Reply #8 on:** July 12, 2010, 05:12:17 AM »

Gulf, can't see any need for bronze butt....laying on your floor , just looks right. Wood...grain...fit...all of it. Difficult barrel to find a match for.....you nailed it.

thelionspaw · « **Reply #9 on:** July 12, 2010, 03:56:49 PM »

Victor:
What length of "tiger" do you need?

There is a difference between "tiger" and "curly".

I've made ice spearfishing decoys from curly because it plays the light like a hologram.

I use tiger in furniture because it is broader.

Me? I'd make a dowel-like stock from a bolt of curly because the rings are tighter.

Richard The Wood Butcher

RocklockI · « **Reply #10 on:** July 12, 2010, 04:57:06 PM »

LP you must one one the finest collectors of cool stuff ever !

gulfcoastblackpowder · « **Reply #11 on:** July 12, 2010, 07:56:14 PM »

Quote from: carronader on July 12, 2010, 05:12:17 AM

Gulf, can't see any need for bronze butt....laying on your floor , just looks right. Wood...grain...fit...all of it. Difficult barrel to find a match for.....you nailed it.

Thanks! It was just an idea I was kicking around, though I'd probably never bother. I've got other projects that need to be done before I'd go a tweak something I'm happy with...make a linstock, get my matchlock firing reliably, tweak a flintlock, build a pistol I've had sitting around for a couple of years, etc...

I've always liked the look of tiger and curl, but I've never really thought a shaft/handle really provided enough surface to showcase the figure. That said, I've seen some beautiful figured hawk handles, so if you do come across a suitable piece, there's nothing wrong with giving it a try. I couldn't find a dowel of sufficient diameter (my design requires a diameter large enough to encompass the butt of the barrel), so I took a rectangular piece and made it round before turning the contour, then I draw filed the flats.

I'm looking forward to seeing others!

Victor3 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 12, 2010, 11:45:27 PM »

Quote from: thelionspaw on July 12, 2010, 03:56:49 PM

Victor:
What length of "tiger" do you need?

There is a difference between "tiger" and "curly".

I've made ice spearfishing decoys from curly because it plays the light like a hologram.

I use tiger in furniture because it is broader.

Me? I'd make a dowel-like stock from a bolt of curly because the rings are tighter.

Richard The Wood Butcher

Richard,

Mr. Morko would require a piece 1.5" dia x 36" (or 1.5" square that could be turned down). If you know of a reasonably priced source, please let me know. I couldn't find one online.

Not that I could rip it out of my workbench to use as a tiller, but would this be considered curly?

I have a nice Mauser stock in bird's eye, but it cost a lot of money; lists for a whopping $34.50 in my 1961 Herter's catalog...

Ash can be made to look kinda neat. This is an old Crosman air rifle I refinished some time ago...

thelionspaw · « **Reply #13 on:** July 13, 2010, 02:32:18 AM »

Victor:
I'm not familiar with your particular "morko".

What does the socket look like?

Is there any length to it?

I've seen 14th c. hand-guns with an extended socket that adds 15cm-30cm to the length of the tube; thereby, reducing the need for an additional 15cm-30cm of exposed wood to fill the requirement of 36".

An additional approach, would be to add a ferrule to the stock, in order to gain length.

The butt can also have a ferrule, allowing the piece to be spiked into the ground.

There's more than one way to skin a cat

Sorry cat-lovers (not really

).

I have a 26 & 3/8 inch piece of prime 2X2 curly maple that the fish decoy came from. It weighs 3.5 lbs..

I'd like to use it myself for a hand-gun stock but that isn't in my stars (not unless a barrel falls off a truck).

Richard the "Supercivilized"

GGaskill · « **Reply #14 on:** July 13, 2010, 09:56:53 AM »

(not unless a barrel falls off a truck)

One like this (.69 cal.):

or one like this (.50 cal.):

?

thelionspaw · « **Reply #15 on:** July 13, 2010, 11:31:22 AM »

George,
I like the .69 more betterer;) But the .50 do bees very nice too. The owe-nee-ist things I ever found on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway wuz hub caps. Youse is lucky!

Richard "Without a Brain"

nb: the Brooklyn venacular is a rat-nice back lash. Y'all kapish?

GGaskill · « **Reply #16 on:** July 13, 2010, 12:33:00 PM »

I was in Brooklyn earlier this year. Drove all the way from 3rd down to the 20" Rodman at the south end. Interesting place.

thelionspaw · « **Reply #17 on:** July 13, 2010, 12:56:04 PM »

George,
Did you have solid rubber tires, your doors locked and windows rolled up

U.S. passports aren't good, you know?

I remember when I was a child, my grandmother showed me a map of the US and pointed out where I lived. She showed me clear as day, that I lived on an island and it wasn't part of the US of A.. I wasn't an American. I was Brooklynees. That's why we have those huge cannons you went to see. Notice how they were pointed?

rc

gulfcoastblackpowder · « **Reply #18 on:** July 13, 2010, 12:58:57 PM »

I like the Tannenburg gonne too, George! I actually had Kap Pullen make one for me a few years ago, but his "boss" didn't want to sell it. I'm happier with my Morko than I would have been with the Tannenburg anyway, but I've still always liked it.

The .50 is more of a generic gonne shape, but it's very elegant. I probably like the shape of it better than the Tannenburg, but because it's more generic, it doesn't have the story of the Morko or Tannenburg. What's the OAL of this one? About 11.8" like this one? http://www.handgonne.com/gonne_3.html

GGaskill · « **Reply #19 on:** July 13, 2010, 01:31:30 PM »

This one is about 12 7/8" long; the Tannenberg is 13", but it is much more massive as the larger bore would imply. And, of course, it is more uniformly octagonal since it is milled rather than forged.

gulfcoastblackpowder · « **Reply #20 on:** July 13, 2010, 07:19:59 PM »

Very nice! Are you planning on making shafts for them so you can shoot them?

GGaskill · « **Reply #21 on:** July 13, 2010, 08:04:53 PM »

The flame shaped one is mounted on a modified post hole digger handle. It was fired at the Montana Cannon Shoot last summer.

The two Tannenberg's I have made are in the possession of others. I would post pix of them but the pix have fallen out of the hosting sites.

Victor3 · « **Reply #22 on:** July 13, 2010, 11:59:18 PM »

Quote from: thelionspaw on July 13, 2010, 02:32:18 AM

Victor:
I'm not familiar with your particular "morko".

What does the socket look like?

Is there any length to it?

An additional approach, would be to add a ferrule to the stock, in order to gain length.

The butt can also have a ferrule, allowing the piece to be spiked into the ground.

I have a 26 & 3/8 inch piece of prime 2X2 curly maple that the fish decoy came from. It weighs 3.5 lbs..

Richard the "Supercivilized"

Richard,

The socket is 1" dia x 1.62" deep.

Thanks for the tips on various ways to make it, but I'll probably go with a one piece. I think 36" is about the minimum length I'd want it in order to be able to hold it well and position the muzzle far enough away to make aiming easier.

I found this place; they have various pieces of fancy wood in the dimensions I need for cheaper than I've found elsewhere...

http://www.bellforestproducts.com/long-exotic-wood-blanks/

Maybe I'll get a hunk of zebrawood from them. It should look good I think...

thelionspaw · « **Reply #23 on:** July 14, 2010, 03:26:18 AM »

I'm glad you found that site. I was going to send it to you the other day but was distracted by CRS.

RocklockI · « **Reply #24 on:** July 14, 2010, 05:55:13 AM »

Thanks that is a good site , I bookmarked it . If I ever get my Morko done I think I will use some curly maple .

Gary

gulfcoastblackpowder · « **Reply #25 on:** July 14, 2010, 02:37:41 PM »

Definitely a nice site. I really like the look of the burl maple, though I don't like the price, and I don't know if they could come up with a long enough piece.

CrufflerSteve · « **Reply #26 on:** July 14, 2010, 07:52:17 PM »

That Morko is magnificent.

George's Tannenberg's are also worthy of admiration. He milled them and really got the elegant lines down but it has the strength that I don't feel the need to pray to St. Barbara when I shoot it. It is hefty so I made a long stock (tiller?) as a counterweight. I used cherry since I had a piece. I don't have a lathe but a table saw made it octagonal.

Here are a couple of pictures.

I really need to polish it. Here is the full length view:

Here are links to higher res versions:
http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv281/CrufflerSteve/Handgonnes/tannenberg1.jpg
http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv281/CrufflerSteve/Handgonnes/tannenberg2.jpg

Steve

Victor3 · « **Reply #27 on:** July 14, 2010, 10:08:15 PM »

Quote from: GGaskill on July 13, 2010, 09:56:53 AM

That's the design I based my 22 cal 'micro-gonne' on...

gulfcoastblackpowder · « **Reply #28 on:** July 15, 2010, 01:09:10 AM »

Cruller -

I can't see doing a round shaft for a Tannenberg anyway. I think you nailed it. It's a simple gun design (not necessarily for reproducing, but to the eye), and needs a simple shaft to go with it.

I thought about going with about 6' length, but I'm happy my friend's lathe has a limit slightly less than what I ended up with (yeah, we forced the issue, coercing the lathe to give us a little more length than it's capacity

)

RocklockI · « **Reply #29 on:** July 17, 2010, 03:56:20 PM »

Gary