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swamp
02-02-2022, 10:11 PM
Decided to try to make a powder measure on my wood lathe. Still learning the basics. Made three. Two of Purple Heart and one poplar. Made to hold 70 gr. charge. Still refining the design.

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hithard
02-03-2022, 01:10 AM
Thos


I like the look. How about a piece of zebra wood?

swamp
02-03-2022, 01:40 AM
Am looking at Leopardwood, Black Palm and Padauk. I have on hand Claro Walnut, Sycamore, Ebony. Plus a few others. Woodcraft had a mixed bag of pen blanks on sale, so I got a bag. Thought of trying one of the acrylic blanks, but could not see it with a muzzle loader. Trying to find small pieces of highly figured stuff. Should have a good stock when nice weather comes again.

mooman76
02-03-2022, 11:03 AM
My dad use to make pens with exotic woods. He would get scraps from custom cabinet shops and also buy from a local wood shop. He also did allot of deer antler. He also did the acrylic ones. I started making them but quit. Maybe I should start again.

Wayne Smith
02-05-2022, 09:51 AM
I've made several that way, and just made a pen for our son's birthday. Dragon pen for him - www.pennstateind.com.

Adam Helmer
02-05-2022, 11:46 AM
Very nice wood work. I made many powder measures from brass cartridge cases picked up at my gun club range. Rifle cases are cut to proper length in my shop for every charge I may need. I tether the measures to my possibles bag with a leather cord.

Adam

swamp
03-02-2022, 09:40 PM
Since the weather was nice today I got out the lathe and did a few more powder measures. Made them so could tie a thong to them and increased charge to 80 gr. Finish is Tru-Oil and Johnson's paste wax. Used a few different woods.

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Gtrubicon
03-02-2022, 11:17 PM
They look very nice!

swamp
03-02-2022, 11:20 PM
Thank you,

Hanshi
03-03-2022, 05:22 PM
Those are really nice wood measures, better than what I cobbled together. I've also used river cane, antler and cartridge cases to make measures. I don't have a photo of all the measures I've made and still have/use but do have a photo of a few.
https://i.ibb.co/cwTsVpC/DSC00504.jpg

garbear
03-06-2022, 12:57 PM
Those look good. I've used casing commercial made measures. Going make one from a horn tip I cut off making a powder horn.

jim 44-40
03-06-2022, 02:24 PM
River cane? Does it grow everywhere in the US

toot
03-07-2022, 08:52 AM
do they have a grooved pour area on the lip of the spout? cant tell from pictures? they are all nice.

swamp
03-07-2022, 09:27 AM
No groove. Just a little relief on the edge.

swamp
03-07-2022, 11:35 PM
I think I am going to try and make a powder flask out of purple heart. It will be a round with a flat base. Will see how it works out.
swamp

swamp
03-12-2022, 09:34 PM
I got another piece of ebony. I like the way it turned out. Only had time to get a couple made today. The other I turned out of a acrylic blank. Black with white lines thru it. Thought I would try it. It works but seems to take longer to work than wood.
swamp

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Wayne Smith
03-13-2022, 08:04 PM
I got another piece of ebony. I like the way it turned out. Only had time to get a couple made today. The other I turned out of a acrylic blank. Black with white lines thru it. Thought I would try it. It works but seems to take longer to work than wood.
swamp

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Takes longer to turn, requires very sharp tools, has a tendency to burn/melt, and for me is miserable to turn. I'll take wood any day. Never turned any antler or horn.

swamp
03-18-2022, 08:55 PM
Latest batch of measures. These are 90 gr.. Finally got a set of jaws that will fit the flask bodies. Hoping to work on them this weekend.

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swamp
03-20-2022, 10:34 PM
I got a flask done. Had a piece of Claro Walnut and used it. I like the the grain in it. Finished with Tru-Oil.
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725
03-21-2022, 12:51 AM
swamp. You sir, are a craftsman. I love your work. How was it to turn the ebony? I have a chunk left over from a rifle nose cap I did some time ago. Now I'm thinking a powder measure would be a good use for it.

swamp
03-21-2022, 01:35 AM
The biggest problem I have with the ebony is it will chip when your turning. I have had a piece come apart when I started to work on it.
It does turn well and finishes nice. I took it to white scotch brite as a finish. I like tru-oil for wood finish.
Thank you for the compliment.
swamp

taco650
03-22-2022, 08:19 PM
swamp,

what size drill bit are you using to hollow out the inside?

swamp
03-22-2022, 08:27 PM
swamp,

what size drill bit are you using to hollow out the inside?

I used a 1 1/16 on that one. Forstner bit. Didn't have a 1 inch in stock The next one will be a purple heart and have a 1.5 inch cavity. Will also have purple heart cap. Picked up a 2x2x12 piece of it today.
swamp

Wayne Smith
03-24-2022, 10:25 AM
The biggest problem I have with the ebony is it will chip when your turning. I have had a piece come apart when I started to work on it.
It does turn well and finishes nice. I took it to white scotch brite as a finish. I like tru-oil for wood finish.
Thank you for the compliment.
swamp

I use African Blackwood instead. Doesn't chip nearly as bad.

swamp
03-24-2022, 10:37 AM
Good to hear about the blackwood. Got a piece of it to try when I got the purple heart.

I think a flask made of it will look great. Will try the small piece first. It is a pen blank.
swamp

swamp
03-26-2022, 07:04 PM
I got 2 more done. Not as good as I hoped for. Few flaws. Made one out of the 2x2x6 purple heart. I think it is too big. Might be okay as a bench flask. Don't think I will make another that big. Took along time to make a 1.5 bore in it. Hard stuff. Can't remember what the other wood is.

Also made up some laminate blanks for measures. Will see how they turn up.

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beemer
03-26-2022, 07:41 PM
I need to try that; I have a wood lathe and have tried all sorts of things. Buy some reeds and try game calls next. I have made a few bag shaped flasks. I saw out the shape and split it on a bandsaw. Then I hollowed out the half's on a carving spindle. I coated the inside with epoxy and glued them back, shaped it out and finished.

I made a living making furniture samples and carvings, good thing I like to work with wood. I do some turnings and have made a few dulcimers and long rifles.

Great work, fun ain't it!

Dave

swamp
03-28-2022, 07:02 PM
Did a powder vial today. Made a osage / purple heart laminate and not big enough for a measure so used it for the cap. Body is olive wood.

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dondiego
03-28-2022, 07:06 PM
You guys are Craftsmen!

swamp
03-28-2022, 07:16 PM
Not sure I would call myself one. But I am trying. Need practice.
swamp

swamp
03-28-2022, 07:16 PM
Not sure I would call myself on. But I am trying. Need practice.
swamp

swamp
05-12-2022, 08:43 AM
What I have done so far.
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