Never let a brain come up with a bright Idea...

[DwarvenChef]

As I have decided and following my roots by becoming a Muzzleloader gunsmith and get my own shop (5 year window) I figured I may as well start collecting Molds for roundball and such...

Besides the obvious "OMG*** are you thinking" after doing a search and seeing just how many molds are out there... The cost of it all hit me a few seconds later !!!???!!!???? Well thats just plane NUTS!!!

So obiously I have to go for it :roll: As much as I hate aluminum blocks personally I may have to bite the bullet on this one... I'm starting off gathering all the varient sizes of the Cals I use currently and or plan to get soon. I'll build to that base as they pop up and when the $$ is to good to pass on :-D

So.... lets see I need molds for a 31 revolver (Ya I bought a bag of 00 buck as well :p ) and 44 revolver. Also 36, 45, 50 rifles... Heck thats like 15 molds there :groner:

Anyone else have those kinds of bright ides??

[northmn]

I would not get too excited about casting ball as they go pretty inexpensive now. I would not do so comercially at the price they sell then. But, acquiring some molds may pay you. 16 gauge barrels for smoothbores have gotten more popular again but Lyman quit making the 648 mold. A little research into that type of situation could net a few dollars. I have done a certain amount of ML gunsmithing. I build my own guns and have made repairs on others, alot of them production guns. My biggest thing is tools. You can not have enough tools, even when you only use a few standards. For a lot of inletting I use a chisel made out of a piece of 3/16 inch square stock that had enough carbon to be hardened and has a dowel handle, but I own a bunch of carving sets and commercial chisels. I use about 3-4 Nickolson files, but own many more. Three sets of needle files and only use about three out of a set. I think you get my drift. Still get in trouble every time I walk through a good tool display. Recently bought a set of diamond needle files. May have to contact Flflinter as I only have one set and should have at least one more set with a variety of files I won't use.

Northmn

[DwarvenChef]

Ya not going to cast for inventory as such, but to have on hand incase I get a request, Odd ball sizes would be ones I am most likely to jump on just as a service. When I was running the BP shop years ago I had alot of my own RB's on hand and would give out handfulls for customers looking to test the size. I really enjoied those days, boy do I miss em...

Grandpa had SO MANY tools, they are all in the drawers now. I know I have ALLOT of sharpening to do on the few I have seen on the bench... beat to hell...

I start lathe and mill classes next week, no clue what I'll be doing yet :p

[mooman76]

One good thing is used ML moulds for the most part run cheaper than regular moulds due to a smaller popularity. If you look around and take your time, you can pick up a few deals to keep your costs down. I still look even though I don't really need any more but if I see something that is a deal on an odd mould I will jump on it. In fact I have a few I picked up for futur concideration and picked up a few that were sold in lots. One I picked up by mistake because I got the numbers reversed(not thinking right on my part) but as it turned out he had the wrong mould in the box anyway. I wanted a .454 and he said it was a 445. Turned out to be a .530. I don't have a 54 but my friend who doesn't cast yet does.

[Captain*Kirk]

I don't think you're nuts at all. In today's rapidly deteriorating job market, the one sure thing you can do is set yourself up in a small sole-proprietorship business.....doing something you love. If you can get your feet wet by dabbling small, on the side, while honing your skills and gathering assets, all the better!
You are still employed, right? The #1 cause of new small business failure is money...people trying to get a start-up going and trying to stay alive at the same time. Something usually gives. Also, avoid borrowing start up money. But, I'm sure you know all this anyway.
I say, good luck on your venture, and do keep us informed!

[docone31]

I have a small jewelery shop. I make it all.
I tried to do hand engraveing, and setting gemstones in pistol backstraps, but I gotta eat also.
Secret.
Get out of debt. If you are not in debt, do not get into debt to make it work. The borrower is slave to the lender.
Need one, get two. It helps when things get busy.
If it doesn't sell, it is too cheap. So many vendors go under by haveing a good product and too low a price. Get a name first.
Need one, get two, the borrower is slave to the lender, there is no pillow like a clear conscience and Hearses do not carry luggage racks. In time, people will beat a path to your shop.
You cannot serve two masters. You fail the one, and cannot serve the other.
Keep it simple, keep it in house, and do it better than the other person. Small gains will get you there quicker than no large gains. Go for the small gains. Make small gains, over and over.
You can do it.

[DwarvenChef]

Thanks you two :) your suporting whats going on in my head and its a good feeling to know I'm not compleatly nuts...

Ya the slave to the lender I know all about... My student loans will take 30 years to clear up at $500 a month... I don't make enough for rent with that payment...

Yes I'm working finally, been out of work for 7 months and got a job just in time. But it's not enough... I only have one real "bill" my student loan, the rest is basic living expenese. Rent, utilities, cell phone basic coverage to keep in touch with the kid, and internet.. No cable or much of anything else...

That is why I want to make parts and repair broken ML's, my time is cheap right now and doing it all by hand for the learning experience I hope will pay off in the long run. I've put out feelers to friends and such for any broken ML's they come across at dirt cheap prices, see if I can make new arts and sell them after they are rebuilt :) As for molds I figure it would be a service to potential customers to be able to cast up a range of roundballs to try out :) Plus casting demos :)


One can dream :)

[northmn]

Nothing wrong with the dream. I used to work as a grad assistant for a small business development agency. Can't argue with Docone31's philosphy. I used to do some of what you are talking about but got burnt out custom building and have only just gotten back into building ML's again. Got a neighbor that staarted a small bow business with traditional bows and he did fair, but really did better when he got into compounds, even though he preferrred recurves. Today's muzzle loading needs more traditional dealers but our local sporting goods store does not even stock them and sells piles of zip guns.

Northmn

[DwarvenChef]

I believe I'll stock the inline stuff for divercity. Bread and butter runs the day haha, we shall see where that falls. I know i'll carry alot of the TC stuff, just not the FFL pieces, G2 and Encore tubes only. I will see what the Exsplosive lic lets me carry and build what ever container they require. I want to stock as much BP as needed, my area is always out of stock even though they say they carry it...

Also, by not having a FFL I may be able to avoid some of the nastier points of the bizz. A friends husband was exicuted in his shop by a walk in crook, asked to see a rifle he turned around to get it and was shot in the back of the head. Very sobering experience for me and my family.

[Captain*Kirk]

I believe I'll stock the inline stuff for divercity. Bread and butter runs the day haha, we shall see where that falls. I know i'll carry alot of the TC stuff, just not the FFL pieces, G2 and Encore tubes only. I will see what the Exsplosive lic lets me carry and build what ever container they require. I want to stock as much BP as needed, my area is always out of stock even though they say they carry it...

Also, by not having a FFL I may be able to avoid some of the nastier points of the bizz. A friends husband was exicuted in his shop by a walk in crook, asked to see a rifle he turned around to get it and was shot in the back of the head. Very sobering experience for me and my family.


Man, that's horrible. Can't be too careful in today's world. Here is another suggestion you might try; Perhaps do a survey on this site (rules permitting) asking forum members what sort of services they might require or would possibly use (some forums have strict rules against this sort of thing)
Most folks can (and do) do their own casting. Where the shortage of craftsmen arises is more in the vein of building/reconditioning/rifling new ML barrels, timing and tuning good locks, and turning lump-of-clay guns into beautiful works of art that shoot as good as they look. My own ML passion is caplock revolvers, and believe me, you can easily spend a whole week tuning. smoothing, polishing and accurizing one of these replicas (see my thread about my 1851 Navy adventure!) What you need are tools....lots of 'em Good, name brand tools. A good, solid work bench with adequate lighting. And a website with actual photos and examples of your work. Not many people (sorry to say) are going to use your services sight unseen.
Bluing and browning work is always needed, as well as polishing services. Find a nearby BP (or other) 'smith nearby and ask if you can hang out and help out for free. It would be well worth the cost of tuition! Spend lots of time Googling related topics online and force yourself to study and learn as much as you can. We'll be rootin' for ya![smilie=p:

[DwarvenChef]

I just got the Addy to a guy in town that color case hardens the old ways, builds Ruger #1 custom guns. Going to see if I can play shop boy a while and see what I can learn.

I've been looking into parts customizing, engraving and such, annealing and than re hardening. Putting together engraved screw sets, plates and such. I'm buying a high end lock (flint) to take apart and study, hard for me to look at a page and try figuring out what the drawning is showing me... With the parts in hand I can learn alot more. Learned that in Culinary school :) I'm a hands on type learner... reading only gets to a point of almost confused, put the task in hand and I am a rocket slead :) Already have plans to build my own lock for one of my rifles, I'm going to make all the parts for it :) Thats going to be my acid test :)

I'm going to see what parts of the busness I can start asap, buy/sell and customize from the house, small stuff, as suggested and just work my way up the chain :) Still no reply from a link to a local BP club... would be handy to get involved in one :)

[357maximum]

I let my mind wander once........it never came back. :violin:[smilie=s::veryconfu:bigsmyl2:

[WickedGoodOutdoors]

Hey Dwaft.

Where are you going to set up shop?

Maybe Ill pop in to see what you have in the way of stuff.

Dont forget to put in for a Maine Moose Permit. Maybe we could shoot one the old fasion way.


Spark, Poof, Boom. Wait for the smoke to clear, Damm Now that Moose is Really MAD!


http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo360/banks272/Guns_cartoons/MOOSE2.jpg

[bigdog454]

I'm retired tool and die. thought that I'd make a few xtra bucks making gun parts, after a couple of years was still waiting to make enough to pay for overhead. So a guy calls and says, can you make me a few parts for a CNC machine that I've designed,I say Hell yes. So I make him 3 set of parts on the lathe and mill, next month he wants 3 more. That was 2 years ago, now I'm making 150 to 200 sets a month. Still part time, but becoming a job, even put my daughter on part time to help out. So you don't know where it may lead.
BD

[DwarvenChef]

At the moment I'm locked down in central CA, wife is at FSU for 6-8 more years... OMFG!!!!

Sorry every so often the fact that I'll be trapped in CA that much longer sinks in...

I'm looking to get the buisness started next year as a home based mail order shop. I'll be doing repairs and such up at the ranch. Till I get out of CA I don't want to get a store front unless things take off and we can aford the space. But that could change at any moment as some places I have looked at are pretty cheap out here :)

I'm going to be cooking as that is my main paycheck and doing this on the side. If I get good and orders can suport us than I'll push to the next level. While I have zero capital for this endevor right now I'm focusing on what I can do to keep the learning curve going on donated kit guns and parts.

By the way I'm always looking for basket cases, if you have parts or broken black powder equipment you don't need :) keep me in mind :)

[Captain*Kirk]

I wish you the best of luck, my friend. Like I said, NOW is the best time to start, small-scale and low-key, in your off time while your wife is busy at FSU. Nothing ventured, nothing gained!

[Potsy]

Go for it man!!!
I'm 36, starting on my first flinter (it'd help if I'd have had time to look at it in the last 2 months). I'd love to build muzzleloaders and MAYBE have a storefront with some used guns and reloading supplies when I retire (which could be a long time from now), or maybe just a little bit before.
I did manage to mow part time a few summers and did a little better than breaking even.
Get out of debt, get a house, get it paid for, don't borrow any more money, and you can pretty well do whatever you want for a living. That's where I'm trying to get.

[FL-Flinter]

Good luck but don't loose sight of reality. I've been building & repairing ML's since I was 14, at 15-17 I interned with a modern gunsmith, 18 went to do a hitch in the Navy. When I got out of the Navy expecting to put the A&P license & other stuff to work that I paid a fortune for but the "good paying cushy airline jobs" everyone talked about didn't pay enough to survive on. At least I had other skills to fall back on including the part-time ML work. Built a custom industrial machinery business from the ground up until 2005 when my body crapped out leaving me barely able get around for 14 months, that ended the big iron work and of course, no company will hire someone who is considered a "liability" so I went into the ML & accouterment business full-time ... then the economy flopped along with the industrial abrasives sales that was helping to carry us through. The modern gunstock work has remained steady but in the last three weeks, equipment breakdowns set me back $7,800 Complain? Nope. I'm still chugging along, slowly but still chugging. Family is safe. House is still standing. Life is good but I'm not sure how much more of algore's global warming I can take! I left PA because my body wouldn't take the cold anymore and now I'm still wearing thermals, nine layers of clothes and insulated coveralls in FLORIDA! However, I revert back to "life is good" because while these so-called "problems" can be annoying, things could be a lot worse.

Had to say all that because no matter what business one goes into, you always need to keep sight of reality and have a contingency plan. I've been self-employed in some capacity for a total of 27 years and totally for the last 17 years. When I started building custom industrial equipment, clinton killed the manufacturing economy so I did fleet maintenance which opened the door to me building some custom waste oil collection trucks, then a fine coal plant, an aggregate plant, major expansion on the waste oil facility and then, finally, the manufacturing economy picked back up. Point is, this **** about "focus on one thing" comes from schmucks who never had a real job in their life. I don't give a hoot how much you "focus", if you're not versatile enough to adapt, all "focus" is going to do is give you a clear picture of everything you thought you owned being confiscated and the bankruptcy proceedings to follow. Yep, maintain focus on the ultimate goal but don't focus so hard that you can't see the reality sneaking up to smack you up side the head.

I'll give you another hint, don't waste your time & money on a "small business" course, totally worthless for anything other than buying a franchise. Forget the "five year window" too, plan on working solely for the business for at least the first ten years because every penny that comes in will be going right back out for operational costs, equipment & inventory and of course for the un-scheduled breakdowns. If you've never built a business from the ground up, you're in for the experience of a lifetime. This ain't the first time I've been in this dog & pony show, BTDT and every time you start a new business or come up with a new product line within the existing business, you learn more and more ... usually the hard way and you'll remember it too, not for the mistake but for all the work it took to pay for it.

I'm not trying to discourage you, I'm just pointing out the reality that no matter how much planning and focus you put into something, don't forget to plan for major swings in the economy and all those pesky surprises.

[docone31]

Yeah, and forget free time. That is for employees.

[DwarvenChef]

What employees? You have to make $$ to get that and they are a long time off.

I had a rather long reply typed but I decided I didn't need to start something I had no intention of starting.

[Hang Fire]

I have a few molds, but they are just to feed what I shoot.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y92/TANSTAAFL-2/P1010001-7.jpg

[DwarvenChef]

Nice assortment :) I'm no where close to that lol

[45 2.1]

Nice assortment :) I'm no where close to that lol

Just wait till you can't see any of the blanket and they're piled several deep............................:holysheep