Ahh… The Gun Case

So 2024 rolled on in and my plans were quickly diverted from their original grand set of ideas. I was sent to the repair shop for several procedures during the first 6 months.  So all those heavier pieces had to roll to the back burner for now.  So what does one do… Well, that gun case was due and no better time to get started. Along with that I started some repairs on a fly rod case. I know, you’re asking “gun case”??? Well, hold on for “the rest of the story!”

The Gun Case. A custom gun case as you may have grown to expect from Fleming Woodcraft, is unlike any gun case you have seen before. Starting with the top I have Claro walnut crotch wood.  But not any Claro, this is Grade 5A, as figured as it gets.  I hunted for a thicker veneer as I wanted it to be at least 1/16” thick but no more than 3/32 for added durability compared to commercially made veneers which now tend to be about as thick as two sheets of bond paper. Turns out I could never find it so I ordered a full piece of 1” thick lumber.  Next, I resawed it to 3/32 and created a book match set as you see in the photograph.  The veneer was then glued to a non-expanding substrate for stability and strength. The sides are some of the most stunning figured and quarter-sawn white oak you will ever find.  I have had this wood for probably a decade and use it sparingly for just the right pieces and this one was screaming for the best. Joined, using finger/box joints, the top and bottom are inset flush with the sides and an inlay of ebony wood between the oak and walnut. Oh, and that bottom, well I grabbed some black walnut I had in the shop. Not the most figured piece but an attractive grain pattern. I treated it just as the top with the resawn bookmatch and it was surprisingly beautiful done in that manner. 

The interior of the case is trimmed and divided by black walnut. Then each section is padded with neoprene wrapped in velvet on the sides and a heavy grade foam on the bottom also wrapped in velvet. I often use flocking to add protection to my fly rod cases. With the weight of a gun or barrel the flocking would just crush over time and not continue to provide a level of protection I felt comfortable with in the long run.  Each gun component is securely fastened into its compartment for added protection in case of accidental opening of the case.  An area for chokes or other tools is also velvet-lined. This particular shotgun, a Perazzi MX8/20 SCO with a matching 28 gauge barrel comes with its own stock wrench. The stock wrench has a special location which secures it in place using a magnet, all hidden under the crotch black walnut panel below the receiver section. 

Lastly, the finish and hardware and not a single shortcut was made here either. I chose a hardwax/oil finish for this case. Then a protective satin topcoat for added durability which some consider similar to the clear ceramic topcoats now applied to automobiles. Now the hardware. The combination lock is added security made of steel and brass plated. I like the steel in the lock as it is harder than brass but this is the only brass-plated component on the case. The hinges are self-stopping at a perfect 95 degrees to make sure the top does not close while you are working with it and are made of solid brass. The interior hinges and sliding lock are also solid brass. On the exterior, the latches, feet and corner protectors are all hand-formed solid brass all buffed to a polished finish.  To complete the exterior a padded leather handle is balance positioned for a fully loaded case for maximum comfort when carrying. 

Since the initial finishing of this case, I have gone back with some improvements in glue used with the velvet and how the inside of the top was treated. I am always looking how to improve what I have done and this case just keeps getting better. Future cases I make will certainly benefit from the trials of this particular piece and just continue to improve in many of the unseen areas. I am already looking forward to the next case and still have several slices of veneer from that same piece used in this case… it could be yours…

First Steps…

I have never made a piece of furniture from a bought set of plans.  From the beginning, my teachers would have us study different periods and styles. Learning and studying from those who came before us is just a fact of all design creation. From there we would start to work on a set of plans based on our vision for a piece of furniture. There may even be a special piece of wood that is the focus of the piece. The first step is to get that vision on paper no matter how crude the sketch might be.  Then refinement after refinement until proportions and scale came together to formulate a well designed piece of furniture. Next we would move on to the technical side of design incorporating different styles of joinery not only for structural strength but also as design elements.  Often these subtle nods to craftsmanship made the piece stand out from something similar. Then the truly technical work of dimensions, wood types, a cut list, a procedure list, and a raw materials and hardware list were formulated.  Now you are ready to go to the woodyard and make the selection of proper materials.  At times it has taken just a few days to get to this point, other pieces may have taken several months.  Here I get very selective. I start in my own, ever growing, woodyard looking for the main accent pieces first. Whether it be a live edge and rustic piece or more refined there are always those pieces that set the furniture apart and make it special.  Then on to the dimensional and structural lumber selection. I find myself becoming increasingly more selective in this area as well.  I used to go to one lumber yard that discouraged buyers from selecting pieces from the stack by doubling the price if you didn’t select from the top layer.  I’ve all but stopped buying from him because if I am going to build a piece I want the best wood I can find.  Fortunately, I have several other great sawmills and lumber yards within just a few hours’ drive that I shop regularly.  Many of these sawyers have gotten to know what I am looking for in my choices and will call when that special log is about to get milled.  More often than not I leave with more wood than is required as I tend to buy beautiful wood when I see it and some pieces are screaming to be that special table, chair seat, case front, or whatever is rolling around in the back of my mind. 

So here we are with my next consignment piece.  This beautiful walnut slab will be supported by two arched legs with a complimenting reverse arched center support.  These legs and support will be made from select black walnut.  The support will taper from under the table to join the legs seamlessly into a cross piece. Steam bending may be required but right now I feel the arch is gentle enough that with the proper thickness of the pieces, I can bend and glue them without the introduction of steam.  We will see!  

Join me here as well as follow me on Facebook and Instagram as this table works its way through the shop with bending molds, glue-ups, joinery, and of course the ever exciting steps of sanding/scraping! 

In the Beginning…

So I am writing a blog.  Every English teacher I ever had that has passed is turning over in their grave. The ones still breathing are clinching their chest like Fred Sanford exclaiming “I’m coming Elizabeth!”  Don’t get me wrong I can spin a pretty good yarn but growing up anything that mainly required a textbook for comprehension was, should we say, not comprehended with enthusiasm!  Hands-on is the way I absorbed most of my knowledge. Even in my first-year Spanish class, it was my creation of different things “Spanish” that got me a passing grade.  When in college I took a physics class called “Physics of Light and Color.”  I never cracked the textbook and aced the class thanks to many hours of mixing ink for my father’s printing presses based on the CMYK color profiles to create solid spot colors.  I was using my hands which seem to have a direct and very intimate relationship with my brain. Frankly, I like it! 

So the purpose of this work of a “historical set of essays” comes from several angles. Growing up I was told stories by different family members about family I never knew, such as my grandfathers. Then there was the family that told of their experiences and there is no written or recorded history to share down the line.  Many of those will end with me.  I sit here in an age where what I do today can be shared with the future easier than ever before.  I guess I have hit the age where giving back and sharing starts to mean more than who I know or who I made something for, things that truly never drove me in the first place.  There was a time as a photographer when those things mattered and opened some eyes… but now those eyes mean nothing and frankly never did. So to the future family and those that find me interesting or better yet amusing you are part of the purpose of this blog.

The second is giving back.  I just saw today that another woodworker had built a base for a table much like the one I made in 2023 with the curved, steam-bent legs.  Part of me was like hey, you stole my idea… or was it my idea?  All my life I have looked at all kinds of publications for inspiration.  Been in and out of furniture stores.  Going to historical places and looking at what was made. Even pieces preceding family made to steer me into coming up with “my idea” for a piece of furniture.  I truly believe that everything is inspired by those that precede us.  As a creative, we just take those concepts and put our spin on them.  So when I saw that post I was flattered that I was being “copied” and deep down touched I had inspired them to copy my work

I intend to share something from my past, present, and future in each blog post.  Now keep in mind it will not be your nightly ritual to read my blog as I intend to post about once a month as I don’t want to over-commit and let you down! LOL. Honestly, I need to keep making with my hands as long as the Lord allows in recognition of his gift bestowed upon me.  Be sure and join my mailing list for notifications and updates about the blog and specials. Know I will never sell your email address or other information.  Also like my FaceBook page as I will share new blog links there as well. 

Other than that, thank you for your interest in what I am doing.  Hopefully, you will be inspired to reach in and find that creativity that resides in you, regardless of the medium.