not to derail the conversation but did you make horns for a living? how'd you get into that?
I'm all set with a band saw, scrapers and such, but i will be getting a bench top sander.
Kevin, To answer your question, Yes, I did make them for a living. How did I get into that? Well, it was a hobby that went to seed.
Seriously, in 1983, I saw an ad in the classified section of Muzzleblasts that read, "FOR SALE Powder Horn and Shooting Bag business. Can locate anywhere." So, I called on that, went down to Colorado, liked what I saw, made an offer on it and on New Years Day, 1984, they pulled up in my driveway. Mort and Patty spent about a week, maybe a week and a half helping us set up a horn shop in the garage and a leather shop in the basement and then teaching us their techniques. They brought two Juki sewing machines, an anvil, a small box of tools, a roll of leather (6 halves) and a box of cow horns. That was it. By that time, I had bought a Shopsmith and I was ready to go.
In 1992, I bought Earl Cureton's horn business and then I really got busy making powder horns.
The name of the business was October Country, and to this day it is located on Government Way. In 2005, we sold it and moved down to LaLaLand to assist Ms. Smokes' mother who was having trouble health wise. When we got down here, I built a shop in the garage and started Powder Horns and More. I ran that for about 10 years and then sold it to a fellow who is running it from New York.
Enough of that. A thought on attaching your baseplug. First, you should have about a 5 degree bevel on you inner pine plug. When you set it into the base of the horn, it should be about 1/4" to 3/8" proud, much like your photograph shows. Some people talk about putting the horn in boiling water to soften, but the horn needs to be about 350 degrees to become soft and pliable enough to form. Never going to happen with water, because the boiling point of water is 212 degrees, Where is that other 138 degrees going to come from? It ain't. So, your other two choices are hot oil or a heat gun. I have tried the hot oil routine a time or two and didn't care for it, so the hot air gun it is. I stick the nozzle of the gun into the horn and keeping it moving all the time, just go around the inner circumference for one minute. Except for very thick walled horns, that should be adequate. Then put the gun down on the bench, set the inner plug into the horn and give it a couple of whacks with a hammer. For this, I used a hammer with plastic heads. Pound it in securely and there you go. Half way there. Here is where the disc sander comes to play. Sand any exposed horn off with it. Also, I used a little machinists square and on the bottom side of the horn I would check to see if the base was square to the horn. Functionally, it doesn't matter, but aesthetically it looks a lot better.
OK, school is out for the day. Have fun, take two aspirin and call if you are still suffering symptoms of horn dustitis.
John (Bigsmoke)
