[ithacaartist]

Glad you guys like my concept made manifest! Thanks again, G.T., for your fine contribution. My local machinist, well... He had tapered the front of the bbl. first and then created a straight cylinder near the rear, using the extra material there, so he could hold it while milling the barrel band and sight block. Finally, he resumed the taper and contoured the barrel flange. There was a step where the taper was resumed, and another where the taper meets the flange. It took me about an hour to carefully straighten it all out on my lathe and establish the final surface. Otherwise, the nice right grip panel came from Hugh; swapped the janky old one and some dough for it. Front sight--not yet installed-- and grip safety spring from Tom. I had to make an over-sized safety lever pin myself, as the one in it kept falling out when the left grip was removed. The next step in this extravaganza is for me to TIG weld a small chunk broken out of one rail of the barrel extension and get it worked down straight. Finally, I'll try my hand at a little rust bluing and straw finishing. All this done, I think I'll be very close to breaking even in its then value as a nice shooter versus what I have spent on it. The key, I think, is not to charge yourself for your own work!