Making a gun -- wood selection and trigger Q?s

[Wavespin]

Hi all,

I'm moving to PR next month and I'm going to do some spearing. I'd like to make a gun and I have a couple of questions. I plan to enjoy making it almost as using it....

1. Any other woods than Teak that are good to use. Specifically I thinking of Ipe and Purpleheart. Both are very, very hard, stable, straight and water resistant. Purpleheart is often used for bridge pilings because of it's resistance to decay and such in water. Ipe has become a popular material for deck building--can last for 15-20 years with no finish whatsoever. Possibly thinking Lignum Vitae for the muzzle (they used to make bushings and bearing for ship prop shafts out of it before the advent of good ballbearings and stainless for that application...).

2. Have looked through here at the trigger mechanism threads. I'm wondering if there is a decent mechanism available that has a safety or if one can be added or if nobody really uses a safety on a speargun (i really hope you do though..)?

Thanks,
Mike

 

[cece]

if I remember it right, IPE would not be a good wood for a gun.
IPE is just too heavy to build an entire gun but perfect for the rail of your gun because it is really a hard wood.

But because of its density (0,8 to 1,2) it will be too heavy moving it even in the water.

 

[boqueirao]

Hi Mike
try to check the possibilty of using the Bady wood, from Cote d'Ivoire or the Siroco wood, i think this one is from Brasil, but i'm not sure.
greetings from the european west west coast ;-)