Rhodesian Teak home made speargun

[foxfish]

If it were me, with all that lovely work you have done I would simply add more wood to compensate the metal!
You might end up with a large bulky gun but it would be a fantastic low recoil weapon!
Look at different shapes ... you have so much scope to get the gun looking and shooting like dream
I added band lifters & shoulders to this this to get the balance.

 

[Marco van Wyk]

I hear what you say, this gun I wood like to keep it a teak and stainless look thru out if possible.
The handle I’m going to cover in teak, I like those band lifters, might try them and ad some wood on the sides at the back.
As you can see I am more involve in getting the steel parts right at the moment.
Still need to make a casing for the trigger mechanism with the line release.
Got some good ideas so far, have to decide which ones to use on this gun, can’t use them all on one gun.
I get the idée you must have a decent workshop and tools, and know how to use them.

 

[Marco van Wyk]

That is a very nice looking gun, and looks best in one color. Don’t think you will get the same look in wood.

 

[Gab]

If it were me, with all that lovely work you have done I would simply add more wood to compensate the metal!

Yes, that is what I meant above

 

[foxfish]

I don't have a workshop at all.. I have a shed & a few hand tools but I build all sorts of thing in my shed LOL
In fact yesterday I just won an award for my didgeridoos.... sorry about the poor playing but there was a sea of people watching & I got a bit nervous!

 

[Marco van Wyk]

I am in pressed, not many people especially around here make thing anymore. We had one old man 91 years of age that built some of the best steam locos in our club in a very basic workshop.
Although I have got lathes and milling machines, I used none of it to build the parts so far.
When I built my house 4 years back, I set a side a 50 square meter room for a workshop; it was a life long dream to have a proper workshop.
I spend 2 years equipping it with old machines and refurbishing them one by one, did not build anything.
It was a machine shop on one side and wood working on the other side, did not work very well together because of the wood dust.
Removed the wood working side and fill it with metal working machines, very sorry I did it and going to install partitioning and re-install the wood machines.
I enjoy both and making sperguns you need both. If the whether permits, I dive in my spare time, ells I make something in my workshop.

 

[Marco van Wyk]

I am not even going to ask you how you hollow those instruments out, don’t whana get side track in the middle of making something new.
They are amazing instruments, never really notice them before. Maybe when I finish this gun I will ask you a bit more on how you make them.
Because of all the rain our waters are very dirty at the moment.

We planning to go spear fishing from a boat at Cape Vidal tomorrow morning, about 300 Km
north from my home towards Mozambique, will let you know if any good spearing.

 

[Gab]

I thought termites did the bulk of the hollowing out andbthen the maker uses a long tool to remove the nest and smooth out the walls. Is that not correct foxfish? I have 2 didgeridoos but I don't play them often anymore.

 

[foxfish]

Ha Ha got you interested now!
does this answer your question?

 

[Gab]

So you cut it in half and hollow it out? Interesting, does that not affect the sound? Mine is in one piece.

 

[foxfish]

Well it is not really appropriate to spoil this thread with didgeridoo discussions but - in a word no!

 

[Gab]

So Marco, any progress?

 

[Marco van Wyk]

No, the weather was to good, done 2 x 3 hour dives the weekend at 150km south, got lots of crayfish. Today a 4 hour dive at my local beach, got crayfish and some reef fish only.
The weather is turning tomorrow, that means back working on the gun.
About that didgeridoo, still don’t know exactly how you can hollow it with out termites first. When I finished the gun I will ask you more detail, maybe on email not on this forum.

 

[Marco van Wyk]

Went today to our local hardware shops, can not find a bull nose router bit smaller than 10mm.
Probably will have to make one from silver steel or HSS what is the best size for a 7mm spear?
I still need to seal the wood with some epoxy when finish.
Here is a pic what happened after the weekend diving and why I was a bit lazy to work on my gun.

 

[Marco van Wyk]

I know it’s not a cooking thread, but that is partly what we do with the end result. The small dish got spadefish fishcakes.

 

[foxfish]

Big family or were you just very hungry

 

[Marco van Wyk]

Both, the two sisters came with there kids but

there were some left, made some crayfish cocktail last night. Getting hungry just thinking of it again.
I made an 8mm HSS tip, test it on a piece of Teflon and then slot the blank, and hope it is the right size.
It feels and slides ok. Any tips on that part.

 

[Gab]

The only thing you didn't do is forge the steel, grow the tree and cut it

 

[Marco van Wyk]

Ha Ha Ha Yes, maybe I take the HOMEMADE part to serious.

 

[Gab]

Good for you, it is a nice experience to have, one you will remember.