Miniature Arms Journal - April, 2008 - p. 1

The Journal of theMiniature ArmsCollectors/MakersSociety

April, 2008

Franz

Pfannl’s

Miniatures

Guns

at the

LasVegas

Show

Also inthis issue:

A Roger Ronnie

Lefever Shotgun

George Wenzek &Robert Adolphi

Jon HintzTranter

Carmen’sSupershop

Miniature Arms Journal - April, 2008 - p. 8

Roger Ronnie

Lefever

Shotgun

In our October 2007 issue wefeatured this Roger Ronnie made,mini Lefever shotgun as a work inprogress. After months morework, it is finally finished. For thevery first time, the entire gun istogether and functioning, and pre-sented here for your enjoyment.

Unlike some makers, RogerRonnie is involved in all aspectsof a guns construction, from ma-chine work, to metal finishing, tohand engraving, to stock carving

and checkering, a combinations ofskills unique among mini makers.

The tiny scale and smoothscrolls of the engraving, alone, makethis a masterpiece of miniature arms.Add to these attributes, the beautifulstock work and checkering, and wesee why Roger is a member of theinternet Master Craftsman Museum.

In our January 2008 issue, wepassed on some of Roger’s advise onengraving and graver sharpening.After receiving the images of the

A wood match stick gives a goodidea of how small the checkering is.

checkering done on this piece - atbetween 64 and 80 lines per inch - Ispoke with Roger about his tech-nique. As expected, checkering thistiny requires special tools, the mostimportant being the tool used to cutthe grooves. Roger makes his owncheckering tools, by grinding a flat,similar to that on an engraving tool,on the end of a three sided needle file.He takes great care in selecting thefile, making sure that it has a nicesharp edge, as all files are not cre-ated equal.

The overall patter is first markon the stock with pencil. After the

Miniature Arms Journal - April, 2008 - p. 9

Above, shown slightly enlarged is the completed receiver with total engravingcoverage. Also note the engraved screw to the right of the duck scene. OAL of thereceiver is 3/34”

Antique Mini Tools

ED. Member Roger Ronnie sent inthe following.

Above: An 1876 engraving block with awax frog. The wax frog held 3 differenttypes of transfer wax. Back in the1800's, the wax frog was 50 cents andit came full of wax. It was a cast iron'disposable' wax container. Roger

Above: Is one of the earliest forms ofmicrometer I've ever seen. Not sur onthe age, but I would guess by the styleof the tool it would be 1740 to 1750.It's a very early watch tool, since it isin mm. The little bar on the side pointsto a scale from 0 to 6, the 1 1/2" dialgoes from 0 to 100. Roger

Above: shown enlarged is the lock plate. The tight scroll work, and beautifulydrawn duck scene make this mini Lefever Arms Co. Shotgun a show-stopper.

first line is cut, other lines are spacedby rolling a special spacing tool intothe already cut groove to mark thedistance to the next line. Above wesee the roller tool that Roger made.It consists of two disks, one slightlylarger in diameter, mounted side byside to act as rollers. The larger diskrides in the already cut groove, thesmaller marks the next line to be cutwith the file. The thickness of thedisks determines how far apart thelines will be.

Left:the tiny,linespacingtool.

Makers are used to people say-ing “Boy you must have a lot of pa-tience.” In Roger’s case, that goestriple. A beautiful piece by one ofour master-makers.

Bob Urso

Left: theheel of thestock.

Below: thecheckeredforestock,withengraved,inset screwplate.