GunLab

Portuguese Mauser

At the last SAR show I was finally able to pick up a Mauser rifle that I have been looking for for over 30 years. When they were available I had no money and you know the rest of the story.

This rifle is a Model 1941 short rifle with a transitional stock. It uses cross between a model 937-A short rifle stock and a 1941 short rifle stock. The main difference is the change from the flat to a cupped butt plate, the change of the forward sling attachment point and The lack of a grove at the rear sling attachment point. The stock is matching to the rifle.

I have always found the Portuguese crest to be one of the most beautiful of all the crests.

Like a number of these rifles they were pressed into Germany service during the war. There are acceptance stamps on the receiver,stock and parts.

A nice addition to the Gun Lab reference collection.

The SAR 2018 show wrap up and Christmas

For us the show starts on the Wednesday before with the machine gun shoot. About 50 to 60 people showed up. It was a great deal of fun. There were two MG-34’s setup on both sides of me and they worked great. I took a video of then and I am working on a loop video to run continuously in front of myMG-34 to shame it into working properly as nothing else seems to work.

The show was a big success for me. I sold most of my friends bayonets and books, more money for his widow. I was able to obtain a few items for the reference collection that I have been looking for and I sold a spare Swedish rifle. More on the items later.

The Saturday night pizza party went over nicely. There was about 50 or 60 people that showed up. There was a lot of talking and looking around. I think everyone had a good time. The last of the crowd left about midnight. The Christmas cannon was was appreciated and enjoyed by everyone.

here are a couple of pictures of the additions to the Gun Lab reference collection from the show.

Sorry for the delay in getting posts out, but life and work has just gotten in the way again.

Working on the cnc router.

It has been a while since I have done any work on the cnc router. Now with the wood shop termite issue coming to an end I have started back at it. When we last left off with it I had just found that the router that came with it had a bent spindle and need to be replaces. It has been with a vfd 1.5kw water cooled spindle.

As it came from the factory.

with the accessories.

The only problem is the manual.

Or lack of it. The manual they sent was for a 220vac unit and what I bought and received is a 110vac unit. The wiring diagram does not match in any way shape or form. Neither do the set up instructions. The cnc router has been rewired and water and air added to support this unit that I have yet to figure out how to wire up. I have contacted the seller and the support groups but with no luck. It seems a number of people have the same issue.

I am working on it and will post this weekend on my findings.

One more update about the never ending wood shop

I know everyone is tried of me talking about the wood shop and its extension. The good news is that it is coming to an end. This weekend most of the work has been completed and the tooling was moved in.

Last weekend the tool boxes were moved in the extension and the last of the general wiring was completed.

With all the work completed I was able to move my second metal lathe in.

I also moved my Grandfather’s work bench in as well.

Work was started up again on the cnc router and the air compressor was put in its temporary place.

The tool boxes were then set up in there long term spot.

All this and a view to boot just out side my door.

Also finished the sheet rock and the tape and mud of the joints upstairs in the guest house area.

Most people take the weekend off to wind down and relax. Me I go to work on Monday to do that.

Another wood shop update

I know everyone is tried of reading about the wood shop. It has, however, taken over all my free time. It is a project that needs to be completed to allow me to continue with the other and much more interesting projects.

The wood shop extension Was taped and textured last Saturday.With a few moments I started cleaning the cabinets that needed to go in that room.

Then on Sunday the room was primed and painted. While waiting for everything to dry the upstairs deck sheet rock was started.

By Sunday after noon the cabinets in the extension were hung up. In addition the majority of the electric was finished.

By Sunday night the tool boxes and cnc router had been moved over a set in there position.

This weekend the rain started on Saturday and just did not stop.

The electric was worked on again. All the lights were converted from florescent to led and put up.

The upstairs was sheet rocked some more and taped.

The rest of the electric in the upstairs was run and insulation put in place.

Then we started moving the equipment in the wood shop to its final destination.

A number of the adjustable level feet were broken or bent and now need to be replaced. Something to do next week end. The store room was also cleaned and reorganized.

Getting there just not fast enough for me.

An interesting Webley pistol

This pistol is coming up for auction, and no I do not know which one. I just wish I had the money necessary to even think about bidding on it.

A write up from the auction house.

It just looks like fun. I wonder if one could be made for a Mk VI or even a Mk IV.

Something new and fun at Gun Lab

On Saturday I get a text from a friend wanting to know if the deck gun he just say was coming to my place.

Then a few moments later I get a knock at the door and there is John U. I have something to show you and can you fix this.

Here are a few pictures of that beautiful toy.

Being a new lawn ornament the garden gnome wanted it to get rid the rabbits in the garden.

Just a beautiful sun set in Arizona.

A special thanks to John for sharing his new toy with us and to Wally for sharing a few of his pictures.

More updates with the termite battle

A couple of weekends have passed and more work has been accomplished in getting the wood shop back together.

To start with I ended up with termites now in the machine shop and wood storage room.

This tube was in the clean room.

And the second door to the machine shop.

These are in the wood storage room.

What this means is that more holes had to be drilled.

To do this of course everything had to be moved once more.

First the tool boxes and semi portable equipment.

Then all the bigger wood working equipment.

But my all time favorite was the surface plate.

Then after termite treatment everything had to go back.

The wood shop extension has now been sheet rocked and taped and mud on all the joints.

The pocket door for the well and pressure pump room has been installed.

Then the storm came in today and brought the 8th largest rain fall in a single day.

By the time the rain stopped after I went to bed it was the 7th largest rain fall for Phoenix, we had 3″ on our rain gauge.

A thanks to a friend of Gun Lab

A while back I did a post on the Webley pistol in 32. It is an interesting pistol but I had no ammo for it. The U.S. equivalent is .32 short Colt. Try and find that the local gun shop. Chuck O. a frien of gun lab dropped by with 3 boxes of it.

It will be out at the range with me on my next visit. Thanks Chuck

Being a “hoarder” part 2

In the post I talked about the trip to the storage shed. This pile of stuff came about because I just asked. I was doing a job for a home owner and in the back yard was this pile.