A decision to be made?

[Phil Coggan]

I have a spare sideplate, there was a slip-up, the inlayed birds are flying and they should be sitting, it's from the bottom gun pictured below except the birds are gold and are flush. It's all finished, signed but not coloured yet, I have to decide what to do with it....idea's?

Phil

 

[DakotaDocMartin]

Raffle it off for a fund raiser? Keep it for a show sample?

 

[mitch]

i'll PM you my shipping address and promise to cherish it forever.

 

[Glenn]

If you were to sell this plate, what would your asking price be? I my have interest in owning a piece of your work.
Thanks, Glenn

 

[Phil Coggan]

I don't know Glenn but there's a lot of time gone into it.

Phil

 

[tsterling]

Turn it into a paper weight like the one you showed before - nice hardwood or even metal. I'm guessing a lot of Purdey owners would like a Purdey paper weight for their executive desks. I've sold a surprising number of "Executive Desk" items, so there's interest out there.

Maybe hinge the side plate to reveal a "secret" hidey hole beneath, or a slot for a hidden pen knife (engraved, of course...)

Way too nice to turn it into a sample.

Best of luck!

Tom

 

[Lee]

Ah, it's obvious make the sitting birds supersized and include the gold from their flying cousins......on second thought that may not look very good. Any chance they will allow the flying to remain and add a couple on the ground? It may well be a budget buster.

Another somewhat labor consuming option is to dig out the gold and inlay steel. Not particularly fun but I've done it.

What a shame it is a beautiful engraving.

 

[rayf24]

Phil I will trade mower servicing for it
But selling could raise funds for local good cause in the valleys just a thought :biggrin:
Ray

 

[BKJ]

I sure wish I made such beautiful mistakes! :biggrin:

 

[tim halloran]

Phil: Before you sell it or whatever make a casting of it. Sell those and recoup some of your loss. Marcus Hunt could probably help you out with the logistics. I would buy one of the castings and i think a lot of other people would too. Just an idea.

 

[Christian DeCamillis]

I think that I would dig out the inlays where necessary and either have a good tig welder fill them in, or have them filled in with a laser welder.

A good tig welder guy could fill them in with ease. I have a friend who does tig and they send him things like parts that had been run and were 10 thousands of an inch off so he adds metal where needed it's amazing to see how he can add a layer of metal perfectly.

I had a Holland a few years ago that had sculpted turkeys on the side plates. the guy wanted them filled in and just redo those areas with matching scrolls. i had my guy fill it in. he did the fill exactly as I showed him I wanted it. I stoned it down did the scrolls and the guy was very happy with the engraving.

Cost to do the welding was 150 dollars.

Chris

 

[jerrywh]

Phil.
I made a similar mistake once and I cut out a panel and lowered the area with a border around it. Then I did a new scene within the panel. I don’t know if that would work on your or not but is an idea. The only other thing I can think of is to inlay steel like lee said. That is a large area for a steel inlay but you could back the steel with fine silver. The silver will take the teeth. The cavities would have to be pretty deep.
That is a tough problem for sure.

 

[SamW]

Perhaps frame it and hang on the wall of your shop as a reminder...and I will print this thread and mount in my shop so when I make a mistake I can look at the thread and remind myself I at least have one thing in common with you Phil! (hehehe as Ron Smith says)

 

[Brian Marshall]

How commonly might a similar job come up?

One where you might possibly adapt and work in this finished plate... and recoup your investment?

If the chance is likely within a reasonable time frame... it might be worth waiting for.


Brian

 

[Phil Coggan]

Still not decided but I will probably sell it. I'm not looking to change the birds as the new plate was finished last year and is fitted to the gun. A casting wouldn't really work with this as there's only a small amount of scroll, the goldwork won't show up except for the fine lines as it's flush.

Phil

 

[bram ramon]

Hi Phil,

You could buy a nice humidor and inlay the side plate. Then you will have a super de luxe humidor. Which I'm sure will make some money!

 

[Marrinan]

Next time they order a pair of "stock" guns, blow their doors off. Actually placing them in any of the gun rooms in London you should get an order to finish them, in my humble and unknowing opinion. Fred

Sam, Maybe an interview would fill in my memory and other blanks? FM

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Hi Phil

Unfortunately I have no clever ideas for you.

The work is your usual exceptional quality and I can only feel your pain with the amount of time and effort that you put into it. Bummer!!!!

Cheers
Andrew

 

[Phil Coggan]

Andrew, it worked out ok in the end

Glenn, I've PM'd you.

Phil

 

[Southern Custom]

One word for this. OUCH. I feel your pain Phil. I can say from experience that on a small scale, a laser welder can work wonders on it's own or combined with inlay!
Layne Z