Just to remind me I am human and make mistakes this happened, after saying that the Baize on the dividers should be fitted on the divider side next to the barrel, I applied it to the wrong side of the longest barrel divider and this is very noticeable because of the Adhesive and Baize flecks left on the wood after I removed it.
It is now time to fit the barrel blocks permanently to the case I use a gap filling PVA Adhesive just to make sure that that the blocks are well adhered to the case and any gaps between the case and the block are filled with adhesive. I did give this adhesive 12 hours to set because fitting the dividers with so much Baize everywhere I don’t want a problem to arise when fitting them. I fitted the longest divider first with the same gap filling Adhesive though you must first remove the Baize on the barrel side of the divider where it buts up to the blocks so you have a wood to wood joint. Next day I fitted the other divider also making sure that I had the same wood to wood Joins. Just to keep every thing tight as the Adhesive set, I used propping pieces in the same manner as fitting the inner case sides with metal clamps at each end.
One short divider to fit this divides the gun action and stock storage compartment from Accessory storage. It is the smallest divider but it made up its mind to join the enemy making things as difficult as it could, it may be small but it is extremely important that it is rigid and firmly fitted even though each of the end joints are angled. It spans a continuous widening space between the barrel dividers, causing it to move each time it was glued and clamped. To get around this problem I glued a small strip of wood to the case bottom using a couple of drops of super glue to stop it slipping while the Adhesive dried then removed it.
This divider must be a solid fit because it would take the full impact of the action and stock weight if the case where dropped, on many vintage cases this divider was very often pinned at the top using veneer pins. My examples are now rusty because they have sat in a tin for some fifty years with very little use, so I have no intention of purchasing some new bright and shiny replacements. If you decide to pin this divider do not be tempted to use standard panel pins with wood so thin it would be more or less guaranteed to split, if you do use veneer pins you must use a very light pinning hammer because they will bend if you look at them the wrong way.
It is time to explain why it is a necessary to make that template of the gun action and stock compartment in this refit. If you take a look at one of the early photographs there is one with string passing over the guns action giving an aid to measure how much usable height the gun case has. And what I was looking for was could I raise the floor in the action and stock compartment by 3or 4 Milometers without making a noticeable difference to how the gun in the case would look after completion. I Can confidently say that in the number of cases I have repurposed I have only had two that it was not possible to do this.
From the template I will make a false bottom from a suitable piece of material, in this case 3mm MDF, this will enable me to put in the Anchor fitting for an action retaining strap rather than putting it through the case outer leather, though there are other methods though this extra bottom will also support the rather flimsy case bottom too. Using the template, you can mark a line either side of the stock’s wrist giving you the exact position for the action retaining strap anchor. From my template you should be able to get the picture, also I did have to add more card to the template because of some last-minute changes.
A further reason for putting a false bottom in this position is nearly every case I adjusted to take another gun the action retaining strap anchor seemed always in the wrong place, I have marked where the “Pop rivet” was it also was very unsuccessful the strap being so narrow the rivet cut through the strap.
For the action strap anchor I like to use a 5mm Coach Bolt because this size has a lot going for it especially the head size and the short square under the head to stop it turning when epoxied in place. I file the head thickness to milometer so making it easy to recess.
Sandwich of Baize and Leather to determine where to cut the bolt before fitting the new compartment base into the case permanently.
Deamonwolf I hope this will help you to understand now why the case bottom is not one piece of Baize? Also I will have a look at fitting replacement action strap anchors.
