Another homemade Dance and Brothers

[ShotgunDave]

Thanks Em!

[ShotgunDave]

I finally made some progress on this project.

I wanted to replicate a little more rare gun, than just the average Dance. (If you can call a Dance average!) Our very own Sourdough sent me some pictures from his Dance book, and one of them jumped right out at me. A Dance with a shorter barrel. From the factory! So that is what I set out to do. Here's the original.




With the help of our newest member here, Marshal Will Wigham, we determined that the factory gun has a 6" barrel on it. So out came the hacksaw and jig, and I eliminated the unwanted length. I also cut the loading lever down to match.




Now that everything is the correct length, I needed to cut a dovetail for the loading lever latch and a groove for the new blade front sight. Since I don't have a fancy dovetail jig like some of your guys, I had to get inventive.

First I measured the original dovetail with my caliper and transferred the measurements to the barrel with a small machinists square and a scribe. Then I outlined the marks with some aluminum tape. It looked like this.




Now we're ready to cut. Using a brand new hack saw blade. I made a series of cuts, very close together and right down to the tape.




After the cuts were made, I used a small punch and hammer to knock the leftover metal out of the channel. It breaks right off. Then I just cleaned it all up with files and used a triangle file to cut the dovetail in. It wasn't that hard at all.




Just a few measurements and quick swipes with the file, and the latch was tapped in. As for the slot for the sight, I did it the same way I did on the other Dance. I measured and marked it with the little square and scribed where I wanted it. Then I used two Dremel cutoff wheels stacked and cut the groove. Very slowly and carefully. I fashioned the sight blade out of brass stock, and soldered it in.




Now I just need to finish up the end of the loading lever, so the latch components can be re-installed on the shorter lever.


Here's how it looks all together as of now.






It's nowhere near finished yet. There's lots of plans for it still. So stay tuned to see what happens next.

[Marshal Will]

Great work, Dave! Very good looking. That 6" bbl is tops. For some reason, I find a 6" barrel balances better than any other. Holding it really feels right to me. It's short enough to move quickly from target to target and still long enough to make it easy to keep pointed accurately.

Nice work on that dovetail and sight.

Hey! Why don't we have a thumbs-up icon?

Here. I found one on another forum.

I'm definitely tuned in to this project. I look forward to making a 6" one myself. Your work is outstanding and you've set the bar high enough to make it a decent challenge.

[sourdough]

Outstanding work, Dave! Idle hands are the Devil's workshop!

Will,

I have a copy of Gary Wiggins' book Dance & Brothers (1986) which only had one printing. When I got our stimulus check in April I sprung for it for the exhorbitant price of $236 plus shipping! Think that's bad? Checkout the current online prices.

https://www.bookfinder.com/search/?ac=sl&st=sl&ref=bf_s2_a1_t1_1&qi=JKnhW86TR1V6HZ9ByMAIllCcOog_1497963026_1:1:1&bq=author%3Dg%2520wiggins%26title%3Ddance%2520and%2520brothers%2520texas%2520gunmakers%2520of%2520the%2520confederacy

I tease Dave with photos from it. The short barrel Dance is only one. I sent him a couple of photos from the book that are documented as original Dance revolvers.

With one of his Dance revolvers he wanted to hide the 4th screw hole as he created it from a 4-screw revolver. He got the idea that he could do a punch dot series of impressions on the frame to hide the 4th screw modification. I can't find the photo of the frame side view that I sent him, but I am sure he still has it. It looks like this:



I am sure he will be antsy for something to do within the week. Look for it.

Regards,

Jim

[ShotgunDave]

Thanks guys. I appreciate the comments and compliments.

That book of Jim's is the Dance Bible. I'm glad you send me the teaser pics Jim!


There are lots of plans for embellishments on this gun. Punchdot engraving, defarbing and re-serializing the gun. As well as a nice worn finish. I'll also be re-profiling the grips and maybe even a grip change. We'll see how it goes as it all progresses.

Gee Marshal, I wonder where you got that thumbs up from? 

[Marshal Will]

Sourdough, it sure looks like you got a good deal on the book, doesn't it? I hope to find a copy one day but certainly not at those prices.

Thanks for posting the page showing #172 details. I had photos of the right side of the frame and cylinder and the backstrap from the auction site photos. It's nice to see more of it. Whoever it was at the factory sure went to town with that seed stamp, didn't he? #164 had a little stamping on it with what looks like a "V" stamp but nothing like that. How many in Wiggins' book have any of the stamp type of decoration?


I'm enjoying following your progress, Dave. The punchdot decorations should be a bunch of fun. Like sourdough pointed out, you should be able to encorporate those ground off screws into the design.

Yeah, that other forum uses the same software as this one but they have a couple different emoticons.

[ShotgunDave]

I did not take any ill intent Steve! None at all! I appreciate your input on these projects.

As always, I look forward to talking with you, on the phone or otherwise.

[ShotgunDave]

So a little more progress today. I got the latch put back on the now shortened loading lever. It was a bit of a long road, but it's done. It fits and functions as it should. I did some hair pulling, due to a mistake, but it's all good now. Let me just say, you should measure twice and drill once. Lesson learned. All's well that ends well.

[sourdough]

Dave,

That revolver has very nice proportions. I really like it! You have done wonders with an 1851 Navy, and when we all die and these guns are sold the newbies will all be scratching their heads as to WTH?

Thanks for enlightening us as to what can be produced with a bit of ingenuity and very few tools.

Regards,

Jim

[Marshal Will]

That really is beautiful, Dave. Outstanding workmanship, for sure. The 6" length is ideal.

I guess I'll have to break out my farrier's rasp and get going on mine soon.

[Captainkirk]

Looks great, Dave! I've completely changed my opinion of the Dance revolvers. I'd love to own either of those two.

[ShotgunDave]

Thanks fellas. I appreciate it.

Jim, you left out one thing. Very little skill.   


I'm glad you like it Capt. I know that you've been pretty vocal in the past about your disdain for the pistols with no recoil shields. Actually, I never cared for the ones commercially available either. In my humble opinion, Pietta got it all wrong. The proportions are wrong. The caliber is wrong (at least on the only one's they have available), even the finish is wrong. But once you see pictures of an original, they look much better to the eye. So the only way to get there, is to make one yourself. I think the copies we're making are way better than what the factory is putting out.

Again, just my own .02

[Captainkirk]

Maybe that's the difference...yours looks 'authentic'. All the Piettas I've seen just look wrong. Yours does not. Nice work! I think the barrel length is perfect!