Lance Bartlett, from Corlette, is a man with a passion.
A former Carpenter to trade, his retirement years have allowed him the time to develop his skills as a model-maker.
His previous designs have ranged in scope and scale but his most recent creations are something quite spectacular indeed.
Using obsolete materials, some of which have been purchased from Salamander Bay Recycling, Lance has crafted a beautiful replica Springfield Model 1861 Rifle Musket and a handsome pistol the originals of which were both used in the American Civil war (1861-1865).
Here's a photo of Lance's replica Springfield rifle:
And here's a photo of an original:
I'm sure you will agree that the similarities are quite remarkable.
According to Wikipedia:
"The Springfield Model 1861 was a Minié-type rifled musket shoulder arm used by the United States Army and Marine Corps during the American Civil War. Commonly referred to as the "Springfield" (after its original place of production, (Springfield, Massachusetts), it was the most widely used U.S. Army weapon during the Civil War, favored for its range, accuracy, and reliability".
The craftsmanship exhibited by Lance is incredible and a credit to his ability to bring out the best in what were previously discarded materials.
The items he used to build the models are as follows:
• Block of Australian Cedar cut to make the butt and barrel
• 10mm aluminium plate for the strike hammer
• An old broom handle for the barrel
• Copper nails
• Copper pipe for the trigger guard
• An old aluminium beer sign for the side plates
• Brass straps and brass nuts, bolts and screws for fastening
Lance explains the materials he used in this short video:
Great effort Lance, we look forward to seeing more of your creations in future.
You don't need to have the skill of a Lance Bartlett to make a difference. Pop on in to Salamander Bay Recycling and "rifle" through the thousands of items we have in stock so that your next project really hits the target...
Just like Lance did.
