1880's gun room

[Sgt Sourdough]

I finally have my gun room. I would like to make it look some what a room back in the 1880's would have looked like. I'am thinking about making it look like the sherriff's office in Rio Bravo or something like that .What style of board or what pattern would be authentic?

[St. George]

There are a number of books about movie Westerns that have some great interior stills.

You can often find them at your Public Library - so I'd check there.

Also - check your local Museum, since they often will depict something similar from the era.

The 'real' Old West's offices were pretty bare-bones affairs - with the rooms of fairly rough lumber from the local sawmill.

An 'authentic' rendition is likely to be pretty plain - and I doubt you want that.

If you want something with visual impact - start looking for a pot-bellied stove, and a couple of old, scarred Captain's Chairs to go with an old Roll-Top Desk and a Coatrack or Pegs driven into the wall.

After that - you can add a plain gun rack, and a period calendar to the walls.

If you want something from the Southwest - talk to someone at your local 'Menard's' or 'Lowe's' and see what they're recommend to replicate adobe.

Good Luck!

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Steel Horse Bailey]

You might be able to buy some lumber from a farmer who is tearing down his old barn.  That lumber CAN be pricey, however, if the yuppies around you are trying to decorate.  I think it also has to be soaked or treated if a large quantity is to be used to get rid of any insect presence. (Interior walls - like an 1880s gun room.  )  Not to mention ... old barns being remodeled aren't exactly on every corner. 

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[Will Ketchum]

Don't forget some "wanted posters"

Will Ketchum

[litl rooster]

Just leave room for the rifle rack.....and a coffee pot

[Pitspitr]

We're adding on, and one wall of the new room will be covered in "faux log" siding. A rough "board and batten" siding might be another option for you.

Our new room will have a western theme as well, with this lamp as one of the decorations. I was kind of surprised when the wife didn't balk at me buying it.

[River City John]

You might be able to buy some lumber from a farmer who is tearing down his old barn.  That lumber CAN be pricey, however, if the yuppies around you are trying to decorate.  I think it also has to be soaked or treated if a large quantity is to be used to get rid of any insect presence. (Interior walls - like an 1880s gun room.  )  Not to mention ... old barns being remodeled aren't exactly on every corner. 

I was offered, very graciously, a bunch of old, weathered barn siding with which I was going to do the very same thing. Then someone mentioned being sure to well treat the stuff in case you were inviting critters you'd rather not introduce into the home. . .
After checking into it with a 'bug man', I came to the conclusion that it would be safer and probably cheaper to use new lumber and grey stain. Besides, if it's supposed to be a contemporary structure (new-built in the 19th cent. that is), it would not look like the interior of an old mineshaft.

Check out if there are any architectural salvage people in your area. They usually are a wealth of source for stuff.
Another idea would be places that deal in vintage hardware and the like, an example being: www.eugeniaantiquehardware.com

Our new room will have a western theme as well, with this lamp as one of the decorations. I was kind of surprised when the wife didn't balk at me buying it.

Don't forget to keep it loaded for bear.

[Deadeye Don]

I have been thinking about buying one of these for my "Man Cave".  I wouldnt store them in the rack, but this would be good when you are showing off your collection.  Regards.  Deadeye.

http://www.stoneycreekltd.com/Gunracksandcabinets.html

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

And some period whiskey for the top right hand drawer of the roll-top desk.  For use only by the Sheriff!

And some linament in the other drawer to treat the bruises after falling down!

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Hey!

This is a cool idea that I've been wanting to do for about a decade.  Don, those racks are COOL!  I belive I'd get the Deputy rack w/ drawer and the cabinet to set it on.  Probably the UNfinished red oak, but that'd depend.  I'd simply oil it with Linseed oil and use it that way.  But maybe the finished.  Or the finished pine.

Oh, well ... I gotta win the Lottery, first.  Whaddya mean - ya gotta BUY a ticket to win?

[Mogorilla]

With Gas what it is, wood is getting pricier, but go for western cedar planks, the room will smell good and you don't have to do anything to it.  Cedar is also aromatic enough to help eliminate some pests (eastern red cedar is even better)

[Russ T Chambers]

My Gun Room has become what I call the Eclectic Den.  It is a combo of WWII aviation and the Old West.  I guess it comes from growing up watching Westerns, including Sky King on Saturday mornings.
I built the desk, boxes and the gun rack simply because I could find anything that was quite what I wanted..  

[Deadeye Don]

Russ,  Did you build the gun rack or did you purchase it?

[Russ T Chambers]

Russ,  Did you build the gun rack or did you purchase it?

Built it.  It's made out of 3/4 1x12 Oak, laminated, glued, routed and stained.
Did it with a tablesaw, recip-saw(sabre saw), router and sander.

P.S.  Same tools were used to build the desk.

[Deadeye Don]

Very nicely done.   

[Russ T Chambers]

Very nicely done.   

Thank you!
It weighs a ton (even without the guns), so you need good support brackets.

[Dirty Brass]

That's some real nice work there Russ! The oak is beautifully grained. Looks great!

I managed to add a room on my home years ago, and ended up making the corner cabinets too. I was pretty pleased with the outcome, and like you, I used oak. It's hard to beat the look in a early american decor.



I also just finished up a toy chest for my grandson - I opted for pine on this, as their house has a lot of pine furniture in the childs room. I was tempted to fill it with some BP pistols and possibles, and take a few pics just for grins, but the Mrs. kindly persuaded me not to ruin the finish with oil stains, dents' and such. She was VERY convincing! 

[Steel Horse Bailey]

VERY nice, Russ!


Your taste in themes and mine are practically identical!  Aviation and Guns.  Primarily, WWII planes and Pre 1900 guns (- but not limited.) 

[Dai.S.Loe]

I thank you for all these ideas

I have a spare workshop off my garage that measures 3 metres by 3 metres by 2.8 metres high.

I have been planning on turning it into a gunroom for a whiler now.

I have lined it with steel mesh and am in the process of covering this with rough hewn boards from some macrocarpa trees I have had milled on my property.

The entrance doorway I have replaced with a steel door with twin Chubb locks.

Looking now at covering the concrete floor with boarding.

This thread has given me some ideas for when the major wstructural work is completed.

[Russ T Chambers]

That's some real nice work there Russ! The oak is beautifully grained. Looks great!

I managed to add a room on my home years ago, and ended up making the corner cabinets too. I was pretty pleased with the outcome, and like you, I used oak. It's hard to beat the look in a early american decor.

I really like the way you fit the rack into the stone work on the fireplace!!