9. Making the frames for the back standard

   I had some oak pieces, and so did  my friend Randy, so we had enough between the two of us to make the front and the back standards. It was actually harder to make the back because it has two fitted units, as we want to be able to shoot both vertical and horizontal 16x20's plates. Both pieces have to be perfectly square so the back frame can be rotated 90 degrees and go back in its slot. Plus oak is a hard hardwood. Anyhow, I managed to get it done, not perfect, but good looking enough now that it is stained a red oak color:

 

    I will let the stain dry overnight, and coat it with a satin finish wipe on polyurethane

    I have not decided whether to make the U shaped bracket that will hold the back and allow tilts and swings out of a single piece of 1"x1/8" steel, or use the 1/4" aluminum pieces and 1/8" angle I already have. If I want a true early 19th century look,  aluminum would be a tad anachronistic as it wasn't extracted from bauxite until the 1890's... Steel would take a little less space, but aluminum would look better, and I am already using it for the plate holder and the ground glass holder anyway. So aluminum it is:

    I made brass brackets to support the rear frame and brass springs at the top to hold it tight.  The side aluminum brackets are slitted to raise the back and the whole thing part can swing.