flatcreek
40 Cal
What crawled up your butt and your assuming the op has no talent.
Filler for oversized trigger guard inlet
- Thread starter awreis
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That looks like hell.
I'm no master gun builder, I'm a hobby woodworker and just starting to dip my toe into gun building. That said I've done enough furniture repair to be able to confidentiality weigh in on this.
I know that epoxy, and PVA/sawdust will look like **** because of the lack of wood grain, and matching stain will be near impossible. Inlaying a matching piece of walnut isn't impossible, but requires a LOT of skill to look good, even then it will be almost guaranteed to be noticable. A truly invisible repair could be made by planing the whole forearm down to the level of the inlet, or at least enough for a thick veneer, and glue on a matching color and grain orientation of similar walnut and refinishing. I think that's nuts to be honest unless this rifle has some sentimental value and needs to look perfect.
IMHO the best option is the one suggested by Jim because it's a very low skill level to cut the front of the guard flat, line up a matching brass piece, and butt the 2 together with silver solder. It takes a plumbers torch, some silver solder, flux, a flat and round file, and some sandpaper. The most difficult part of doing that is figuring out how to hold the parts in alignment while torching them. If it's messed up it can be done again and again until right. Worst case, a new trigger guard is what $25?
Sometimes being a master means knowing that some things that seem simple are actually incredibly difficult and knowing that some things that seem difficult are actually quite simple
Edit: I'll go even further and tell you exactly how I would do it. I'd square off the front of the trigger guard, get a scrap of brass, file both to fit each other tightly.
Get a thin steel backer, like a hacksaw blade, and clamp both parts to the backer. Flux with borax, heat it and drop a small sliver of silver onto the gap. Let it cool and file to shape.
I know that epoxy, and PVA/sawdust will look like **** because of the lack of wood grain, and matching stain will be near impossible. Inlaying a matching piece of walnut isn't impossible, but requires a LOT of skill to look good, even then it will be almost guaranteed to be noticable. A truly invisible repair could be made by planing the whole forearm down to the level of the inlet, or at least enough for a thick veneer, and glue on a matching color and grain orientation of similar walnut and refinishing. I think that's nuts to be honest unless this rifle has some sentimental value and needs to look perfect.
IMHO the best option is the one suggested by Jim because it's a very low skill level to cut the front of the guard flat, line up a matching brass piece, and butt the 2 together with silver solder. It takes a plumbers torch, some silver solder, flux, a flat and round file, and some sandpaper. The most difficult part of doing that is figuring out how to hold the parts in alignment while torching them. If it's messed up it can be done again and again until right. Worst case, a new trigger guard is what $25?
Sometimes being a master means knowing that some things that seem simple are actually incredibly difficult and knowing that some things that seem difficult are actually quite simple
Edit: I'll go even further and tell you exactly how I would do it. I'd square off the front of the trigger guard, get a scrap of brass, file both to fit each other tightly.
Get a thin steel backer, like a hacksaw blade, and clamp both parts to the backer. Flux with borax, heat it and drop a small sliver of silver onto the gap. Let it cool and file to shape.
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That's not what I said and not what I meant or implied, and what crawled up your butt to assume that was my meaning and intent? You're way out of line. I think you're the one that has something already stuck up their butt to post something like that about another member. Which I notice you're not even a SUPPORTING MEMBER. So please just keep such comments to yourself. Or else put your money where your mouth is.
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flatcreek
40 Cal
Thank You
You're welcome.
I would stain a piece of door shim stock and glue in place.
Then blend it in.
Function over Fashion.
Then blend it in.
Function over Fashion.
That's what I was getting at. Even if tongue-in-cheek. Thank you.
My spontaneous idea:
I would find an 1800's penny. Cut and shape to fit.
I would find an 1800's penny. Cut and shape to fit.
I like that idea. Very original.
Makes the result a unique creation. A one-of-a-kind belonging to and expressing the creativity of the creator.
As I tried to express earlier in this thread: if you can transform a mistake into not only being functional but standing out to like it it was intentional, then it's no longer a mistake, it's a decoration.
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Hey Wis, Sometimes we care too much! If ya know what I mean. After all it,s a tool subjected to wear and tear. For me dings and dents are Memories.That's what I was getting at. Even if tongue-in-cheek. Thank you.
Like having a classic car under a tarp all of the time...
I would cut off the tail of the original guard which is already inletted and silver solder/braze it to the new guard. The result would be seamless to the eye.
That's probably the best idea, and sounds similar to the solution Jim was proposing. I just think it's a solution that takes some knowledge, expertise, proper tools and materials to accomplish, which without some confirmation from the OP that it works for him, might not be the most appropriate solution for him if not, and so why I don't see any great antipathy toward alternate solutions that might be proposed as alternate solutions need be expressed toward those that proposed them.
Why pull everyone down to the least common denominator? Can’t solder, so not a viable option, so don’t suggest. Some folks are frightened with the thought of using epoxy, so don’t suggest. I guess suggestions for issues such as this need to be limited to Silly Puddy and duct tape? Or maybe rubber bands? Unless a particular ‘builder’ has a fear or aversion to rubber bands. I hear they can be pretty unforgiving to beginners.
Personally, like @James Kibler suggestion to silver braze. If silver brazing is not already in one’s tool box, maybe time to up their game.
Fair enough, and thank you for opinions expressed without anatomical references.
I agree that the metal repair is the way to go. I also know that hard soldering, even with easy grade of silver solder is not necessarily a beginner’s level skill (or would they have an acetylene air torch). He (or she) could soft solder on the extension. If I were to do that I would file a bevel (in opposite directions, if that makes any visual sense) on both parts, this would allow for a greater area to be soldered, thus a stronger joint. Fitting the beveled areas one to the other would be pretty essential to a strong joint. They could do the soft solder job with your standard propane torch that you can pick up on the cheap from your local DIY center. Although most probably already have one.
flatcreek
40 Cal
I'm sorry, I just say what I think. I don't cleverly talk down to people and try to discredit there well meaning suggestions. A supporting member gets to look at other post that don't pertain to muzzleloaders, I have no desire to do that and support other things that have a higher priority to me.
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I have the ability to join metal parts to be a very useful addition to the gun builders tool box. Lately I have been extending the length of the forward trigger guard lug, which then allows the pin to be hidden between the lock and side plates.
I’d fill the remaining inlet with a piece of sheet brass cut to fit. Have this brass piece engraved with your initials before final insertion.
You make a valid point. It wasn't until recently I "dove into" silver soldering. It wasn't really expensive to do this. I bought my supples from Rio Grande.
The materials I use are:
--Mapp gas torch. Pick this up at your local hardware. Amazon will ship you two for $38. You can use an existing propane screw on torch head
--8-feet Silver Solder 20ga. hard $19.
--Grifflux flux. $22. You have to have flux for Silver Solder or your wasting your time.
--Acetone. Clean all parts that are going to be soldered with Acetone....or again, you're wasting your time.
So, depending upon what you may already have, you could do this for under $60. Up to just over $100 if you don't have anything.
It's not all that difficult.....believe me....if I can do it, anyone can do it. And once you figure out how to silver solder, you will find other stuff that you will use this on.
