Baby steps on inletting a lock

[mahkagari]

I'm restocking my Traditions percussion pistol as a skills practice project. Instructions and videos I see talk about taking the lock apart down to its plate and tracing the inlet from there.

That idea has me more nervous than taking apart the back of my VCR. My thought is to make a stencil, trace that on, drill a starter hole to accommodate the sear arm, and then use marking on the springs to start inletting before getting to the plate.

Anyone care to yell at me if I'm going the totally wrong way on this?

 

[Vaino]

Disassembling your lock isn't difficult at all but you will need a mainspring vise. Also some screw drivers that fit the slots in the screws.

I use Visegrips to compress the frizzen spring after it has been taped to avoid marring it.

A square pointed piece of brass is req'd to separate the cock or hammer from the tumbler by straddling the lock plate on a couple of parallels, placing the square end on the square of the tumbler and striking it w/ a hammer.

Note where the screws go because some can be nearly the same length.

Possibly you might want to take a closeup pic of the lock before disassembling it.

Buy a "how to" book that explains the disassembly.

W/ just the bare plate, position it on the wood and outline the bolster and inlet it so the plate lies flat. The inlet for the bolster's upper edge is critical because an overrun will show.

The edges of the lockplate will need to be drafted {a slight angle filed on} and then the lockplate is located and clamped. The lockplate is then outlined and I use an Xacto knife, but some just pencil the outline. Inlet the depth so the bolster has full contact w/ the bbl. A spotting agent is req'd to mark the high spots and also the tight spots of the perimeter of the lockplate. It's also used to achieve full contact of the bolster w/ the bbl.

This is a short version of inletting a lock.

Very few, if any builders inlet an assembled lock and those that do are very experienced.

Buy a good "how to" book...it'll answer your many questions......Fred

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

You will avoid many issues by disassembling the lock before trying to inlet it into the stock wood, as Fred has mentioned there are those that do inlet the lock as a complete unit but they are very advanced builders.

 

[stevenjay1]

Before you do it for real, practice inletting on a piece of 2x4 pine. Cheap, easy to cut and you will learn a lot. Besides, mistakes will not cost you a lot. I inletted several 2x4's, it was an education and gave me the confidence to do it on a real stock. Good Luck, Steve

 

[Spikebuck]

I remember the first time I disassembled a lock. I was as nervous as you are. But, I had a procedure in my reference book and it was not a problem at all. I think Fred's advice to take a picture is a good one...make's sure you remember how things go back together.

ALSO, if your lock has a stirrup connecting the mainspring to the Tumbler, be careful to note exactly how that piece is in there. It's a little "s" shaped connector and put in upside down, it might break. Only some locks have them.

The other thing is to put that darned "fly" (if your lock has one) into a little zip bag or stick it on a piece of tape. They are so small they can have a habit of hiding or "walking" away! :wink: :grin: If your lock has one, you'll see it when you remove the bridle...it's a tiny piece that sits in a cutout in the tumbler.

Lastly, I actually have a series of pictures in my Frontier Rebuild Flickr album showing disassembly of a Chambers lock. The pics start right on page one of the album. This is a builder's lock, so the plate is square, but doesn't matter. Procedure to take apart is the same. If you double-click on a picture, it makes it big, and below it is my description commentary of what I am doing. Using the arrows, you can move from big picture to big picture. Hope it helps you. BTW...this one does not have a stirrup, but does have a fly.


Frontier Rebuild Album

 

[Col. Batguano]

Good advivce on the fly. I take blue masking tape and keep the screws, tumbler, and fly all taped together until I'm ready to put them back in the lock plate. All the parts--everything goes in a zip lock baggie until I'm ready to take them back out. When possible, I try to keep all the screws taped to the original parts they came out with. With big fat obvious ones , like the cock screw there's no need, but the 3-4 others can be pretty close to the same size.

When re-installing the 2 bridle screws, some folks like to file them flush to the lock plate, and some people like the look of the rounded end bump sticking through. It's personal preference thing, but most original rifles I've seen seem to have the end bump of the screw ends proud to the lock plate.

 

[ZUG]

When re-installing the 2 bridle screws, some folks like to file them flush to the lock plate, and some people like the look of the rounded end bump sticking through. It's personal preference thing, but most original rifles I've seen seem to have the end bump of the screw ends proud to the lock plate.

For me I like to round the screw ends that screw into the plate - this helps to start the screw and prevent cross-threading. Plus I like the look of it :v

 

[kansas_volunteer]

I agree on the Xacto knife. Use the pencil sized blade holder and the very sharply pointed blade, I don't remember the number. If you use a pencil, use a regular pencil, not a carpenter's pencil, but sharpen it to a sharp chisel point like the carpenters used to do. Don't push too hatd.

 

[Vaino]

I use an Xacto knife to outline all the parts that are inletted.....actually use 2 blades. One is used as is and is for inside corners and the other blade has a small radius for outlining most of the lengths. When using the "as is" blade care has to be taken otherwise the tip will break off....very fragile......Fred

 

[Zonie]

I do all of the initial cutting in around lock plates, trigger guards, patch boxes etc. with a pointed blade Exacto knife using the outside of the object to position the tip as close to its side as possible.

When finished, the fit of the part to the wood is a "line to line" fit with absolutely no gaps at all.

That said, for you folks who are new to doing this with a Exacto here's a bit of advice.

Before using the blade, use a whet stone or sandpaper to dull up at least 1/2 of the blade edge nearest to the handle.

This area of the blade will not be used to inlay the part so if it is dull it won't hurt anything.

If you don't dull up this area of the blade, expect to be working and suddenly notice there are red stains appearing all over the place.

It won't take you long to find your finger(s) is/are leaking blood everywhere.

These blades are so sharp they can (and will) cut you and you won't feel a thing.
At least, you won't feel it until you realize your leaking badly all over your stock.

Try to stick to investing just sweat and tears.
Blood, sweat and tears are harder to get off of the wood. :grin:

 

[MSW]

i would advise against making a stencil ... any error in the tracing will be multiplied in the retracing on the stock.

i would also advise against using a vise grip pliers to compress the mainspring. i'll be the first to admit that, in my ill considered youth, i did this; and i got away with it. mostly. a proper spring vise is a good investment, and it's a tool you'll use in the future, so screw your courage to the sticking point and buy one.

since i'm advising against stuff, don't let the fly (or flye, or however you want to spel it) out of your fingers except to put it into a film can or a medicine bottle. put a bit of blue tape over that with the name of the part. i put the other parts in a tupperware container, and i never never ever take more than one part from the tupperware container at a time until i'm putting the entire lock back together.

once you become comfortable at disassembly and reassembly of the lock, avoid the temptation - do not overtighten the screws. this will cause the works to bind up and the lock will not function as it should.

i use Zonie's method about the #11 X-Acto blade, but i don't dull the back half of the blade - i just put a few wraps of masking tape over the edge. He's right: getting bloodstains out of the stock can be an embarrassing pain in the [whatever], and you always seem to cut yourself right before the important meeting or some other very inconvenient time ... grrrrr...
:redface: :redface: :redface:
inletting black can be had from Track of the Wolf, and a number of other outlets as well. use it sparingly, or you will get "transfer" when really there isn't: you want transfer, not smear.

be sure to get the best lighting you possibly can. Aside from sharp tools, good lighting is the most cost- efficient move you can make.

good luck with your build!

 

[Vaino]

I've used a Visegrips on frizzen springs numerpus times. In fact on all my builds w/o problems....just requires some care.

Using an Xacto knife is partly responsible for the saying....."blood and tears".

Once while outlining a Ppox, I stood back to rest the eyes and inadvertently let go of the Xacto knife. It dropped and like an arrow went through the shoe leather and sock and ended up vertically stuck in my big toe. Pulled it out, took off my shoe and sock which by this time was soaked in blood. Anyways after a awhile the bleeding stopped and the Pbox got outlined......Fred

 

[mahkagari]

Found this on disassembling the lock. I'll review it some more and see if I feel less dread. Anyone want to offer notes on it?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=di4VhHeUxgo[/youtube] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=di4VhHeUxgo

Interesting that TOW's got the better price on mainspring vises. Will see if there's anything else I need from them. Dammit. Every time I come in here you people cost me another fifty bucks.

 

[Col. Batguano]

Right. It's always a good idea when using gouges and sharp knives to say to yourself; "Where will this go if it slips or I drop it?" I don't think there's an experienced builder out there that hasn't used up at least one box of band-aids. Note; be careful with welding torches too.

 

[Ames]

This is how I learned to stich myself years ago. I bet I saved enough on doctor bills by now to justify another build. :hmm:

 

[jerrywh]

Always inlay the plate first. Put all your parts in a can or jar and keep them together. Fly's fly. Watch out for that.

 

[BigBoreBLR]

What happens when your mostly inlet on the lockplate, but need to get the pan surface level with the barrel?

I'm in letting a lock right now, but feel I'm digging too deeply on the tail.

Should you clamp in the middle of the plate and inlet down till it meets up. Or clamp at the pan.

The front is flush, but the rear of the pan is about .005 at the top, and .010 at the bottom.

I got a tvm builder kit early virginia. However, it's a 13/16ths 45 barrel. So it may appear I'm digging to china because the stock outline is somewhat generic.

 

[Col. Batguano]

Bear in mind that the lock bolts are going to snug it tighter against the barrel flats too, but the finish and stains will also swell the wood. Inlet it until it's really really close all the way around with hand pressure. You can always come back to it and dig it in deeper. If you've already removed the wood in front of, or behind the lock, (so that the nose or the tail of the lock extend beyond the available wood) then you'll have little alternative but to file the lock bolster until you get a good solid contact front to rear.

Though experienced builders that do everything perfectly every time don't need it, lots of people use that epoxy putty or a sawdust-glue paste to build places up in they've over-inletted. It's not correct, but if it doesn't show it does work.

The most important thing is that you get a good solid contact between the lock bolster and the side flat, and that no powder can trickle in to the lock recess. If powder can get in there, then fire from the pan can. If powder AND fire get together, they can find a way to exit at a weak point, probably where the wood is thinnest, like between the back of the main spring, and in to the ramrod channel, but you never know where things will fail when you are doing destructive testing.

It's very difficult to know if your lock is 100% flush / flat or 90 degrees to the lock bolster. One way to tell is with your exacto knife, If there is no gap at the top edge, and no gap at the bottom of the pan then you're probably good. But, even a sharp knife blade has SOME thickness to it, which is certainly thicker than a gas molecule.

The even more accurate way would be to flash some powder in the pan (before you finish everything). If you can do it pre-vent hole drilling, and with the frizzen cover closed that will help build the pressure a little bit to help seek out any weak points in the contact. Don't worry too much about the pressure. If it's too much it will just flip the frizzen open. Remove the lock and look at the barrel flat. If there is a good solid demarcation line with the top edge of the lock, and bottom of the pan, and no powder fouling seems to have gone below the contact line, then you're good.

 

[BigBoreBLR]

The book the gunsmith if Grenville county explains how to put it in. It also explains trouble spots like lock bolt placement.

Your lock is located already and you have a known placement of everything. So, some things necessary to make a well placed well fitted pock will not be learned.

Also, factory guns can be lacking on proper trigger geometry. You may want to investigate trigger placement.

Don't be afraid to take the lock apart. I've fixed both locks and vcrs this one is alot easier.

Get a Plano plastic box to put the stuff in.

Taking apart and putting back is easy, finding missing parts is tough.