Building a Pecatonica Tennessee Classic Longrifle

[PathfinderNC]

Thank you. Maybe you can do a fix like that instead of fighting poor castings...

Wouldn’t that be cool! I’m not much good at metal work unfortunately.

 

[PathfinderNC]

Very slow work getting this rear entry pipe in, but I finally did it. *whew*

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

Very slow work getting this rear entry pipe in, but I finally did it. *whew*

Looks good!

 

[LawrenceA]

Very slow work getting this rear entry pipe in, but I finally did it. *whew*

Nothing wrong with that.
Well done

 

[4575wcf]

There isn't that much difference between cutting wood and steel outside of the cutting speeds involved. Most of the tools for handworking either are similar. True that the metal requires more force and time, but it also holds shape better and there is no splitting. Don't sell yourself short, as a gunmaker you will have to master at least three or four trades before it is all said and done. The correct answer is--I am not much of a metalworker YET.

 

[PathfinderNC]

There isn't that much difference between cutting wood and steel outside of the cutting speeds involved. Most of the tools for handworking either are similar. True that the metal requires more force and time, but it also holds shape better and there is no splitting. Don't sell yourself short, as a gunmaker you will have to master at least three or four trades before it is all said and done. The correct answer is--I am not much of a metalworker YET.

Well, In some ways yes but other ways not so much.

There isn't that much difference between cutting wood and steel outside of the cutting speeds involved. Most of the tools for handworking either are similar. True that the metal requires more force and time, but it also holds shape better and there is no splitting. Don't sell yourself short, as a gunmaker you will have to master at least three or four trades before it is all said and done. The correct answer is--I am not much of a metalworker YET.

In my limited experience there is alot of difference between woodworking and metalwork, though I appreciate your comparison. I sure agree on the need for a variety of skills in the marriage of wood to metal and metal to metal. I am not there "yet" by far but plugging away at it. As a luthier, my 'expertise' is primarily wood and strings. I make these:

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

Well, In some ways yes but other ways not so much.

In my limited experience there is alot of difference between woodworking and metalwork, though I appreciate your comparison. I sure agree on the need for a variety of skills in the marriage of wood to metal and metal to metal. I am not there "yet" by far but plugging away at it. As a luthier, my 'expertise' is primarily wood and strings. I make these:

Fine looking Dulcimers! I'm sure you play them as well. I pick the guitar and sing.

 

[4575wcf]

You can all be pleased that I do not pick anything or sing, probably sound like a couple of tomcats fighting in a hardware pantry. I better stick to the guns.

 

[PathfinderNC]

You can all be pleased that I do not pick anything or sing, probably sound like a couple of tomcats fighting in a hardware pantry. I better stick to the guns.

Well I also am no singer too, but I can eek out a tune on the Dulcimer. This was my 99th Mountain Dulcimer build, finished a month before we finally moved out of NJ for NC

 

[Bassdog1]

I really enjoyed the video

 

[muzzlediscipline]

I was kinda hoping you would break out in song. Nice sound from a well made instrument.

 

[Hatman/2nd line]

Well I also am no singer too, but I can eek out a tune on the Dulcimer. This was my 99th Mountain Dulcimer build, finished a month before we finally moved out of NJ for NC

Very nice, enjoyed the video, often thought I'd like one of those, would go good with a colonial outfit!

 

[Pete G]

I’m not much good at metal work unfortunately.

You won't get any better by not doing it.... Very few old rifles were without flaws.

 

[4575wcf]

I laid in my forge, blower and a decent sized anvil not so long ago. When the stored building materials are all used up out of our old Model T garage on the property I intend to rebuild it into a small classic style barn and set the treadle lathe, post drill, long stem vise, forge etc. up out there. Some of my previous manufacturing experience will come into play no doubt, but I am going to be a fresh-faced newbie to the blacksmithing thing. Just another step in learning the thousand and one things you gotta know how to do in order to scratch build every piece.

 

[4575wcf]

Great video! I would say you have pretty well mastered the woodworking end of the gunsmith trade. Those dulcimers cannot be an easy article to get out and get right. You are willing to put in the time to arrive at a good inletting job on the rifle, and that is the real secret. Whenever my natural impatience overrides my desire to do the best work I can, quality suffers. Do you make your living from the dulcimers, or is it a secondary career? I for one, have never attempted to make my living by producing a product, preferring the security? of selling my time to others. Now that I am semi-retired with a partial retirement income, things are looking a mite differently. What is your method employed for making the necessary bends in the wood?

 

[PathfinderNC]

Great video! I would say you have pretty well mastered the woodworking end of the gunsmith trade. Those dulcimers cannot be an easy article to get out and get right. You are willing to put in the time to arrive at a good inletting job, and that is the real secret. Whenever my natural impatience overrides my desire to do the best work I can, quality suffers. Do you make your living from the dulcimers, or is it a secondary career?

It took a leap of faith but I quit my career of thirty years and became a full- time luthier about three years ago (I started making Mountain Dulcimers as a hobby in 1988 or so). It was a wild change of gears but I had lots of encouragement from family, friends and customers. My new business took off like crazy and even sell internationally now (Canada, Ireland and Australia). The rifle building is supplementary and I really enjoy the variety of making either flintlocks, Dulcimers or Scheitholts along with custom cases.
And with my wife’s job flexibility we were able to move our family out of New Jersey to our new home on North Carolina. That’s been another blessing!

 

[PathfinderNC]

So I have an awesome pinning jug that drills the pin holes (and bolt holes) in the exact place you want them to go. But I needed something to help me know where to put the barrel and Ramrod pipe pins before I can drill the holes. I came up with this simple thing that did the trick. It's a variation of something already out there but I didn't have one so it's now part of my stuff.
To work it, I simply laid the wooden block across the top of the barrel channel. I have a dowel that passes through in a hole, which I push down until it contacts with the bottom of the barrel channel. Then, because one end of the block is longer, I lay it across the stock with the dowel laying against the outside of the stock and locate where the bottom of the barrel is. I give an additional bit of space for the tang and mark the spot. Then I do the same on the other side of the stock. Next, I set-up then drill jig and get a nicely placed pin hole. I will do the same procedure for the barrel lugs.
It takes the guess-work out of drilling these scarry pin holes !

 

[PathfinderNC]

Here I have the two other ramrod pipes in today.

 

[4575wcf]

Well I envy you the courage to strike out on your own. The word "career" is an interesting one today. The only folks with careers now seem to be the public employees, doctors, dentists, etc. The private sector strives to do as little as possible for the employee these days for a multitude of good reasons. Makes it questionable whether the sacrifice really sums up anymore. At any rate I am almost finished with my working out years and moving into my working at home years. Bring it on.

 

[muzzlediscipline]

So I have an awesome pinning jug that drills the pin holes (and bolt holes) in the exact place you want them to go. But I needed something to help me know where to put the barrel and Ramrod pipe pins before I can drill the holes. I came up with this simple thing that did the trick. It's a variation of something already out there but I didn't have one so it's now part of my stuff.
To work it, I simply laid the wooden block across the top of the barrel channel. I have a dowel that passes through in a hole, which I push down until it contacts with the bottom of the barrel channel. Then, because one end of the block is longer, I lay it across the stock with the dowel laying against the outside of the stock and locate where the bottom of the barrel is. I give an additional bit of space for the tang and mark the spot. Then I do the same on the other side of the stock. Next, I set-up then drill jig and get a nicely placed pin hole. I will do the same procedure for the barrel lugs.
It takes the guess-work out of drilling these scarry pin holes !

did you build the drilling jig? This is just what I need to fix the mis drilled holes in my stock.