First Gun Build Questions

This whole thread is getting crazy.

Agreed, but the good advise was that my chisels were not sharp enough from the photo's and from that I have learned some good advice.

And from my days of learning how to shave with a straight razor, I remember the strop was used just to tale the fine burr/curl off the tip and realign and polish the cutting edge.

I think if I were to go use the grinder to strop, I would get my grandpa's old hand crack bench grinder out, buy a leather stropping wheel on it and keep it nice and slow.

 

[jdkerstetter]

I think we are getting a little carried away here. Once a good sharp edge is established on a chisel or carving tool it only takes a couple quick strokes on the strop to polish the edge.

Zonie does what works for him and obviously has extensive practice at it. As was being alluded to above, if you don't know what you're doing power stropping can be counter productive. For the beginner I would suggest leather and wood strops.

In carving strops are mainly to touch up the edge as work is in progress to maintain the edge. Couple of swipes...done. Keeping one on the bench, you can do it faster than it takes to turn on the grinder.

Enjoy, J.D.

 

Okay, lock is fully inlet, and lock screws are in and all set. Next up are the barrel lugs....need to get some key stock to practice on first. I'l get some pictures up when I have a chance.

 

When laying out where to place the underlugs, should I also lay out the approx positions of the ramrod pipes too? The reason I ask is I have the lugs, but am still waiting on the pipes. Something in the back of my head is telling me to wait, but was curious of the collective wisdom here.

Thanks....John

 

[Bruce Bogart]

You do not HAVE to wait but make certain you draw out where your pipes are going to be installed and then decide where you sights are going to go on the barrel topside. Avoid both the pipes and the sights. The dovetails should not be stacked across from one another. While waiting for parts do some layout. Planning is good, corrections are not so good. Use a sharpie on the barrel (cleaned off with alcohol) and pencil on the stock. Take the down time to plan. Take it from a guy that's made some rediculous mistakes.

 

Am I correct that the photos of the stuff in TOTW is all full size? Just want to make sure since that is where I got the stuff from and I can measure from the catalog. I thought I remembered reading someplace that they always use full size photos except for the rifles.

I've been working on practicing my dovetails on some bar stock I picked up too. First one I did last night, and it came out okay, but not perfect just yet. Glad I got the scrap bar stock to practice on.

 

[jdkerstetter]

You are correct. Full size. That's what makes that catalog such a valuable resorce. Enjoy, J.D.

 

It's also one of the most beautiful catalogs I have seen. In all the dealings I have had with TOTW, they have been outstanding with customer service too.

 

Still waiting on my parts, so I have been practicing my dovetails on bar stock. Last night I had a nice one going, and the lug was able to get in halfway and then it became stuck. I presume that if this had been for the barrel, I would just lightly tap it into place, correct? Since I don't want these lugs to get stuck in the bar stock, I have been leaving the dovetails a bit loose, but for the real thing I know I want them tight, correct?

 

[Zonie]

Correct.

A loose dovetail is a useless dovetail that will have to be fixed before it can be used.

 

[Birddog6]

Well. everyone does it different, but for a long time now I don't start a rifle unless I have Every Part on hand......

If they have been ordered over a week, you best call them. I waited 6 mo on a barrel & a lock one time from them, never again. ALWAYS ask them if they are in stock, as if not, it could put a big delay on the build just waiting on a part.

Make sure the inlet for the pipes & the underlugs don't interfere with each other, and you want them spaced as even a distance apart as possible, with exception to the first underlug. Mark the place where you want the underlug on the forestock, then set the place for the Muzzle end underlug, then evenly space the one or two in between.
On pipes, mark entrypipe place, muzzle end pipe place, then the inbetween pipe or pipes.

I lay them all out at one time (including the nosecap) & mark the barrel & stock with a permanent marker, front & rear of each pipe & Lug, put a U in between the lug lines, and a P in between the pipe lines.

Keith Lisle

 

Well, in a perfect world I would love to buy everything all at once, but since the money supply is limited, I am buying as I can. I know, I should have waited until I had all the funds.

 

Woo-hoo!! I made all the dovetails an installed all the lugs. Did all the tenon's in the stock for the lugs (with no slop fore to aft) and drilled for all the pins, and everything is locked in place now!! No missed pin holes. Now I just need to make the holes in the lugs more of a slot.

Am I correct that the trigger get's inlet next and then the buttstock gets taken care of?

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

Trigger after the lock is set and secured.

 

[jtpotter]

Good or you, can't wait to be at that stage myself.
how do you plan on elongating thepin holes?

 

Tom, the lock is already installed (except for the side plate being inlet). I guess maybe I should take care of that too while I'm at it so the screw doesn't mar up the wood.

I was going to use some needle files to elongate the pin holes. I was thinking of using my dremel with a cutting but, but I figure the risk is just too much. I'll do things the old school way for now and enjoy the experience.

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

Then yes, trigger, trigger guard, (establish LOP) butt plate, toe plate, pipes, nose cap, lock panels, wrist, butt stock, fore arm, etc.

Each piece as a small job in the overall project.

 

So what is the placement in the tang for where the bolt hole should go? My tang is sort of an in between size at 3". In most of the pictures I have studied, it looks as if the tang screw is positioned right behind the hammer screm at an angle to the trigger plate. I would assume you would not want a sharp angle so it holds everything together properly.

With the tang at 3" though, do I just use a wood screw at the tip if it needs something?

Also, with the trigger (I have a double set trigger) I have the thing inlet and I lined the set screw up with where the seer is so that the trigger tripps it. Is that the rigt alignment? The recreating the AL book I believe stated this was the right spot, but is there better advice?

Thanks,

John

 

[jdkerstetter]

With the tang bolt you cosinder utility and looks. 3/5th's of the way back from the breech looks best. Seriously. (Some of the sharper guys here can guess why I say that.:grin Lay it out and make sure it will hit the trigger plate before you drill.

Since your trigger plate is already inlet then the tang bolt will hold the front in and you will be using a countersunk small wood screw to hold the back in.

Often SMR's use a long straight tang with two or more wood screws and no bolt going through to the trigger plate. The plate is also retained by wood screws. I did mine ala Hawken and used two tang bolts, one into the front of the trigger plate and one into the back. I had recycled an original (or at least very old) set of triggers and they had been treaded that way originally.

On set triggers, provided your set screw centered between the trigger bars you are OK. With the back trigger unset and the two trigger bars should form a "V". The center of this "V" is where your sear arm should be. Guess I don't have to tell you that you should have asked this before they were inlet.

Enjoy, J.D.

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

JD is correct in his information, also if you follow the advise about 3/5ths they you'll be golden.

:grin: