In which I attempt to build a Pecatonica Blunderbuss

[CyrusP]

I just read what Jacob Halsey did to that beadle. THAT will leave a lasting impression!

 

[Drain_Bamage]

Ok, assembly plan is coming together. My apologies for the stream of consciousness but as mentioned previously this is the first time I've done anything like this and I have a lot to learn. I appreciate being able to search, post questions, and learn from all the folks on this forum, current and past.

As stated previously, the set included some misc hardware beyond the tang and lock bolts.
3x #4 screws
3x #6 screws
2x #10 screws
5x 15ga 0.072" finishing nails (probably 5d)

It's probably a generic set of hardware and not all of it is intended to be used. My planning for the hardware and assembly is as follows:

The 2x #10 are probably intended for the buttplate, which I guess makes sense. I've come to learn the tab on the bottom of the top tang should get a pin? I've never worked with pins so this should be an adventure. I've read A LOT of threads here on the forum about drilling pins, and picked up a lot of good tips.



The trigger guard has tabs cast in for at least 3 pins, perhaps 4 if I work one of the sprues into a tab... the one above the acorn finial. I haven't seen a lot of these held in by screws, and it feels like screws would detract from the long flowing lines of the trigger guard.



Examination of the trigger assembly itself doesn't immediately reveal how its supposed to be attached. At first I assumed a single #4 or #6 wood screw will fit in the forward part of the trigger plate, mostly because I come from Thompson Center land where this is common in these mass produced guns. I was looking at drill fixture ideas for pins and stumbled across this image on the RE Davis site:


(Source: http://www.redaviscompany.com/0883.html Apologies for the fuzzy image, its due to the 250% zoom)

Which of course turned on the light bulb in my head ...and because I hadn't yet read that far ahead in any of my reference material. At first I assumed I'd have to sink a big anchor of some sort into the wrist for the tang screw, but this seems much more elegant. I need to keep reminding myself not to assume I know how to do things as this will surely lead me to costly mistakes. This assembly method for the tang screw and trigger assembly does make sense from a strength standpoint I'm just not sure if the angles will match up. I'm also not against switching to a different trigger/trigger plate assembly (english fowler style, maybe?) for better alignment options with the tang screw.

Ramrod pipes get single pins, obviously, though I'm thinking I may not need to use all 3 of the supplied pipes. One inlet pipe at the ramrod hole in the stock and a second near the muzzle looks like it may be sufficient? It's not like this thing is going to need a lot of support for such a short rod. How exactly do you determine the distance from the fore-end tip of the stock to install the forward pipe?

And that's all of it, as far as I can tell. That's 3-4 pins on the trigger guard, another 2-3 pins on the pipes, 2 pins on the barrel, and 2 screws and 1 pin on the buttplate. If anyone has any alternative recommendations for assembly, I'd love to hear them! Thanks!

 

[James Kibler]

First you should buy a good book on building muzzleloaders. I would suggest Recreating the American Longrifle. Next, I would suggest taking the time to study original examples in detail. If you search you will find MANY examples online.

 

[Drain_Bamage]

It’s a set of component parts from various manufacturers. There’s lots of work to be done to get them to marry but it takes work. Take it step by step.
And yes, You’ll need more than a piece of sandpaper to get it done.

For certain! Just gotta eat that elephant one bite at a time. Fortunately, many who have come before me have consumed and documented their processes.

Try to draw a center line to keep you buttplate, trigger guard, thimbles, and barrel lined up and straight. Might be hard to do with a pre carved stock but it will help!

I cannot stress how much of a fantastic recommendation this is for a project like this, thank you for bringing it up! It's hard enough to keep things symmetrical, even worse when its all rounded surfaces. Unfortunately I'm going to be able to get out the height gauge and surface plate for this one.

It’s not a Kibler, that’s for sure! Looks to be a really fun project though! Can’t wait to see the progress on this blunderbuss.

Thanks! My only promise is that progress will be faster than the University of Queensland pitch drop experiment. Maybe.

I do sometimes wish I'd started with a smaller project... I've seen a couple of Kibler Woodsrunner 'quick ships' in the last couple of months that probably would have been a better fit for my skill level. I'd still like to build one and there is always a small percentage chance that one might interrupt this project. One never knows what the future will bring!

Drain_Bamage,
You do have two excellent books to guide you through the process.
Rule one is never get in a hurry.
When you run into a problem you are not sure about stop
and give it thought before proceeding.

Sage advice, for sure. I do tend to get in a rush to get things done, so its always a good reminder. The books are great, as is the forum, I just need to make sure to use the resources therein. Thanks for looking and taking the time to reply.

I have built these things for over 50 years and have only used
a pre-carve stock three times. They will have their challenges.
I prefer to work from a plank.

Having now 'seen the elephant' with regards to a pre-carve, I have a much better understanding of why someone would even consider working from a plank. You are absolutely right, they have their challenges.

I might also mention that I have tried different coatings to indicate
where to remove wood. I always go back to candle smoke, it
gives a very thin coating that transfers very well.

Using smoke (candle or oil lamp) does seem to be the most commonly referenced and recommended method, I can only imagine that's for good reason.

Since you are a "retarded" machinist you will recognize problems
quicker than most people starting out.

Hey now, I said 'recovering' machinist!
But you are correct! It does give me a little better understanding of how to do things, although wood being a completely different medium from what I'm used to working with does change the calculus quite a bit. One of the biggest things the layperson does not understand about machine work, be that manual or CNC based, is the time and effort that goes into layout and preparation for the job. Work holding, materials selection, tool selection, order of operations, they all play a crucial role. When I worked with CNC machines there were a lot of people who just assumed you wiggled your fingers at the computer or at the console and it would spit out perfect parts, and that couldn't be further from the truth. But I digress. All that to say the experience as a machinist can be a blessing and a curse. The same principals apply, but with a different set of rules n' tools. Hopefully I'm up to the challenge.

Keep your nose in those books and if you still have a question
post it on here. You will get plenty of answers and some
of them will be correct!
Good luck and keep posting your progress.
Barry

Thanks Barry! I do very much appreciate the reply. I'm not afraid to ask questions, though sometimes its tough to figure out which ones to ask or how. Of course I'd rather briefly feel stupid about asking a question than not ask and completely screw something up. I'll try to keep posting as I move forward, mistakes and all.

Anyway, I type too much. Thanks again for the replies

 

[PathfinderNC]

So, no actual work done yet?