Inlay question

[chipper]

I inlayed a star into the stock of the rifle I'm building. I used Elmers wood glue to hold it in. I was peening the butt plate and out popped the inlay. Any suggestions? I guess a brass brad would do it but I like the look of a glued in inlay.

Regards
Wounded Knee

 

[Roy]

Use epoxy next time. I usually make small cut nails out of the same metal that I make the inlay out of and hardly ever use glue. That way when all said and done the nails when dressed off practically disapear.

 

[Erzulis boat]

I solder (2% silver is plenty) a tiny flat head brass wood screw or two after it is inlet to standard.

Then simply drill or chisel a little hole and glue it in.

Saw it in a good gunbuilding book years ago. The gunsmith was named Dale Storry?

 

I agree with Roy, his suggestion works for me and also worked for the old timers 150+ years ago.
:thumbsup:

 

[chipper]

I solder (2% silver is plenty) a tiny flat head brass wood screw or two after it is inlet to standard.

Then simply drill or chisel a little hole and glue it in.

Saw it in a good gunbuilding book years ago. The gunsmith was named Dale Storry?

I've never soldered brass before, any thing I should know? Use mapp gas I suppose.
Where do I get 2% silver solder? Is this a special mix?

Regards

 

[Harddog]

Loyd,

Most inlays on original American made muzzleloaders are nailed in with small iron nails. You drill chamfer the holes so that when you nail the inlay into the stock the head of the nail is actually peened down into the chamfer. Then you file the nail heads flush with the inlay. I use small square, tapered shank shoemaker's nails for nailing in my inlays. I do predrill undersize holes for the nails. The idea of using brass nails for brass inlays and silver nails for silver inlays is pretty much a modern idea. Only on fine muzzleloaders did you uaually see silver nails in silver inlays.

Randy Hedden

 

[Erzulis boat]

For the soldering-

Radio Shack sells very fine diameter (maybe as fine as a 64th) that is 2% silver, and is quite strong.

Due to the tiny diameter, MAPP is not required. I use Acetylene with a small tip. A soldering iron just doesn't have the "juice", and will result in a cold joint.

Flux both the screw head, and the basic location for it on the back of the inlay.

Heat it up (maybe 5-7 seconds) until the flux flows. Pull the torch away (important step!), then set the solder on the flux. It might stick a little, or just sit there not melting. PERFECT.

Now, take the torch back into action, and the solder will melt into a little dollop. If you try to put the solder down initially with the torch blowing, the gas pressure will always push it away, and you will never get it where you want it.

Put the roll of solder aside, and with a small flat blade screwdriver, smear the solder into a thin film (heat is on it with the flame).

It will tin perfectly every time.

Repeat the process for the screw.

Apply flux again to both tinned surfaces.


Set the screw where you want it, apply light pressure (just to hold it, and to prevent it getting blown away), and heat it until it re-flows.

Takes a few seconds, and makes a mechanical joint for retention if you decide to forego little brass nails.

 

[Roy]

The idea of using brass nails for brass inlays and silver nails for silver inlays is pretty much a modern idea. Only on fine muzzleloaders did you uaually see silver nails in silver inlays.
Randy Hedden

Thanks for the info. I am curious about this, since the originals from different time periods that I have seen I never noticed iron nails. Seems like they would sort of stick out (color change). Not trying to be a smart--- just curious where you got this info, or have seen this. Deffinately something I will keep a look out for in the future. :thumbsup:

 

[Harddog]

The idea of using brass nails for brass inlays and silver nails for silver inlays is pretty much a modern idea. Only on fine muzzleloaders did you uaually see silver nails in silver inlays.
Randy Hedden

Thanks for the info. I am curious about this, since the originals from different time periods that I have seen I never noticed iron nails. Seems like they would sort of stick out (color change). Not trying to be a smart--- just curious where you got this info, or have seen this. Deffinately something I will keep a look out for in the future. :thumbsup:

Roy,

This comes from 30-40 years of looking at and handling early American made originals. However, I must preface this with the fact that my area of study and building is the 18th century. I don't know, nor have ever thought about how inlays were installed in later plains style and others of the mid to late 19th century, but they didn't seem to have near as many inlays as the earlier rifles, if any at all. It is a generally known fact among those who collect and study old originals that iron nails were the most often used method to attach inlays as well as a lot of patchboxes.

Once iron or steel is filed and polished to a fine bright finish then it does not rust or tarnish to any great extent. I have a pistol that I hand polished the barrel and lock to a 1200 wet/dry mirror bright finish about ten years ago. It lays around in my basement workshop without any special care given to keeping the metal bright and the only rust or discoloration is some slight bit of rust in the bottom of some of the engraving cuts where, of course, it is not polished.

When using iron nails on silver they actually blend in quite well. They are a little off color from the silver, but not that much. When using iron nails on brass inlays the color difference is noticeable, but not unpleasing to the eye especially if the nails are centerd or equally spaced. A random placement of the nails would be more noticeable. Many times the filed off nail heads lie within the engraving pattern and the engraving cuts right through the nail heads. This makes the nail heads even more unnoticeable.

As indicated in my previous message I would expect to see silver nails on inlays on fine quality rifles like those from the 18th century English makers.

Randy Hedden

 

[Roy]

Thanks! :thumbsup: