InLetting a trigger,,HELP!?

I'm mid-stream building my 3rd rifle,,but this is the 1st that's not a precarved/inlet kit. I'm building a "schimel/poorboy" style .40 cal iron trimmed capper off an Allentown/Bethlehem stock from Track. I have the barrel-n-breech,and lock inlet done with the sear hole in position and it's tyme to install the double set Davis trigger. (follow so far?)
Here's the question(s). I have disassembled the trigger, so I have just the plate to mark and inlet. I have a center line and the proper "lever" position marked out.

(?)Should I bevel the trigger plate with a file prior to my inlet attempt and file the pivot pins later?

(?)And, how can I get a good "blacking" mark applied to the stock for inletting with that big hump in the Davis trigger plate??
Anyone tried this before?? I guess I'm concerned about not getting the trigger straight with my center line. Any tip's will sure be appreciated. Thanks in advance,,,

 

[albert]

I file a slight draft on any inlay that is going to be noticed, you will do a better job with fewer gaps.
For laying out purposes,measure the width and length of the plate, and lay it out about a 1/32" less than the actual width of the plate and work your way to the edges,and be carefull. You can work the hump area first,and this will get you to the flat area of the plate. An easy way to find the high spots is to use a magic marker on the parts to find the tight spots, I hardly ever use any inletting black anymore,a marker is a lot less messy.
Hope this helps you a little, the main thing is to have patience and leave it alone and come back to it later if you get disgusted for a while

 

[Zonie]

sumtacks: First off, I usually don't disassemble my triggers, but it doesn't hurt if you did. I just haven't found it necessary to do.
I usually do file a slight bevel on the sides of the trigger plate, but as I say, it isn't very much. Maybe .010-.015 per side if even that much.
When you say " I have a center line and the proper "lever" position marked out." I am assuming you used a mark which represents the locks sear and you used to that to position the triggers release bar from.

With that positioning line and the centerline marked I would measure the width of the trigger plate at the top, divide by 2 and lay out two parallel lines from the centerline which represents the width of the trigger plate. Place the plate between these two lines and lightly clamp it there. Inscribe or cut into the wood on both sides of the plate about 1/16 deep, remove the plate and chisel the wood out out to the cuts.
Relocate the plate in the pocket and cut forward and aft a little ways while making sure the plate is still running parallel with the centerline.
Using this method, there will come a time when the entire sides of the plate will be imbedded in the wood.
From there on, its just a matter of increasing the depth, and removing just enough wood from the sides of the pocket to permit the plate to sink into the pocket without any pressure being applied.
IMO the most important thing at this stage is making sure the plate is running parallel with the centerline. If the whole plate is slightly to one side of the other, it is not a biggie. After, all, after you finish the sideplate/lockplate wood you may find it is not truly centered but no one will notice this unless it is off a lot!

Usually the contour of the plate will not match the surface of the stock, so install it deep enough so it's "high points" are flush or slightly below the wood surface. When I'm doing this task, I then sand the wood to match the plate contour.

Speaking of depth, depending on your trigger guards style you may want to plan ahead a little. If the trigger guard overlaps the lockplate at the front, the trigger plate should be installed below the surface of the wood about 1/16 or so. This is to allow inletting the trigger guard to its proper depth. If the guard is going to be installed deeper that that, and it overlaps the trigger plate, it isn't against my rules to file either the trigger guard or the lockplate so the two don't interfere with each other but don't have a noticable gap there either.

I use an 1/8 wide chisel to cut the pocket for the triggers sear release bar. When doing this, it is important that the 1/8 inch pocket is deep enough to permit the release plate to go a little deeper than the height of the installed locks sear bar. This seems obvious, but I have not gone deep enough with this pocket and had the trigger fail to trip the sear until I increased the pockets depth.

Aside from the side to side and front to rear fit of the trigger plate, it is important to have a nice flat surface for the trigger plate to rest on, both front and rear. Remember, the barrels tang screw will be using the plate as a "nut" and just tightening the tang screw can exert hundreds of pounds of load against these surfaces.

I'm sure you will do a fine job on this task. It just takes a bit of time (as does everything envolved in building one of these rifles).

 

Thank you both,,Zonie "sage" advise as always, I think I'm ready to tackle it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
albert,, I know about that inletting black stuff, eichey,sure is messy! I use smoke from a high wick lantern, I've learned how to manage the smoke well enough to stay kinda clean,if I use the stuff in the jar I need to wear a "paint shirt" like ya give a first grader for Art class!
Ta give ya an idea how I'm all "thumbs",my ring finger is a size 17. The pinkie is the same as my girlfriends thumb!

 

I'm using candle smoke. Man sakes alive that brass can get hot ::