Inletting swamped barrel

[flatcreek]

Bought the parts for a new rifle with a swamped barrel. I'm now attempting to inlet it and wanted to bring the interested along This is the first barrel I have inlet and it's swamped. I'm doing it with a router and rails. First you sand or cut the curve of the bottom of the barrel on some wood to make the rails. Then screw them on the blank with that curve up and push them into the sides of the barrel. Then rout using a 1/2 inch 90° v Grove bit with a bearing to ride along the rails. This is as far as I got today, I'll attach some pictures. The bottom barrel curve, sanding them even, then screw them together so they can be ripped evenly to about 1/2 inch.Making sure the curve is correct.Screwing the rails to the top of the blake.The barrel channel partially routed. I've got to figure out how to clean up the bottom. Maybe by hand or maybe a straight router bit, I'll have to figure that out. Maybe tomorrow.

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

I think if your profile is correct, the two rails could be used for the bottom of the channel…maybe. Now, an attempt at making sense.
Screw the rails to a long bottom piece of wood, making a long U shaped jig. Place the stock blank into the jig and secure it. Make sure you line up the rails to correspond with the curve already in the stock channel.

Make a sled plate to fit on the bottom of the router. Attach guides to the sled to ride and guide along the outside of the rails. It would be kind of like a router table fence, but upside down and mobile.

I know what I mean. I need some coffee now

 

[Dave Marsh]

WOW Double Deuce1, I figured you already had a whole pot full. I was going to suggest a couple of IPA's.

 

[wiscoaster]

Man, I'm gonna bookmark this thread in case I ever get advanced enough to do that.

 

[flatcreek]

I think if your profile is correct, the two rails could be used for the bottom of the channel…maybe. Now, an attempt at making sense.
Screw the rails to a long bottom piece of wood, making a long U shaped jig. Place the stock blank into the jig and secure it. Make sure you line up the rails to correspond with the curve already in the stock channel.

Make a sled plate to fit on the bottom of the router. Attach guides to the sled to ride and guide along the outside of the rails. It would be kind of like a router table fence, but upside down and mobile.

I know what I mean. I need some coffee now

The top of the rails are the bottom curve of the barrel. If I hold the router center (by whatever means) with a 1/4" bit set at the correct depth it should give me a 1/4" wide flat at the bottom of the channel with the correct curve. Then working the two bottom corners by hand should be easy. I got my fingers crossed as I've just been winging it and hoping it works. Nothing I could find telling how to do it worked for me or anyone with basic tools. Hoping it works and helps others. I'm more of a doer not a teacher, so my instruction may be lacking. Any questions or input will be appreciated,
Phil

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

For the router bit, I think I would go with maybe a 1/4” rounded flute bit. That way there would be minimal contact and less chance of the back end of the flat bottom bit of digging in as the cutter climbs up the rails. It would be more like a pin router. You would get the proper depth or close to it. Even a V cutter would do for the depth and curve. Then you could use the flat dado cutter, but just cut shy of the bottom of the V cut. Take shallow cuts.

If you have a small trim router, that might be easier to work with. Just don’t forget the outside rails on the sled plate. And depending on the curve of your rails, the sled plate should be narrow enough to maintain the best contact as it rides over the rails. A wide plate won’t ride the rails properly and give you a true mirror cut.

Once the router and bit are centered, don’t make any changes from side to side. Open your progressive cuts by lowering the bit and or using a wider bit. Always leave the router centered.

Finish by hand like you mentioned. Just leave yourself enough meat to safely work with.

Try it on a 2 X 4 first.

I hope this all makes sense. Lots to think about but take your time on the set up.

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

I forgot…. Use a good carbide tipped cutter and don’t overheat the bit.

 

[sdilts]

There was a thread from Dec 2023 in the Flintlock Rifles section on inletting a swamped barrel with a router. You may find some additional tips there.

 

[flatcreek]

There was a thread from Dec 2023 in the Flintlock Rifles section on inletting a swamped barrel with a router. You may find some additional tips there.

We're doing basically the same thing I'm using popular for the rails and shaping the top of the rail to match the bottom curve of the barrel. The wood rails works easier and if you need to adjust it a bit you can easily drill alternative holes so the screws don't try to return to the same hole. It also gives a wider base to support the router and will still bend to follow the side barrel curve. Metal may be better if your planning multiple barrels. I'm thinking this is my first and last, tho I may like to have a fowler.
Phil

 

[flatcreek]

And if all else fails there's always acraglas.

 

[flatcreek]

Got the routing done. Not as perfect as I would of liked, but not that bad neither. Just going to have to spend more time then I thought inletting the bottom to get the fit I want or maybe a bit of acraglas, but I kinda like inletting. Did pick up some prussian blue and I'll never go back to inletting black.

 

[deerstalkert]

Prussian Blue! thats what i forgot while in town today.!!!!

 

[flatcreek]

Well I could never get quit the fit I wanted, I rerouted and inlet the barrel a couple times with scrapper and chisels working on it for hours. This is an A weight 50 cal southern classic and it will flex when you push or tap it down and print as if its good when it is not. This caused me a lot of problems and I wanted a inlet with no uneven pressure on the barrel. So I inlet till it dropped in the channel with no pressure on the barrel, this left some lose fitting areas. I then laid acraglass in the channel and pushed it in with clamps. I immediately released the clamps and let the barrel float to find it's own position with no pressure on the barrel. Not how I wanted to do it, but I did end up with a near prefect fit with no uneven pressure on the barrel and only a thin coat of glass in the channel. All I can say is next time i'll send it out or buy a heavier barrel because you knew the barrel was flexing and not true if it had any pressure on it.

 

[Pete G]

A lot of the old guns were only inlet on the ends, leaving the middle free floating. Doesn’t seem to harm the accuracy if everything else is built properly.

 

[beagle74]

Ok, it may not be text book, but you are doing it, and I for one would be quite happy with it at this point. That being said, I personally would probably send the the stock out for barrel inlet and ramrod hole.... There will be plenty of other things I could mess up.

 

[mikesto44]

First scratch built gun I made was a 46 inch Getzs barrel. I had no instruction an I did it all with hand tools. Took me two weeks to do. You did well and I compliment you on figuring things out.

 

[James Kibler]

That's a good technique. I did basically the same on a few guns I built 35 years ago. Nice.

 

[flatcreek]

One more bridge crossed. Not nearly as bad as inletting the barrel, in fact went well. Only thing is the drill was 55 bucks. Could of made it, but that takes time and money. Between this gun and last I must of spent 2 or 3 hundred on tools and I already have a lot of tools.

 

[flatcreek]

Moving right along.

 

[flatcreek]

Things are shaping up.