ML Kit Build Difficulty?

[wiscoaster]

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Simple instructions free up people to at least try gun building, very complex instructions will definitely drive them away.

That's a valid point, yet if they're convinced to try the kit without the proper tools, materials and working environment for best use of same just invites failure on their first attempt, with impaired motivation to try again a second time when better prepared.

Jim Kibler, in his "how-to" videos on assembling his kits, is pretty emphatic on having the proper tools, materials and working environment. Saying a first-time builder can do it successfully with a pen knife in their lap does a disservice to providing reliable and useful advice for their success in their first project.

 

[Eric Krewson]

Being successful is more about learning the techniques to do the job instead of how much equipment you buy. I learned to paint my ducks in a realistic way by taking art classes to learn how to mix paint and what brush to use to get the desired effect, I didn't know squat about painting but got the hang of it by learning the techniques and practicing.

My first build was a scratch build with a #49 rasp, a half round wood file, small round rattail file, some cabinet scrapers, a 1/8" and 1/4" chisel and a couple of gouges. I did have a drill press but used an egg beater drill some just to see if I could. I could easily do the stock shaping from lots of bow making but the detail inletting took me some time to learn the techniques, I had to learn how to use my tools. My first wasn't a complete scratch build, Fred Miller inletted the barrel and drilled the ramrod hole, I did the rest.

I have said my peace; you guys can hash things out.

 

[oldschoolhunter55]

I've put together a few kits. Recently a Kibler Fowler. I was amazed how easy it was. I think you'll need some kind of bench and a vise. I highly recommend Grizzly's pattern-making vise.

Wow. Thats a nice flintlock!!!!! Great job well done sir

 

[JimFlint]

Being successful is more about learning the techniques to do the job instead of how much equipment you buy. I learned to paint my ducks in a realistic way by taking art classes to learn how to mix paint and what brush to use to get the desired effect, I didn't know squat about painting but got the hang of it by learning the techniques and practicing.

My first build was a scratch build with a #49 rasp, a half round wood file, small round rattail file, some cabinet scrapers, a 1/8" and 1/4" chisel and a couple of gouges. I did have a drill press but used an egg beater drill some just to see if I could. I could easily do the stock shaping from lots of bow making but the detail inletting took me some time to learn the techniques, I had to learn how to use my tools. My first wasn't a complete scratch build, Fred Miller inletted the barrel and drilled the ramrod hole, I did the rest.

I have said my peace; you guys can hash things out.

Hi Eric, I owed a hardwood lumber yard and millwork operation. One day a man came in asking for Basswood to try doing some carving, he had just retired. He had never carved previously but had thought about carving birds for years. He said he had envisioned himself carving many birds and now had the time to devote to the process and purchased some Basswood. He brought back one of his first pieces, a Chickadee pulling a piece of yarn from a fence slat. It was the most awesome carving I have ever seen. He had placed a wire in the yarn to give the appearance of tension and had the bird with wings thrusting forward pulling on the yarn, just a beautiful work. He said in his mind he had carved that bird many times over the years.
I took this as a lesson, if you have the desire and the vision, go for whatever it is and see how it turns out. I think this applies to Kit building and so many things in life.

 

[mikesto44]

We can all beat this to death. But it always boils down to. If you don't try. You will never know..!
Just remember the old time builders didn't have any power tools, special lights to help them. But they did have the will to finish what they started.

 

[Matt-J2]

I'm building an Investarms Gemmer Hawken (formerly Lyman Great Plains Rifle) right now, so this caught my eye.

Anyway, this is my second kit, first was years ago, a Traditions Kentucky pistol. I built that one in an apartment with few tools. Based on that and what I've seen in stores, if you can sand with sandpaper, you can put one of the Traditions kits together. I think it needed a small amount of material removed for the lock inletting as well but it was very minor.

The Gemmer Hawken is much more involved, in that there's about 2-3x as much wood on the stock as there should be. I have a bench, vice, and a variety of tools and I'm glad for it. I won't say it's impossible, but I'd have a very hard time doing this without something solid to hold the stock.

Based on posts and videos, the Kibler kits, in particular the Woodsrunner, seem to hit that nice point of quality materials and easy assembly. There may be some minor fitting but by all accounts it's more like a model kit, just assemble and apply finish(es).

If you can(youtube seems to be taking videos down), find assembly videos of the kit(s) you're interested in and make and informed decision from there.