Newbie using Inlays

[TarletonRanger]

Howdy folks. As some of ya'll know I just started shooting my first flinter and am getting her ready to take to the deer woods this November. As a run of the mill Great Plains Hunter, I was thinking it would be nice to give it that little semi-custom look that lets it be known that she's mine! ::

What I was thinking about was a couple of inlays. Nothing too fancy. Maybe a german silver inlay in the location of a patch box and perhaps one of those "thumb plates" high on the wrist of the stock. And just possibly dressing up my wedge plates with some of german silver.

For a busy college student who honestly has VERY little wood working knowledge, how practical of a task do ya'll think this should be? Would it be advisable for me to try....or should I leave the work to someone else?

Many thanks.

Jake

 

[shmrck1]

TarletonRanger,
I'm like you, have very little knowledge
of woodworking or inlaying, but having been around this forum for awhile i can offer a couple of suggestions: #1
get yourself a book on basic inlaying. #2 Practice on
something other than your Great Plains Hunter.#3 if you
want it to be semi-custom personal look so it is known it
is yours, do it yourself and follow steps #1 & #2 and
read all suggestions offered here.
I'm no expert but i think this is sound
advice. :imo:
snake-eyes :m2c:

 

[TarletonRanger]

Many thanks Snake-Eyes. Sounds like good solid advice to me.

Jake

 

[gordy]

Snake-eyes advice is sound! Do some research and practice on some scrap wood,I think You'll find it fun.I've done several and they came out well.Just go slow and easy.

 

[Zonie]

Here are a few links to posts about inlays and installing them:
INLAYS

WIRE INLAYS

INLAY REPAIRS

Your biggest challenge will depend on your plan.
If you are willing to refinish the stock, installing inlays is much easier.

If you don't want to refinish the stock, you will have to cut the mortice just exactly the right depth so that the inlay lays flush with the adjacent wood. That makes the job a lot tougher, but not impossible to do.

 

Zonie is the Inlay Master! :master:

Listen to him, grasshoppa. Learn, you will.

 

[TarletonRanger]

Wow.......many thanks Zonie for taking the time to point that information out to this ignorant college student. :: That's about as detailed an explanation as I could have hoped to find, and really gives me an idea of what I'd need to get going.

Yes I would be willing to refinish the stock as it's presently not something that exactly pleases my eye. Nothing wrong with it. It's just the same DARK walnut stain that I see on so many Lyman rifles....it might actually look better with a bit of a lighter stain to it.

Once again I appreciate the help.....looks like a worthy project for after Christmas Break!

Jake :front:

 

[AZ-Robert]

It's just the same DARK walnut stain that I see on so many Lyman rifles....it might actually look better with a bit of a lighter stain to it.

How do you go about lightening up (or removing) the current stain and finish?

 

[longshot47]

Zonie-
Great posts! Do you have a lead on where to get the right german silver/brass wire? I've got an itch to try this.
Thanks, Longshot

 

[shmrck1]

ignorant college student

TarletonRanger,
College student or not, as long as
you are asking questions you will never be ignorant on any
subject that you pursue the answers to...College is great
but education is even better IMHO
snake-eyes :hmm:

 

[TarletonRanger]

Howdy AZ. If I were to refinish this stock I would first sand it down completely to ge at the unstained wood underneath. Then using a known companies wood stain of a color that I choose, I would then go through the process of applying and reapplying the stain until I had the desired results.

Snake....I couldn't agree more. So much of the stuff we learn here you can't help but think will never be brought to your attention again. But, it's all in the road to getting that covetted piece of paper. Heck I'm a history major and I don't even have ANY aspirations to teach when I graduate! :haha:

 

[Zonie]

Longshot47: The metal ribbon for "wire inlays" can be purchased from Dixie Gunworks (poke # IP0301 **, IP0401 *, IP0503 * or IP0504 ** into their search engine).
It is also available from Muzzleloaders Builders Supply (#12590 *, 12600 **, 12610 *, 12620 ** or 25270 (Sterling)).
Track of the Wolf also has it in Sterling.

For a first project, I would recommend staying with the Brass or the German Silver (which isn't really silver, it's nickle).
These materials are harder to damage when intalling them into the wood.

* = Brass
** = German Silver

 

[longshot47]

Zonie-
Thanks much. I'm on my way.
Longshot :thumbsup:

 

[3 stinky dogs]

The art of building the pensylvania long rifle go's into inlay's and makes it look pritty simple ( yeah right!).