plugging hole

[pmc]

Well, I broke my number one rule of not working on the gun if I don't feel the inspiration, and somehow drilled the hole for the tang bolt about 3/32 off the center of the tang. What are the recommended methods to fill the hole before re-drilling?

Thunder

 

[Lock Nut]

Not a biggie. Glue in a 1/8" wood dowel or a toothpick. Let it dry overnight and try again.

 

[Birddog6]

Weld it up with a wire welder. Then after you let it cool, heat it red hot & let it cool again naturally. File it down flush on top & bottom. Take a dial caliper & measure & get dead center. Take a centerpunch & punch a good ding in it. Take a 1/8" drill bit & drill a pilot hole. Now do the same in the triggerplate. Then take the proper sized drill bit & drill the tang hole half way down, turn rifle over & drill from triggerplate & meet the first hole. This should be the TAP size bit. Now change bits, turn rifle back over & drill tang bolt clearance hole down Just To but NOT into the trigggerplate.
Remove from jig & tap from the tang hole thru the stock into the triggerplate with it all assembled & barrel down tight & triggerplate up snug.
Remove tap & take a countersink bit & countersink the tang for the tang screw. Blow out the shavings & put the screw in.

Remember, if the hole going down to the triggerplate is at an angle, you need the pilot hole & finished hole at same angle as well.

You will find a DrillPoint Jig on a drill press a handy thing for doing this.

Keith Lisle

 

[hoochiepapa]

Good tutorial, Keith!!

 

[Black Hand]

Well, I broke my number one rule of not working on the gun if I don't feel the inspiration, and somehow drilled the hole for the tang bolt about 3/32 off the center of the tang. What are the recommended methods to fill the hole before re-drilling?

Thunder

Tap the hole, slightly countersink both ends, run a bolt into the hole, cut and peen the ends. Dress down with a file and the hole will be invisible. I've done this in tangs and lock-plates.

 

[pmc]

Thanks all for the great suggestions!

Thunder

 

[pmc]

Keith,
I'm curious how you have the rifle clamped up with the drill jig.

Pat

 

[Black Hand]

Pat,
There is no clamping. The spike on the bottom goes into the centerpunch of the exit location and the drillbit goes into the centerpunch of the entry hole. One hand holds the gun and the other runs the drill-press.

The only preparation needed is to align the spike and the drillbit in the X-Y-Z planes.

 

[Birddog6]

It is not clamped. Forestock is held up with this adjustable roller. Barrel is fully inlet & pinned to the stock before drilling the tang hole.

I put my left hand right at front of the lock panel to stabilize the rifle, right hand is operating the drill bit up & down. I have a foot control switch on the drill press so I turn it on & off with my foot.

I usually have the rear screw in the trigger plate to hold it up into place.

Keith Lisle

 

[Birddog6]

One exception.... there is no exit hole. You drill 1/2 down, turn the rifle over & drill the other way & holes meet in the middle.

If you try to drill it all the way through, it will most likely drill off center, as the drill bit in that small dia is not stable enough to stay true for 2.5-3" going down thru the stock.

Also, when you hit that triggerplate at an angle, the bit is going to walk & not drill where you want it.

So you always drill a pilot hole on Bother tang & triggerplate, the drill 1/2 way one way, turn it over drill the other way & meet the other hole.

Keith Lisle

 

[Vaino]

Often think about making the 2 point drill fixture that you pictured....but never do it. I clamp the uncut blank at the butt w/ a vise and the forend is raised or lowered w/ blocks to achieve the tang bolt angle. A small pilot drill picks up the centerpuch and is used first to drill through just the tang, followed by the tap drill which goes completely through the stock and trigger plate. The bolt clearance drill is then used and just touches the trigger plate. The tapped hole in the trigger plate is done through the tang bolt clearance hole. The hole in the tang is then ctsk. One end of the trigger plate has a wood screw and the other end is clamped.....Fred

 

[Billnpatti]

I use the exact same jig and procedure that Kieth does. It is the only way to do it properly and it works every time. It is a simple and sweet set-up. I say my jig is exactly the same but actually mine is a bit different. Rather than put my spike in a vice, I have a metal plate that I drilled and tapped for a long machine bolt that I had on hand. I ground the tip of the bolt to a spike point and then threaded it up through the hole in the plate. Now, I just adjust the spike until it meets the drill bit in the press excactly on the tip of the bit. I then clamp the metal plate so it can't move out of alignment with the drill bit. It's a great rig for drilling tang bolt holes, lock plate holes, etc.

 

[mikemeteor]

I use the exact same jig and procedure that Kieth does. It is the only way to do it properly and it works every time.

I too use a point to point jig, but it's a bit much say it's the "only way".
Hard to argue with the results Fred Lehto gets with his method.
I have yet to run across a process in this craft where there is one and only one way to get it done well.
On the other hand, even the "best way" can produce poor results with careless execution.

/m

 

[jdkerstetter]

I concur. If it were the "only way" I am afraid there would be far less guns out there. In fact I have seen no references to drill presses in original shop inventories.

The point to point jig is nice for some functions but far from necessary.

Enjoy, J.D.