Pre-inlet stocks problems

The stock below was pre-inlet for the entry pipe and I did not open it up any wider but when I finished fitting it the gaps on either side of the pipe were totally unacceptable :curse:, if this were model airplane it would not take more than two minutes to fix the problem but since I'm not ( painting or monocoating) I was wondering what would be the best cure for this problem? :hmm:

 

[Zonie]

A 1/16 X 1/8 X 1 3/8 piece of maple for each side held in place with plain old white woodworking glue?
You might have to taper them a little to get a good fit on the sides. Then sand them flush with the rest of the stock?

 

Thats kinda what I thought ( just like a model airplane) but I wanted to hear someone else say it. Will it blend in ?

P.S. Zonie you,you,you *&#@! I told you it was your fault (me getting infected with this damn gun building disease) :thumbsup:

 

[rootnuke]

Does the pipe ID seat flush to the bottom of the RR channel as it should?

 

yep, after I fitted-it in.

 

[Birddog6]

I don't know what rifle you are building, but it appears the inlet is for a different entrypipe than the one you installed. I suggest you call the stock vender & find out what pipe they suggest installuing as that appears to be the wrong one. Also most likely the RR pipe inlets are the same.

I would look for a larger dia. pipe to fill the gap rather than glue in wood. Most likely the glued in wood will be noticeable.

Custom Muzzleloaders & Custom Skinning Knives

 

ya I agree that looks to be inlet for a different designed entry?

 

[Slowpoke]

:imo:

I have to disagree.... there's alway one that has to. :haha:

With pre-enletted stocks you come across this type of problem. I did with a Chambers kit I'm working on now. Just get some 2 part slow drying epoxy and a little bit of brown/black shoe polish and mix it together and bed the thimble. Be sure to wax the thimble with car wax or you won't be able to get it out. let it dry and sand off the excess epoxy. Once you stain the stock you won't be able to tell, especially if you stain it dark.

This looks worse than it actually is, I haven't sanded off the epoxy that ran out. There is some on the thimble itself that I need to sand off too.

S'Poke

 

[C_Laubach]

roaddog,
Make a new rear entry pipe......slightly larger than the one you have.

 

[Keith]

I have a poor fit on a lock I inlet in a Chambers kit. Would this epoxy "bondo" work to improve the fit there?

Damn, I really am not handy enough for this. :redface:

 

[Slowpoke]

Keith,
That's a tough question because the lock mortice is so big that you couldn't and wouldn't want to fill it up to bed, you would have to re-enlet the lock. What you could do it put the lock in the mortice and dab a little in the area to fill the void. Remember to wax the lock inside and out....or it will/could stick and it will be hard to get out. I would have to look at it to tell you if it would work or not, but if it doesn't you can just sand off the epoxy.

S'Poke

 

[robertl]

Believe me....It's not that anyone is not handy enough or skilled enough. These pre-inlet kits have this sort of thing all the time. I just bought a Chambers kit and I stressed to Mrs. Chambers that I was a scratch builer. She assured me that they have the best thing going in pre-carved. ( actually I really like the Chamber's products, except for this kit). I have only built a couple kits in my life time ( not by my choosing) and I have absolutely hated each and every one of them. It takes me twice as long to do a kit than it does to go from scratch and I have a better fit for everything with the scratch built rifle.

The trouble with kits, in my opinion, is that the kit maker wants to make it soooooo easy that they go overboard and loose track of the process of hand inletting. When I inlet a lock I know exactly where I want it and how I want it because I have taken the time to figure it out and map it out in my mind. With pre-inlet you have to go with the opening already established, but since it doesn't quite fit, do you take off at the front or the back, the top or the bottom, will everything work right regarless of which end recieves more wood removal even if the external apprearance is good????? Too much second guessing.

I don't mind having the butt of the piece pre shaped and the barrel channel and the ram rod work pre-done, but that's where it ends. Everything else I prefer to do myself, from scratch.

This kit I have now is giving me fits, just like your problems, and I have built many rifles in my time. No lack of experience here. Good luck and belive me when I tell you, "You are not alone"!.

 

[LSU TIGER]

Try Acraglas from Brownells. I use the gel and it comes with brown dye. I've used it on everything from lock plates to butt plates. Grease the metal part to prevent bonding and you're set. :m2c:

 

[Keith]

Thanks for the info.
I like the Chambers kit quality - don't get me wrong. I just I have had some fitting problems largely because I goof up, go a little to fast, or I am not very skilled/experienced. prior to this I have done a little wodworking and assembled a T/C "kit."
On the topic of inletting what do you use for inletting black? I have tried both a commercial black and candle black and I haven't been happy with either. The commercial stuff is greasy and makes a mess everywhere while the candle black applies unevenly and cleans up poorly.

 

[LSU TIGER]

Try an oil lamp. The soot seems to be a bit thicker. I use a decorative type that burns well without a glass chimney. "Wally World", etc has them pretty cheap. :imo: :thumbsup:

 

I use an acetylene torch for sooting (less the O2). Leaves a nice even coat of carbon black.

 

[LSU TIGER]

Anvil! :shocking: :what:

 

[54JNoll]

A felt tip sharpie work well for inletting or transfer color. Goes on real thin, easy to touch up, does not get everywhere, come off brass fairly easy, transfers well with light tap. With any color transfer a thin coating assures tighter fitting.

For large gaps it is best to fit in a piece of wood and re-inlet. For small chips or gaps you can use wood glue and sanding dust from the stock or even epoxy/accruaglass and sanding dust. The dust will take stain to help bend the area.

Remember that any piece of wood has natural variations in por size and hardness which effect staining resulting in slight color variation. Thus with small repairs the sanding dust ideas work very well either belending completely with the surrounding wood or having very slight color variation but apearing normal and not plasticy.