ramrod channel moulding

[ski76]

I'm about to shape the stock on my Lancaster and would like to know what to use to carve the moulding along the ramrod channel. I don't have alot of special tools and would like to know how to go about it. Thanks :hmm:

 

[LRB]

In building guns, your first investment should be in "how-to" books, and books for research so you don't do too much mixing of parts related to particular "schools". There are many simple home made tools that near anyone can make, but you need to see pictures to get a good understanding of how to make them. As far as your immediate need, there are more than one type of tool to mark in an accurate line for your mold. I use one that slides down the top of the channel with an inverted scribe and then I check the uniformity with a steel rule and make adjustments if needed. Others use a similar tool that is a half round guide of proper size having a cross bar with the inverted scribe mounted to it. If you have the channel to the finished depth you want, which in my opinion, should be no deeper than 1/8" for a 3/8" rod, and it is reasonably true, you can measure and make a series of hash marks, then connect your marks with a straight edge, or masking tape. The tape may be best as you can make minor adjustments, and it gives you a truer vision of what you have.

 

[Vaino]

At the very least you should have some device that slides along the RR groove and either marks or scribes the border of the molding. You can then use a "V" chisel to cut to the req'd depth of 1/32"-1/16". Many years ago I made the fixture pictured in "Recreating the American Longrifle" by Buchele and this has cut many moldings. The rod dia. is for a 3/8" groove, but it works fine for 5/16" also. This fixture eliminates the "eyeball" work in trying to achieve a staight molding. Good luck.....Fred

 

[Mike Brooks]

Here's how I do it.
Gun building 101 part VII
No special tools, just strike some straight lines along the ram rod groove and make a cut with a V tool and remove the wood on one side.
More complicated designes would make a scraper pretty handy.....I've always wanted to make one of those. :winking:

 

[MSW]

For true, you should get some books, among them "The Gunsmith of Grenville County," in which there is an excellent description of how to make a ramrod channel. I tried the special tool by Track, ( long drill- like gadget) and had dreadful results: a bunch of chip out which will make huge inlays unavoidable. That particular rifle isn't even within a day's hike of PC, so I'm not too terribly upset about it, but it is more work- chalk it up to skill building, i guess. IMO, the scraper made of an old file is the best way to go- it allows a good deal of control, and it forces you to 'sneak up on it,' a habit which is hard to break in our instant gratification, power tool oriented mindset.

best of luck, go slow, remember that it's here for fun, so there's no hurry.

MSW

 

[54JNoll]

All modoling start by first establishing a straight line. After that you can go for a simple inciced line using either a knife, V-tool, or flat chisel. The The Smith in Colonial Williamsburg said he uses the chisel to stap in his line and then does minimal cleanup with a three cornered or knife edged file depending on look.

To do a raised molding you first make the incisec cut an then relieve the wood to one side of the cut. You can then leave the other side slightly rounded or make it flat. You can also do a convext radius between the raised portion and the ramrod channel.

For this I use a radiused gouge and run it lengthwise between the bead and the ramrod channel. Then I widen an smooth the radius and transition out by using a shallow radiused gouge by using slicing motions across the grain. Final cleanup is then done using scrap rods of various dimention and sandpaper.