It seems every gun show I take one of my projects to someone walks up and says "I sure wish I could put one of those inlays on my gun". Some change their mind when I tell them they may have to refinish their stock because although a inlay can be done on a finished stock it makes the job a lot harder.
In any case, if you want to try this, here's whats required:
You will need an inlay, a fine file, an Exacto Knife or something similar with a real pointed razor sharp blade (buy several blades), some "magic glue", a real narrow chisel, some 2 part Epoxy, and a "permanate marker" (optional: a 1/16 diameter drill bit, some sewing straight pins or tiny nails).
1. Buy the inlay (or make your own out of 1/16 sheet brass). I go to Muzzleloader Builders Supply http://www.muzzleloaderbuilderssupply.com but TOW, Dixie and a lot of other places sell them for 40 cents to several dollars each.
2. Select the side you want exposed and then using the finest file you have, file the edges inward towards the bottom. That is, the sides slope in like a boats sides towards the bottom. The angle isn't real important but it should be somewhere from 5 to 10 degrees.
3. If the inlay is going on a curved surface like the wrist of the stock you will need to bend the inlay to match the curvature. I use a old axe handle as a block and a rubber mallet. It usually takes several trys to get the bottom of the inlay to rest right aginst the wood but that is what you need. (If it's going on a relative flat surface like the side of the stock it just has to lay flat aginst the wood so not much work to do here.)
4. I use a small drop of "magic glue" or Super Glue on the bottom of the inlay and glue the inlay to the stock. This keeps it from moving during the most critical time (which is next). Using a "permenent marker" draw an arrow on the outside of the inlay pointing up or towards the muzzle of the gun (or do as I do and scribe a little arrow in the inside of the inlay before gluing, pointing up).
5. Hold the Exacto knife at a angle parallel with the filed sides of the inlay and right aginst the side of the inlay and cut down into the wood. DO NOT hold the knife straight up and down. The cut must taper inward at the 5-10 degree angle you filed earlier.
Cut at least 1/16 inch or a little deeper and work real hard at keeping the cut tight to the side of the inlay. This usually takes 2 to 4 passes completly around the inlay to get to the needed depth.
6. Give the inlay a light rap with a soft hammer or a stick of wood. It will pop off of the stock leaving a clearly cut outline of where it had been.
If you used too much glue, heat the inlay with a lighter or match and it will fall off.
7. Using the smallest chisel you can find (I'll tell you how to make these some day) carefully remove the wood right at the inside of the cut. Do not try to remove the center area yet. If you work slowly and carefully taking very little bites you will soon have the wood down to the depth it needs to be for the inlay thickness.
When you have removed about 1/8 to 3/16 inside the knife cut you can relax a little and remove the rest of the wood in the center area.
8. When the center area is about to depth, hold the inlay with a pair of pliers, bottom side down in a candle flame. This will deposit a layer of carbon on the surface. (For you history buffs, this is how it was originally done 250 years ago). After cooling, try the inlay in the hole. ( Note, these inlays are never exactly symetrical so point the arrow you marked in the right direction when trying to install it.) It usually wont fit but that's OK.
If the wood is not deep enough you will see the high points marked with black soot. If it is just hanging up on the sides, carefully remove the soot marked wood at the bottom only. Do not remove any more wood than you have to from the sides or the bottom.
Repeat this process until the top of the inlay is just slightly above the wood (Just enough to feel with your finger).
9. At this stage, the original gunsmiths drilled 2 or more tiny holes thru the insert and then tapped it into the stock so it was flush. They then nailed it in place. As 1/16 is about the smallest drill the general public can buy you can use this to drill the holes thru the insert (if you choose to use this method). I cut off a couple of "straight pins" so they are about 3/16 - 1/4 long and carefully hammer them into the stock thru the holes in the inlay. Then carefully file the heads almost flush with the inlay.
I also use 2 part Epoxy on the bottom of the inlay to make sure it isn't coming out of the wood. (Degrease it first).
Whether you just epoxy it or nail it when it's ready for the final installation lightly pound (tap?) it down flush with the stock. Because the sides are tapered and you made the cutout a little undersize, it will wedge into the hole and you'll have to pay hell to get it back out.
Breaking with tradition I have used the Epoxy method without the nails (pins)on some of my guns. It makes for a nice clean untraditional job.
The reason this is easier IF the stock is going to be refinished is it permits you to file the inlay flush with the wood for an exact unfeelable joint, or if you go too deep, it allows sanding the wood flush with the inlay. If either of these methods are used, you will have to remove the file or sandpaper marks and repolish the surface.
Have fun, and just go real slow and easy and you'll be suprised at how good it looks.
In any case, if you want to try this, here's whats required:
You will need an inlay, a fine file, an Exacto Knife or something similar with a real pointed razor sharp blade (buy several blades), some "magic glue", a real narrow chisel, some 2 part Epoxy, and a "permanate marker" (optional: a 1/16 diameter drill bit, some sewing straight pins or tiny nails).
1. Buy the inlay (or make your own out of 1/16 sheet brass). I go to Muzzleloader Builders Supply http://www.muzzleloaderbuilderssupply.com but TOW, Dixie and a lot of other places sell them for 40 cents to several dollars each.
2. Select the side you want exposed and then using the finest file you have, file the edges inward towards the bottom. That is, the sides slope in like a boats sides towards the bottom. The angle isn't real important but it should be somewhere from 5 to 10 degrees.
3. If the inlay is going on a curved surface like the wrist of the stock you will need to bend the inlay to match the curvature. I use a old axe handle as a block and a rubber mallet. It usually takes several trys to get the bottom of the inlay to rest right aginst the wood but that is what you need. (If it's going on a relative flat surface like the side of the stock it just has to lay flat aginst the wood so not much work to do here.)
4. I use a small drop of "magic glue" or Super Glue on the bottom of the inlay and glue the inlay to the stock. This keeps it from moving during the most critical time (which is next). Using a "permenent marker" draw an arrow on the outside of the inlay pointing up or towards the muzzle of the gun (or do as I do and scribe a little arrow in the inside of the inlay before gluing, pointing up).
5. Hold the Exacto knife at a angle parallel with the filed sides of the inlay and right aginst the side of the inlay and cut down into the wood. DO NOT hold the knife straight up and down. The cut must taper inward at the 5-10 degree angle you filed earlier.
Cut at least 1/16 inch or a little deeper and work real hard at keeping the cut tight to the side of the inlay. This usually takes 2 to 4 passes completly around the inlay to get to the needed depth.
6. Give the inlay a light rap with a soft hammer or a stick of wood. It will pop off of the stock leaving a clearly cut outline of where it had been.
If you used too much glue, heat the inlay with a lighter or match and it will fall off.
7. Using the smallest chisel you can find (I'll tell you how to make these some day) carefully remove the wood right at the inside of the cut. Do not try to remove the center area yet. If you work slowly and carefully taking very little bites you will soon have the wood down to the depth it needs to be for the inlay thickness.
When you have removed about 1/8 to 3/16 inside the knife cut you can relax a little and remove the rest of the wood in the center area.
8. When the center area is about to depth, hold the inlay with a pair of pliers, bottom side down in a candle flame. This will deposit a layer of carbon on the surface. (For you history buffs, this is how it was originally done 250 years ago). After cooling, try the inlay in the hole. ( Note, these inlays are never exactly symetrical so point the arrow you marked in the right direction when trying to install it.) It usually wont fit but that's OK.
If the wood is not deep enough you will see the high points marked with black soot. If it is just hanging up on the sides, carefully remove the soot marked wood at the bottom only. Do not remove any more wood than you have to from the sides or the bottom.
Repeat this process until the top of the inlay is just slightly above the wood (Just enough to feel with your finger).
9. At this stage, the original gunsmiths drilled 2 or more tiny holes thru the insert and then tapped it into the stock so it was flush. They then nailed it in place. As 1/16 is about the smallest drill the general public can buy you can use this to drill the holes thru the insert (if you choose to use this method). I cut off a couple of "straight pins" so they are about 3/16 - 1/4 long and carefully hammer them into the stock thru the holes in the inlay. Then carefully file the heads almost flush with the inlay.
I also use 2 part Epoxy on the bottom of the inlay to make sure it isn't coming out of the wood. (Degrease it first).
Whether you just epoxy it or nail it when it's ready for the final installation lightly pound (tap?) it down flush with the stock. Because the sides are tapered and you made the cutout a little undersize, it will wedge into the hole and you'll have to pay hell to get it back out.
Breaking with tradition I have used the Epoxy method without the nails (pins)on some of my guns. It makes for a nice clean untraditional job.
The reason this is easier IF the stock is going to be refinished is it permits you to file the inlay flush with the wood for an exact unfeelable joint, or if you go too deep, it allows sanding the wood flush with the inlay. If either of these methods are used, you will have to remove the file or sandpaper marks and repolish the surface.
Have fun, and just go real slow and easy and you'll be suprised at how good it looks.
