to inlet or not to inlet ?

[Crewdawg445]

Since we are kickin' you in the arse, get a screwdriver that fits. :grin: :grin:

Yikes! That must be some darned hard walnut or your lock holes are not drilled right. You shouldn't have to crank on those bolts. Your lock plate can warp from the tension causing more issues down the road. Not trying to nit pick, but just friendly advice my friend. It's frustrating when things go wrong, even worse when they can be prevented.

On another note definitely get that barrel issue squared away. I had to repair a fellow co-workers rifle due to the same issue that Osage orange mentioned above. It's not fun, that's for sure. Expecially on traditions select grade skid wood. :thumbsup:

 

[JohnN]

Actually the lock plate sits very nice and square on the stock. The issue with the gap has been fixed. The gap was only at the top as in the pic. Where the plug went into the stock there was very good square contact. The screws were the ones for a very thin screwdriver and yes I was using the wrong one. Probably wont use them anyways, may go to a domed screw.

 

[Crewdawg445]

Glad to hear it worked out!

 

[dave_person]

Hi John,
You don't need to replace the screws. If you don't have a lathe or drill press, simply chuck the screws up in your electric drill, put the drill in a vise and spin the screws. Then using a file, reshape the heads to whatever you want. You probably don't have any screw slotting files so either cut the slots wider with a hacksaw or file them with a knife cut or thin flat needle file.

dave

 

[Zonie]

I have chucked a number of screws in my electric drill and filed them, just as your suggesting.

If one is careful and only tightens the chuck enough to hold the screw, it won't damage the screw threads.

On longer screws like the lock screws, shoving them into the chuck as far as possible positions the chuck jaws far enough above the end of the screw that even if the threads are slightly deformed it doesn't matter. The threads at the end of the screw, where the "working threads" are located won't be touched by the chuck jaws.

 

[JohnN]

I have a drill press. Hmmmm....

 

[Col. Batguano]

Yes definitely do that, but save that operation until toward the end of the build. You're going to be assembling / disassembling this gun about a zillion times between now and then. If you bugger a bolt head now it'll clean up later. And big rectangular bolt heads grip your screwdriver better than round ones. I'd save it until right before you're going to engrave them or finish them. then, as Fred has so long advocated, casenite them to keep them hard and less "buggerable".

 

[Zonie]

If you have problems finding Casenit, it might be worthwhile to buy some Cherry Red powder.

Casenit is hard to find because of peoples ignorance. They are afraid of the fact that it contains cyanide so many Countries have banned it.
Even in the US it's getting very hard to find.

(The cyanide in Casenit is in a form that will harden steel but it, and heating it with a red hot part will not release any of the harmful stuff. Just don't eat it.)

Both of these powders will form a very thin "case" of hardenable steel and if this is then hardened by heating to a cherry red color and quenching the part in water it will become so hard that it will be almost impossible for a screw driver to booger up the slot.

If you go this route you can do as I do.
Polish the screw head and then slowly heat it up.

It will turn the most beautiful royal blue color you've ever seen if you stop heating just after the blue color starts and then quench the screw in oil to cool it.

 

[JohnN]

TOW sells their own version of that now. Cant remember the name off the top of my head.

 

[Timothy199898]

They call it Tru-Spark Case Hardening Compound.