tools needed ???

[rabidhunter66]

Hi everyone, looking through a ton of information online I ran across the following website and tool list that they recomend. I havnt built a muzzleloader before and my plan is for my first to purchase a pistol kit that has the barrel inlet completed and most of the shaping completed. I do want to try and inlet the lock plate and trigger guard myself and finnish the barrel.

What do you guys think of the following list of tools needed and do you think I need all this or more?

Any suggestions for this newbee?

Thanks for any help.
http://www.blackpowderjournal.com/archives/vol2no4/articles/BPJ24-3.htm

Suggested List of Tools for M/L Gun Building

Straight Chisels:
2mm, 4mm, 6mm and 10mm Straight Chisels - The small 2mm for inletting underlugs, triggers, trigger guard tabs, etc. The larger chisels for the various inletting jobs and some stock shaping.

Scribe: (or a very sharp pencil)
for outlining lock plate, side plate, inlays and other parts on the stock.

Plastic or Rawhide Mallet
used to "chase" chisels and tap parts into place.

Flat Wood Rasps
Three (3) sizes, fine, medium and course cut. A Stanley Sure-form plane also works well in place of the course cut wood rasp.

Farriers Rasp
rasp has a flat side and a rounded side. Each side has a medium cut and a course cut section. This is a handy tool for many stock shaping jobs.

Course Cut Rat-tail Rasp or Round Stanley Sure-form plane
handy for forming radius around cheek piece, lock mortise, etc.

Flat Metalworking Files
9" course, medium and fine cuts.

Three-Corner Files
about 6" long, 1/4" flats (grind one flat smooth - for cutting sight and underlug dovetails in barrel.

Sharpening Stone
a medium cut soft Arkansas and a fine cut hard Arkansas. 2" x 6"" is ideal, but small will work.

Honing Oil

Inletting Black and a small brush
an aid in inletting. The part to be inletted is stained, then placed in position and lightly tapped. Wood that shos the stain when the part is removed needs to be cut away.

Screwdrivers
most muzzleloading guns can be assembled with no more that three moderate size screwdrivers. Small screws as used on the patch boxes, toe plates and inlays take a small size. Lock bolts, tang screws and butt plates screws take a fairly large screwdriver. A medium size may be needed for rib screws, internal lock screws, etc.

Mainspring Vise
it's best to disassemble the lock during the inletting process. A mainspring vice will take this easier with less chance of breaking the spring.

Taps and Drills
8 x 32 (#29 drill) or 10 x 32 (#21 drill) for lock bolts; 1/4 x 28 (#3 drill) for touchhole and 5/16 x 24 ("I" drill) for drums.

 

[Mike Brooks]

That's alot more tools than I use and I build guns every day.

 

[DTCoffin]

Welcome to the forum, you will find all the info you need right here.
As far as the tool list, personally i don't think you'll need the farriers rasp, and a fine rasp(sandpaper should do the job of the fine rasp).A pencil should work fine for marking your lines,make sure you hold your piece to be inletted firmly,an exacto knife works well for a lot of folks and it can be used for a multitude of other jobs.A couple of those "Irwin" clamps with the rubber pads will work well for holding pieces to be scribed around.Note I used scribe but you really dont need one,a sharp blade should do the trick.
Might just be me but i hate those sureform thingies,A good cabinet makers rasp (#50 i think ) is awesome for fast wood removal but with a kit you shouldn't need to take alot of surface down.
At the beginning of this forum page is a tutorial by Mike,go over that about ten times you'll be ready to do a scratch built :thumbsup:

 

[Birddog6]

Take an old Exacto knife & turn it over using the top tip of the blade for a scribe. It will do bout all the scribing ya need, plus will get right in there close where ya need it. :thumbsup:

Keith Lisle

 

[Bubba45]

That's alot more tools than I use and I build guns every day.

Hey Mike , could you take a "group" picture of those tools that you use in building with brief description so it could be posted with your tutorial ?
It would be a great help for those startin out .

 

[Capt. Jas.]

I build guns for a living every day. here's what I use the most:
3/16" chisel
1/2" chisel
3 gouges , one pretty small, the other is maybe!/4" and the last 1/2"
mallet
# 49 cabinet rasp
Plane
7/16" rat tail file
A set off drill bits and a 8X32 tap
Drill press.
3 different sized screw drivers

Mike Brooks

 

[rabidhunter66]

Thanks guys, Mike that will be the list I will use. I am short on room for now but will look for a bench top drill press for now but if I can find a good deal on a stand up one I can make room. I have gone through the tutorial a couple times already and enjoy every page of it.

 

[Mike Brooks]

I am short on room for now but will look for a bench top drill press for now

I use a bench top model that was made in the 1930's. I can see no reason for a floor model. The tools you see in my tutorial are the tools I use every day, I don't use but a few. I do have to buy some new files, they are all crapola at the moment. :shake:

 

[Birddog6]

I have built over 30 rifles using a benchtop Delta drill press from Lowes. It cost me about $ 120. The ones built before that were built using a 1930/40's benchtop press with a old Maytag washing machine motor on it ! :grin: My son is using it as his house now.

A good Drillpress Vice is a must for me tho. Those elcheapo ones with all the slop in them do nothing tick me off.... :cursing: I think the drillpress vice I use cost almost as much as the drillpress, but it was worth it.

Keith Lisle