True Craftsman, Scratch Builders and Extreme Tinkerers.....Check Out My Wood.

[Comfortably_Numb]

The best information out there is here: https://americanlongrifles.org/PDF/tutorial.pdf
I have been building guns with this information for over 40 years.

 

[64Springer]

One thing I will recommend is Josh Wrightsman U tube videos. He shows step by step in letting the barrel channel with gouges.
Bill Raby does a good job...but he uses a milling machine. Not everyone has one.
Last but not least on the old originals. They were only octagon inlet the first four inches or so at the muzzle and breech. The rest of the channel was rounded out.
It's not hard to do it's time consuming...

I didn't know they only bedded the first few inches of breech and muzzle. That will cut down on inletting time a bit. Thank you.

 

[64Springer]

Keep a camera handy...........

It will not only make a record of your progress, but WE WANT PICS ! !

Also, respectfully, it would help your work to develop more patience - a disparaging comment only 30mins after your original post indicates such, as many posters have other things to do most days than lurk here to give instant answers..

I am not a patient man. Your point and the kick in the butt are well received.

But in my own defense, my attempt at humor was posted more than 24 hours after my original post.

And I'm all about pictures. So no worries there.

Be well.

 

[billraby]

One thing I will recommend is Josh Wrightsman U tube videos. He shows step by step in letting the barrel channel with gouges.
Bill Raby does a good job...but he uses a milling machine. Not everyone has one.
Last but not least on the old originals. They were only octagon inlet the first four inches or so at the muzzle and breech. The rest of the channel was rounded out.
It's not hard to do it's time consuming...

I don't actually use the barrel channel for inletting. All it does is remove a lot of the wood that does not need to be there. The milling machine just gets it pretty close. Any number of tools can do the same thing. The actual inletting and getting the barrel to fit is all done with chisels.

 

[64Springer]

I have done 1 from scratch. I cut the tree down. I do alot of things once for the experience.

Funny you should mention cutting down a tree. I did that with a walnut tree about 20 years ago. Sliced everything up. Dipped the cut ends in wax. Waited two years. Then made a table and cutting boards of it. Just to say I had done it.

 

[Redlemur60]

start by drawing a center line full length of the top edge of the plank.
determine where the barrel with tang is going to be. center the barrel on the line. scribe a line following both sides of the barrel. you can use a gouge to make a furrow full length for the barrel to cradle in. staying inside your scribed lines use a chisel to plunge cut the entire outline. remove materiel until the barrel is cradled then start using transfer. remove all material with transfer markings. repeat until your barrel is inletted to the center line of the bore.
let us know in a couple weeks when this is done. part two will be matching the RR channel.
this probably doesn't help but it is the way i start. the barrel dictates where everything else goes. vent hole dictates where the pan is. pan dictates where the lock is located. sear arm dictates where the trigger is located. and so on.
i think.
i just sorta finished this fowler. i always see something to play with so they are never done. this was a plank build.


oh yeah! nice wood! i have yet to do a cherry build. walnut, maple, birch, and one oak plank years ago. never a cherry. that will have to be next. i really need another fowler!

Very nice "warm"look to your finish!

 

[BigAl52]

start by drawing a center line full length of the top edge of the plank.
determine where the barrel with tang is going to be. center the barrel on the line. scribe a line following both sides of the barrel. you can use a gouge to make a furrow full length for the barrel to cradle in. staying inside your scribed lines use a chisel to plunge cut the entire outline. remove materiel until the barrel is cradled then start using transfer. remove all material with transfer markings. repeat until your barrel is inletted to the center line of the bore.
let us know in a couple weeks when this is done. part two will be matching the RR channel.
this probably doesn't help but it is the way i start. the barrel dictates where everything else goes. vent hole dictates where the pan is. pan dictates where the lock is located. sear arm dictates where the trigger is located. and so on.
i think.
i just sorta finished this fowler. i always see something to play with so they are never done. this was a plank build.


oh yeah! nice wood! i have yet to do a cherry build. walnut, maple, birch, and one oak plank years ago. never a cherry. that will have to be next. i really need another fowler!

The need idea has never influenced any of my gun dealings but want sure has. Nice rifle

 

[rich pierce]

This is directed at everyone on the forum who wants quick answers on how to do things that take skill and practice. Not one person or the OP only.

Trying to learn a craft that originally took an apprenticeship of at least 5 years by asking questions online is an interesting and common approach nowadays. Buy books. Read articles and collect them in notebooks. Watch other craftspeople work. Attend a 3 or 5 day class. Try different tools and approaches. Practice until you develop systems that work for you. None of these proven approaches are free or fast.

Don’t be presumptuous and think there’s nothing to it and buying a few suggested tools and watching a few YouTube videos will ensure success.
Nobody is responsible for your development as a craftsperson but you.

 

[deerstalkert]

in the immortal words of Tina Turner, "whats need got to do with it"

The need idea has never influenced any of my gun dealings but want sure has. Nice rifle

 

[gvmforster]

another good You tube site:
"Homemade History"

he just started a Jaeger rifle build; with part 3 discussing design of the stock

 

[Dutch7]

This is directed at everyone on the forum who wants quick answers on how to do things that take skill and practice. Not one person or the OP only.

Trying to learn a craft that originally took an apprenticeship of at least 5 years by asking questions online is an interesting and common approach nowadays. Buy books. Read articles and collect them in notebooks. Watch other craftspeople work. Attend a 3 or 5 day class. Try different tools and approaches. Practice until you develop systems that work for you. None of these proven approaches are free or fast.

Don’t be presumptuous and think there’s nothing to it and buying a few suggested tools and watching a few YouTube videos will ensure success.
Nobody is responsible for your development as a craftsperson but you.

Very well explained Mr Pierce, this is a hobby for some, others a passion or a lifetime pursuit of never obtained perfection in my case but everything you do and learn by experience is worthwhile.
To the OP, use the references mentioned above, sharpen your newly acquired chisels and dig in. Nothing teaches like doing.

 

[Tenmile]

Dutch7 you’re spot on. There’s an old rule in teaching; I see, I forget. I hear, I forget. I do, I remember.

 

[MSW]

i'm a big fan of The Gunsmith of Grenville County. It's a bit pricey, but what you spend on the book will more than compensate for parts you don't ruin (as well as time you won't spend in purgatory for the bad language you won't use) ... i like, also, that it's spiral bound, so it will lay flat and not lose your place on the workbench... and Mr. Alexander explains why you're doing what he has you doing.

also, learn now how to get your knives and chisels super sharp ... neurosurgery sharp.

good luck with your build ... welcome to the addiction... :0

 

[64Springer]

i'm a big fan of The Gunsmith of Grenville County. It's a bit pricey, but what you spend on the book will more than compensate for parts you don't ruin (as well as time you won't spend in purgatory for the bad language you won't use) ... i like, also, that it's spiral bound, so it will lay flat and not lose your place on the workbench... and Mr. Alexander explains why you're doing what he has you doing.

also, learn now how to get your knives and chisels super sharp ... neurosurgery sharp.

good luck with your build ... welcome to the addiction... :0

Thank you for the book advice. I ordered the two books recommended by two of the helpful people in this thread. Will look into Grenville too.

Neurosurgery sharp is good advice. Then we can use the chisels to cut into people's brains. And figure out what makes people undertake projects like this.

Just a little bit chisel practice before going in.

 

[64Springer]

This should answer some of your questions

https://rumble.com/user/BillRaby

Mr. Raby

I wanted to take the time to say thank you. I've been watching a lot of your videos. Lancaster and Maryland rifle builds. I appreciate you taking the time to point me, and others, in the right direction. You're a true credit to your craft.

Again, Thank you.

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
I am building another gun from a blank at this time. The thread may help.
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/an-early-vermont-rifle.154528/
dave

 

[64Springer]

Hi,
I am building another gun from a blank at this time. The thread may help.
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/an-early-vermont-rifle.154528/
dave

Thank you, Sir.

I'll take all the input I can get.

Just got this blank to a semi-finished width. Time to begin the long trek towards inletting the breech.

 

[64Springer]

Got the ramrod channel cut. Used a 6mm gouge chisel and a seven dollar piece of Lowe's 3/8" steel rod. One half makes a damn fine scraper. The other half makes a damn fine drill bit extension. The 3/8" x 1/4" x 3/4" spacer/hi tech coupling device is from Lowe's too. Less than two buck. Coupler cross pinned with two 3/32" pins.

Need to set up the dado blades and cut a 3/8" x 3/16" groove in a long wooden block. This will be clamped over the bit to prevent walking.

Fun. Fun. Fun. Someone asked for pictures. Sooo.....

 

[64Springer]

One more step complete.

That clamped block allowed for no movement at all. Drilled a half inch at a time. Air nozzle to remove chips. Was surprised at how hot the drill got.

Watching people use leather straps to hold the drill bit down seems just a tad risky.

 

[rich pierce]

I am not sure what I’m seeing. Is the barrel inletted? I thought I saw the lock partially inletted and ramrod groove made and hole drilled but the barrel not inletted.