Trina
Six pointer
Posts: 61
|
Post by Trina on Jul 7, 2004 12:45:27 GMT -5
I am about ready to tackle putting the tennons on and connecting the barrel to the stock, So I need to do the inletting.. any hints on doing this... what is the best way to go about it?... what tools are best to use? Should a person do the ones for the tennons, as well as for the sites, all at once? I am more nervous about messing with files on this barrel than I was about carving on the stock ... any thoughts or hints would be VERY appreciated.  T |
|
|
|
Post by mamaflinter on Jul 7, 2004 20:03:12 GMT -5
WOW A woman after my own heart. It's not everyday you find a woman who has a desire to build guns.
If you are nervous about messing with files on the barrel, you have a choice. Either you can do it or have it done for you. When we built my vernor, we chose to have it done by a fellow who has a machine that cuts the dovetails in the barrel. We had the two on top for the sights and the barrel is pinned in 4 places so there were those to be done as well. It shouldn't cost much to have it done. Just make sure you check, re-check and check again all the measurements as once the barrel is dovetailed, you are committed to putting them in place.
|
|
|
|
Post by Fatdutchman on Jul 7, 2004 21:21:44 GMT -5
One recommendation I will make is to get an actual dovetail file from Brownell's. It is an OUTSTANDING file anyway, and invaluable for dovetails. Cuts on one side only. I have two and have used both of them for YEARS...really good files. If you do get one, you MUST take the corner opposite the cutting surface, and grind it off and round it over...it is so sharp as it comes, that it will slice your thumbs wide open.
|
|
Doc
Spike
Posts: 13
|
Post by Doc on Jul 7, 2004 21:53:14 GMT -5
Hey Trina,
All what birddog said, if you have access to a drill press get a vise that has a travel on it and a dove tail bit and you can cut your dove tails with no problem. Its like a poor mans milling machine. I have cut them with a hack saw , then use a cold chisel and remove the material,and using a triangle file with a safe side(one side with the theeth ground off) and they turned out good. If they are a little loose I use a center punch and punch a number of spots and the raised edges of the punch marks makes them thight.
Doc Will
Keep Yer Powder Dry
PS. Birddog is a well (wealth) of information on gun building.
|
|
|
|
Post by Packdog on Jul 7, 2004 22:56:48 GMT -5
Trina,
Get Birddog to send you the pics he has. They were a wonderful help to me as well as those instructions. They are dead on the money. Especially the slotted lugs. The only thing I can add is from a beginner standpoint that might differ from these other old hands at this. Filing and cutting on the barrel scares the you know what out of me.. Ha-Ha Do the ones on bottom first starting with the muzzle end. Any learning curves glitches will be hid that way and your first one is where the barrel has more meat and the presure is less. My thoughts anyway. Do the ones for the sights last but at the same time cause it will be easy by the time you get the first 3 done. Go slow and remember it's not the end of the world if they have to be staked. The first one I did looked like an angry beaver chewed it in. After you do a couple they will look milled in there.
Packdog
|
|
Trina
Six pointer
Posts: 61
|
Post by Trina on Jul 8, 2004 11:42:55 GMT -5
I want to thank you all for your thoughts and recommendations, I am going to try doing them by hand... I bought one of the triangle files and had plans on making a safe side... but I think my Dad just bought one of the files mentioned from Brownells, maybe if I talk real nice, and make him a tamale pie he will let me borrow it ;D I do most of the work on this gun in his shop anyway. Mammaflinter, its nice to not be the only gal on a board about gun building.. ;D I do get a few strange looks from people that find out about my project  ..Probably the strangest look though came from DH when I told him what I wanted to do Thanks again.... I really appreciate the help and the board to be able to get this help.. Trina |
|
|
|
Post by TSK on Jul 8, 2004 22:24:14 GMT -5
Trina,
Ever consider using just a staple loop staked into blind holes (.075"deep) carefuly drilled into the barrel? They work very well for pins or wedges, and are easy to put on the barrel, look neater, and they allow for expansion of the barrel when it gets hot from firing without having to elongate the pin holes as you should in a drilled tennon. They can be made easily from a nail or can be bought from m/l parts suppliers. If you are using a skinny waisted swamped barrel however, the shallow dovetail tennon may be a better way to go if you don't have a good drill press with a POSITIVE stop! Hope your rifle building goes smoothly.
Ted K
|
|
|
|
Post by mamaflinter on Jul 9, 2004 7:49:56 GMT -5
Mammaflinter, its nice to not be the only gal on a board about gun building.. ;D I do get a few strange looks from people that find out about my project ..Probably the strangest look though came from DH when I told him what I wanted to do Thanks again.... I really appreciate the help and the board to be able to get this help.. Trina Trina Just wait until you are finished with your project. Then take it over and show DH and see the look on his face.  When I was building the vernor, I was at a point that it was time to inlet the toeplate. It wouldn't have been a big deal, except I chose one that had a heart with the middle hollowed out and the wood is flush in the middle with the toeplate. (I can't remember the name of it specifically). Anyway, it scared Doug to death thinking I'd mess it up. I told him one day that I was going to inlet it. He says to me, "Are you sure you can do it?" I said "Yes just go do something else in the shop and leave me do this." About an hour or so later I called him over and had him take a look at it and it fit perfectly. The look was all the payment I needed for that job. Oh yea, one thing I wanted to tell you. If you decide to put any type of inlays on the rifle, make sure that the inlay is symmetrical. If it is not symmetrical, make sure you mark the inlay so that you know how you laid it on the rifle the first time when you traced the pattern on. I had a pair of inlays that appeared symmetrical, but one side was smaller than the other and if you flipped it around, it wouldn't line up. Biggest pain in the butt inlays I dealt with as I had to fill in BOTH inlays as I didn't realize they were asymmetrical. Just another tip to pass along. |
|
Trina
Six pointer
Posts: 61
|
Post by Trina on Jul 9, 2004 12:15:04 GMT -5
Mammaflinter, the only Inlay type thing I need to do it the toe plate..I dont think it will give me to much problem...now the carving I want to do on the other hand might give me a few more grays... I know Jim will be tickled for me when its done, he has been very supportive, well that is after the initial shock of how much it was going to cost ;D.. and I REALLY cant wait to shoot it. |
|
|
|
Post by DaltonBros on Jul 15, 2004 12:04:45 GMT -5
Trina, I used the method TSK was talking about, that is, staking the staples in blind holes. I think it's described in the TOTW's catalog and you can buy the staples and staking tool from them as well.
BTW could you post your tamele pie recipe somewhere on here? Sure sounds good.
|
|
Trina
Six pointer
Posts: 61
|
Post by Trina on Jul 15, 2004 12:49:57 GMT -5
Hi TSK and Daltonbros, I was concerned about the the drilling as I am not quite up to par when it comes to a drill press, I will check that option about a bit more though.
Daltonbros, I will post the tamale pie recipe in the recipe section.. but its more of a tamale pie casserole and I get very creative with it lol....
|
|
|
|
Post by DaltonBros on Jul 15, 2004 18:10:15 GMT -5
Hey Trina,
I forget the depth of the hole, but it's just a hair deeper than the height of the tiny foot on the staple. I do mine free hand using a slow turning drill with the depth marked on the drill bit by wrapping a bit of masking tape around it and drilling to that depth. If you do it this way, make sure you have someone else watching the bit from another direction to ensure it's plumb.
Thanks for the recipe Trina sounds kinda like a Mexican lasagna. What you had for dinner last night sounds good also. Dang, woman, your going to get me to look for my chef's hat with that kind of talk. LOL
|
|
T
..Probably the strangest look though came from DH when I told him what I wanted to do 
When I was building the vernor, I was at a point that it was time to inlet the toeplate. It wouldn't have been a big deal, except I chose one that had a heart with the middle hollowed out and the wood is flush in the middle with the toeplate. (I can't remember the name of it specifically). Anyway, it scared Doug to death thinking I'd mess it up. I told him one day that I was going to inlet it. He says to me, "Are you sure you can do it?" I said "Yes just go do something else in the shop and leave me do this." About an hour or so later I called him over and had him take a look at it and it fit perfectly. The look was all the payment I needed for that job.