Dovetail Jigs.......

Do they really work well? I know a good one is at least $50. I guess it would be a good addition to the bench for later projects. Anyone just use a hacksaw and hand file?

All I use is a hacksaw and file.. :thumbsup:

Yes. Hacksaw less than the width of the lug or sight and the depth. Then use a 3 sided file with one side made safe to do the edges. There are several pics of the process posted here. Should be able to find them using the search.

A hacksaw, an upsetting chisel and a safe sided triangular file do the job for me......Fred

I bought one early on in my gun building, hate the thing an here is why;

You have to shim the heck out of it to cut a .050 dovetail, if you don't shim it, it will cut about a 1/4" deep dovetail. If you use it on a swamped barrel you have to reposition it side to side or you will cut a dovetail that is slanted instead of parallel. The jig is so hard you will wear out a file or two cutting your dovetails in one barrel.

Sometimes a "tool" that is suppose to HELP you is more of a problem then it is worth :cursing: :haha: !

My friend has a Bridgeport mill and he used a jig to cut the three tenion dovetails in my 40 cal barrel in just a few minutes. All I did was watch and sip my coffee...sometimes it's tough being an apprentice!!
:rotf:
Eterry

But...did you learn anything?....Fred

In general, using jigs and the like can add precision to your finished work. Some times they make your work go faster, and some times the set up is more work than the finished product needs. I use dovetail jigs to cut them with a router for drawers because it makes the work much faster, and very precise-- good tough durable drawers with tight joints that look good. I certainly know how to cut them by hand, but it's a lot slower.

You will have to decide if you want that level of precision. For lugs all I really care about is if they are reasonably solid and most of all, functional. Since they're held in place by the wood in the channel, if they're a little sloppy that doesn't matter so much. With sights, because they're so critical to the ball hitting where you aim, it's more important that they be tight, and of course, it's nice if they look good too, for aesthetic reasons if no other.

I beg to differ~ I like mine, sometimes I use it, sometimes I don't....and yes, shim it to proper depth....and use only hack saw blades....it will dull the files~
jigs are nice to have, if you need one, you have it.....and they can teach a person to do a proper thing.
I also can use jigs to straighten up a sloppy thing...I like jigs.
marc n tomtom

Colonel, I'm all for the advancement in drawers, in fact I applaud the modern-day achievement in that field, the ability to use less material is of great interest to me... :stir:

Fred, I've learned many things in the course of this build...first I learned that that ole guy sure knows his way around a lathe and a mill. I also learned he knows more than a couple shortcuts that I wouldn't have thought of.. I've never had to inlet a lock or barrel channel more than sanding a precut stock, working from a blank has opened my eyes.

Eterry

Eterry said:

I've never had to inlet a lock or barrel channel more than sanding a precut stock, working from a blank has opened my eyes.
Eterry

Click to expand...

now your ready to cut your own tree....and dry the planks......and REALLY make a stock :surrender:

marc n tomtom

Marc, I'm not sure if I wanna cut up a tree just to wait ten years for the wood to dry, although dad has some massive Bois Darc trees on his place that would make for some interesting stock material.
Eterry

Read back some pages about Sights & Dovetails. We just went thru all of that with LOTS of photos.

Have cut well over a hundred of them with just a hacksaw... Takes me about 20-25 min from start to finish
to Cut & install 4 underlugs in a barrel....... :idunno: But done ALLOT of them. First one I ever did
took me over an hour. I was scared I was going to ruin a barrel. Now I do it & don't even think about it
while I do it.

Keith Lisle

Thanks for all the replies, yes I did a search and there are some great photos!!!

Best to get some 3/8 or 1/2" key stock & practice a few times, then cut them in the barrel. If it is a swamped barrel, depth is sometimes critical.
And the base on allot of the underlugs you buy are much thicker than necessary. .030 to .040" in base thickness is more than adequate.
Also, on thin walled barrels such as at the waist of a long "A" weight, it is sometimes preferred to soft solder them on. It is quite easy
to do, and practicing on some key stock can improve your skills as well on this.

Keith Lisle

Col. Batguano said:

good tough durable drawers with tight joints that look good.

Click to expand...

Good tough durable drawers can be very, very important. :thumbsup:

Pete G said:

Col. Batguano said:

good tough durable drawers with tight joints that look good.

Click to expand...

Good tough durable drawers can be very, very important. :thumbsup:

Click to expand...

That's how I can hit the high notes as a tenor at choir practice! The secret's out now.