I got problems

[hogup]

Okay, so this is my first build and although I am pretty handy with tools I know when to ask for help. I am starting to inlet the barrel (swamped) and for the life of me I can not tell where the metal is touching the wood. I have the barrel coated with lipstick (the inletting black has not areived yet) and when I place it in the channel I get the very faintest of marks on the very top of the barrel channel. Not in the channel, but on the lip thereof. Also, I can not get the barrel to lay flush in the stock channel, it cants to one side. I assume that once I can ID the high spots that this will even out. Is this normal? Am I normal? Should the use of the inletting black in place of lipstick work better? :wink:

 

[rabjr]

Some venders like to say, just square up the breech area for a snug fit! Well I've yet to see one that does. Every stock I've worked on required some wood taken from the sides for the barrel to lay within the channel.

You can try a Hurricain lamp, I've always used one especially for the barrel. Set the wick low and coat your part with lamp black. Have some rags handy, wipe the part down before reapplying the black again. Try it, it may help you to see things better.

 

[Packdog]

Having to take wood off the sides of the barrel channel is not uncommon. Be careful not to tilt the barrel one way or the other resulting in too much wood taken off. I normally try to get the muzzle in and then work backwards toward the breech.
I use a fat black permenant magic markers. The one with the wide tip. It works pretty good as alternative to inletting black. Easy to apply to the barrel flats and not near as messy as inletting black.

 

[Zonie]

Using a black felt tip can work nicely as long as you remember there isn't much material on the metal to wipe off.

If one uses this marker, look at the barrels sides to see where material was wiped off when the barrel was inserted into the stocks channel.
That will tell you where things are tight.

This marker method doesn't work real well for seeing where a barrel is bottoming out at the bottom of the channel so use the lipstick or inleting black in that location.

Also remember, the width of the barrel channel is not supposed to be a tight fit. IMO it should have about .010 total clearance to the side flats.
That's about the thickness of 3 sheets of printer paper and when the clearance is split between both sides of the barrel the gap will barely be visible.

This little gap will disappear when the finishing oils are added at the end of the build because as the wood absorbs the oil it will swell just about the right amount to remove all clearance.

 

[MSW]

swampy has good advice... the inletting black is revealing but messy.

i've found that the 'trick' (if you want to call it that) of inletting black is to use as little as possible.

good luck with your build!

 

[Birddog6]

I take it this is a PreInlet stock, has a lock inlet, and you already have the lock in 75% of the way & the barrel is marked so you know exactly how far you have to move the barrel back.......

Wait on the inletting black. Square the wood at the breech inlet & go straight down with it. Sounds like the barrel is going in & catching on one side & causing it to cock to one side. Have had allot of them do that. Blacked the bottom three flats first & see if that shows where it is catching. Keep the breech end flat against the breech wood as you need it flat there to look good. Put it in the inlet, take a rubber mallet & tap the barrel so you get a black mark on the wood where it is hitting. Heck I beat the manure out of them when I inlet one. :shocked2: :wink:

:thumbsup:

Keith lisle

 

[hogup]

Thanks to all for the suggestions and help. I'll wait for the inletting black and follow the suggestions you folks have provided. In the mean time I am cleaning up ths brass castings and such. Thanks again.

 

[Birddog6]

I forgot to mention, make sure it is starting in the inlet straight & not catching on the initial part of the inlet, as if you force it there you could crack the stock.

Keith Lisle

 

[Richard Allen]

Very interesting! This is the first discussion I have found about how much clearance should be left between the barrel and the upper forestock rails.

I have built a persussion Southern Rifle from TOTW and a Chambers Lancaster. I am currently working on two more Chambers kits, a York for my wife and a Smooth Rifle for myself. I consider myself a novice at best.

My copies of Recreating the American and The Gunsmith of Grenville County are worn and stained from the hours they have spent on my workbench during my builds. I have agonized over how to prevent having gaps between the metal and wood.

It wasn't until I started on my current builds that I realized (correctly I hope)that I can use the squared portion of the stock to determine if I am canting the barrel while inletting it. I check for square by placing the thickest part of my square on the wood and the steel arm on the top flat of the barrel frequently throughout the process.

I think that squared portion between the lock panel and the ramrod entry is where the blank was held in the shaping machine but I could be wrong.

Another thing I have come to realize while working on my wife's stock is a lot of curl in the wood is pretty to look at but a real pain in th a$$ to work with. I still need to take her barrel down about another 1/16" into the stock in order to get the center of the side flat level with the lowest side rail.

I appreciate every builder that takes the time to share the knowledge they have aquired over the years.

Thanks
Richard/Ga.

 

[Richard Allen]

On second thought, I think I had better find out how much web is left between the breech and the loading rod beforeI lower the barrel any more.

Toooo many things to remember, so little memory left!

Richard/Ga.

 

[THOM]

It ain't a problem -
It's a challenge :hmm:
Lots of great advice here.. :bow:
Be well.. :thumbsup:
Thom