Muscle power

[kansas_volunteer]

I'd like to build a rifle using nothing but muscle powered tools. An egg beater drill will put holes in softer steel. What's a good way to line up lock and tang bolt holes? I'd have the barrel breeched with machine tools.

 

[tenngun]

I’ve cut a lot with a power drill motors. Cut Half inch, check alinement and repeat.

 

[Phil Coffins]

The people of long ago that only used hand tools had skills developed by training and or experience. To think we could just do it well because we want to is short changing their knowledge.

 

[deerstalkert]

everything one has done in a lifetime should have added to his ability and knowledge.
using techniques from one field of endeavor should be easy to transfer to something else.
muscle memory helps .
i was a carpenter in another life. for a period of time i also did plumbing. for ghits and shiggles i worked on cars and raced them.
i find some of the techniques i used in each of those cross over into cobbling together a rifle. i don't by any stretch claim to be a gun builder, though i have and do shoot a few no one else has ever touched.
i have done a couple totally by hand. mostly i have used power tools to shape things like trigger components.

 

[dave_person]

Hi KV,
Go for it. A large bow saw will be helpful and while an egg beater drill will be useful, you may find the bigger holes are easier done with a brace and bit using small wood boring bits. It is no big deal to drill lock bolts and tang bolts accurately. Just mark them accurately on the wood on both sides of the stock, draw guide lines connecting the marks on the sides of the stock and drill part way from one side using the guide lines and then from the other side to meet the hole. Any offset can be resolved with a small round file or rasp.

dave

 

[Pete G]

Spokeshave works well for shaping.

 

[Col. Batguano]

Don't forget oil lamps (preferably whale oil) for your shop, and a wood (hand cut only) burning stove.

While the allure of doing it "the old way" is romantic and nostalgic, you still live in the 21st century. You will still be using tools of the 21st century, like computers to ask for advice. Where you draw the line is up to you, but don't delude yourself in to thinking that you are completely building an 18th century gun, in completely 18th century ways.

 

[deerstalkert]

Don't forget oil lamps (preferably whale oil) for your shop, and a wood (hand cut only) burning stove.

While the allure of doing it "the old way" is romantic and nostalgic, you still live in the 21st century. You will still be using tools of the 21st century, like computers to ask for advice. Where you draw the line is up to you, but don't delude yourself in to thinking that you are completely building an 18th century gun, in completely 18th century ways.

you mean they didn't have little buddy propane heaters and LED lights in the 18th century?

 

[Stykbow]

you mean they didn't have little buddy propane heaters and LED lights in the 18th century?

I’ll bet you one thing though. If they did have them they’d have been using them while drilling holes with their hand drill!

 

[deerstalkert]

i do most of my summertime working on guns outdoors to take advantage of the natural light.
i have to assume so did most of the guys in the 18th century.

 

[russellshaffer]

Outdoors or with a window and good light. Might have to wait for days to get everything right for an important job. I read a story about a barrel maker who had to do the really fine work on days with the right light. No, I don't have the foggiest idea where I found the story but it does make sense to me. I sharpend a blade outside this afternoon.

 

[oldwood]

Deerstalkert.........If'in you can git a copy of Foxfire #5 , the gun smithing one , there's a bunch of folks workin' on shootin' irons , outside. Very entertaining.......oldwood

 

[deerstalkert]

Deerstalkert.........If'in you can git a copy of Foxfire #5 , the gun smithing one , there's a bunch of folks workin' on shootin' irons , outside. Very entertaining.......oldwood

now you made me get out of my comfortable chair by the fire and go dig through the library!
the dust was an inch thick but i found it!

 

[William Lincoln]

In old times, they used polished metal pieces to direct sunlight indoors like a mirror,
in day time. This started in antiquity. Using the old ways is a great way to build
pride in your work--because you will spend more time crafting and perfecting your
build.

 

[oldwood]

Deerstalkert........I'm old ,and realize how tough it is to leave the fire. There's some books that need rereadin' , but think of all the folks that have nothin' to read , but software research and development , blood chemistry , launch code propagation , etc. , ... What a sad commentary on a situation where there's no way to go back to your roots , and remember running a mile + trap line , from 4 AM until time to walk the mile to school at 8 AM. About age 5 yr's. , I was introduced to my neighbor's kin folk from the Cheat River country in Preston Co. , W. Va.. They lived 12 miles back sand roads about a mile above the Cheat River. They asked nothin' from the govt. except their freedom to survive. A better , more trustworthy , and kindly folk , couldn't be found anywhere. As a kid , lookin' at these folk's lives , bent me toward less sophisticated thought patterns. Guess that's why books like the Foxfire series , is important to me. In the last 50 yr's ,I've gone back to look up some thing Hacker Martin ,or Hershel House talked about a couple times. Bits and pieces of early information begin to gel into answers of perplexing questions , like , how could three country militia guys with three rifles , three tomahakins , and three knives ,go against a war party of four , or five sleeping Shawanee warriors? How did they use their m/l rifles to best advantage? All we have is our books , the stories are there for the reading. Oh well , I'm way off in the weeds , again. Forgive me for sharing the dusty places in my thoughts. ............oldwood

 

[Sidney Smith]

While I can understand a person's desire to "do it the way they did". For all practicality in today's world, why not take advantage of modern tools? The craftsmen of old had no other way to build a firearm, so they got intimate so to speak with the tools they had available. While a craftsman of today may think they know how to manipulate an egg beater drill of old, The craftsman of old would probably cringe when he observes the modern guys methods.

I see nothing wrong with taking advantage of modern technology to create a flintlock, etc. If anything it will save time.

People laugh when I tell them I use my Dremel tool to help inlet a lock mortise. Well for me that's what I'm used to using. I know how to properly use a Dremel, and know when and where not to use it. I doubt I could ever get the performance and accuracy of my inlets if I had to rely solely in ancient tools. It's all in what you know and are comfortable using.

 

[S.Kenton]

I have made a few powder horns totally by hand, egg beater drill, file work, even hand forged the nails or used locust thorns for pins. It took a little longer, but in the end it was worth it… a rifle is the same concept, depending on how far you want to take it. I don’t think I’d have the patients to do that, nor the time…if you do that id like to see you document and share it.

 

[SOLANCO]

i do most of my summertime working on guns outdoors to take advantage of the natural light.
i have to assume so did most of the guys in the 18th century.

Martin Mylin is considered the father of the Pennsylvania long rifle. This link is to a study of his shop which still stands not far from here. I found it worth a read, and it is headed by a photo of the shop. Thick stone walls and tiny windows. You can bet he did some work outdoors!
https://www.millersville.edu/archaeology/files/mylin-gunshop-site-report.pdf

 

[kansas_volunteer]

My thoughts on building with nothing but muscle powered tools comes from having enough muscle powered tools to build just about anything. Most longrifle building discussion here talks about using some amount of power tools, like drill presses or band saws. I'm not thinking of reliving the 18th century, but rather to exercise my muscle powered skills. I have plenty of power tools, but using them would be to take the easy way out. Getting bolt holes properly aligned is about the only issue I have.

 

[Sharpnel]

It is necessary to have well build muscles. From my own experience, I learned that everything seems a lot easier when you have more power. Also, it looks like a person has a great style when they have a great build body. I wanted to have a healthy and good-looking figure, so I asked my friend for a piece of advice. She recommended RAD-140 because rats.army is a reliable supplier. I decided to try, and I am happy I listened to her.