Parts Kit Build By A Beginner(Running Thread)

[Vtsmoker]

There's no turning back now! Started my fowler parts kit build today and as promised here is the thread for the build from a beginner point of view with pics. Hopefully this will inspire a first timer to try a build. Any tips or comments welcome and will only make this thread better.

Since this is a precarve stock I had to disassemble and set the lock first. This lock was in no way close to being inlet.

Next,had to remove the breech plug, check to be sure the face was seated on the bore. It was so removed it again, measured the depth of thr fsce of the plug and marked it on thr barrel.

Then set the barrel in the channel and found the breech plug face is centered in the pan.

manure! now I got to move the barrel back 1/4 of an inch.

actually got the barrel set back and started to inlet the tang before supper. didn't get pics of that yet but I'll have more to add tomorrow.

 

[Keb]

I hope your barrel is not tapered or swamped.
What would be wrong with putting clearance in the breech plug face and not moving the barrel?
See pic:

Artist rendering :/

 

[Mike Brooks]

You moved your barrel back too far.

 

[Vtsmoker]

The barrel is tapered but it still seems to fit in the stock ok.
Mike, I will be using a vent liner. doesn't the liner need to be in front of the breech plug? Did I ruin this stock already? This so called "precarved stock" sure doesn't seem to fit the parts very well at all. I told Sitting Fox I was a beginner and didn't want to have to do a lot of inletting. Not what I'm finding and getting discouraged already.

 

[Mike Brooks]

If you're using a 1/4"liner you should have moved you barrel back 1/8". You may want to consider a chambers liner in 3/8" to make up the difference.
Beleive me, you'll never be satisfied building guns untill you get away fro kits. They make more problems than they solve.
Check out my building tutorial, you'll find there isn't that much more work building from a blank.

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

If your using a 1/4" liner you only need to set the barrel back an 1/8" etc.

Don't give up on the build, just slow down and ask lots of questions.

Filter through the answers to get the correct responses.

 

[Vtsmoker]

Ok thanks. heading out to the shop in a few to work on inletting the tang and underlugs. I think I'm going to need to shorten the tang. I'll post some pics for opinions. the tang inlet seems to have to go really deep to seat the barrel. Could there be that much wood to remove?

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

Yes you really can remove that much wood, in the beginning I would inlet the full thickness of the tang.

Now I scribe a line around the tang and cut a thin slab off of the bottom of the tang so that I am only removing half of the wood when I inlet.

Hope you can picture the explination.

 

[hoochiepapa]

Take your time, and don't let it scare you. There are ways to repair goof-ups, I'm the champion of that. :redface:
Resign yourself that you will probably make mistakes, but in the end, you will love that rifle more than any other. Listen to the guys here that know their business, Mike Brooks will not steer you wrong, if you get to a point that frustrates you, put tools down and walk away for a while. I have walked away and not gone back for a week or so, giving myself time to think. You can solve your problems, when you think them through.

 

[Vtsmoker]

Ok. Here is how far the breech plug needs to go down for the barrel to seat. Seems like alot to me??

Also, Is the tang too long? I think I need to shorten it a little to leave room for a thumb piece later.

Another thing I noticed now that the under lugs are inlet the barrel channel is too narrow at the muzzle. Will the wood stretch or do I need to open that up a little?

 

[Mike Brooks]

Is the wood really soft or do your chisels need sharpened? Please study my building tutorial, the answers you are seeking are right there. Then if you have questions fire away.
I wish you would have contacted me about where to get a good kit before you bought this one.

 

[Vtsmoker]

The wood seems very soft. My chisels are sharp but the wood seems to tear rather than cut. I stone sharpened the chisles out of the package. I've read your tutorial many times but maybe it's time for a review. Thanks guys.

 

[Mike Brooks]

Really soft wood will mash like it did in your breech inlet unless your chisels are incredibly sharp.
Your tang is a bit long, probably 2 5/8" to 2 3/4" is enough.

 

[MSW]

+1 to what Mr. Brooks said.

your chisels should be (literally) sharp enough to shave hair off your forearm.

if there's a bald spot on your arm or wrist, i will believe that your tools are sharp. otherwise...

there are a number of good videos and tutorials on how to sharpen tools (knives and chisels, in specific) and you should get one, go through it several times, and then get your tools razor sharp.

not trying to be a nag; this was a huge and very frustrating stumbling block for me, and once i figured out the whole stropping thing, it was a giant 'eurika moment.'

good luck, and keep sending in pictures.

 

[hoochiepapa]

Ditto. Sharpening is what a steering wheel is to driving. You gotta have sharp tools. I just recently learned about how stropping can put that fine edge on, so MSW knows what he's talking about. :thumbsup:

 

[Vtsmoker]

Ok. Guess I'm going to have to learn how to sharpen my chisels. I'm on it! Well removed a bunch of wood from the tang area with a rasp and cut the tang to 2 5/8 long. Reinlet the tang and it was alot easier. Got the tang almost all the way down. I can draw file it to mate with the wood surface from here. Wood to metal fit isn't perfect but I can live with it unless I can figure out a way to fill the VERY small gaps in spots. The image is a little deceiving as the tang isn't held down. It actually just sticks up a hair.

Also got the muzzle to set down in the stock. Used a half-round file as a scraper and got just enough for the barrel to set down. Now for pinning the barrel. This is the part that makes me most nervious. If I miss this stock is scrap.

 

[Mike Brooks]

If I miss this stock is scrap.

Just plug the hole with a tooth pick and try again.

 

[Vtsmoker]

Thought of that but thought it would show. Also Mike ,I looked at the vent liner that came with the kit. It's 3/8. Yeaaaa.

 

MSW, is almost correct, they need to be sharp enough to do open heart surgery. Google "Scary Sharp" and take a side trip on the build. With one exception, when you buy a set of chisels, they come "profile" sharpened, that means they have the correct angle, but are not work sharp yet. Once you get one sharpened , you will know it. Without sharp tools, you will take twice the effort to get a job done. As to Mike's tutorial, only read thru the step you are on, read it til you are sure what you have to do, then follow it. It will help you stay on track. You got the parts set you could afford with your budget, and that's fine, you have just opted to do more work, and have more decisions to make. And remember this is not a race, it's a journey. Guy's like Mike, and Keith Lisle, and Allen Martin, can build a june in two or three weeks if the wish, but they have built hundreds, and know what they're doing. Also they're doing it full time. Back to your build, and where you are at. Did you get the barrel and plug mated to did you get a barrel, and a plug? Fully breached is when the face of the plug mates to the shoulder of the barrel, and the tang aligns with the top flat, which leaves the stampings on the bottom. If it hasn't been done it's one of those sub steps between inletting the lock, and the barrel on a pre carve. Having to remove more wood, is also common on most precarves from Track, Pecatonica, and some of the less expensive builders. the main reason for this is they are not mated to any specific barrel. This gives the builder room for a tighter fit. Another difference between a $400 parts set, and an $800 parts set. The advantage of having the less expensive parts set, is that you are going to learn a lot.

Bill

 

[Zonie]

My first thought is that your going too fast.

Take your time. Sneak up on the final fit.
Ask questions if your in doubt at all.

Other thoughts:

The rear of the barrel must be making contact with the wood on both sides of the breech plug. It should have at least a 85 percent contact. 90 percent is better.

It's too bad you removed 1/4" of wood but, as you know, what's done is done.
In its present location you can use any size vent liner up to one with a 1/2" thread. That of course is silly but, before you jump to some larger sized liner remember, you do not want to use a vent liner that is larger than the width of one of the barrel flats. If you did, a part of the liner would be sticking up above the corner of the flat and would show on the next flat.

Some may disagree but if I were doing this, I would install the center of the liner 3/16" ahead of the face of the breech plug. This will put the hole 1/16" behind the center of the pan but it will still work there.

The advantage of putting the center of the vent at 3/16" is that in the event of a dry ball, if the gun is loaded with a roundball, the hole in the vent will be behind the contact point of the ball. This will help the shooter dribble powder in behind the ball to shoot it out.

Keep on working and remember, there should be no visable gap between your inletted parts and the wood.