Tips for building quickly/efficiently?

[HighUintas]

Hi all,

I've been working on my first muzzleloader since middle of February. It's from a blank and the only power tool I've used so far is a drill for the RR hole. I've done all the work; didn't send it out for barrel channel or RR channel.

I'm currently nearly done inletting the lock plate and my lock is about 95% finished in terms of polishing. I've got the sides, top, and bottom trimmed down back to the wrist but haven't done any shaping yet.

I've only had nights to work on it, maybe 1 to 1.5 hour a night on average. I know it's my first one and I'm bound to be a lot slower, but I was wondering if you experienced builders have any tips or tricks you can share for developing a more speedy or more efficient method of building a rifle?

 

[Pete G]

A rifle usually takes about 150 hr. or so to build. You’re doing fine; don’t try to rush things.

 

[dave_person]

Hi HU,
So much depends on what you have available for tools. However, I find it most efficient to first, make a drawing of the gun to position all the components and establish the profile, and second cut away most of the wood almost down to the lines of my drawing before installing the hardware. I inlet the barrel and drill the ramrod hole right off the bat and then really trim wood off the stock before putting on the lock, butt plate etc. A bandsaw is a very useful tool.

dave

 

[HighUintas]

Thanks for the tips! I certainly don't want to rush and am committed to getting everything right. I'm just really sleep deprived at this point (baby at home who won't sleep and my free time is late night) so I'm looking to be more efficient so I can get some sleep

Here's a couple pics of my progress. Getting there!

 

[Phil Coffins]

That looks like some very clean work. The small amount of time you are going to spend doing good work will be evident for many years to come. Speed kills! At least in building a rifle.

 

[HighUintas]

Thank you!

 

[billraby]

One way to be speedy and efficient is to build 30 or 40 rifles. Get lots of practice. But the best way to get speedy and efficient is to accept the fact that if speed is your priority, you are likely to end up with a crummy rifle. Focus on doing a good job and forget about how long it takes. It will be finished eventually.

 

[Vaino]

Your question should include only "efficient"......Fred

 

[tenngun]

Speed is the device of Satan. So you got an hour a day? That’s less then six months. You’ll be ready for fall

 

[HighUintas]

Got it! Sounds like I'll just need to wait until I've got a few under my belt to learn the efficiency tricks and take a break if I need some sleep

 

[nhmoose]

When you want to go faster to get it done it is time to stop working on it for a while. IMHO When you return to work on it that urge to speed up will be gone.

 

[SDSmlf]

One way to be speedy and efficient is to build 30 or 40 rifles. Get lots of practice. But the best way to get speedy and efficient is to accept the fact that if speed is your priority, you are likely to end up with a crummy rifle. Focus on doing a good job and forget about how long it takes. It will be finished eventually.

Difficult for a builder become speedy and efficient, though there are exceptions. Look up Mike Brooks for an example, difficult to explain his quality and speed, but he has also built hundreds of rifles and honed his craft over time.

If you want to to become ‘speedy and efficient ‘ (your words), slow down and plan your next steps, know the sequence you are going to do things, and it will come with experience. @billraby suggestion to ‘build 30 or 40 rifles’ will get you headed down the road.

 

[deerstalkert]

your first priority after your family, should be getting the rest you need. forcing yourself to work on that project when you are tired will end up in that one slip that undoes all you have accomplished. your work so far is exemplary and it is just one hurried move away from an "OH xxxx" moment.
i have a Mortimer replacement stock that has just languished for several months. and a plains pistol .... and....................

 

[HighUintas]

Thanks, everyone. I'll keep all of your wisdom in mind and take a break to get some sleep! The last thing I need is to have a chisel slip and cut myself or drop my chisel and have it impale my foot.

 

[SOLANCO]

If a thing is worth doing? It is worth doing well. Build at the speed which allows you to do the very best work you are capable of. Build at the speed which allows you to learn how to do it better. Build at the speed which allows you to smile at your finished product.

 

[sheriff john]

Plan steps according to instructions. Complete step 1 to perfection before starting on step 2 ...etc. Planning can include a "bulleted" checklist. Each completed step can be a "Michaelangelo Moment" to stop, admire what you've done and reward yourself by, perhaps, drawing a line through each one as you go. Enjoy the project.

Oh yeah - be sure you have ALL the parts, tools, & materials in hand before you start. Trying to acquire a missing screw, pin, etc. part way through can tempt you to "substitute" or perhaps get the steps out of sync.

Your young child will only be that age once - you have a lifetime to fool with hobbies - the time you spend with the child will never come again. Good luck with both !!

 

[deerstalkert]

and remember, the fate of our species depends on you building that child correctly, not building a rifle fast.

 

[HighUintas]

That is true. She's my first and only baby. That's why all my work is done around midnight she's got lots of energy

 

[1BadDart]

Beautiful little girl, mine is now 35 and has two children of her own. I look back and wonder where all the years went. Spend all the time with her that you can, you'll never regret it.

I've been working on my first real build, didn't start with a blank like you though, I bought a kit, sans the barrel. The kit was rough inletted and honestly, I'm not sure it wouldn't have been better to have none of the inletting done as every inlet took quiet a bit of time to finish. My barrel is in and pinned, the screws through the tang and breech plug are in, the ferrules for the ramrod are in, today I finished installing the butt plate and made and installed a toe plate. the trigger is in along with the trigger guard.

The things left to do, drill the barrel for the liner/drum, layout the drum to drill and fit the nipple, make and install a front sight, mill a flat on the bottom of the TC rear sight, then drill and tap barrel, complete the filing and sanding of all the hardware, everything has to be browned, the stock is going to need to be planed and sanded to thin it down then sanded, the stain and finish applied. I haven't made up my mind yet, but I may cut the barrel back to 39" or so from 42". This build has one specific purpose, a 25 yard offhand target rifle that will use a flintlock and a cap lock also.

I hate to admit this, but I have well over 60 hours in this rifle already and probably have 30 or more to go. The learning curve has been steep, and I've made some mistakes, but I've learned a lot too. This rifle is going to be far from perfect, and after seeing the quality of the work some here do, I am almost embarrassed to post photos of my work. There are some amazing gun builders here.

 

[HighUintas]

@1BadDart , I've seen folks say many times that they won't build from an inletted precarve anymore due to having to fix so many issues and it's easier going from a blank! Probably a heck of a lot easier if you have a band saw and send it out to someone to have them do the barrel channel and the ramrod channel and hole.

Please share your pictures when you're done! I really enjoy seeing others work, especially first builds. There are some fantastic builders on here, but they started with a first one as well.