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Might have to give that another thought then... On a side note, I'm having a hard time finding a decent gouge/curved chisel. I've bought a couple from Woodcraft and they were not what I was looking for. What do you guys recommend? Size and make would be helpful...

Thanks again!

Requires some skills, but I never can find the right tool for carving and inletting. I make them from discarded files, screwdrivers, such as that. Look for some instruction on working metal. It is surprising what one can do with a simple propane torch, pliers and a chunk of iron to pound on. Some of my favorite carving tools are 50 years old. Form, sharpen and hardening.
 
Ohhhh lord. This topic is becoming fitting... So, I was installing butt plate and broke off screw on toe. I'm guessing best bet is to order new butt plate? It broke off so easy I was shocked when it happened! Top hole went smooth, then all hell broke loose. You guys didn't tell me how much fun this would be!
 
Ohhhh lord. This topic is becoming fitting... So, I was installing butt plate and broke off screw on toe. I'm guessing best bet is to order new butt plate? It broke off so easy I was shocked when it happened! Top hole went smooth, then all hell broke loose. You guys didn't tell me how much fun this would be!

Hey Buckskinn, Dave over here in Pell Lake....

I would suggest stepping back from the project for a bit just to catch your breath, and if you wish (I am far from an experienced builder, but have some skills and experiences doing assembly I can share) I could stop by and see what is up once the "blizzard" is over.

You never know, two sets of eyes are better than one sometimes.
 
Might have been to dramatic. It's quieter to vent on here than to wake everyone in the house ... I was installing toe screw on butt plate and it broke off in stock. I put a pilot hole in but must not have been deep enough. I decided to drill out screw and glue in a piece of ram rod dowl . It should be just fine.
 
Might have been to dramatic. It's quieter to vent on here than to wake everyone in the house ... I was installing toe screw on butt plate and it broke off in stock. I put a pilot hole in but must not have been deep enough. I decided to drill out screw and glue in a piece of ram rod dowel . It should be just fine.
In maple, the pilot hole should be about the diameter of the screw body. Wax the screw before driving home.
 
In maple, the pilot hole should be about the diameter of the screw body. Wax the screw before driving home.
Agreed, and when removing and reinstalling the screws while doing your fitting, re-start the screws by hand for at least 2 revolutions or until you feel it start to go back in on it's own, and never use undue force to make it go in.
Otherwise the threads you have made will become cross threaded and weaker.
I do this on almost anything I take apart from my laptops to the cars and heavy machinery I restore / repair.

I have some charts on what size drill to use on wood and metal for tapping and for pilot holes in wood if you want them.
The offer still stands as I am only 20 minutes or so away if wanted.
 
Thanks for the offer. If I get stuck again will take you up on it. I researched what I could about pilots and installing the butt plate, but didn't see much .... mine was probably a bit too small. Thanks for the help.

I came from a father, God rest God soul, had zero when it came to precision... He was a farmer and if you have ever heard the song from Corb Lund, Hard on Equipment, that was him... I'm more from my mom's side when it comes to that, but still show a signs...
 
Well looks like my dowl fix worked well. Should be solid for toe screw...
20190119_193850.jpg


Since I was into fixing stuff I did a practice run on the tang repair. I used a crescent as a faux tang and mimicked my error on a chunk of maple.
20190119_094830.jpg


Glued in a wedge cut from same piece.
20190119_165030.jpg



Then re-inlet
20190120_093440.jpg
20190120_093440.jpg


Just for curiosity sake, I stained to see how it would look.

20190120_094230.jpg

So I think I have a plan. The only thing I would do different is watch the grain flow on the wedge to match target area.
You guys said you liked pictures...
 
Your "repair" looks fine to me, nice job and like I said before, take your time and make the build yours to the best of your ability!
Very hard to tell, but it is at the top of the tang test cutout correct?

Again, I admire your initiative to do this as I am still hesitant to go this route still, after 4 inexpensive kit builds.
Don't overthink it.
:thumbs up:
 
Yes, it would be top right of last picture.

I have another question. I have a part that came with kit that I have no idea what it's for and have not seen in any videos or pics.

20190119_134850.jpg


Hard to tell, but it is slightly tapered. Threaded on one end, plugged in the middle and hollow on other end. Threaded same as tang/lock screws. Any ideas?
 
Hi,
Before you go much further, I urge you to visit Jud Brennan's blog site. Just search for "Jud Brennan" and you will get to it. Then look at his earlier posts during 2015-2017. He has a complete photo history of making a close copy of the Edward Marshall rifle based on measurements from inspection of the original in the Mercer Museum in Doylestown, PA. It is good to know what the gun is supposed to look like. One detail you will see is how thin and dainty the forestock is relative to the large size of the butt. There probably is no more than 1/16"-3/32" thick wood left on the sides of the barrel channel. I've viewed the original and it does not strike you immediately as a big clunky gun. If you visit Jud's site, pay attention to the architecture of the gun. Don't get distracted by the carving and decoration. Look how the wrist is shaped, how the profile on top of the wrist to the comb is almost a straight line, how thin and delicate are the lock panerl, the swell at the rear ramrod pipe, the cross sectional shape of the forestock, etc. Finally, Buckskinn, while Peter Alexander's book is a useful reference, Greg Dixon's "The Art of Building the Longrifle" is a better step by step guide. Alexander essentially compiled separate articles he wrote for a magazine into his book so the chronological sequence of events is not logical or even that useful to a new builder.

dave
 
That would make sense... I will take a look at it when I get home, but I believe it has a much smaller diameter than the ramrod that came with the kit.

I found that blog a couple days ago and have been using it as my picture guide as it's by far the most reference that I've found for this particular rifle. That is an incredible copy! But thanks for the areas to concentrate on, that will help a lot. I would like to have it as close as possible to the original. Unfortunately a couple beaver tails will be about the extent of my carving. Also, I found the blog a bit late, as the tang should have been squared off, oh well...

I think I will pick up that book. Bill's videos have been very helpful as well!
 
Been a while since an update. I have been tinkering with polishing parts while waiting for my set trigger to get here, which it finally did yesterday. So I will start on the bottom part of the rifle next. The only major thing that I've been working on lately is the patch box.
20190129_060122.jpg


I have most of the hard parts done, now just need to bore out the cavity, add the spring/brass end and shape it.
20190129_060137.jpg


Oh,,, and I also ordered some Aquafortis!
 
Hi Buckskinn,
I am no fan of any commercial "aqua fortis". I no longer use that stuff, instead I buy powdered ferric nitrate from the Science Company, and create the same chemical mix as aqua fortis but by dissolving the powder in water (or alcohol). This gives me much greater control over color because I can adjust the concentration accurately. You treat the ferric nitrate solution the same way as AF, apply, let dry, then blush with heat. The guns shown below were all treated as I describe but with different concentrations to give me the color I wanted:
80ccJNC.jpg

y1NQwxb.jpg

EEEBO6U.jpg

trsCOHP.jpg


dave
 
Hi,
Before you go much further, I urge you to visit Jud Brennan's blog site. Just search for "Jud Brennan" and you will get to it. Then look at his earlier posts during 2015-2017. He has a complete photo history of making a close copy of the Edward Marshall rifle based on measurements from inspection of the original in the Mercer Museum in Doylestown, PA. It is good to know what the gun is supposed to look like. One detail you will see is how thin and dainty the forestock is relative to the large size of the butt. There probably is no more than 1/16"-3/32" thick wood left on the sides of the barrel channel. I've viewed the original and it does not strike you immediately as a big clunky gun. If you visit Jud's site, pay attention to the architecture of the gun. Don't get distracted by the carving and decoration. Look how the wrist is shaped, how the profile on top of the wrist to the comb is almost a straight line, how thin and delicate are the lock panerl, the swell at the rear ramrod pipe, the cross sectional shape of the forestock, etc. Finally, Buckskinn, while Peter Alexander's book is a useful reference, Greg Dixon's "The Art of Building the Longrifle" is a better step by step guide. Alexander essentially compiled separate articles he wrote for a magazine into his book so the chronological sequence of events is not logical or even that useful to a new builder.

dave
The typical reproduction locks sold today are so thick I've taken to thinning most of them by about 1/8th of an inch to the thickness of original locks, which are nowhere as clunky as what is being produced commercially. By reducing the overall width by 1/4" its a lot easier to to achieve the slim architecture and look of an original rifle.
 

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