What Have I Gotten Myself Into...

[Buckskinn]

I am going to play with the AF that I get from TOTW and see what color I get. If it's not what I'm looking for I will get some ferric nitrate. Thanks for the tip.

I am working on the trigger and have a couple issues. One is that the front trigger will not set off sear. I may have inlet it just a touch to far back... In the pic, the sear is hitting at the black mark.

(EDIT - I now can get it to fire but it is probably a 12lb pull.)

Second is more of a question. As instruction dictated I filed down both trigger blades until they cleared sear in set position with and allowed lock to be cocked. No issue there. The problem is that when trigger is unset, the rear trigger blade hits sear. I did try adjusting main spring, but it is too weak if reduced to where blade is not impeding sear. Do I file rear trigger blade only? If so, file straight or angled? Bowed?

 

[Black Hand]

I am going to play with the AF that I get from TOTW and see what color I get. If it's not what I'm looking for I will get some ferric nitrate.

You really only get one bite at this apple using Aquafortis or Ferric nitrate. At a certain point, neither will have any additional effect even after repeated applications, so consider your approach carefully. My view is that whatever color I get is fine with me because the wood has determined the outcome. I do use the Chambers Traditonal Oil finish which has a red tint to accentuate the red already brought out by the Aquafortis.

 

[Buckskinn]

I have a few pieces of scrap from the stock that I will play with different methods.

 

[Col. Batguano]

Yeah there you go. Experiment a lot. I bet I tried 20 different concoctions on this last gun before I settled on what I settled on.

Don't forget experimenting with neutralizing agents too. Baking soda & ammonia will give you different looks than a lye neutralization (more orange).

If you can get it, wood from your blank is best to use, because each piece of wood is a little bit different, and takes stains & finishes differently. When you run out of wood from your blank you can plane them down and use the same pieces again too.

One thing to be mindful of though, that the staining process will only get you part way home to your finished color & look. If you feel you're pretty close with a couple of them, put some of your finish coat on them to be sure.

 

[atllaw]

I have a few pieces of scrap from the stock that I will play with different methods.

Not trying to dissuade you from having fun, but I did that and have the pictures!
At right is a maple board with blushed AF.

 

[Buckskinn]

Ok, I have been putting this part off for a while, fiddling with stock contours and such. But it's time I go after inletting the trigger guard. I'm a bit worried about the detail of it especially the rear as I'm concerned about a gap forming as it inlet down and will go slightly toward the muzzle. If it were square, no big deal, I would just inlet short and work my way to it, but with the detail of the piece I'm not sure how to get there.

Any tips?

 

[Zonie]

Are you saying the faces won't lay flat on the wood or that it matches the general shape but because the wrist of the stock is at an angle to the wrist area it won't be a "straight down" inlay?

I suggest you inlay the front area first making the cut straight down. Once this is done, center the rear with the bottom of the wrist and cut the mortise perpendicular to the surface.

Although in theory the distance between the front and the rear will change as the trigger guard is inserted into the mortise there will be enough flex in the guard to allow for this so don't worry about it.

I will suggest that you try to find as many pictures as you can of guns that use similar trigger guards. Pay particular attention to the thickness of the originals, especially in the area of the bow.

The castings sold by our suppliers usually cast this area much thicker than the original guards were.
If the casting is left thick and just polished up nicely before it is installed, it will look "heavy" and "bulky" rather than thin and elegant like the original guards were.

If your guard has the gate and riser left on the undersides, do NOT cut them off.
You can remove a lot of the height and dress up the sides so they will fit into the mortises easily but you will need some of that material to pin thru to hold the guard in place.

 

[dave_person]

Hi Buckskinn,
Don't inlet your trigger guard until you are almost done with all the shaping of the stock. Make it one of the last things you inlet. Many builders on this site inlet it way too early. Make sure the profile of the stock is finished and you are not going to tweak it any more before installing the guard. Then when ready, inlet the front of the guard first. Then start the rear and work backward only inletting the rear final at the last moment. Guards are not inlet deep go slowly. On the original Edward Marshall rifle, the rear of the guard is held in place with a screw rather than a cross pin. Angle that screw ever so slightly to the rear so as you tighten the screw down it pushes the rear finial into your inlet.

dave