Wooden patchbox tips

[Eterry]

After taking a year off for personal matters I'm back at my Isaac Haines early Lancaster. The stock is shaped, only final sanding needed.
I have the matching piece of maple to make the lid from. But not sure where to begin.
Ant tips to get me started and pitfalls to avoid?
Thanks for the help.

 

[54ball]

Yep....

Don't make a goofy looking lid.

No joke there's more to this.....lots of contemporary wood box guns have a lid that is...well goofy.
Study originals or...good contemporary work for the shape and orientation. Be careful with some originals as some of those have goofy lids too. A sure sign that the original was lost.

There's two main methods....
2 piece
the dovetail portion is a separate piece with the lid glued on
1 piece
one piece where the dove tail and lid are one solid piece of wood.

The only one I worked on was a Chambers and the dove tail was already formed.....pretty much just fitting.

 

[Captjoel]

http://www.americanlongrifles.com/Workshop_sliding_wood_patchbox.htm

 

[Davemuzz]

link doesn't work

 

[Crewdawg445]

Most lids are a single piece with dovtails already cut as mentioned above. One mistake to avoid that wasn't mentioned is, fit the box to the stock were the joints are not a tight fit, allow slack. This will allow compensation for expansion and contraction of the wood. To tight and you run the risk of splitting the doves on the lid or it seizing in place from swelling. Ask me how I know... :redface:

 

[Keb]

Yep....

Don't make a goofy looking lid.

Like This one?

 

[Larry Akers]

Whichever method you pick to make your lid, make the dovetail with a slight inward taper from rear to front. As the latch catches, the dovetails should be snug enough there is no play in the lid, then as it begins to move to the rear upon opening the dovetails loosen and the lid will move freely.

 

[rich pierce]

Exactly right!

 

[Davemuzz]

It's beginning to grow on me!! :haha: :haha: :rotf:

 

[ZUG]

Yep....

Don't make a goofy looking lid.

Like This one?

OH - MY --- I hope that is just a photoshop add-on picture :shocked2: :barf: :td: :youcrazy: .

 

[Zonie]

THAT must have been made long after the gun was.

Cowboy hats and chaps weren't in style much before 1870.

Now, if Goofy had a nice coon skin cap and a fringed leather shirt it would have been much more appropriate for a long rifle. :thumbsup:

 

[Eterry]

Yep....

Don't make a goofy looking lid.

No joke there's more to this.....lots of contemporary wood box guns have a lid that is...well goofy.
Study originals or...good contemporary work for the shape and orientation. Be careful with some originals as some of those have goofy lids too. A sure sign that the original was lost.

There's two main methods....
2 piece
the dovetail portion is a separate piece with the lid glued on
1 piece
one piece where the dove tail and lid are one solid piece of wood.

The only one I worked on was a Chambers and the dove tail was already formed.....pretty much just fitting.

Thanks for the tip.. I'm much more a fan of Bugs Bunny...

But seriously, i plan on using a single piece of wood, no dovetail has been cut into it yet.

 

[Davemuzz]

What??...no votes for Tasmanian Devil??

 

[Eterry]

My old Lt. Was nicknamed Tazz... because he was short and short tempered.

 

[54ball]

Here's a tutorial about a 2 piece box but it should give some info...
Link wood box