AmericanLongRifles Forums

General discussion => Gun Building => Topic started by: smylee grouch on January 31, 2011, 04:03:35 AM

Title: Fun and not as fun riflemaking jobs
Post by: smylee grouch on January 31, 2011, 04:03:35 AM

Just came up from my basement workshop, got the cresent butt plate inleted on my current project. Boy, cresent butt plates have to be the most unplesent job of gun making for me. Carving, checkering, or engraving has to be the most fun even if I'm not very good at it. Just wondering what everyone else's fun/not as fun jobs are when it comes to rifle making.    Gary

Title: Re: Fun and not as fun riflemaking jobs
Post by: Dave B on January 31, 2011, 04:24:24 AM

I had always hated doing the but plates. I have since found its not so bad with good patterning  and pre shaping away excess wood. It took me days to do my first butt plate. It was hard working through all that wood as the stock was a full 2 1/2 " in thickness.

Title: Re: Fun and not as fun riflemaking jobs
Post by: greybeard on January 31, 2011, 05:28:43 AM

I hate starting on a 2 1/2 blank with naught but a hand saw. Next in line is the entry thimble & nose cap.like cheekpiece carving and engraving.Bob

Title: Re: Fun and not as fun riflemaking jobs
Post by: smylee grouch on January 31, 2011, 06:01:00 AM

I think I can do a butt plate at least twice as fast now as compared to when I did my first so Im improving. Come to think about it, swamped barrels are kinda tough too but when you have Fred Miller and now Dave K. they seem to go in alot better than when I did my own.    Gary

Title: Re: Fun and not as fun riflemaking jobs
Post by: caliber45 on January 31, 2011, 08:37:38 AM

Sad to say, I'm not very good at any aspect of rifle building. But since you asked . . . I like fitting the buttplate (especially after I learned you don't have to round the wood up to fill the void inside it!), and I truly love bringing the color and figure out of a gorgeous piece of wood. -- paulallen, tucson az

Title: Re: Fun and not as fun riflemaking jobs
Post by: elk killer on January 31, 2011, 12:36:44 PM

sitting by the wood stove or camp fire,, rubbing a coat of beeswax into your favorite piece ;D

Title: Re: Fun and not as fun riflemaking jobs
Post by: ken on January 31, 2011, 03:40:35 PM

I hate the entry pipe, all ways a problem. Love the nose cap,to me it is like taking a break

Title: Re: Fun and not as fun riflemaking jobs
Post by: Don Getz on January 31, 2011, 04:55:06 PM

Hate those entry pipes, that is, back when I was still doing that kind of thing, next to doing the butt plate.    Maybe that's
why I started to do barn guns>>>>>>>>>>   Don

Title: Re: Fun and not as fun riflemaking jobs
Post by: yip on January 31, 2011, 05:07:58 PM

     the one part i hate, is the lock , and side plate panels. ,but i think i got it figured out though. thats been the pain for me.  if anybody knows a better way please advise.

Title: Re: Fun and not as fun riflemaking jobs
Post by: Old Ford2 on January 31, 2011, 05:32:33 PM

Quote from: elk killer on January 31, 2011, 12:36:44 PM

sitting by the wood stove or camp fire,, rubbing a coat of beeswax into your favorite piece ;D

Then feeding that $200 piece of $#@* into the fire place watching it burn, is relief in it's self! >:( >:(
Old Ford

Title: Re: Fun and not as fun riflemaking jobs
Post by: Swampwalker on January 31, 2011, 05:34:32 PM

I love making and fitting all the metal parts and working out the guns architecture.  Less fond of final finishing and polishing of the lock and innards, etc.