AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Gun Building => Topic started by: JB2 on January 19, 2012, 07:19:20 PM
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I'm starting on a NC (sorta Gillepsie) style rifle next, and thinking of a grease hole. Were spoon bits used by original gunsmiths. Just thinking some of the NC guns looked like the grease hole was drilled at an angle, and that a chair-makers style spoon bit would be perfect for that task. Already have a ratchet-style brace, and would love to actually use it for this next gun.
Thanks all
JimB
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I once used a spoon bit to drill a grease hole in a Gillespie that I was building. I ended up swinging my little bench drill press head out over the edge of the table then clamping the stock to the table leg (forget how I did this) in order to get the right angle. I think it was roughly 45 degrees to the stock. Then I used a gouge to open the hole up so it looked like the original photo I had.
Dennis
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Probably get this done with a sharp gouge before you could get the drillpress and stock properly clamped.
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In theory you should be able to clamp the stock to the bench and bore the hole with the spoon-bit in a brace. In theory.
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Long before the grease hole period rifles were being made, flat "spade" style bits and/or lead screw augurs had largely replaced spoon bits for drilling large diameter holes that were not real deep.
I'm not saying that some makers might not have used a spoon bit but if so it was very old out-of-date technology. Even Rev War rifles show the holes for the lead points on flat drills in the bottom of the patchboxes.
Gary
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Since the grease hole is some NC/TN rifles is at an angle, my thought was to start the hole perpindicular to the center line of the stock, then swing the brace toward the butt end of the stock. This is what spoon-bits are designed to do, but I don't know if such a severe angle change would cause chip-out or even split the stock. Definitely have to try it out on some scrap first, after I get a spoon bit.
Yes, I've seen the pics of marks from different styles of bits in the bottom of patchbox holes too, but thought a spoon bit might leave a smoother bottom, without holes or crevices to allow patch grease to soak into. Maybe not a concern since you are putting grease into a hole in the stock anyway, or will natural tallow/wax types not cause any issues with the wood. Or I'm just waaaay over-thinking this.
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Since the grease hole is Maybe not a concern since you are putting grease into a hole in the stock anyway, or will natural tallow/wax types not cause any issues with the wood.
The grease will eventually deteriorate the wood once it makes it past the finish and soaks into the wood fibers.
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If so it will take longer than the approximately original 200 year old Mathew Gillespie of mine. It has a "mortar box" style grease hole. There is still some grease in the bottom and the wood in the bottom of that box is as solid as the rest of the stock.No evidence of any deterioration of any kind today. It appears to be beeswax mixed with some type of tallow.
Dennis