Triggerguard Filing/Holding jig?

[Eric Smith]

Soon I will begin to take a cheap sand cast triggerguard and try to file/clean it up some. By researching the old archives I found one jig (made for holding the guard) made of aluminum plates bolted together, very nice. Some of you may have seen that post a long time ago. Thought I might try to fabricate something like that, but first I wanted to ask, how do the rest of you handle that task? Maybe you have a good idea too!

[docone]

A pitch pot works, or epoxy on a plate that can be held in a vise.
Makes the finishing more predictable. Heat or Denatured alcohol will remove the material.

[Hungry Horse]

 Peter Alexanders book has a pattern for a filing fixture for trigger guards. It was pictured in either Muzzleblasts or Muzzleloader Magazine.

                    Hungry Horse

[Eric Smith]

I sure would love to have a copy of PA book, but thats way out there. Be glad when they republish.

[aflo]

Leather pads in a vise work pretty well.

[ptk1126]

I use two small machinist screw clamps mounted on a 8" long piece of 1/4" square wood. These clamps
have two threaded tighteners, one from each side, and have a threaded hole in the bottom for mounting on the wood.
You can drill holes thru the wood at various intervals for different length trigger guards.
I think they cost about $8 each 3-4 years ago.

Unfortunately I loaned my camera to my daughter-in-law but should have it back this weekend and
will post a pic then.

All the best
Paul

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I used to hold the guard between two vise jaws made from 1/2" plywood.  Then I made this jig, and am happy I took the time to do it.

This one is made of 1/8" thick brass - three layers. It's very versitile, and clamps the tabs of the guard securely.

[Acer Saccharum]

I don't have any photos (that I can remember) of my method.

I solder a big brass tab on the outside of the bow that I can grab in the vise while filing the INSIDE of the bow. It's about 2x2 x 1/4 thick. It is roughly curved on one edge to fit the bow; solder fills any gap.

When I'm done filing the inside of the bow, I solder one of the straight edges of the block to the outside of the front finial. Then I clamp said tab in aforementioned vise, and file the inside flat of the finial.  When secured in this fashion two hands can be used to run the file. I file a draft all the way around the finial.

Same for rear finial.

You may use same process to attach for the already filed surfaces.

Solder will wipe off with a cloth when guard is hot enuff. The remaining solder is so minimal, a light sanding or filing takes care of it.

Leave the inside of bow a little scratchy if you want your gun to look like it was done 200 yrs ago.

[Acer Saccharum]

Gawd, Taylor, you are such a tool freak. 

[docone]

That tool is cool!
I like.
Whats with the clean bench? Mine is hard to get to.
Seriously, that tool looks like it does the job. Good access.

[Hungry Horse]

Taylor thats the royal Rolls Royce version of Peters fixture. You are a total tool freak. By the way.


                                  Hungry Horse

[Ed Wenger]

Clay Smith sells one like Taylor's, only it's not as pretty..., if you don't want to make one.

Acer's method works well for butt plates also.

Sand filled leather bags, or shot bags work well also for free hand work.


       Ed

[smylee grouch]

Taylor,that extra brass layer inbetween the others must make it easyer to work with. I will be adding one to my fixture . Thanks for the tip.   Smylee

[coopersdad]

Wow, that brass one is a piece of art!  Makes mine look awful, but it's functional.  Scrap piece of 1/4" steel, drill and tap a couple of holes, and two pieces of 1/8" steel as clamps. 

[brobb]

Here is my approach to the same problem.  I already had the clamps so making this fixture took less than five minutes.  I have used this holding device many times and it works so well I have not felt the need to make any changes. I will have to admit that Taylor's is much better looking!

Bruce Robb

[mike learn]

Man, Incould have used this last week.

[Hank*in*WV]

Taylor, what are the two large holes for?

[flehto]

Most of the  outside of the TG is done when mounted  and pinned on the rifle. The stock is protected w/ paper taped on. The inside surfaces are hand held against a leather covrered wood block. Also have 2 fixtures for doing the tops of the front and rear finials. Taylor's fixture is handy and probably  gets a lot more use than it would w/ me.....Fred

[ptk1126]

Here are pix of my jig which is similar to BMR's but smaller.









All the best
Paul

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Hank, those holes were in the brass plates before I started.  I think they may have come from a big electric motor or some such...

Fred, I got along fine without it for abut 90 guns.  Then when my plywood clamps were about finished, I decided to build it.  It really does make the job a lot easier.  I can hold it in the bench vise at practically any angle, and never too far away from the vise, so there's lots of support and no chatter.  It's especially nice for getting a good polish on the inside of the bow and rail.

[Hank*in*WV]

Thanks Taylor. Just for the record, I flagrantly copied your jig a while back, sans the holes. About drove myself crazy trying to figure those holes. Glad I didn't copy them also.

[Meteorman]

Two small clamp-able vises.  Crude, cheap, gotta flip the TG once or twice.  But works for me.
/mike

[Birddog6]

This is what I made to hold mine. It will hold all of them I have tried thus far. Several dif. Lancasters, Lehighs, Bucks, Tenn., Jaegers, Fowlers.





Slip the top part on & turn it over & work the other side of the guard.