first build from a blank

[chuck c.]

After four rifles from pre-carves, I'm about to make my first attempt at building from a blank. I'm planning to send the rifle off to have the swamped barrel channel inlet and the ramrod hole drilled. I'm sure that they will need to know the length of the barrel, what weight it is, the desired thickness of the web, and the size of the ramrod hole. Is there any other information needed and how close to the actual shape of the rifle does the blank need to be band sawed? Is it necessary to draw the barrel, web, ramrod hole and channel on the blank. I hope these don't sound like dumb questions, but any helpful information would be appreciated.

[E.vonAschwege]

Most the single man operations won't inlet for a barrel unless they have the barrel to directly trace from.  I've only had one barrel and RR inlet for me by Dave Rase (fabulous job), and I did the layout on the blank before I sent it off.  With some stocks you really have to lay out the barrel precisely for the gun to fit on the blank, so I would recommend laying everything out before you send it away.  On the blank, draw out where you want the barrel to be, where you want the ramrod to be, and if you need the barrel to be offset for castoff.  Whoever you contact will tell you what he needs to know before you ship it.  Good luck!
-Eric

[Knob Mountain]

 Hi Chuck.
 
Welcome to the ALR site.
 
 There are quite a few people who do a great job at barrel inletting and ramrod channels.
 
You should send the barrel with your blank to the person who is doing the work.  They will use the barrel to make a pattern so they can accurately inlet the barrel.  It doesn't matter who you bought your barrel from but most of the time a 42" B wt isn't exactly the same as the next 42" B wt.  Even straight barrels are hardly ever perfect from one end to the next. Nearly all of   today's barrels are very well made but for a great fit you should still send the barrel.  It will keep you from having ant gaps or having to do excessive scraping.
 
You should also draw a mark on the stock where you want the breech to be located and also mark a centerline on the top where you want the barrel to be positioned.
 
Let them know the desired thickness on the web and the size of the ramrod hole and channel.  The more info you send them the less likely there is a chance you will be disappointed.

[AndyThomas]

I usually draw on the blank where I want the barrel.

One time, though, I had a blank which had a knot along its length that would have to be worked around, so I wrote on the blank: the butt thickness, castoff, drop, pull length, etc, and sent it (along with the barrel) to Fred Miller. By having this info he was able to put the barrel in the blank and leave me enough wood to make the gun I wanted. 

Hope this helps,
Andy

[holzwurm]

I would only add that I never sent a stock out for barrel inletting without the barrel. I also always draw filed the side flats at least.

[northmn]

Make sure you have two square sides to work from, ususally the top and one side.  It really helps later on as you will want to find centers and everything else from those sides as well as drilling.  I would think whoever does the inletting would have to do this, but who knows?

DP

[Long John]

Chuck,

I have nothing against the folks who provide the barrel inletting services.  They make it possible for many gunmakers to make a profit and those who have been mentioned here are fine people who have earned superb reputations.  But before you decide to send that blank off, ask yourself the question "why am I hiring somebody to do this job for me?"  You will learn a lot more about gunmaking by doing one yourself. 

If you are a hobby gunmaker, as I am, the letting in of a barrel is the beginning of a great adventure, not a necessary task that can be contracted out without diluting the pride of authorship for the finished product.  It takes about 2 to 3 hours per foot to let in a swamped octagon barrel.  You need a small back saw with the set ground off the teeth, a few chisels, a mallet and a set of scrapers that you can make yourself from old files or sabersaw blades.  It is not that hard to do, there is guidance on how to do it in the books that most folks who pursue this craft own.  So make sure you know why.

Just the meanderings of a tortured mind.

Best Regards,

John Cholin

[smallpatch]

John,

I don't do it.... probably for the same reason that period gun builders farmed out the tasks they didn't like to do to their apprentices..... Time!!

To me, it goes right along with things like.... filing brass, a real PITA.

And, like I said before, when you're building part time, it gives you another 12 to 15 hours to do the work you enjoy.

For $45 to$75, I can start right in on building a gun.  That makes my time worth $4 to $5 an hour.

IMHO for what it's worth

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Its a hobby, I do what fun!   lets someone else do whats not fun.  Sometimes doing it myslf the first couple of times is fun..after that ...nah let someone else do that.......Also there are somethngs you may not really be ready to do the first time.. I ca tell you that the guys who inlet barrels etc don't spend 3 hours per foot doing it with a couple of hand made tools.

[lew wetzel]

good luck chuck,i have thought about doing one from a blank,think i will wait till i have built quite a few more rifles first.

[northmn]

I am a lot like Long John.  I understand time constraints and all that and don't argue, but two things.  One as John said there is the issue of pride of completion.  I PERSONALLY like the feeling I get when I look at one of my own and understand that I completed these basic jobs as well.  This includes making some of the components such as thimbles or inlays.  I used to make patchboxes because I did not like the flimsy kits or brass the purchased ones were made out of.  In most cases a patchbox could be inlayed and screwed in without any device to open it as I know few that actually use them.  Secondly is the costs.  It is a hobby, and I prefer to cut costs where possible.  While I may only make about 25 cents an hour making thimbles compared to purchasing them, its my 25 cents.  On a gun I will keep other than sell that makes a difference.  I am truly enjoying making a gun right now that has a stock I cut out of a tree, a $5.00 barrel and a few parts I made.  It is time consuming, but it is my hobby, my time and adds to the enjoyment.  Your choice.

DP