Creasing a banana style patch box for a Southern Mt rifle

[rjpalmer]

Does anyone have suggestions for creasing/bending a  banana style patch box for an iron mounted Southern Mountain style rifle? I am concerned about binding the hinges and leaving dents in the path box surface. I'm lost!

[J. Talbert]

This is an issue with all patch boxes .  I use a combination of methods including some homemade wooden dies, assorted nylon, brass, and dead blow hammers.  Small dents are somewhat inevitable and can be filed, out afterwards.
As for the hinge, Gary Brumfield has suggested it is best to do the bulk of the bending before cutting the knuckles, but I assume that is no longer an option.  If you're using a factory made box you're already stuck with rather unsightly gaps inherent with the stampings that they use.
I try to bend the surface of the box while minimizing the amount of the bend to the hinge itself.  It also helps to shorten the hinge pin allowing the ends of the hinge to be flattened and then filed to more streamlined look.

Jeff

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Although the box should have a gentle rounding, including the hinge, if you flatten the area of the stock where the box is going to lie, taking out most of the curve, you can make a neater job of inletting that patch  box.  Cut the knuckles out after the box is bent.

[cmac]

I make the knuckles with a bit of a relief on the back to allow for the bend. Hershel House shows this in one of his videos.

[rjpalmer]

Thank you for the helpful replies. I have a little more confidence in what must be done in completing the installation. Thanks.

[davebozell]

I used a small section of 2X4 that I cut a curve in the end grain to bend a brass patchbox I am working on.  I used them in my vise to bend a gentle curve.  The pine was soft enough to cushion the brass as it bent.  The curve had to be more aggressive than the amount of bending that I wanted since it was soft.  I clamped just above and below the hinge as I bent it in stages.  Came out just fine.  Now all I have to do is inlet it.