order of inletting

[jcovais]

I am about to start a first time build with a Jim Chambers Kit.   I have watched both videos offered by Chambers about 100 times (lol) so I feel that Im ready.  My question is about the order of inletting.  I have the Davis double trigger instead of the single trigger.  In the videos the barrel tang is inlet, then the trigger plate for the single trigger, then they are buttoned up with the bolt.   The go on to show the lock being inlet before the single trigger is installed.  It addresses the double triggers later in the video.  My question is should I inlet the Barrel tang  then the double triggers. bolt it together, then inlet the lock.   Or inlet the lock before installing the triggers and bolting them to the barrel tang....It's probably a stupid question and i'm just over thinking it........lol

[Dennis Glazener]

I inlet the barrel, tang, lock then the trigger plate whether single or double set trigger.

No way would I ever want to try to inlet the trigger plate first since I want to first mark where the touch hole will be then set the lock accordingly then the trigger plate based on where the sear bar ends up. Now on a well laid out kit like Chambers produces everything is spotted as to where it should go (at least on the one kit I did) and it may not be necessary to follow the same order I use.
Dennis

[kaintuck]

 
what dennis said...
1. lock, positioned by the touch hole
2. tang if you want
3. triggers are positioned as per the sear bar.....and on double set , usually above the adjustment screw..........

tomtom sez measure twice cut once in these areas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

marc

[Acer Saccharum]

Very helpful DST (double set trigger) tutorial on placement of the trigger in relation to the sear: http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=32152.0

Lock must be in place before you can let in then triggers!

[WadePatton]

Don't worry, you learn more from mistakes.   

Once the bbl is in, you can indicate the touchhole (minding the plug), then the pan has to be put near-abouts that point. The lock is attached to the pan as well as the sear bar.  Triggers have to intersect the sear properly. 

Get that right and you got yerself a gun, everything else it just making it look proper.  Of course we like 'em to look proper!

Same as the other guys said.  BLT, you know, like a sammich!

[davebozell]

Take a look at this post.  It's a combination of Mark Elliott's work with some additional comments from me.  Hopefully it will be helpful.

Dave

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=30082.msg287948#msg287948

[Tom Currie]

Trigger plate and guard are about the last thing I do as this allows me time to remove as much wood possible wood under the RR hole and through the lock area before inletting th plate and pinning the guard.   

[jcovais]

Thanks for all the great info....I love this place!!!

[Ky-Flinter]

Hi Jcovais,

Welcome to ALR.  Since you are building a Chambers kit, I assume the lock mortise is already rough cut in, so there's not much adjustment you can make in the positioning of the lock.  Finish inletting the lock first, then inlet the barrel without the tang.  If you plan to use a touch-hole liner, you may find you need to slide the barrel back an 1/8 or so, in order to have room to install the liner in front of the breech plug face.  Install the breech plug in the barrel, inlet the tang.  As others have said, the triggers can be done later.  If you get stuck, holler.

-Ron

[frogwalking]

Please pay attention to what Ky-Flinter said.  I did not heed his caution and it caused me some headaches.  Things eventually worked out, but it would have been much easier if I had listened to him to begin with.  Good luck.  You have bought a great kit. 

[Long John]

j,

I agree with Dennis.

The barrel breech plug defines where the vent goes.  So, let in the barrel first.  I then let in the tang, next.  Locate where the vent should go and mark that spot (I use a center-punch) but DON'T DRILL IT JUST YET.

The vent location defines where the lock should go.  So next let in the lock such that the vent is centered on the flash pan cavity, tangent with the top surface of the flash pan.  With a pre-carved stock you have only a little bit of adjustment latitude for lock location but make the most of what you got.

The location of the sear bar on the lock defines where the triggers must go, regardless of type.  With DST you want the sear bar positioned so that the set trigger smacks the sear solidly BUT the trigger in the unset mode will still trip the lock without undo effort.  This requires careful fore/aft adjustment of the trigger-set location relative to the sear bar.

Once the trigger set is installed then you can plot the course for the tang bolt.  Ideally the tang bolt will be perpendicular to the top surface of the tang where it passes through the tang.  This will usually mean that the tang bolt enters the trigger plate at an angle.  Drill a clearance hole through the tang and stock, stopping just as the drill marks the trigger plate.  Now drill with the tap size drill, using the clearance hole as a drill guide, through the trigger plate.  Now, with the trigger plate still installed in its inlet and using the tang in stock as a guide, tap the trigger plate.  This should give you a properly lined up trigger set.  It has always worked for me.

Best Regards,

John Cholin

[Pete G.]

Don't worry, you learn more from mistakes.   

I must know a whole lot more than I realize........

[conquerordie]

Man this discussion came up at a great time. I'm about ready to start a new project and it will be the first time I inlet double triggers in a blank. I've used them in pre inlet kits but if I did not read this my first attempt in placement could have turned out not so smooth. Heck it still might, but at least I have knowledge now.

[Acer Saccharum]

There are many helpful comments in this thread. Some apply to working from a plank, and some apply to working from a pre-inlet stock. There are major differences in the steps between the two builds.

Differences as I see them:

Build from Plank: 1) inlet barrel, 2) inlet lock to mate with barrel, 3) shape stock, 4) locate and inlet trigger and guard

Pre-carved stock with inlet barrel and rough inlet lock: 1) inlet lock, 2) inlet barrel to mate with lock, 3) final stock shaping 4) inlet triggers and guard


It can sometimes be more work to build from a pre-carved gun set. Was there enough wood left for you to move the parts around a little for adjustments? Is an inlet a little too big for your parts? ARe the inlets in the right place? It takes a lot of 'think twice' before you cut.

[conquerordie]

I think precarves certainly take more thought. From a plank you have the ability to lay things out as you feel is right, where as a precarve ties you to certain constraints that you have to make work. Like most beginners I find that I learn something from both that I can use in my next build be it a plank or kit.

[Mark Elliott]

I think the link below should very succinctly list the inletting order for all contingencies.
  
I have been looking for this inletting order guide I made up some time ago, and I found an update that someone else kept and reposted.   He added modifications for kits and pre-carves, and I added some additional build notes.  

Here it is: http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=30082.0

I have no idea what happened to the original.   I thought it was in the Tutorial somewhere, but apparently not.    Maybe Acer can add this to the Tutorial.  He asked me about it recently.  I really should keep all these long posts somewhere central.   I am sure they could be put together in a book at some point, not that we need another one.

[Acer Saccharum]

Mark, it's now in Tutorials. Thank you!