Am I the only one who has spent more than 6 hours inletting a sideplate?

[Jerry V Lape]

After marking the outline and inletting most of the depth, the plate rocked top to bottom.  Finally figured out that problem and stopped that rocking but then it rocked end to end a little bit.  Eventually I got it set in both directions.  Most of the time the smoke wasn't marking anything other than the top edge of the inlet where the draft was making contact with a fine black line. And when it did mark it was not more than a little grey haze.  I think I wore the side plate out putting it in and out so many times.  I think the previous side plate took less than an hour of leisurely effort.  Really looking forward to the patch box after this!  I might need to set aside a month for it.  Good think I only build for myself and the fun of building. 

[Daryl]

Keep at it (I guess) - Patience is a fleeting commodity with me.  I am astounded by some people's patience - yours included, Jerry.
 
I let Taylor inlet my side plates (& everything else) so I don't notice the time it takes.

[oldtravler61]

 Jerry Ok maybe this is crazy. But I sand or file the inside face to be inletted flush. Then I Mic the thickness so it's even. Outline the side plate then take it evenly down to that depth all around. Or you can use a filler acra-glass to fill in the voids. My self if I make it easy I get sloppy an the workmanship shows in the long run. Maybe not the right way but it helped me.  Good luck.....Mike

[Jerry V Lape]

Mike, I make my side plates from brass sheet so the back and face start out parallel and flat. I scribe a level line around the plate to mark the limit of the bevel and file to that which is the depth I need.  In the past inletting has only been an hour job but this time it just wasn't happening and the smoke from the plate just wasn't showing me much. Can't say I learned much I finally resorted to using a 3 gouge to lower the center a little so I could find the edge contact enough to figure out what was impeding a level set. I am not much on acraglas filler.  If I do need to fill I do that with thin wood and glue.   

[flehto]

I don't "spot" the entire surface of the sideplate.....when done inletting, the sideplate bears at the 2 holes and the perimeter.....the central surface of the inlet  is slightly relieved. This simulates the lock side. !/8" thick sheet brass is used for the sideplate  and the bevel is filed on before inletting, so the inlet is only 1/16" or slightly less in depth.   Usually takes  somewhat less than an hour to inlet .

Making the sideplate and inletting it is an easy, fun job....takes longer to design and make the sideplate than it does to inlet it. Having a sideplate that looks like it belongs in the panel is an important aesthetic feature of a LR. Below is  my version of a  Bucks County sideplate....Fred

 

[bones92]

Flehto, that's one of the nicest sideplates I've ever seen.   Beautiful.

[smart dog]

Hi Jerry,
Did you scrape the edges of the inlet marked by the smoke so the plate is sitting at full depth in the inlet?  One thing I finally learned is not to make my inlets too tight.  I used to obsess about making them perfect and then I would always have to go back and scrape the edges after I put stain and finish on the wood. Moreover, the tight inlets risked chipping wood off when I removed the plate or installed it and I always risked rounding off the upper edge of the inlet in that process.  Now I make sure my inlets go in place with very easy finger pressure and I don't worry about tiny gaps in the initial inlet.  Those gaps always disappear completely when stain and finish are applied.  Inletting too tightly and perfectly initially was simply a waste of time and effort.  It took me quite a while to accept that.

dave   

[oldtravler61]

Dave me thinks I will use your method. Thanks for the tip. Spent to many years in QC. Which means I nit pick everything I do......Mike

[Jerry V Lape]

Fletho that really confirms what I finally had once finished.  I will certainly remember that on future builds.  Thanks for the instruction. 

Smartdog I appreciate your instruction RE tightness of fit.  I will go back and check the fit at the sides again before finishing the stock.